New York IslandersTrade Deadline Means Big Business

The NHL trade deadline (March 1st – 3 PM Eastern) is just a couple of weeks away. The New York Islanders could have a big decision to make right around the deadline. Given the Islanders roster, general manager Garth Snow must be all in at the deadline.

There is no need for the New York Islanders to make a deal to acquire depth. The Islanders have depth across the board on the main roster as well as reinforcements down at Bridgeport.

In terms of forwards currently Shane Prince and Stephen Gionta are the Isles 13th and 14th forwards. On defense, the blue and orange are already using their depth with Travis Hamonic out with a lower-body injury. Adam Pelech and Scott Mayfield are currently team’s seventh and eighth defenseman. Plus they have Ryan Pulock who is ready to start his NHL career.

In net, if an injury were to happen they have Jaroslav Halak down in Bridgeport, who has been playing extremely well for the Sound Tigers (11-1-1, 2.03 goals against, .929 save percentage).

Whether or not Snow moves Halak before the deadline is all about freeing up space for next year’s cap.

The Islanders have plenty of depth.

New York Islanders

Make the Big Deal

So can Garth Snow pull off a major trade before the deadline? The trade target would have to be adding a dynamic offensive player.

Given the few teams that will be sellers, the Islanders trade deadline partners start and end with the Colorado Avalanche. Joe Sakic, GM of the Avalanche has stated both Matt Duchene and Gabriel Landeskog are available.

Does Garth go after Duchene to center the Isles second line or add Landeskog to play alongside John Tavares on the wing?

Yours truly wrote a couple of weeks ago the Islanders and the Avalanche are a strong potential match to pull off a blockbuster trade. Colorado needs a top-four defenseman, and then some young talent as well in the deal especially between the pipes.

I stated in my previous piece a package of Hamonic, Michael Dal Colle or Kiefer Bellows, and Linus Soderstrom should get a deal done from Colorado’s perspective for the Islanders to land Duchene.

That would be a hefty price Garth would be paying to land Duchene, who is signed through the 2018-19 before becoming an unrestricted free agent. Having said that that, it’s not often a player as talented as Duchene becomes available on the trade market.

In addition, the Islanders would be trading from strength regarding their blue line and prospect pipeline. The Isles would still have plenty of depth in both area’s if they made such a trade.

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Garth has the pieces to pull off a major deal. Ownership should be imploring him to do so as well.

Keep in mind if the Islanders do make the playoffs, in all likelihood they would meet up with the Washington Capitals in the first-round. In order to beat the Caps, Snow will need to add another dynamic player.