New York Islanders Trade Targets for Every NHL Team

St Louis Blues

Nail Yakupov has been an absolute bust. There’s no sugar coating it. Nor is there any other way to say it. He’s been a bust. But, with that being said, the New York Islanders should try to pry him out of St Louis.

His nine points in 40 games are ludicrously low for a player selected first overall in the 2011 NHL Draft. Although to be fair, the Islanders selected Griffin Reinhart fifth overall that season and he’s played a total of 37 NHL games and registering two points.

At 23-years-old there’s still lots of time for Yakupov to turn things around and for what the Blues will likely ask in return for the Russian winger, it’s worth a shot.

The Islanders have defensive depth in spades. Something that the St Louis Blue can use. Sending prospect Parker Wotherspoon to the Blues is a fair price to a pay for a player that’s seen his stock significantly devalue since being drafted first overall.

From the Blues perspective at least they get something back for a player they were likely going to lose in the expansion draft. For the Isles they accept all the risk. They still have to sign Yakupov, who, in all fairness isn’t going to be worth much anymore, and they still give a roster spot to a player who might not pan out at all.