New York Islanders Offseason Plan If John Tavares Leaves (Competitive)

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NEW YORK, NY – DECEMBER 03: Teuvo Teravainen #86 of the Carolina Hurricanes skates against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on December 3, 2016 in New York City. The Rangers defeated the Hurricanes 4-2. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Trade for Teuvo Teravainen

If the New York Islanders lose John Tavares they’re obviously going to need another center. After Mathew Barzal’s first year in the league, he proved that he can be a top-line center if needed. The only reason he wasn’t was because Tavares is in front of him.

I think you’re fine with Barzal as your top center, so that leaves a need for a second line center. A similar issue to what the Islanders had just a year ago before they knew what Mathew Barzal could be at the NHL level.

Luckily for the Islanders, the Carolina Hurricanes are ready to blow up their roster, outside of Sebastian Aho, and Garth Snow should take advantage.

This is an extremely steep price, but you have to give to get so first let’s talk about what the Islanders are giving up. They have four picks in the first two rounds, and the Isles would have to give up two of them (one in the first and one in the second).

On top of the two picks, the Islanders have to give up an established (yet inconsistent) NHL level player in Brock Nelson and a prospect with a high ceiling in Josh Ho-Sang. As much as I personally like Ho-Sang as a prospect it wouldn’t surprise me at all if they decided to cut ties with him.

The Islanders would land a 23-year-old who is on the rise. Last year Teravainen put up 64 points (23 goals, 41 assists) a 22 point increase from the previous year. If Carolina is serious about blowing it up, which they should be, Teravainen is a perfect answer to the second line center hole the Islanders would have.