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New York Islanders Top 10 Best Trades in Team History

NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 06: Mathew Barzal #13 of the New York Islanders skates out to play against the Nashville Predators at the Barclays Center on October 06, 2018 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. The Predators defeated the Islanders 4-3. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 06: Mathew Barzal #13 of the New York Islanders skates out to play against the Nashville Predators at the Barclays Center on October 06, 2018 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. The Predators defeated the Islanders 4-3. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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ST PAUL, MN – JUNE 24: Fifth overall pick Ryan Strome by the New York Islanders stands onstage with General Manager Garth Snow during day one of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft at Xcel Energy Center on June 24, 2011 in St Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Ryan Strome for Jordan Eberle

In 2017 the New York Islanders were starring down the final year of John Tavares’ contract. The team captain was months away from becoming an unrestricted free agent. He was still saying all the right things about staying, but the Isles still wanted to get him some much-needed support.

Since joining the team in 2009 Tavares never truly had a top quality winger to play with. Kyle Okposo primarily played on the second line. Thomas Vanek was the closest thing to a top quality winger, and he stayed around only a mere number of months before being traded.

So in 2017, Garth Snow called up his buddy Peter Chiarelli out in Edmonton. The Oilers wanted to make some cap space for future deals to Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. And Snow was happy to oblige.

The New York Islanders sent the former fifth overall pick in the 2011 draft Ryan Strome to the Oilers for Jordan Eberle. With Eberle, the Islanders were getting a player with two years at a $6 million cap hit. He also had a 76 point pedigree.

Two subpar seasons made Eberle and his cap hit expendable in Edmonton. While Strome was far removed from that 50 point season he had in his second NHL season. Both needed a change of scenery.

While Strome continued the form that made him expendable, Jordan Eberle was back on form. In his first season with the Islanders Eberle scored 59 points and wasn’t even playing with Tavares. Turns out Josh Bailey was that winger Tavares needed.

The Islanders easily won this trade. In 2017-18 it completed an Islanders second line that was entirely built on trade with the Oilers with Mathew Barzal, Anthony Beauvillier, and Eberle.

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