New York Islanders Still Winning Jordan Eberle Ryan Strome Trade

On Friday, former New York Islanders fourth overall pick Ryan Strome was traded to the New York Rangers from the Edmonton Oilers. The Isles just can’t stop winning that trade.

On June 22nd, 2017, the New York Islanders traded former fifth overall pick in 2011 Ryan Strome to the Edmonton Oilers for Jordan Eberle. The trade was a huge win for the New York Islanders then and continues to be a huge win for the New York Islanders now.

In Jordan Eberle, the Islanders were getting a player who was averaging 55 points a season for the Oilers. With a 47 and 51 point return over the two seasons before the trade to the Islanders Eberle was underperforming and was eating up $6 million of the Oilers cap space.

Ryan Strome for his part was at one time a 50 point player (scoring 50 in 2014-15) but over the last two seasons before the trade to the Oilers, Strome had also been underperforming. Strome scored 58 points across those two seasons.

Why is this being talked about some 17 months later? Because Ryan Strome was traded to the Rangers for Ryan Spooner on Friday.

Time Since Trade

Since being traded back in 2017, Jordan Eberle has forged chemistry with Mathew Barzal for the Islanders and translated that into 69 points in 99 games.

Over that same period, Ryan Strome has scored 36 points in 100 games for the Oilers. In 18 games this season Strome has two points (one goal and one assist).

I’m not sure what the Oilers were expecting from Ryan Strome when they acquired him. In his first season with the Oilers, Ryan Strome was as advertised. He scored 34 points for the Oilers and was a good depth option for them. That’s exactly what he was with the Islanders.

Sure, with Ryan Strome the Oilers were able to clear some cap space for the upcoming mega deals to Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Strome held a $2.5 million cap hit to Eberle’s $6 million.

And sure, he’s been a disappointment this season with only two points. But looking at what Strome has had to work with you can see why. Strome has played most of the season next to Milan Lucic and a combination of Drake Caggiula, Jesse Puljujarvi, or Kailer Yamamoto.

It’s not like Ryan Strome is the type of player to carry a line. It’s the exact reason the Islanders traded him in the first place.

Not What They Wanted

I feel bad for Ryan Strome. While he once scored 50 points in the NHL season and was a former fifth overall pick, the two seasons immediately before the trade to Edmonton revealed the type of player that he was.

The Oilers seemed to have been hoping for more from Ryan Strome than the cap relief and what they knew he could produce. That’s why the Islanders keep winning this trade. Because the Edmonton Oilers have no idea how to evaluate players or build proper expectations.

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Eberle for Strome was a bad deal then and remains a bad deal now. At least for the Oilers. For the Islanders, its worked out handsomely. At least with Ryan Spooner, the Edmonton Oilers get a player that should be better at leading a line than Ryan Strome.