New York Islanders Defensive Depth Perfect For Major Trade

The New York Islanders have a lengthy to-do list this off-season. An area the organization has incredible depth is on defense. The Isles are loaded on the blue line and it could lead to a major trade for a scoring forward.

One of the New York Islanders strengths is the amount of young quality defenseman they have throughout the organization. The depth can be used to improve the big club.

7 Defenseman

The Islanders and Barry Trotz had a good problem to have this past season. When Devon Toews arrived the Isles had too many NHL defenseman.

Once Thomas Hickey was healthy he found himself watching the games from the stands because the Isles had seven blueliners for six spots. One would think Lou Lamoriello will use this depth to help the team in another area, specifically a top scoring forward.

Ryan Pulock

,

Adam Pelech

, Toews, and

Scott Mayfield

are being called the Islanders core-four and unless some special forward is dangled in front of them, none of them are going anywhere.

The Islander defenseman that teams will be interested in is

Nick Leddy

. Leddy just turned 28 and is signed for another three years at a reasonable $5.5 million dollar cap hit. He could be part of a package that nets a top-six forward in return.

Bridgeport Blue Liners

The Isles depth on defense isn’t just with the big club. Down in Bridgeport, the Islanders have Sebastian Aho, Mitchell Vande Sompel, and Parker Wotherspoon knocking on the NHL door.

Aho led this group posting nine goals and 46 points for the Sound Tigers. Vande Sompel and Wotherspoon were a big part of the D-corps in Bridgeport this past season as well.

Other NHL clubs would be very interested in landing anyone of this Bridgeport trio. All three guys are talented, young, and would have a low salary cap number.

The Pipeline

Both Noah Dobson and Bode Wilde had exceptional years after being high draft picks by the Isles last year. Dobson was the 12th overall pick and has been one of the best players in the QMJHL this year.

Dobson had 52 points in 56 games in the regular season and has been a monster in the playoffs producing 26 points in his first 18 games. His team Rouyn-Noranda Huskies are in the finals.

Wilde put together a strong year with the Saginaw Spirit in the OHL. The 6’3, 190 lbs defenseman had 70 points in 62 games during the regular season. Wilde is looking like one of the Draft steals from 2018.

Wilde is more of a raw prospect and is probably at least two years away from making it to Long Island. Dobson, however, could play in the NHL as soon as next season. With the Isles youth already on the NHL roster and Dobson closing in on joining the big club, Wilde could be packaged in a trade to land a top forward.

The Isles awesome depth and youth on defense give Lou the flexibility to move some players this off-season to address the teams need for a top scoring forwards.