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New York Islanders NHL Trade Rumor Weekly Wire May 21st

NEWARK, NJ - JUNE 30: New Jersey Devils GM Lou Lamoriello attends the 2013 NHL Draft at the Prudential Center on June 30, 2013 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEWARK, NJ - JUNE 30: New Jersey Devils GM Lou Lamoriello attends the 2013 NHL Draft at the Prudential Center on June 30, 2013 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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PITTSBURGH, PA – MAY 03: Phil Kessel #81 of the Pittsburgh Penguins warms up prior to the start of Game Four of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Washington Capitals at PPG PAINTS Arena on May 3, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Phil Kessel
PITTSBURGH, PA – MAY 03: Phil Kessel #81 of the Pittsburgh Penguins warms up prior to the start of Game Four of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2018 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Washington Capitals at PPG PAINTS Arena on May 3, 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Phil Kessel /

Phil Kessel

If Phil Kessel is on the trade block, the New York Islanders need to find a way to get a hold of him. According to TSN’s Frank Seravalli, Kessel might be on the block as Pittsburgh looks to change things up. Seravalli reports that Kessel is on the block because of friction between his coach and star center Evgeni Malkin:

"Rutherford admitted that there were issues in the Penguins’ dressing room this season and Kessel’s friction with coach Mike Sullivan and even linemate Evgeni Malkin has been evident."

I know, Phil Kessel isn’t a young player and has already peaked. If anything he’s a diminishing asset. But he’s only 31-years-old, he’s still got a few good years left in him. And the Islanders should absolutely get in on that.

Over the last three seasons, Kessel has scored 244 points, that’s an average of 81.3 per season. In those same three years, he’s put up 34 points in 41 playoff games with two Stanley Cups and what should have been a Conn Smythe trophy. Just last season, a year filled with an apparent conflict with his coach and teammates, he scored 27 goals and 82 points.

Two kids with promise that are under team control for years that won’t cost much and a pick to compensate for the retained salary. How does Pittsburgh say no? They get to slash $5.1 million before signing Beau and Ho-Sang for what should be less than a combined $3 million. That’s a $2.1 million saving on the cap.

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I know both are with divisional rivals, but both players could give the New York Islanders a boost that they’ll need going into the 2019-20 season.

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