New York Islanders Lou Lamoriello Could Make Rare Pre-Season Trade

New York Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello rarely makes trades at this point in the NHL calendar. A crowded NHL roster and rookies might force him into one.

Yesterday I wrote about the log jam on the New York Islanders third line. There are just way too many players for the number of positions available. That’s just the third line though. That kind of log jam is happening in other spots on the roster as well.

On defense, we keep hearing from GM Lou Lamoriello that Noah Dobson will be given every opportunity to make the team this year. Great. But with seven defenders already under contract there just isn’t room for Dobson in the lineup.

If Lou is serious about bringing in Noah Dobson into the mix one of the seven defenders under contract is going to have to be traded. And trades, in September just aren’t a Lou Lamoriello thing.

Little History

Lou typically doesn’t trade players until the month or so leading up to the trade deadline or around the draft. Rarely is he ever active before the season starts. Unless he has to.

In September of 2015, he acquired Michael Grabner from the New York Islanders for a pile (five) prospects. Lou had to make this trade to allow the Leafs to fall under the NHL contract limit of 50 per team.

Back on October 1st, 2006,  Lou as GM and President of the New Jersey Devils had to get his team under the cap ceiling. So he traded former New York Islanders draftee Vladamir Malakhov’s contract – who was retired/suspended – to the San Jose Sharks.

And now as GM and President of the New York Islanders, Lou finds himself in a semi-similar situation. He might be forced into a rare pre-season trade. Not because he’s at the cap ceiling or because his team is at the limit of contracts they can carry but because he has more players than he needs.

Who Could Go

Scott Mayfield could be on the move to make room for Noah Dobson. Not that Mayfield should be traded, but he’s the only right-handed defender that the Islanders could be tempted into moving.

Upfront, if Josh Ho-Sang or Michael Dal Colle can’t make the full roster the Isles might have to trade them rather than risk losing them for free thanks to a waiver claim.

Don’t hold your breath for an impactful return. If a trade is made picks and prospects are likely going to be headed back the Islanders way.

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Lou Lamoriello typically doesn’t make a pre-season trade unless he has to. With the number of players that are fighting for positions this season, Lou might just have to make a trade before a puck is dropped in 2019-20.