Islanders: Best four targets on the Athletics trade deadline big board

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DALLAS, TX – JUNE 22: Lou Lamoriello of the New York Islanders attends the first round of the 2018 NHL Draft at American Airlines Center on June 22, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

The Athletic published their trade deadline ‘Big Board’. Who on the list of 27 players should the New York Islanders be interested in, and why?

Leading up to the trade deadline, Craig Custance of The Athletic published the first big board of the NHL trade season (subscription required). Of the 27 players up on the big board, who should the New York Islanders be interested in and why?

We already know what the New York Islanders should be looking for.

The Islanders rank 26th in goals-for – across all situations – with 117 goals. Narrow that down to 5on5 and things are just as bleak with the Islanders again ranking as 26th in the league with 76 goals for.

Lou Lamoriello will ideally be looking for a player who can immediately step in and be a significant piece of the team’s offense.

He could also use a third-line center. Derick Brassard hasn’t been the player the Islanders need down the middle. Put him on the wing next to Anthony Beauvillier and Brock Nelson and Brassard can be a good asset. But ask him to carry that third line and he disappears.

Getting a third-line center might not be as sexy as landing that top tier player, but it could have a profound impact on the rest of the line.

There’s also the fact that the trade market isn’t exactly flooded with top-tier talent. Taylor Hall was the only top-tier player available and he was scooped up by the Arizona Coyotes. Then again, his “top-tier” status was debatable

I picked four players on the Athletic’s board that the New York Islanders can be interested in, and to what degree.

Note: I’m going to say “According to The Athletic” a few times, know that I’m referencing the Big Board post.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JANUARY 21: Tyler Toffoli #73 of the Los Angeles Kings celebrates his goal with the bench to trail 2-1 to the St. Louis Blues during the first period at Staples Center on January 21, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

Tyler Toffoli | Los Angeles King

Big Board Rank: 2
Stats: 43GP 11G,13A, 24Pts

This isn’t the first time I (or anyone) has mentioned Tyler Toffoli in trade conversations. The 27-year-old hasn’t been putting up the numbers so to speak over the last few years.

Since a breakout 31 goal and 58 point season in 2015-16, Toffoli has broken the 20 goals and 40 point plateau just once. With eleven goals and 24 points in 43 games this season, he’s on pace to score 21 goals and 45 points. So he might just make that twice in four years.

With his deal set to expire the right-shot winger is headed towards unrestricted free agency at the end of the season. Making him a rental. But it seems that the cost to acquire Toffoli isn’t very high.

According to The Athletic, a second-round pick and a prospect would be enough to see Toffoli moved.

With a stacked 2020 draft coming up, losing a first-round pick isn’t something any GM is willing to do. Unless they’re getting a top-end player, like Taylor Hall*.

*The 2020 first-round pick sent to New Jersey was top-three protected.

Tyler Toffoli isn’t a top-end player. He’s surely a top-six player. If the cost is indeed a second-round pick and a prospect (like a Parker Wotherspoon or Arnaud Durandeau), then that seems like a fair price for the Isles to pay.

Toffoli can score goals, and based on what the Islanders need and the cost he jumps to the top of the list. Although it wouldn’t be a show stopper acquisition.

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY – NOVEMBER 13: Jean-Gabriel Pageau #44 of the Ottawa Senators celebrates his hat trick in the third period after he scored an empty net goal against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center on November 13, 2019 in Newark, New Jersey.The Ottawa Senators defeated the New Jersey Devils 4-2. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

Jean-Gabriel Pageau | Ottawa Senators

Big Board Rank: 4
Stats: 43GP 19G,11A, 30Pts

He’d be a perfect fit for the Islanders third-line center role. Absolutely perfect.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau kills penalties about as well as Casey Cizikas. He’s able to create offense from the penalty kill (he has three short-handed goals already this season).

He’s also incredible at 5on5 while playing primarily from the defensive zone. Through 43 games, Pageau already has 15 goals at 5on5 (a career-high) while starting 61.3 percent of his shifts in the defensive zone.

Again, he’s absolutely perfect for the New York Islanders.

The issue surrounding Pageau is first, the cost, and second, do they want to move him?

With the type of season, Pageau is having he’s likely going to carry a heavy price at the trade deadline. Center’s aren’t cheap. Kevin Hayes cost Brendan Lemieux, a first-round pick, and conditional fourth-round pick when he was traded last year.

Pageau won’t cost the exact same, but you have to think a consistent 30 point two-way center on a career year is going to cost at least a first-round pick and perhaps something else.

Then there’s the issue of him even being available. According to The Athletic, the Senators are likely going to sign Pageau rather than offer him up as another casualty of the rebuild. So he may not even be available for the Islanders to trade for him.

TORONTO,ON – DECEMBER 6: Andreas Athanasiou #72 of the Detroit Red Wings waits for a faceoff against the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on December 6, 2018 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Red Wings defeated the Maple Leafs 5-4 in overtime. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) /

Andreas Athanasiou | Detroit Red Wings

Big Board Rank: 22
Stats: 36GP 5G,14A, 19Pts

After a breakout year in 2018-19 where he scored 54 points, Andreas Athanasiou isn’t having the same success this season. With 19 points in 36 games, he’s on pace for 39 points by the end of the year.

Again, things aren’t going well in Detroit for Athanasiou. And with a new GM in town, he could be on the way out at the trade deadline.

According to The Athletic, Athanasiou just isn’t Yzerman’s “cup of tea”.

Should the Islanders move a first-round pick for Athanasiou?

He’s a pending restricted free agent, so he isn’t a rental. He has 30 goal potential, so he could fit with what they are looking for. All of that sounds great. But that’s yet another RFA contract that the Islanders would have to figure out. With Mathew Barzal, Ryan Pulock, and Devon Toews already on their list of pending RFAs.

A contract will likely have to go Detroit’s way to balance the books in 2020-21. The Islanders have a few contracts they’d like to move but there’s little reason for Yzerman to take either Andrew Ladd or Johnny Boychuk.

Perhaps if Jordan Eberle doesn’t turn a corner he could be used to make some cap space. The same can be said for Josh Bailey and his contract. But then again, just like with Ladd and Boychuk, why would Yzerman want to bring them in?

I like Athanasiou, but I don’t know if I’d restructure the team in order to bring him in.

DENVER, CO – NOVEMBER 07: Kyle Turris #8 of the Nashville Predators plays the Colorado Avalanche at the Pepsi Center on November 7, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

Kyle Turris | Nashville Predators

Big Board Rank: 22
Stats: 36GP 5G,14A, 19Pts

According to The Athletic, the Nashville Predators have been trying to move him for a year now. Which is wild because they only acquired him two years ago. How quickly things change in Nashville.

To be fair to Nashville, Kyle Turris hasn’t exactly been the 50 point center they were hoping to get. Since joining Nashville he’s played 155 games, scoring 82 points. That’s a pace of 0.53 points-per-game. In his final three full years in Ottawa, he scored 179 points in 217 games, a pace of 0.83 points-per-game.

Now to flip the argument in Turris’s favor, he hasn’t exactly played with the best linemates in Nashville. Over his 155 games with Nashville, he’s spent most of his 5on5 time next to Craig Smith and Kevin Fiala. Over that 179 game sample in Ottawa, Turris’s most common 5on5 linemates were Mark Stone and Bobby Ryan.

With Matt Duchene finally in the fold for Nashville, there is very little space for Kyle Turris and virtually no place down the middle for the $6 million center. The Predators both a spine of Matt Duchene, Ryan Johansen, Nick Bonino, and Colton Sissons.

Turris could be a good fit for the New York Islanders gap on the third line. The only issue is going to be that previously mentioned $6 million cap hit. Ideally, Lou gets the Predators to retain up to half of the cap hit.

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At that point, the deal becomes palpable for the Islanders to have him anchor that third line with Josh Bailey on his right and some combination of Michael Dal Colle or Tom Kuhnhackl this year.

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