Islanders: Pros and cons of trading for Kyle Palmieri

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EAST MEADOW, NEW YORK – JANUARY 04: General Manager Lou Lamoriello of the New York Islanders attends practice during training camp at Northwell Health Ice Center at Eisenhower Park on January 04, 2021 in East Meadow, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

It seems that the New York Islanders could very well bring in Kyle Palmieri by the trade deadline, so what are the pros and cons for such a move?

The New York Islanders are in the market for a scoring winger. From the chatter around the league to the way this team is currently constructed, the Isles should be looking for a rental.

Guys like Taylor Hall and Rickard Rakell (before his injury) have been consistently linked to the Islanders. But the player seemingly destined for the New York Islanders is Devils forward Kyle Palmieri.

The 30-year-old veteran is in the final year of a five-year deal signed back in 2016. Lou Lamoriello was still at the helm, as President of Hockey Operations for the Devils at the time of the signing. He left for the Leafs GM job weeks later.

So, if the Islanders are likely to bring him in what are the pros and cons of such a move?

I’m not going to talk about the price for Palmieri. No one actually knows what the return will be for Palmieri. If or when he gets traded we can discuss the pros and cons of the price. But for now, let’s just go over the fit in the lineup and on the ice for the Islanders

NEWARK, NJ – FEBRUARY 4: Kyle Palmieri #21 of the New Jersey Devils celebrates scoring his goal in the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Montreal Canadiens on February 4, 2020 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Montreal won 5-4 in a shootout, (Photo by Paul Bereswill/Getty Images) /

Pros of Palmieri trade

Top-six winger
Consistent 20 goal scorer
Low cap hit
Knows Lou’s ways

With Anders Lee out, the Islanders desperately need help in their top six. While Palmieri isn’t a left-shot like Lee, he’s clearly a top-six winger. He’s averaged 17:35 of ice-time since arriving in New Jersey back in 2015-16. Lee has averaged 16:35 of ice-time in the same period.

Palmieri may not play the same way as Anders Lee does, but what we do know is that he’s a consistent goal scorer. Over the past five years, he’s scored no fewer than 24 goals in a season. He averages 0.363 goals per game since arriving in New Jersey, that’s a 30 goal pace over an 82 game year.

Of his 132 goals since 2015-19, 49 have come on the power play (37%). So not only is he good for goals, he’s good for goals on the special teams as well. Since that flurry of power-play goals immediately after their forced COVID break, the Islanders haven’t been able to get much going on the man-advantage. Having Palmieri out there instead of Matt Martin would be a huge upgrade.

Now add all the intangibles to the equation.

We know that ‘fit’ is a bit factor for Lou. He has to know that the player he brings in will fit in the room and not disrupt the delicate ecosystem that is the Islanders locker-room. Lou knows Palmieri, he may not have been the GM who traded for him, but he was still at the top of the Devils Hockey Ops department when he was acquired. He certainly had no issue bringing him then, and won’t likely have an issue bringing him in now.

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY – MARCH 19: Kyle Palmieri #21 of the New Jersey Devils stretches during warmups before the game against the Washington Capitals at Prudential Center on March 19, 2019 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

Cons of Palmieri trade

Right shot
Not playing well
Rental

Now for the cons of bringing in Palmieri. The obvious con is that he’s a right shot. The gap in the Islanders lineup is currently on the left-wing. It’s hard to believe that the Isles will have an all righty top line of Palmieri-Barzal-Eberle.

Bailey could move up to the top line but it doesn’t make a ton of sense to move Palmieri to Nelson’s line, which is primarily a shutdown line now. And why breakup Beau-Pageau-Wahlstrom?

Palmieri’s also not playing particularly well at the moment. With six goals and 16 points in 32 games this season, he’s pacing out to have his worst year as a Devil. Are the Islanders bringing in a player that’s on the decline? Or is this just a blip?

Personally, I don’t think that at 30, Kyle Palmieri is done just yet. He’s still got a number of good years left. There’s also the idea that the New York Islanders are a better team with more talent than the Devils. What happens when Palmieri is surrounded by better players? Intuitively you’d have to think that would bring out the best in him.

Now, what about the fact that he’s a rental who could be an unrestricted free agent once his contract expires at the end of the year?

It’s a fair concern to have. The Islanders need to get the best out of Palmieri in the short amount of time that he’ll be with the Islanders (assuming they don’t re-sign him). If he comes in and plays like he’s playing in New Jersey, and the Isles can’t elevate him, Lou will have effectively burned whatever assets he sent to the Devils not to mention having a passenger when the Isles are looking to add a driver.

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