Islanders: Nick Leddy Is Being Shopped For A Trade

In just a few days, Lou Lamoriello will have to submit a list of players that the New York Islanders will be protecting. All week long we’ll be breaking down what the list will look like and so on but there’s apparently a new wrinkle.

According to Arthur Staple, Nick Leddy is being shopped by GM Lou Lamoriello. There’s a couple of reasons why the Isles would be looking to move Leddy.

First of all, if the roster looks the way it does right now, he would be an odd man out and be unprotected. It’s pretty clear that the Isles value Leddy and don’t want to lose him for nothing in expansion.

Also, the team needs to clear cap space. Leddy’s cap hit is $5.5 million for one more season before he becomes a UFA at year’s end. While that number isn’t ideal, he’s still a top-four defenseman and I understand not wanting to lose him for nothing.

He should get something in return, like perhaps a midround pick or a lesser prospect, which is better than nothing and helps the Isles shed a contract so clearly Lamoriello would do that.

Leddy is coming off of a 31 point season his highest total in three years and played 21:35 of ice time per night. Someone is going to want him.

But, it’s also not as simple as just moving Leddy before the expansion draft. As our very own, Mitch Anderson stated last week they would have to add another defenseman before doing this to leave exposed.

You have to leave at least one defenseman exposed who played in at least 40 NHL games the year prior or 70 the past two years. The only Islanders that meet this requirement are Scott Mayfield, Ryan Pulock, and Scott Mayfield.

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So this would likely mean an Andy Greene extension beforehand in order to leave him exposed to meet the requirements. There’s a couple moving parts here, but Nick Leddy very well could be on the move this week.