Islanders in on Thomas, but pivot likely

The New York Islanders have avoided the NHL trade deadline chaos by not overpaying for available players, and rightfully so.

Beyond the savvy deals that brought Ondrej Palat and Carson Soucy, the Isles have done well to steer clear of paying a premium for depth pieces.

That said, the Islanders have not been idle behind the scenes. Trade rumors have surfaced linking the Islanders to two of the St. Louis Blues’ main trade targets: Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou.

Let’s start with Thomas. He’s the biggest fish believed to be available at this year’s trade deadline. Now, it isn’t that the Blues HAVE TO trade Thomas. It’s just that the Blues are evidently rebuilding and want to get this trade out of the way. Getting Thomas out the door now would maximize his value.

That said, the situation here is that the price is believed to be through the roof. That’s why the Islanders have kicked the tires on him, but haven’t gotten very far. According to Stefen Rosner, the Isles have spoken to the Blues about Thomas, but the asking price has sent Mathieu Darche running to fetch a paper bag.

That leaves Kyrou. The Islanders do need a top-six winger, and Kyrou could be the answer. While Thomas would provide the Islanders tremendous depth down the middle, the target is adding more scoring. And it seems that Kyrou would be a more reasonable target.

There doesn’t seem to be anything imminent at the moment, but it is worth wondering if the Isles may have something up their sleeves with Kyrou. Like Thomas, the Blues don’t have to trade Kyrou. But given the way things have been going for the 27-year-old, the Blues would certainly be better off moving him as soon as possible.

Kyrou or Thomas could be offseason targets

It wouldn’t be surprising to see Thomas and Kyrou remain in St. Louis after the clock strikes 3 pm on Friday.

The price tags for both players have likely scared off most contending clubs. That’s why it wouldn’t be unreasonable to see the Blues hold on to them. But even if that happened, it wouldn’t preclude the Blues from moving both players during the offseason.

Since St. Louis is unlikely to make the postseason, they’ll get an early start on their summer. That means getting plenty of time to work back channels on deals, even with the playoffs in full swing.

So, wouldn’t it make sense to use the time leading up to the 2026 NHL Draft to work out a deal for either Thomas or Kyrou?

Yes, the Isles have a clear need now as they are firmly in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. But wouldn’t it also make sense for the Islanders to load up in the offseason? Depending on how this season goes, it would then make sense for the club to determine just how worthwhile such a trade would be.

All told, the Islanders’ prudent approach is certainly warranted. Other clubs have shown similar restraint. The Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins, and Montreal Canadiens have resisted the temptation to make a huge splash for the sake of it.

That’s why Islanders fans should be optimistic that future success looks sustainable in Long Island.