Islanders trading Barzal only makes sense in this scenario

A confusing report has emerged purporting that the New York Islanders are looking to trade Mathew Barzal this offseason.

Well, the idea is that the Isles are looking to clear some cap space and are exploring the market for Barzal.

So, the idea of clearing cap space is a bit of a loose claim. The Isles have about $10.6 million in cap space, according to PuckPedia. And that’s why trading Barzal only makes sense in this scenario: The trade brings back a mind-shocking return.

Suppose the Edmonton Oilers get desperate and need to trade Connor McDavid. Sending Barzal out West to bring in McDavid would justify the move. But that's just about the only logical business case that could be made for trading Barzal.

Otherwise, what could another team possibly offer the Islanders that would justify such a trade? First-round picks and prospects just don’t line up with the current trajectory Mathieu Darche is on. The Isles are moving towards contending.

And that’s why trading Barzal makes absolutely no sense at this point.

The broader question Islanders need to address

The broader question the Islanders need to address is why they could need to clear cap space.

The club doesn’t have any major UFAs hitting the market this summer. Yes, three blueliners are set to become free agents. But none of them will justify trading Barzal this summer. Also, re-signing Anders Lee shouldn’t come at the expense of Barzal.

So, what could be the reasoning behind trading Barzal? Is there something going on that we don’t know about?

The need to clear cap space could suggest there’s something big coming down the pipeline. Potentially, a major star could be looking to test the free-agent market. Perhaps the Isles are proactively looking towards next year’s trade deadline.

These are all question marks that do raise some red flags regarding the report.

With players like Brady Tkachuk and Auston Matthews rumored to be options down the line, the Isles are gauging their chances of landing such a player. These trades may sound like long shots, but who knows what could happen.

It’s worth keeping in mind that Barzal has a 22-team no-trade list. That’s why a trade may be much easier said than done.

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