NY Islanders center Jean-Gabriel Pageau drawing trade interest is nothing new

It's become a rite of passage for the NHL off-season: rumors of New York Islanders center JG Pageau drawing interest from teams around the league as the perfect third-line center on a Stanley Cup contender or teams looking to rebound from disappointing seasons.

With the 32-year-old veteran entering the final year of his six-year, $30 million deal, fans and analysts alike are speculating whether Pageau’s time on Long Island is coming to an end. It’s no secret that the Islanders have a surplus of centers; it's been that way for years. The team has depth down the middle between Mathew Barzal, Bo Horvat, Casey Cizikas, and up-and-coming top prospect Calum Ritchie, who is expected to start the season in the NHL after being acquired from the Colorado Avalanche in the deal for Brock Nelson.

That leaves Pageau as a potential trade chip to help balance the roster and free up much-needed cap space for new General Manager Mathieu Darche as he aims to extend defenseman Noah Dobson and Alexander Romanov after already announcing the re-signings of Kyle Palmieri and Adam Boqvist a day after he was formally announced in his new role.

Despite his steady performance last season—14 goals and 28 assists in 79 games—Pageau’s $5 million cap hit could be more of a burden than an asset as the Islanders look to improve their lineup and make room for younger talent. They can still make the numbers work, but it's easier if a team is willing to take on all of Pageau's cap hit.

Pageau is lauded as a key penalty killer and a trusted two-way player, but hasn't been able to recapture the type of goal production he showed (26 goals in 67 games) during the 2019-20 season when the Islanders acquired him from the Ottawa Senators and promptly signed him to a six-year extension. He's been around a 40-point scorer for the Islanders, a nice player, who adds value even when he's not scoring goals.

Several contenders are reportedly showing interest in the Islanders' center, including the Boston Bruins, Carolina Hurricanes and Winnipeg Jets, all teams looking to bolster their center depth and would benefit from Pageau's seasoned veteran presence in all situations.

However, moving a guy with Pageau’s experience and defensive prowess would be tough for the Islanders if they want to be a playoff team next season. Not only does he provide solid two-way play, but his leadership in key situations like faceoffs and penalty kills is hard to replace. Darche has sounded much like his predecessor, like the team is playoff caliber, and underachieved last season. If that's the case, it may make more sense to retain Pageau, wait to see how his and the team's performance unfolds, and revisit the conversation at the trade deadline, where Pageau's expiring contract could bring back equal or better value as a rental.