Friedman: NY Islanders Lou Lamoriello to use next five to six games to determine trade deadline direction

The acquisition of Bo Horvat was multi-purposed. NY Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello could finally tell that his roster lacked goal-scoring ability and if they were going to make the playoffs, he needed to do something about it sooner rather than later. However, it wasn't a move just for the here and now. The Islanders then extended Horvat for eight years beyond the 2022-23 season, a power move to prove that Lamoriello means business when it comes to winning now. So the Horvat checks the boxes for now and the future. However, the Islanders may not be done making moves and according to Sportsnet Insider, Elliotte Friedman, Lamoriello will be evaluating whether he's a buyer or a seller at the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline over the next few games.

"Now that the Islanders have Horvat signed long-term, I think GM Lou Lamoriello uses the next five-to-seven games to determine what he does for this season." Friedman writes via 32 Thoughts the Blog.

It's a loaded statement, but one that appears true following the acquisition of Horvat. The Islanders are on a roll having won four straight games dating back to before the All-Star break. According to The Fourth Period, the Islanders are linked to a number of players including the more prominent names such as Patrick Kane, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Brock Boeser as well as some complimentary players such as Ivan Barbashev.

It likely shouldn't be a surprise to see so many wingers listed as potential trade targets. The Islanders traded Anthony Beauvillier to the Vancouver Canucks and because Aatu Räty was included as well, the forward group is a man short. The Isles should ideally add a winger that can play in the top six so Josh Bailey can move back to the third line where he probably belongs.

However, there is still time for the momentum to slow down for the Islanders. They've come hot out of the gate following the big trade that may have put a jolt in the locker room, but if they fall out of favor in the near future, Lamoriello could certainly be selling off expiring contracts such as Scott Mayfield, Zach Parise, or Semyon Varlamov, all of which could retrieve the Islanders valuable assets to use in the summer.

If nothing else, we'll get a clearer picture of what Lamoriello and the Islanders are going to do and it sounds like we could find out sooner rather than later.