How Well Has the NY Islanders Trade for Alexander Romanov Aged?

One year ago, on Jul. 7, 2022, the New York Islanders made a controversial move, trading for defenseman Alexander Romanov at the 2022 NHL Draft. Commissioner Gary Bettman announced the trade to an audience of Canadiens fans in Montreal.

At the time, reactions from Islanders fans were mixed. On the one hand, the team desperately needed a left defenseman, having chosen not to re-sign Zdeno Chara and Andy Greene. Romanov filled the need, and was young and relatively cheap.

But on the other hand, the trade price was fairly high, and Romanov's offensive stats were unimpressive. One year later, has the trade aged well?

How Well Has the NY Islanders Trade for Alexander Romanov Aged?

The Islanders gave the 13th overall pick to Montreal for Romanov and the 98th overall pick. They selected Isaiah George with that pick. Of course, it's much too early to know whether George will turn into a NHLer, but so far, he's looked good in the OHL.

The Canadiens immediately traded the Islanders' pick to the Blackhawks, who selected Frank Nazar. He missed most of this season due to injury, and will return to the University of Michigan next year. We don't know who the Islanders would have picked, but several prospects drafted around the same place are looking very promising, including Rutger McGroarty and Joakim Kemell. In other words, even if Nazar himself doesn't become a good player, the pick was still a valuable asset. What did the Islanders get for it?

Just looking at scoring, Romanov isn't worth the 13th overall pick. He had a career-high 20 assists this year, which doesn't sound like a lot, but it's more impressive than his 2 goals. That's not a typo... two goals. But of course, Romanov's value doesn't really come from offense. He's a defensive defenseman who plays a very strong physical game.

Let's take a deeper look into Romanov's game and whether this trade is on track to be a win for the Isles based on last season.