Islanders: 3 Destinations Josh Bailey Could Land if Traded

Buffalo Sabres

Similar to the Senators, the Buffalo Sabres are another destination that makes sense for a young team that should be looking to add veterans. Outside of Jeff Skinner and former Islander Kyle Okposo, there aren't many veterans under contract in Buffalo for 2022-23.

2022 seemed to turn over a new leaf for the Sabres with a 22-22-6 record dating back to January 1st. Obviously, that's not great, but given Buffalo's recent history, that's a decent amount of success. After the departure of Jack Eichel, Alex Tuch and Peyton Krebs fit in well with the Sabres giving Buffalo Fans a glimmer of hope that things were looking up despite trading away their franchise player.

Yet another team that needs to meet the cap floor, the Sabres currently have $35,554,166 in cap space, so again, no problem there with fitting in Bailey's contract as they also need to fill the roster. With just two seasons remaining on his contract, Bailey would be an excellent short-term mentor to the youth in Buffalo featuring Jack Quinn, Dylan Cozens, Anders Bjork, Krebs and others, all while continuing to be a competitive team. Much like the Red Wings, the Sabres will look to improve next season, and if the Bruins really do take a step back, it'll be fun to watch the Red Wings and Sabres battle for their spot in the postseason if both teams happen to take that next step forward.

With no-trade protection, Bailey doesn't have much of a say in his future if Lamoriello decides he wants to move him. All three of Ottawa, Detroit, and Buffalo make sense for the veteran winger, and if the Islanders plan to land an impact player or two, Bailey's contract will be too rich to maintain. The New Jersey Devils, Seattle Kraken, and Arizona Coyotes all make sense for Bailey too as honorable mentions. The 2021-22 season has yet to come to a conclusion, but trades have already transpired. With about a week left in the season, we could see Lamoriello strike sooner rather than later.