Islanders who says no: Trading for Coyotes offensive defenseman

In this portion of the offseason, there are so many more questions than there are answers when it comes to roster construction. With that fans of the New York Islanders and the other 31 NHL teams try to fill in the gaps.

That's where CapFriendly's Armchair GM feature serves an incredibly valuable purpose: seeing how all those fanbases try to fill in the gaps.

So, looking at one those Armchair GM teams, involving an Islanders trade, do either side say no?

New York Islanders who says no: Trading for Coyotes defenseman

When we think of possible trades with the Coyotes the initial thought is it's a trade for Jakob Chychrun. But the cost for Chychrun is going to be so high that it might just be too much for the Islanders to meet and have enough assets to service other needs via trade.

So what about the other offensive defenseman on the Arizona Coyotes blue line? What about Shayne Gostisbehere?

This Armchair GM proposes a deal that sends Gostisbhere and a 2024 5th to the Isles for a 2023 second-round pick. The Coyotes also retain $900,000 of Gostisbhere's $4.5 million cap hit (20%).

On the year, Gostisbehere put up 14 goals and 51 points over 82 games. His second-best return in the NHL. Sure he's -23, but Chychrun was -20 so don't let +/- act as a deterrent. And all the Isles have to give up is a second-round pick next year? The Islanders don't say no.

Would the Coyotes say no? They might. That's a very strained "might". A second in 2023 might not be enough for them. I understand getting something (a second) for nothing (picking up Ghost for just money). But they'll want a little more out of this.

But the Islanders could easily up their offer with either an extra mid-round pick or a second in 2022 instead. The takeaway is that the cost won't nearly be as pricey for Gostisbehere then it would be for Jakob Chychrun.

The Islanders also keep all of their higher-value assets like that 13th overall pick in 2022 or prospect Aatu Räty.

Both teams could absolutely say yes in a trade with a similar framework. Maybe not the exact trade proposed here, but something quite similar could work.