The true cost for the NY Islanders acquisition of Brayden Schenn

From the reactions across all social media platforms, the majority of feedback from NY Islanders fans have been negative regarding what was given up to acquire Brayden Schenn. The Isles agreed to send Jonathan Drouin, the Colorado Avalanche’s first-round pick in 2026, the NJ Devils' third-round pick in 2026, and goalie prospect Marcus Gidlof to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for Schenn.

What the Isles gave for Schenn

Starting with the biggest piece, Colorado’s first-round pick. On the surface, this looks like a massive overpay for a 34-year-old who would ideally be your third-line center. However, this is not a mid-first-round pick we’re talking about. This is the first-round pick of a team that will likely win the President’s Trophy, making it at best the 28th overall pick. On average, approximately 42% of players selected between picks 28-32 play in 100 NHL games. Only 15-20% play in 500+ games. Outside of the top seven or so prospects in this year's draft, this isn’t the deep class that many expected it to be. 

Taken in the fifth-round of the 2024 NHL Draft, Gidlof is a massive goalie who is still extremely raw between the pipes. He has the physical attributes to become an NHL goalie, but is on the slower end within the crease, struggling with lateral movement and coming in and out of the butterfly. What made him expendable is the Islanders still having Dmitri Gamzin in their system. The Russian netminder has a 1.54 GAA and .937 SV% in the KHL, recording his seventh shutout of the season yesterday. Gamzin has two-years remaining on his contract with CSKA Moscow, and could very well be the heir apparent to Ilya Sorkin.

The third-round pick included in the deal was the cost of business for the Blues taking on Drouin’s contract for the remainder of this season and next. It’s not as if Drouin’s contract was one inherited by Darche from Lou Lamoriello, Drouin was a player Darche signed himself. So in that sense, Darche does deserve some flak for having to throw in a sweetener to rid himself of a bad contract.

Was this the ideal trade for the NY Islanders? Not by any means. The Isles were in search of a top-6 goal scorer, not a middle-6 at best center. If Schenn were 32 opposed to 34 while making $6.5M, people would feel much more comfortable with it. But was it a bad trade? No it wasn’t. The Islanders still have their first-round pick this year and next, two assets that are likely more valuable than Colorado’s first, and also hold onto all of their top prospects.

The Islanders are a better team today than they were at this time yesterday, rewarded their players for the season they’ve had to this point, and will have Schenn for the next two seasons. Overpaying is typically the cost of business at the trade deadline.