These 2 forwards should be drawing interest from Mathieu Darche and the NY Islanders

It's not something he’d ever say publicly, but Mathieu Darche surely didn’t expect to be in this position in his first season as GM with the NY Islanders. But winning the lottery and drafting Matthew Schaefer with the first overall pick has changed the fortunes of the franchise much quicker than anybody could have imagined.

Now, with the trade deadline looming, the Islanders are expected to be buyers by Friday at 3 pm.

Darche has reportedly kicked the tires on Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou of the St. Louis Blues, but acquiring either of those forwards will likely cost a ransom. 

The Philadelphia Flyers have been falling in the Eastern Conference standings, sitting four points out of the second Wild Card currently occupied by the Boston Bruins, also needing to jump the Washington Capitals and Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Flyers have missed the playoffs in five consecutive seasons, and could be looking to retool. Although Daniel Briere may not be actively shopping them, Owen Tippett and Bobby Brink are two players who could impact the Islanders' lineup now and into the future.

Stefen Rosner of The Hockey News brought up Tippett’s name on Morning Cuppa Hockey yesterday, and he could be a terrific complement to Mat Barzal and Bo Horvat on the islanders top line if Darche isn’t willing to pay the price for a player like Kyrou.

Tippett, 27, signed an eight-year extension with the Flyers last January, carrying an AAV of $6.2M. Though he hasn’t produced at the same level as Kyrou in years past, he comes with similar attributes. While Kyrou is known for his speed, the analytics show Tippett is even more impressive in those terms. According to NHL Edge, he is second in the NHL in 22+ mph speed bursts (39), trailing only Connor McDavid (112).

Through 60 games this season, Tippett has registered 19 goals while adding 17 assists. Throughout his career, he has registered more goals (112) than assists (109), and could be a trigger man on the Islanders' top line. 

While costing less than Kyrou, acquiring Tippett would still cost a pretty penny, likely starting at a - pick, a good prospect, and more.

According to Anthony DiMarco of Daily Faceoff, the Bruins have inquired as to Tippett’s availability. While the Flyers aren’t actively shopping him, they could be convinced to deal Tippett if blown away by an offer.

While Bobby Brink isn’t at the level of Tippett, he could be a more likely candidate to be moved out of Philadelphia, as Kevin Kurz of The Athletic made the old prediction today that the Flyers will move on from Brink.