Draft week isn’t just about adding young promising teenagers to an organization’s prospect pool; it’s also about making hockey trades to improve the roster now and for the future. The New York Islanders are in a position where both drafting and making deals will be equally as important.
Related: 4 Trades the Islanders Must Avoid This Offseason
For the first time since taking Simon Holmstrom at 23rd overall in 2019, the Islanders are scheduled, at least for now, to pick in the first round of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft taking place on June 28 and 29. Given the weak prospect pool, the organization needs to make at least one first-round selection this time.
While keeping that in mind, that should not stop president and general manager Lou Lamoriello from making trades to shake up the core and improve the roster. Winning three postseason games in the past three years won’t cut it, and changes need to be made. Lamoriello has already acquired an extra second-round pick and re-signed Kyle MacLean to a team-friendly three-year contract with a $775,000 average annual value.
It will be a busy week for the 81-year-old NHL executive, but he has shown in the past that he’s not afraid to make splashes on draft day, in particular. That includes acquiring Alexander Romanov and Cory Schneider when he was with the New Jersey Devils. Going into Friday, the Islanders are set to pick 20th, 54th, 61st, 115th, 147th, and 179th.
Trade Brock Nelson
Dating back to the 2024 Trade Deadline, we have been urging the front office to cash in on Nelson, given the state of the team. However, the Islanders opted to hold on to him and hoped the team would make another deep playoff run. Now, the organization finds itself in a different situation and needs cap space, as they have just north of $5 million to work with.
Trading Nelson now might fetch less in return than at the deadline, but still should bring back some assets; at least a first-round pick and a prospect for a top-six center who’s coming off a 69-point season and a career year in the season prior. But most importantly, if the Islanders can get a deal done without retaining salary, it would clear $6 million in cap space.
Now, keep in mind, there has been little to no news about Lamoriello shopping Nelson. But historically, the three-time Stanley Cup architect has been known not to allow leaks to the media. Nobody knows for sure, but starting with a trade of Nelson would make the most sense.
Trade Other Veterans to Clear Cap Space
The more cap space the Islanders have the better as it will provide more flexibility in free agency and the trade market. While some contracts on the roster might be unmovable like Scott Mayfield, others including Anders Lee and Jean-Gabriel Pageau have just two years left on them and count for a combined $12 million against the cap.
There are a couple of avenues the Islanders can take to get rid of one or both of them. One is by retaining salary and getting an asset back. The other is sending the full contract and attaching a draft pick to persuade a team to take Lee or Pageau. Frank Seravalli recently pegged Pageau 13th on his trade bait list and wondered if attaching one of the team’s two second-round selections in 2024 would be enough to get the 31-year-old’s contract off the Islanders’ books. Trading Pageau’s contract in full would free up $5 million in cap space.
Acquire a Scoring Winger
Almost every offseason, the lack of scoring wingers is a topic of discussion on Long Island. Failing to come away with a significant piece again would make this offseason an utter disaster.
Via trade, some names in the rumor mill who would make sense are Mitch Marner, Pavel Buchnevich, and Nikolaj Ehlers. The question is what is the cost to acquire them? Will it be draft picks, future assets, roster players, or a combination of everything? The Islanders can afford to give up a defenseman like Adam Pelech or Ryan Pulock, assuming no-trade clauses are waived. Maybe a first-round pick would be in play if the Islanders trade Nelson. Regardless, everything needs to be on the table here, including trading for the signing rights for a top free agent such as Steven Stamkos or Jake Guentzel.
Keep a First Round Pick & Take the Best Available Player
Not only do the Islanders need to hang on to at least a first-round pick, but they also aren’t in a position where they should be drafting by need. When the pick is announced, it needs to be the best skater available on the board, whether that’s a scoring winger or a defenseman.
Luckily for the organization, more often than not, prospects in the draft slide further than anticipated. Last year, that happened with Gabriel Perreault, and in 2021, Islanders fans experienced it with Aatu Raty. Maybe this year it will be Cole Eiserman from the United States National Team Development Program, who is ranked eighth on The Hockey Writers’ consensus board.
Explore Trading Down Again
Depending on how the Islanders’ draft board pans out, the organization might feel comfortable moving back again and acquiring more draft capital. If another team wants to move up a few spots and trade up to 20th for a second-round pick, Lamoriello should more than welcome that.
It also wouldn’t be the worst thing if the Islanders acquired more early picks for 2024. They could be used as a piece come next year’s trade deadline.
Despite long-term obligations to several aging players, options are available this draft week to the Islanders, but Lamoriello will need to be busy on the phones this week to change the dynamic of the roster. Not every move needs to happen by trade, but at least one major Islanders player needs a new home for next season to free up cap space. That will at least allow the front office to spend money for free agency, which kicks off Monday, July 1.
