How Should the Islanders Handle This Deadline and Short-Term Future

The New York Islanders (14-18-7) woke up in 28th place in the NHL this morning. If the NHL held the 2025 Draft Lottery today, the Islanders would hold the fifth overall pick and, therefore, have a serious chance of winning that lottery to draft James Hagens.

Hagens, 18, is the top projected player available in this draft. Many fans have begun to clamor for a tank and to punt on this season because the Boston College Center has immense talent and is a local product. Hagens is a Long Island native from Hauppague. He played for the local Long Island Royals through 14U before leaving for Mount St. Charles Academy and the USNTDP.

Landing Hagens would rapidly change the fortunes of the Islanders, but that lottery is months away. The Islanders also have 43 games left, and regardless of how anyone may feel, it would be incredibly unlikely the Islanders remain in the bottom five in the league.

Team President and General Manager Lou Lamoriello has his work cut out for him.

Where Are the Islanders?

What’s undeniable, however, is this team needs changes. There’s been gradual change before, whether it’s coaching changes or the Bo Horvat trade, it has happened. The Islanders are deep into their worst start since the 2013-14 season.

They have valuable pending UFAs in Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri. Jean-Gabriel Pageau has only one more year left on his deal. Adam Pelech’s deal shifts to a 16-team NTC in July. Alexander Romanov and Noah Dobson are both RFAs this summer. If there’s ever been a time to retool and reassess, that time is now.

Regardless, the Islanders cannot go into a total rebuild. With long-term contracts just beginning for Mathew Barzal, Bo Horvat, and Ilya Sorokin, the Islanders have too many core pieces in place to decide on a total reset.

Following the Capitals Example:

What is plausible, however, is a rapid retool that turns over multiple pieces of the existing core for younger players while adding outside players where it makes sense. Think of what the Washington Capitals just pulled off, though they were aided by the long-term injury retirements of Nicklas Backstrom and TJ Oshie, both of whom have expiring contracts this summer anyhow.

The Capitals bought low on players like Dylan Strome and Jakub Chychrun and added pieces like Matt Roy, Rasmus Sandin, and Andrew Mangiapane. They hired a first-time head coach in the young Spencer Carberry, who has been nothing but a home-run hire. They’re now sitting in first place in the Metropolitan Division and third in the league.

In addition to those additions, the Capitals sold when they needed to. They traded away the likes of Evgeni Kuznetsov, Anthony Mantha, Dmitri Orlov, and more. It took a couple of years and lots of moves, but the fruit of their labor became clear in short order.

The Islanders must meet that challenge —it’s not impossible. But it requires decisive action and no half-measures.

What Should This Deadline’s Plan Be:

Barring a crazy winning streak that emerges over the next five weeks, the plan has to be to sell off some pieces. Nelson and Palmieri should not remain if this team is as far out of it as it is now.

The surplus value of the assets they’d acquire far outweighs the benefit of keeping the veterans. Think back to the 2023 deadline—Scott Mayfield would’ve been one of the top defensemen available. Orlov netted a first, second, and third-round pick.

While Mayfield may not have netted all that, when players like David Savard have sold for a first or more, Mayfield unquestionably could’ve been a big coup for the Islanders. Instead, he signed his extension and will be here until 2030.

Brock Nelson is, without a doubt, the top available player on the early trade boards. He’s not ranked number one almost solely because people are hedging on his availability. The current board at The Athletic is topped by guys like Chris Kreider and Brandon Saad- players who peaked and have less value than a do-it-all center with playoff pedigree.

Palmieri is also better than Saad but the cloud hanging over the Islanders remains whether or not they’ll sell.

In a notably weak deadline board for centers, Pageau could also fetch a nice return for a player who wouldn’t even be a rental. He’s having an incredibly strong season, completely changing the narrative from this past summer, where his value seemed to have cratered. 

There’s a world where the Islanders could walk away from this deadline with at least one, if not two, more first-round picks, some mid-round picks, or additional prospects.

It’s on the franchise’s leadership to ensure this ship goes in the right direction- one where the team can compete again soon.

Continuing down this same path could lead to another 23-year playoff series win drought- something owners of a shiny new building with already bottom-ten attendance certainly can’t afford.