Islanders Trade Deadline Predictions After the Nelson Trade

You must credit New York Islanders’ President and General Manager Lou Lamoriello. After leaving the entire hockey world in the dark about his plan, he sent Brock Nelson to the Colorado Avalanche for a haul. The excitement of the move raises questions about what the Islanders have left to do today. for one, they will practice this afternoon in California. One would think they’d like to have their affairs sorted before practice begins.

Step One: Kyle Palmieri

Obviously, all eyes are now squarely on Kyle Palmieri and his future with the team. It’s a seller’s market, and with the price that Reilly Smith just brought in, there’s a very real chance Palmieri could be moved for a first-round pick.

As of right now, there’s no clarity on whether or not Palmieri would extend with the Islanders. If he would, it would need to be cheaper than his current deal while not going super long on term. Palmieri is 34, so anything beyond a two-year deal would be ill-advised.

However, I predict Palmieri will be traded. After Nelson was moved for a boatload of futures, it makes too much sense not to do the same with Palmieri, especially with the evident seller’s market. The Los Angeles Kings are perhaps the most interested team, but the New Jersey Devils would love a reunion with Palmieri. Others are involved, especially if the Islanders retain Palmieri, which could drive up the price.

Step Two: Sorting Out the Defense

The New York Islanders have a huge glut of defensemen. Nine defensemen are traveling with the team and have taken part in full practices. Mike Reilly is still on LTIR but is expected to be ready to return very soon.

Adding him to the mix means someone has to go. The Islanders could live with eight defensemen, but not nine, even when the rosters expand.

My number one trade option would be pending UFA Anthony DeAngelo. Signed off the street after Noah Dobson went down, DeAngelo played a key role and showed some nice chemistry with Alexander Romanov. However, with the younger (and arguably more offensively-talented) Adam Boqvist, DeAngelo does not have a future with the team. I think the Islanders could fetch a mid-round pick for him, something that would be a huge win.

Another option is to move Scott Mayfield if he is willing to waive his NTC after being healthy and scratched for three consecutive games. It’s known the Toronto Maple Leafs have interest despite the contract. I wonder if a Mayfield-Max Domi swap would work, as both teams would get out of bothersome contracts while addressing a need. Domi would help the Islanders’ center depth after the Nelson trade and potentially make Jean-Gabriel Pageau much more expendable.

Step Three: Lamoriello Pulls a Shocker

This is where I leave it open-ended. With just over $10 million in cap space and while making moves on the fly, I believe tomorrow is a prime opportunity for a Lamoriello shocker to come out of nowhere.

Whether it’s acquiring a superstar forward or moving another core piece like Anders Lee, I think the Islanders will be very active today. With the lack of center options, I do believe Pageau could return a big package, not unlike the one Nelson just pulled.

Lamoriello could also buy. It’s known this team needs scoring. If they move out Palmieri, which I think they will, maybe Lamoirlelo will acquire Brock Boeser on the cheap and use the next six weeks as a test-run for the scoring winger to see if he fits the system before potentially extending him.

Maybe, just maybe, it’ll be something even bigger. Anything’s possible after the Nelson trade. We’ll know in a few hours.