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NYHN Daily: Islanders Trade Leddy, Parise Fit, & More

Published

3 years ago

July 17, 2021

With time left on the clock before the Saturday roster freeze, New York Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello traded defenseman Nick Leddy in a cap-clearing move. UFA Zach Parise seems like a given for Islanders, but could Ryan Suter also end up on the island? These stories and more in today’s daily links!

The New York Islanders traded Nick Leddy to the Detroit Red Wings in a deal to clear salary-cap space. The late Friday night deal sent Leddy to Detroit in exchange for a second-round selection in the 2021 NHL Draft (#52 originally the Edmonton Oilers selection) and forward Richard Panik. (NYI Hockey Now)

The reunion of Zach Parise and Lou Lamoriello, and the potential homecoming to a team synonymous with his father, JP Parise, would have all the elements for an ESPN 30 for 30. The writing seems to be on the wall for 36-year-old forward to be in orange and blue next season when the puck drops, following the Minnesota Wild’s buyout of his contract earlier this week. Suter was also bought out by Minnesota this week and would come on a relatively cheap deal as well. (NYI Hockey Now)

Another star player has the New York Islanders on his shortlist of destinations he would go to. The Islanders are one of five teams that Gabriel Landeskog would have interest in signing with if he cannot complete a new deal with the Colorado Avalanche, according to Andy Strickland. Landeskog is set to become an unrestricted free agent in just 12 days after finishing out the final year of a 7-year, $39 million contract extension he signed in 2013. Colorado and Landeskog have reached an impasse in negotiations and Colorado Hockey Now reported on Thursday that the two sides were “far apart.” (NYI Hockey Now)

There are only three defensemen in Islanders history with more points in blue and orange than Nick Leddy. Denis Potvin, Stefan Persson and Tomas Jonsson all have their names on multiple Stanley Cups and played in an era of high-flying Islanders and NHL hockey. But now he is gone. Friday night’s trade sent Leddy’s $5.5 million cap hit to the Red Wings for the 52nd pick in next week’s draft plus depth forward Richard Panik, whose $2.75 million cap hit will be split between the Wings and Islanders. So Lamoriello has accomplished the first goal in his offseason plan to give himself as much cap flexibility as possible without damaging the core of a back-to-back semifinal team. (The Athletic)

Nick Leddy was traded to the Detroit Red Wings by the New York Islanders for forward Richard Panik on Friday. New York also received a second-round pick (No. 52) in the 2021 NHL Draft. Leddy, a 30-year-old defenseman, scored 31 points (two goals, 29 assists) in 56 regular-season games with the Islanders this season and had six assists in 19 Stanley Cup Playoff games. He has one season remaining on a seven-year, $38.5 million contract (average annual value $5.5 million) he signed with New York on Feb. 24, 2015. (NHL)

Despite being one of the NHL craziest weeks in recent memory, the Pittsburgh Penguins were consistently absent from the persistent NHL trade rumors and chatter. That changed on Thursday afternoon after the Penguins were linked to gritty Toronto Maple Leafs right-wing Zach Hyman. A source with direct knowledge of the Penguins’ communications confirmed to PHN the Penguins are a serious player in the trade talks. Thursday morning, Toronto permitted Hyman to negotiate a rights trade ahead of the July 28 free agency. (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)

Activity is already picking up and it should continue to do so over the next few weeks. However, there will be five days of zero activity between Saturday’s NHL roster freeze at 3 p.m. ET and Wednesday’s Expansion Draft. The Philadelphia Flyers have yet to make a move this offseason, but will Chuck Fletcher strike before Saturday afternoon? Unfortunately, probably not. Despite fans clamoring for a move, it just doesn’t make sense right now. The Flyers have a “pretty straightforward” protection list for the Seattle Expansion Draft, Fletcher said Tuesday, and they won’t want to change things if they don’t have to. (Philly Hockey Now)

The Florida Panthers, and the rest of the NHL (save for the Vegas Golden Knights), have to provide their protected list for the Seattle Kraken’s expansion draft by Saturday afternoon. On Thursday, the Panthers not only bought out the remainder of Keith Yandle’s contract but extended both Anthony Duclair and Gus Forsling. By doing that, general manager Bill Zito not only took care of some pressing offseason business, but offered some clarity as to how the Panthers are thinking going into the expansion draft. Certainly there could be some unknown, hidden moves to come. (Florida Hockey Now)

The Detroit Red Wings acquired puck-moving defenseman Nick Leddy from the New York Islanders in a deal for Richard Panik and a second round pick in 2021. The pick is the 52nd pick, previously acquired from Edmonton. Detroit general manager Steve Yzerman agreed to retain half of Panik’s $2.8 million salary. The Red Wings were expected to add two or three veteran defensemen. Leddy could be one of them, or Yzerman could have acquired Leddy for some other team. He could retain half of Leddy’s salary and send him elsewhere in exchange for assets, like he did in the David Savard deal. (Detroit Hockey Now)

The first couple of months of the 2021 offseason have flown by. Now, the Washington Capitals are face-to-face with tough decisions they’ve been pondering for a while when it comes to the Seattle Kraken. Washington must submit its final protected list for the expansion draft on Saturday by 5 p.m. The Capitals will have to figure out which players to protect from the grasp of the Kraken, while also coming to terms with potentially losing a big name. They’ll likely go with the 7-3-1 option, as that gives Washington the most flexibility and more names to protect. (Washington Hockey Now)

Could Darcy Kuemper be a starting option for the San Jose Sharks? “It sounds like they’re gonna move Kuemper, or try to, and Adin Hill would be the guy,” an NHL scout told San Jose Hockey Now earlier this week. “Arizona has been awfully high on [Hill].” Frank Seravalli of The Daily Faceoff reported yesterday that a trade for Kuemper could come together “in short order, perhaps so that Arizona could move to protect Adin Hill in the upcoming Expansion Draft.” (San Jose Hockey Now)

Ross Colton kicked off a good old-fashioned Summer with Stanley Tour with a trip to a local rink in Hamilton, New Jersey. The Tampa Bay Lightning forward, who scored the Stanley Cup-clinching goal, was the first member of the team to get the trophy for a home visit. (NHL)

Alex Edler is set to become an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his NHL career, the agent for the Vancouver Canucks defenseman said Friday. “It’s just a matter of the right time for Alex to try free agency,” Edler’s agent Mark Stowe told “Donnie and Dhali – The Team” on Chek TV in Vancouver. “He’s played over 925 games and been with the Canucks organization for 15 years. It’s more … the chance to do so and perhaps the last time in his career because he’s older.” (NHL)