The Latest York Islanders are back within the race after a seven-game winning streak. Their opening stretch of the season was miserable but with Ilya Sorokin back at the highest of his game, they’ve jumped back into the win column. However the Islanders must add scoring on the NHL trade deadline and might accomplish that with a giant move for Elias Pettersson.
The Islanders and general manager Lou Lamoriello have made a conscious effort so as to add scoring in recent times. They made a trade with the Canucks in 2022 for Bo Horvat, brought Anthony Duclair in, and drafted forwards. But it surely has not translated to NHL success, as they’re twenty sixth in goals per game this season. If the Canucks are willing to trade Pettersson, it is a move they should make.
A reported rift between JT Miller and Elias Pettersson has the Canucks making seismic moves. Miller is already in Latest York, back with the Rangers after a giant trade. But simply because Miller is gone doesn’t mean Pettersson is staying. Stefen Rosner of The Hockey News reported, “After the J.T. Miller trade, I asked a source near the situation if that meant Pettersson was 100% staying in Vancouver. The reply I got was ‘no.’”
If Pettersson is on the move, the Islanders have to be in on it. Noah Dobson is a 25-year-old defenseman and considered one of their best assets, but they should not have any problem moving him. Their power play has improved since bringing Tony DeAngelo in and Scott Perunovich and Adam Boqvist have been solid as well.
No price must have the Islanders shying away from adding Elias Pettersson. But when the Canucks don’t trade Pettersson, it shouldn’t stop Lamoriello from adding a scorer who is usually a long-term addition.
The Islanders need scoring on the trade deadline
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The Islanders do have among the finest players available on the deadline in Brock Nelson. At 34 years old, he has had playoff success and might join a team able to win the Stanley Cup. But Lamoriello doesn’t should strictly sell on the deadline. There are contending teams trying to improve at positions where young players are currently playing. And that may be a market Latest York must exploit.
The Colorado Avalanche traded elite goal-scoring winger Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes in January. They got Martin Necas and Jack Drury as a part of their return, but could still use more scoring to win the Stanley Cup. Casey Middlestadt has not worked out as their second-line center and a fresh start may benefit him. Flipping Nelson for Mittlestadt could be an important piece of business for Lamoriello.
Adding Middlestadt wouldn’t be a move for this 12 months’s team. The Islanders need to construct a sustainable contender around their core pieces and young, cost-controlled pieces are the important thing to that. Mittlestadt has a three-year contract paying him slightly below $6 million per season. At just 26 years old, he has loads of room to grow within the league and is barely cheaper than Nelson.
An alternative choice for the Islanders is Trevor Zegras, because the Anaheim Geese tumble toward the lottery again. They need a shakeup and already took on Jacob Trouba’s big contract to assist out the Rangers. If the Islanders traded Nelson to Anaheim, they might work out a return with Zegras involved.
The subsequent move for the Islanders must be focused on the 2025-26 season. While they might sneak on this 12 months, they’ve a slim probability due to their horrid start. So a forward with team control is what they need to add this 12 months.
