It appears like Jean-Gabriel Pageau has been in trade rumors for the Recent York Islanders for his entire profession on Long Island, which makes this contract extension much more ironic on the 2026 trade deadline. Pagaeu is not going to guide the Islanders in scoring or consistently play within the top-six, but there’s some value in what he brings to Patrick Roy’s squad.
Pageau has been a consistent presence in Recent York’s lineup since joining the team on the 2020 trade deadline. The Islanders acquired him to bolster their playoff lineup that season, and the team had back-to-back solid postseason runs with Pageau playing a large role. They have not been in a position to make it past the primary round up to now 4 seasons, but they hope their new-look lineup this season could get them back into contention.
Pageau is the form of player that excels within the postseason, very like Brayden Schenn, whom they acquired on the trade deadline. It would not have made a ton of sense if Mathieu Darche had traded Pageau to a different team after which acquired Schenn, for the reason that two centers complement one another well. Schenn will now center the second line with Ondrej Palat and Calum Ritchie, while Pageau will move right down to a more comfortable position on the third line with captain Anders Lee and Simon Holmstrom.
The Islanders can do much worse than Bo Horvat, Schenn, and Pageau down the center. If Recent York is serious about contending this season, that they had to maintain that form of lineup, and Pageau because the team’s checking line center for the subsequent three seasons at a manageable $4.85 million cap hit offers solid value.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Islanders contract grades
Pageau is considered one of those players who, to the naked eye, doesn’t offer a complete ton of value. Nevertheless, he’s priceless to the form of team Roy desires to ice, as he wins over 60% of his faceoffs, averages over two-and-a-half minutes of shorthanded time per game, and, over a seven-game playoff series, will agitate the opposite team’s best players. He can be consistently around 40 points per game as an Islander, and will come near that mark again this season.
The salary is a small price to pay, on condition that the salary cap is rising. In three years, if Pageau keeps up this level of production at each ends of the ice, Darche is not going to fret about paying the two-way center. At 33, how this contract will age is a little bit of a priority, but not enough to drop the Islanders’ grade dramatically. Pageau also gets some security for the subsequent two seasons, because the Islanders gave him a no-trade clause for the primary two years of the deal.
Islanders grade: A-
Jean-Gabriel Pageau grade: A