After checking the primary field of the offseason by re-signing Ilya Sorokin, Scott Mayfield, Pierre Engvall and Semyon Varlamov to long-term extensions on Saturday, Lou Lamoriello made no secret of his need to hit the commerce market, calling it “the subsequent step” for the Islanders.
Given the group’s lack of salary-cap area, that’s actually the one step accessible for Lamoriello to make a significant enchancment to a roster that hardly made the playoffs final season.
And an apparent goal has offered itself within the type of Senators winger Alex DeBrincat, with experiences out of Ottawa itemizing the Islanders amongst an group of groups for the restricted free agent, who is accessible after refusing to signal a long-term extension with the Senators.
On a conceptual degree, there’s a whole lot of purpose for the Islanders to pursue the 25-year-old DeBrincat.
Primarily, he would assist fill what’s inarguably the largest want on the roster: a top-six winger able to scoring 30 targets a season and contributing to an influence play that was nothing wanting terrible final season.
And if you’re making an attempt to place items collectively in a possible deal, it’s straightforward to assemble a pathway with Jean-Gabriel Pageau because the centerpiece of a return package deal.
Pageau is an Ottawa native who performed eight seasons for the Senators, so it’s unlikely the Islanders would run into points with him not desirous to play in Ottawa regardless of a 16-team no-trade clause.
Pageau’s $5 million wage would even be a major chunk of the cash the Islanders would wish to maneuver with a purpose to afford DeBrincat, and transferring a middle is smart for the Islanders, who had been compelled to play Mathew Barzal at wing final season to accommodate Bo Horvat’s arrival.
Buying and selling Pageau would enable Barzal to return to heart and create a 1-2-Three mixture on the place of Barzal, Horvat and Brock Nelson that may be among the best within the league.
On the similar time, it will let DeBrincat slot neatly alongside Barzal, fixing the issue created by taking Barzal off Horvat’s wing.
This all makes an alarming quantity of sense for the Islanders.
Whether or not it’ll really occur is extra of a query.
Bear in mind, the Islanders have been down this street earlier than with the likes of Johnny Gaudreau, Nazem Kadri and Artemi Panarin, all of whom had been closely rumored to return to Lengthy Island as free brokers earlier than going elsewhere.
A commerce is totally different in precept, however DeBrincat, a restricted free agent, can have a significant say in his vacation spot, since whoever trades for him will need to really feel snug that he’ll be signing a long-term extension.
Your entire scenario with DeBrincat, whose agent Jeff Jackson has reportedly been given permission to talk with groups aside from Ottawa, appears messy.
Till lately, the Crimson Wings appeared like an apparent vacation spot for the Farmington Hills, Mich. native, however issues have evidently hit an deadlock there.
A protracted listing of groups, together with the Islanders, are reportedly , however whether or not they’re prepared or in a position to pay DeBrincat the cash he needs is a unique story.
The Islanders may have an issue there, too.
After their slew of extensions on Saturday, the Isles have simply $1.08 million in area left earlier than re-signing Oliver Wahlstrom and, probably, Zach Parise.
So to afford DeBrincat, they would wish to clear roughly the identical amount of cash they’d be paying him this season.
For the sake of argument, let’s say an eventual extension is available in across the $eight million vary.
Pageau is over half of that determine.
However precisely the place the opposite $Three million comes from isn’t instantly apparent, aside from it will virtually definitely be from the ahead group for the reason that goaltenders and top-four defensemen are all however untouchable and Scott Mayfield and Samuel Bolduc simply signed new offers.
Barzal, Horvat, Engvall and Hudson Fasching have all lately signed new offers as effectively.
Nelson isn’t transferring if Pageau goes. Anders Lee is the captain — transferring him could be a stunner.
Kyle Palmieri has a 16-team no-trade clause and although the specifics aren’t identified, Canadian groups are typically the victims of such clauses at a disproportionate fee.
That leaves Wahlstrom, the Identification Line, Ross Johnston and Simon Holmstrom as potential chips, plus prospects and picks.
From Ottawa’s perspective, if Pageau is the largest piece coming again, then the place precisely is he meant to suit on a depth chart that already consists of Tim Stutzle, Josh Norris and Shane Pinto down the center? Maybe Stutzle or Norris — and even Pageau — may very well be shuffled to the wing, however that doesn’t seem to be the best state of affairs for a roster being constructed round its younger expertise.
Then once more, if Ottawa goes for the best state of affairs, it has already misplaced.