The New York Islanders enter the NHL trade deadline with a lot of questions to answer. They have pending free agents and sit outside of a playoff spot. But the Eastern Conference is weak and one key piece could catapult them up the standings. How will Lou Lamoriello handle Brock Nelson’s pending free agency? Could Elias Pettersson be on the way? Those two players play prominently in the Islanders’ dream and nightmare trade deadline scenarios.
Kyle Palmieri, Nelson, and a slew of defensemen would be available if the Islanders decide to sell. But the forwards are the more valuable pieces, especially in a season with very few sellers. If they decide to buy, Danny Nelson and Cole Eiserman are their top prospects and they have all of their 2025 draft picks. Lamoriello has been known to buy but not sell during his time with the Islanders. But this year, he may have to.
What will the Islanders do at the trade deadline? And how will they power out of this mediocre season?
The dream scenario: The Islanders land Elias Pettersson
After a rift between Pettersson and now-New York Ranger JT Miller forced trade rumors to fly in British Columbia. Even though the Canucks sent Miller back to Broadway, that does not mean they are not trading Pettersson. A perennial 30-goal scorer who plays center and is under a reasonable contract for seven more years is quite the piece to land. If the Islanders land him, their fans and players will be in a dream world.
This would likely cost the Islanders a lot in trade assets, namely defenseman Noah Dobson. He is in the final year of a three-year, $12 million deal but will be a restricted free agent. While his time in New York has had its flaws, a change of scenery could benefit him. Sending a first-round pick for Pettersson should not be an issue, considering they are unlikely to draft a player better than him.
The only issue would be the prospects, as the Canucks could ask for both Eiserman and Danny Nelson. That is where the Islanders should draw the line, as they must develop a star for the first time since Mathew Barzal. As great as Pettersson might be, they cannot give up both of their top prospects.
Getting Pettersson does not mean the Islanders should not trade Brock Nelson or Palmieri. They would lose a lot of cap space by adding Pettersson so sending both of those players out to recoup picks and space would be wise.
The nightmare scenario: Nothing changes
The worst-case scenario for the Islanders at the trade deadline is that nothing happens. Back in 2022, they were one of two teams to not make a deal in the 24 hours leading up to the deadline. They held onto Semyon Varlamov, Cal Clutterbuck, Zdeno Chara, and others while missing the playoffs dramatically. This deadline cannot be a repeat of that deadline.
There have been rumors that the Islanders and Brock Nelson were close to a contract extension before the 4 Nations break. If they can keep him around for a few more years at a similar price, that is okay. But when you have the top trade deadline target according to multiple trade boards, you should trade him.
The Islanders have traded first-round picks to land JG Pageau, Kyle Palmieri, and Bo Horvat during the Lamoriello era. If they can get one of those picks back by trading Nelson, they have to do it. Running this lineup out after the deadline is asking for another mediocre finish. No chance of making a playoff run with a slim possibility of winning the draft lottery. It is the definition of NHL purgatory and where the Islanders have lived for most of this century.
Lamoriello has to make a trade before the deadline. Whether it is sending Nelson out for a pick or a prospect or bringing in a big fish like Pettersson, something must change. After another sloppy first half, the Islanders need a refresh to make the playoffs this season and in the future.
The post New York Islanders’ dream, nightmare scenarios for 2025 NHL trade deadline appeared first on ClutchPoints.
