Ya, I think this trade was COMPLETELY about adding more assets to help attach to player(s) we are looking to unload. And because it came so early, I would not be surprised if he makes another similar type move again to add to the cupboard.
If this was anyone but Lou then I might buy into the replenishing the farm aspect, but I dont think he has ever put a high priority on that and even less so now knowing he is likely on his last year(s) as the GM.
I dont buy into trading either Nelson or Palmeri this offseason when you are trying to find a top6 guy as it is and them being two of your three 30 goal scorers...
With roughly 4 million in cap space (once you ink Holmstrom and MacLean) there is very little the Islanders can do this offseason without creating more cap space and the obvious candidates among forwards are Engvall, JPG and Lee.
Pierre is all but untradeable after the inexcusable 7-year contract Lou just gave him and both Anders and Jean-Gabriel still have two years on their contracts at seven and five million per, which means an asset or two are going to have to be attached to move them. Lou is obviously trying to add to that total of assets.
This was a good trade to help accomplish that, and I would say the chances we wind up keeping all three of these picks (3 of the top 61) are about slim to none...