Without a doubt, Nelson SHOULD be traded and we should look to get younger and faster and there isn't a single player who could bring back more that isnt an untouchable. Unfortunately, Lou is loyal to a fault and is our GM and I don't see him even capable of such outside the box thinking...
As a matter of fact, a different GM could really shake things up and be VERY ACTIVE this offseason; realizing that we cannot compete for the cup with just minor moves with our limited cap space.
And I will play fantasy land for a minute:
**Islanders trade LD Adam Pelech to the Toronto Maple Leafs for 2024 1st round pick (#23) and prospects in C Fraser Minten and LD Topi Niemala
If the Islanders are getting Pelech to waive his NTC then it is likely going to have to be for a trip home and as much as some here want that to be in a trade for Marner, they go a different route all together. Leafs get the defensive-first blueliner they desperately need in the deal who is locked up for the next 5 years
**Islanders trade C Brock Nelson to the Minnesota Wild for 2024 1st round pick (#13), LW/RW Marcus Johansson and prospect RW Danila Yurov
Nelson gets moved also closer to home as the Wild slot the veteran between Erikkson Ek and Rossi and the Islanders get a top wing prospect as well as the 13th overall pick in the draft. To fit Brock under their cap, they do ask the Islanders to take on the expiring contract of Johansson; which Lou reluctantly agrees to
**Islanders trade 2024 1st round picks (#20 and #23- TOR) and C Rusian Iskhakov to the Winnipeg Jets for LW Nikolaj Ehlers and prospect LW/C Rutger McGroarty
His third of six moves (counting his pre-Draft swap of picks), Lou adds his two forwards by trading two first round picks to Winnipeg for disgruntled RW/LW Ehlers (who has no desire to extend there) and prospect LW/C Rutger McGroarty
**Islanders trade 2024 2nd round pick (#61), 5th round pick and a 2025 1st rounder along with Jean-Gabriel Pageau ($400K retained) to the Ottawa Senators for LD Jakob Chychrun
Pageau returns home and Lou gets his Pelech replacement but Ottawa insists on the 25' first rounder (they lose their own because of the invalid Dadonov trade), a 2nd round pick as well as retention to make the salaries even
**Islanders trade RW Oliver Wahlstrom to the LA Kings for LW/RW Arthur Kaliyev
In his final trade, Lou ships Wahlstrom off for a similarly underperforming young player in Kaliyev
** Islanders sign RFA RW Simon Holmstrom to 2-year deal at $950K per
** Islanders sign RFA LW Arthur Kaliyev to a 2-year deal at $1 million per
** Islanders re-sign UFA LD Mike Reilly to a 3-year/$4 million deal
** Islanders sign UFA C/RW Jack Roslovic to a 4-year/$11 million deal
** Islanders sign UFA RW Vladimir Tarasenko to a 3-year/$14.25 million deal
** Islanders sign UFA D Derek Forbort to a 1-year/$900K deal
2024-25 New York Islanders
Ehlers (28)- Barzal (27)- Tarasenko
Lee- Horvat (29)- Palmieri
Kaliyev (23)- Roslovic (27)- Engvall (28)
MacLean (25)- Cizikas- Holmstrom (23)
Johansson- Tsyplakov (25)
Romanov (24)- Dobson (24)
Chychrun (26)- Pulock (29)
Reilly -Mayfield
Forbort
Sorokin (28)- Varlamov
Taxi- Fasching (28)/Bolduc (23)
Cap: $87.9 million
***Islanders draft RD Carter Yakemchuk with 13th overall selection
***Islanders draft RW Matvei Gridin with 54th overall selection
Top 15 Prospects (after offseason):
1. C/LW Rutger McGroarty
2. RD Carter Yakemchuk
3. RW Danila Yurov
4. C Fraser Minton
5. C Danny Nelson
6. RW Matvei Gridin
7. LD Calle Odelius
8. RW William Dufour
9. RD Topi Niemada
10. LW Alex Jeffries
11. RW Matthew Maggio
12. LW Quinn Finley
13. LD Isaiah George
14. G Henrik Tikkanen
15. C Justin Gil
No way in hell it happens, but it was fun lol
