New York Islanders: Islanders potential trade deadline targets
By Steve Lee
Dougie Hamilton – Carolina Hurricanes
The New York Islanders have a decent lineup on the right side of the blue line, but adding Hamilton would give the team a 25-year-old defenseman who has the ability to hit the 50 point mark.
The Hurricanes are on the outside looking in on a Wild Card berth so they might not be willing to part with one of their best young defenders unless they get some scoring pieces in return. This deal is a stretch for sure, but who knows that Lou Lamoriello is willing to do in order to take that next step to be one of the elite teams in the East.
Sergei Bobrovsky – Columbus Blue Jackets
Robin Lehner and Thomas Greiss have basically split the season in between the pipes for the Islanders and are nearly mirror images of each other when it comes to stats.
There have been talks that Bobrovsky is planning on testing the free agent waters. Could and should the Blue Jackets want to get something rather than nothing for their award-winning goaltender, they might be willing to dangle him for trade bait.
While Lehner and Greiss have played well this season, “Bob” is a bonafide starting goalie that could take the team to that next level. The question is, will the Islanders be willing to part with some future assets to win now?
The Outlier
Andrew Ladd – New York Islanders
Obviously this isn’t a trade, but it’s kinda like one as it does give the team some more depth and it doesn’t coast them anything.
The 33-year-old winger has been absent from the Islanders lineup since early November with a lower body injury and has recently returned to game action in the AHL with the Islanders farm team. Ladd hasn’t been the player that the player the Islanders hoped they were getting when they signed him to a seven-year deal in 2016, but his veteran leadership and intangibles will help the team come playoff time.
The New York Islanders have been the surprise team of the league this season and it is anyone’s guess as to what they will do come February 25th.
Next. Isles: Who to buy sell and keep at the deadline. dark
Do they roll the dice and keep the good thing that they have going? Are they willing to roll the dice and take a chance that talent wise a new addition who could be the missing piece on the ice? Chemistry wise may be not fit with the unity that this team has put together