The offseason is in full swing for the majority of the NHL and the rumors keep on coming. For the New York Islanders, it’s clear they need to move around some furniture this summer to provide a different look next season. They have been a middling team in the Eastern Conference for a few seasons at this point and the best way to change that, aside from adding youth to the lineup, is by making some trades.
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The player they must consider trading is Jean-Gabriel Pageau. He was a staple of the roster and a third-line center who did it all in the seasons when the Islanders reached the Stanley Cup Semifinal, making it hard to part ways with him. He’s also an aging player at 31 years old and a modified no-movement clause doesn’t make things easy for the Islanders either.
That said, the Islanders have an avenue to trade him and it’s a must this offseason. This is a roster in dire need of change and among the veterans that they can move on from, Pageau is the one that makes the most sense.
A Pageau Trade Helps the Islanders’ Roster Reset
While general manager (GM) Lou Lamoriello trusts the group, the reality is that the Islanders can’t keep things intact year in and year out. This is a team with a low ceiling and the chances of making a deep playoff run get slimmer and slimmer each season. The first round was a case in point of how far the Islanders are to contending as they were outplayed by the Carolina Hurricanes and lost the series in five games.
The Islanders have an aging roster with many of the key players in their 30s and it shows when they take the ice. The Islanders are a slow team and struggle on the offensive end of the ice. Cal Clutterbuck and Matt Martin are both heading to free agency and if the Islanders don’t re-sign either skater, it helps them with the youth movement but this team needs more help than that.
Moving Pageau starts the process of turning over the roster, especially in the bottom six. Suddenly, they can add youth to the third and fourth lines and hopefully, some scoring to go with that. Last season, the offense was top-heavy and there was a significant drop in scoring after the top six, making addressing the depth a top priority.
Teams That Would Want Pageau
All the reasons listed above make Pageau seem undesirable to have on a roster. So, why would any team want to make a trade for him? He’s older,…
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