Islanders president and common supervisor Lou Lamoriello didn’t rule out making one other transfer after buying Bo Horvat from the Vancouver Canucks on Monday.
“I believe if something presented itself,” he started, “we’ll do the best we can.”
Horvat packs the scoring punch that the Islanders have so desperately lacked over the previous 4 years, however it turns into clear when going by the present state of the roster that the group wants another piece so as to add to their high six.
5 of the six members of the highest two traces are already set: The second unit of Anders Lee, Brock Nelson, and Kyle Palmieri starred earlier than the All-Star break, however Palmieri could possibly be shifted as much as the primary line the place Horvat is more likely to heart a trio flanked by Barzal.
Regardless, there’s a large query mark at one of many wing spots within the high six and the likes of fourth-line heart Casey Cizikas — who had moonlighted as a first-line winger in latest video games — or the injured Hudson Fasching are unlikely to offer the firepower wanted to complement a gradual, imposing assault.
Oliver Wahlstrom would have been the logical choice to put on the right-wing spot on the primary or second line, however he is out indefinitely resulting from an upper-body harm that would very effectively hold him out for the remainder of the season.
The Islanders have till the March 3 NHL trade deadline to determine it out, although their secure of property has clearly decreased considerably after buying and selling Anthony Beauvillier, high prospect Aatu Raty, and a conditional 2023 first-round decide to Vancouver for Horvat:
Potential Islanders trade targets
Timo Meier
- Workforce: San Jose Sharks
- Place: RW
- 2022-23 stats: 28 objectives, 20 assists, 51 video games
- Estimated remaining cap hit (courtesy of Cap Friendly): $2,270,270
The acquisition of Meier would put the Islanders’ offense into a totally totally different stratosphere, creating an impressive-looking first line of Barzal on the left, Horvat within the center, and Meier on the best. After scoring 35 objectives final season, the 26-year-old is on the verge of hitting that 30 mark once more. The issue is the Sharks are going to be asking for not less than one first-rounder — and the Islanders have already dealt this 12 months’s decide to the Canucks. Additionally they have a skinny farm system of expertise, which might make this deal all of the harder to finish for the pending free agent.
Vladimir Tarasenko
- Workforce: St. Louis Blues
- Place: RW
- 2022-23 stats: 10 objectives, 19 assists, 38 video games
- Estimated remaining cap hit (courtesy of Cap Friendly): $2,837,838
This might lastly be the 12 months that Tarasenko is dealt from St. Louis, two years after an preliminary trade request. The 31-year-old is effectively off his 34-goal tempo from final season, however putting him on the flank of Barzal and Horvat would definitely set him up in an advantageous scenario. It has been rumored that Tarasenko would waive his no-movement clause for the Islanders, however is not a given.
Patrick Kane
- Workforce: Chicago Blackhawks
- Place: RW
- 2022-23 stats: 9 objectives, 25 assists, 45 video games
- Estimated remaining cap hit (courtesy of Cap Friendly): $3,972,973
Kane is extra linked to the crosstown-rival Rangers — and the Blackhawks will clearly be searching for a substantial bounty for a franchise legend — however purely as a rental, Kane could be price taking a flyer on. A 3-time Stanley Cup champion and one of many high playmakers within the NHL for a decade, the 33-year-old has been on a struggling Chicago group that has been devoid of a official spark to help the playmaker.
Mike Hoffman
- Workforce: Montreal Canadiens
- Place: RW
- 2022-23 stats: 9 objectives, 9 assists, 37 video games
- Estimated remaining cap hit (courtesy of Cap Friendly): $1,702,703
Hoffman’s manufacturing lately gained’t leap off the web page. After scoring 15 objectives in 67 video games final season, he has simply 9 in 37 this 12 months. However on a foul Canadiens group, the sniper hasn’t been arrange almost as usually as he was throughout his higher days with the Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers. Averaging 3.1 photographs per recreation from 2015-2020, Hoffman is averaging simply 2.2 photographs per recreation because the begin of the 2020-21 season. An influence-play menace when he’s going, he’s due $4.5 million subsequent season.