NHL Rumor Mill – November 18, 2023
Will the struggling Islanders make a trade? Could Patrick Kane land with the Stars? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
IS A TRADE COMING FOR THE ISLANDERS?
SPORTSNET: In his latest “32 Thoughts” podcast, Elliotte Friedman said he believes New York Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello is asking around to see if he can find some help for his struggling club.
Friedman believes Lamoriello is on the hunt for a scoring forward. He also thinks the Isles GM could be in on some of the defensemen the Calgary Flames are believed to be shopping (Nikita Zadorov, Noah Hanifin, Chris Tanev).
New York Islanders winger Oliver Wahlstrom (NHL Images).
One player who could be a trade chip for the Islanders is Oliver Wahlstrom. Friedman thinks the 23-year-old winger might welcome a move if he won’t get an opportunity with the Isles. He thinks the Flames could be interested considering they acquired Yegor Sherangovich during the summer.
NEW YORK POST: Ethan Sears doubts that a trade is coming for the Islanders. With the exceptions of Wahlstrom and Jean-Gabriel Pageau, “there are not many Islanders who seem moveable right now,” he writes. He also noted that a limited number of teams are looking to offload talent.
If the Islanders fail to improve, Sears thinks a coaching change might be in order. He suggested former Nashville Predators coach John Hynes, current Islanders assistant coach John MacLean, former NHL coach (and current private skills coach) and Hall-of-Fame player Adam Oates, Isles farm team bench boss Rick Kowalsky, former Rangers coach Gerard Gallant and former Edmonton Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft as possible replacements for current head coach Lane Lambert.
THE ATHLETIC: Arthur Staple recently recommended against making a trade. He believes it would take moving a first-round pick or one of their few well-regarded prospects as trade bait to land a player who can shake up the roster.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Islanders are in a mess right now. Lamoriello will have to act soon or risk this season slipping away.
It will cost too much of the Isles’ future to bring in a quick fix. They don’t have much available talent to offer up from their roster to bring in the type of player who could shake things up.
A coaching change seems the more likely course of action. Whether Lamoriello goes that route remains to be seen.
LATEST ON PATRICK KANE
SPORTSNET: Friedman and co-host Jeff Marek also discussed the possibility of Patrick Kane signing with the Dallas Stars or the Islanders.
Friedman doubted the Stars would be interested. He believes their focus is on bolstering their blueline. While he thinks Kane would love to play for Dallas, he doesn’t see a fit there for the 34-year-old free-agent winger.
As for the Islanders, Friedman thinks they’ve been interested in Kane’s scoring prowess. However, he wondered if the future Hall-of-Famer would pick the best opportunity to win now or the best opportunity over the next couple of years. That could improve the chances of a club like the Buffalo Sabres to sign him.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: I don’t see Kane landing with the Islanders. They’re not even on the reported lists of his potential destinations. They also lack the cap space to sign him so I think the odds aren’t in their favor if they were to make a pitch for him.
Lamoriello has certainly painted himself into the proverbial corner. Right now he’s paying 2 goalies $6,750,000 and next season, with Sorokin’s increase, that jumps to $11 mil.
Next season, with 18 signed, he has just $5,247,500 with which to sign 5. UFAs are Clutterbuck ($1,750,000), Martin ($1,500,000) and Aho ($825,000) and RFAs are Wahlstrom and Homstrom. both jumping from ELC deals.
The math just isn’t there if he can’t find a trade partner to take someone like Pageau off his hands.
Lou s effectiveness as a GM has expired!He has not done much to improve his group of late! Reminds me of Bill Belicheck,the lights are turned off,it s time to go!
I hope Kane can beat the odds but these pundits keep forgetting that he just had a procedure that literally no other NHL player has successfully returned from, ever. “Hip resurfacing” sounds straightforward… it isn’t. If you’re going to read what it entails, I’d wait until after breakfast.
As a lifelong Isles fan Lou must go. He did nothing to improve this team. Instead, he resigned the same old players to 7-year contracts hoping they would be better as they aged. Everyone knows the team needs goal scorers yet he did nothing. He fired Trotz who should have been the GM or stay at coach. And Lambert has done nothing but what can you expect he does not have much to work with. JGP and Lee are both in decline trade them or DFA them, bring up some younger players. Hopefully he will not trade anymore draft picks but with Lou anything is possible he should be fired. His time was over 10 years ago. Move on.My guess he will go out and get Henrigue from Anaheim another former devil. Yuk.
Kane’s next landing spot should be his couch.
So very true. Unfortunately, there are always those GMs who think they can find lightning in old bottles.
The NYIs should trade GMs. Lou’s a Hall of Famer who is decidedly beyond his best-before date.