The New York Islanders aren't sitting back as the trade market starts to heat up. After an active first round in last year’s draft-where they grabbed Matthew Schaefer at No. 1 overall and made back-to-back picks in the middle of the round thanks to the Noah Dobson deal-the Isles are once again armed with extra draft capital. This time, it’s courtesy of the Brock Nelson trade, which handed them an additional first-rounder heading into this year’s draft.
But GM Mathieu Darche might not be looking to use both picks to build for the future. Speaking to reporters, Darche made it clear the team is open to moving one of those first-rounders-potentially turning draft-day assets into immediate help for a playoff push.
Darche has already been busy reshaping the roster. He’s taken advantage of long-term injured reserve (LTIR) flexibility to bring in defenseman Carson Soucy and winger Ondrej Palat, along with two draft picks.
Those moves help offset the losses of Alexander Romanov and Kyle Palmieri, both of whom are out. Pierre Engvall is also done for the season and on LTIR, and goaltender Semyon Varlamov hasn’t played a game this year-his return is considered unlikely, which means his LTIR space is also in play.
All told, the Islanders have about $6 million in cap space to work with, according to PuckPedia. That’s a significant number at this point in the season, especially when paired with the willingness to move a first-round pick. It gives Darche the kind of flexibility that could put New York in the mix for higher-end trade targets-players who can make a real impact down the stretch.
Now, if the Islanders do move one of their first-rounders, logic suggests it would be Colorado’s pick, which is expected to fall near the end of the round. New York’s own pick is currently projected to land in the late teens or low 20s-more valuable, and perhaps harder to part with unless the return is substantial.
We see this every year: contenders parting with first-round picks to land difference-makers. And while Soucy and Palat are solid depth adds, the willingness to deal a first could signal that Darche is eyeing something bigger. With the right move, the Islanders could shift from a fringe contender to a team that no one wants to face come playoff time.