Rumor: New York Islanders Trading for Young Defenseman

The New York Islanders haven't quite lived up to expectations early on this season and there's a number of reasons you could point to. General manager Lou Lamoriello won't be shy with changes to his roster and one insider sees him making a specific move.

Friedman on TJMS talking #Isles/Lamoriello: "I wonder if he tries to see if he can get a young D with term, now those are hard to get and they cost you, but I was thinking about this the other day, if he's doing anything, I wonder if that's what he's looking at".
— NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) November 22, 2021

While some question why he traded Devon Toews, others wonder who the Islanders could be focusing in on to swoop up. Young defenseman with term are like unicorns and very hard to trade for.

Samuel Girard of the Colorado Avalanche is someone that's come up recently, but we can guarantee there's zero chance that trade takes place. See last paragraph if needed. Another name to consider is Travis Dermott from the Toronto Maple Leafs but he only has next season on his deal at $1.5 million and then becomes a restricted free agent and does he really move the needle? He hasn't played a lot this season and continues to be scratched by Toronto.

Marcus Pettersson of the Pittsburgh Penguins is someone who could be Lamoriello's radar as he's making just over $4 million for the next three seasons and has enjoyed a bounce back campaign in Pittsburgh. He's only 25 and perhaps if the Penguins sweetened the pot a little, a deal involving Josh Bailey could work for both sides.

Keep an eye on Long Island. They have yet to win in their new barn, meanwhile John Tavares is 1-0. The team is trying to get healthy and management will be looking at some external resources to fix internal problems.

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