NHL Rumors: Wild And Islanders Talking Trade

According to David Pagnotta, the New York Islanders and Minnesota Wild have discussed a trade centering around Josh Bailey.

Per @TheFourthPeriod, the #MNWild are believed to have had a conversation about Josh Bailey with the #isles. Nothing imminent at the moment.
— James Nichols (@JamesNicholsNYI) February 23, 2022

Bailey's name has come up in the rumor mill since last offseason, but a deal has yet to come to fruition. The 32-year-old will have a $5 million cap hit until the 2023-24 campaign, so he would be more than a rental. That is actually what makes this development so intriguing. Keep in mind, the Wild will have a combined $12.7 million cap charge against them for the Zach Parise and Ryan Suter buyouts. That number then changes to $14.7 million for the following two years. Due to this, a Bailey trade would almost certainly have to include salary going the other way.

If the Wild were to acquire Bailey he would likely be a fit for their middle six and penalty kill. In 40 games this season, he has three goals to go along with 19 assists. It's been a down year for the veteran forward, but that happens to be the case with most of the Islanders' roster. Thus, a change of scenery could be perfect for him.

It will be interesting to see if Bailey ends up on the Wild from here. At a minimum, there is at least interest on Minnesota's side.