Owen Krepps
The NHL trade market whirred all summer as teams prepared for the Seattle Kraken’s arrival. Leading up to the 2021 Seattle Expansion Draft, the New York Islanders depth at defense was so lacking, the team had to actually announce Andy Greene’s signing so they could meet the required number of unprotected defensemen.
The Islanders’ situation hasn’t improved as the 38-year old Greene is still listed as a top-4 defenseman. It begs the question if the Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello will hit the NHL trade market for some defensive help this season.
The New York Islanders have passed the torch from top defenseman of years past with Nick Leddy and Johnny Boychuk to Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock. While the Pelech-Pulock pairing is more than capable of handling top-line minutes, the Islanders’ depth at defense is a slippery slope outside of the two.
Hoping to fill this spot, the Islanders signed Erik Gustafsson on Thursday. Gustafsson has become a shell of his former self after scoring 60 points in 79 games for the Blackhawks in 2018-19. He has yet to recapture that magic bouncing around to the Flyers and Canadiens. At 29-years old, the journeyman defender needs to find footing with the Islanders during training camp or risk a regular NHL paycheck
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The Winnipeg Jets set the offseason NHL trade market by acquiring a pair of average defensemen with hefty contracts for mid-round picks.
If Gustafsson fails to crack the roster for the Islanders, the Lamoriello will have to troll the depths of the NHL trade market to solidify their defense.
Even though the league announced the 2022-23 salary cap would rise by $1 million, there are a handful of players to watch who may need new addresses this season, including at least one former New York Islanders d-man.
NHL Trade Targets–New York Islanders
Calvin De Haan- Chicago Blackhawks
Lamoriello is notorious for bringing in guys that he has spent time with in the past. In previous NHL trade deadlines, In the last two seasons, Lamoriello added three of his former players Travis Zajac, Kyle Palmieri, and previously Greene. This year, Calvin De Haan could join the list. He spent six years with the Islanders from 2011-2018.
At 30-years old, De Haan is still a more-than-capable bottom pairing defenseman for the Chicago Blackhawks, averaging 18:37 minutes last season. Last season he played 44 games and scored 10 points (1-9-10). His $4.5 million cap hit might be a little high, but he is a UFA next summer.
If Chicago falls out of the playoffs in the hectic Western Conference, they could look to shed some salary and recoup assets for de Haan. Despite missing the playoffs last season, the Blackhawks are up against the cap and have added some massive contracts with Seth Jones and Marc-Andrey Fleury.
Brett Kulak- Montreal Canadiens
The fan-favorite 27-year old Canadian defenseman in Brett Kulak is another potential name that may find his way on the NHL trade block as he is a pending UFA without a steady role.
Kulak has spent the better part of the past seven seasons as a fringe NHL defender. The closest he came to a top-six role was with the Calgary Flames in 2017-18 where he played 71 games.
Kulak has the talent to play top-six minutes but is not getting the playing time in Montreal. He is stuck behind youngster Alexander Romanov and potentially 19-year old Kaiden Guhle who could make the NHL as soon as this season.
The Canadiens are coming off a Cinderella run to the Stanley Cup Finals but many people project the team to fall off this season. If that becomes the case and with the Canadiens up against the cap, they could look to shed the $1.85 million dollar salary of a bottom-pairing defenseman in Kulak to a team like the Islanders.
Alexi Goligoski- Minnesota Wild
Signed just this past offseason by the Wild to a one-year $5 million dollar deal, Alex Goligoski is the definition of a veteran NHL defenseman. The 36-year old has 14 years of NHL service under his belt and a Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh in 2009 as well.
It is hard to project how the Wild will perform this upcoming season with young superstar Kirill Kaprisov still not re-signed by the team. But if the Wild are in a position to sell at the deadline, Goligoski could be a name that finds his way out of town and off as a rental to a team like the Islanders.
Marcus Pettersson- Pittsburgh Penguins
Unlike the Islanders, the Pittsburgh Penguins have a logjam of left-handed defensemen on their current roster. Pierre-Olivier Joseph, 21, is close to ready for the next step, and persistent rumors suggested the Penguins would move the lanky Pettersson.
Despite playing for a division rival, Pettersson could be a perfect addition to the Islanders’ defensive-minded system. At only 25, Pettersson has completed four NHL seasons and has been a plus player in every season with both the Anaheim Ducks and Penguins.
However, with four years left on his deal at just north of $4 million, Penguins GM Ron Hextall was unable to move Pettersson. Despite the division rivalry, this could be a potential fit for both teams as the Islanders need a left-handed defenseman and the Penguins need to unload some cap space.
Hampus Lindholm- Anaheim Ducks
Perhaps the most talented name on this list, Hampus Lindholm is another pending UFA on a struggling team. With playoffs unlikely and the team embracing the rebuild, expect guys like Lindholm and Josh Manson to be traded as they enter contract years.
Lindholm is 27-years-old and has spent his entire 8-year career in Anaheim after being drafted 6th overall in 2012. He has been a consistent 20-30 point scorer outside of last season when he battled injury. His $5.2 million price tag is a little steep but the upside to Lindholm is a great addition to the Islanders’ blue line.
If the Islanders want to make it back to the Eastern Conference Finals yet again, this time even further, it will be hard to do so with Greene playing second-pairing minutes. The Islanders need desperate help on the left side, and guys like Pettersson, Lindholm, Goligoski, Kulak, or De Haan could suit those needs.
If not, there is always Thomas Hickey rotting away in the minors?
