The Islanders are well ahead of schedule to the point where they should be buyers before the NHL’s March 6 trade deadline.
In what was supposed to be a season about developing No. 1 draft pick Matthew Schaefer and retooling the roster around him, New York’s 4-3 win on Monday night in Vancouver against the Canucks has them sitting in second place in the Metropolitan Division. They are seven points behind the Carolina Hurricanes but have a game in hand.
The Islanders’ needs are clear. They lost Kyle Palmieri for the season and need more firepower on the wings to bolster their top six. They lost Alex Romanov for the year and need a steady left-handed defenseman to stabilize the blue line.
Whether they have the capital to pull off some significant moves remains to be seen. They have a pair of first-round draft picks in 2026 — the second coming from the Colorado Avalanche in the Brock Nelson trade last year — and an improving pipeline of prospects to dip into.
Let’s take a look at what options could be on the market for general manager Mathieu Darche in the coming weeks:
Islanders trade market: Wingers
Artemi Panarin, New York Rangers: Panarin’s days on Broadway are just about numbered after general manager Chris Drury told him that he was not going to offer him a contract extension amidst a re-tool. The 34-year-old is still performing at more than a point-per-game pace and is going to fetch a significant price. It’s a game-changing talent that would strengthen the Islanders as legitimate contenders. The problem is that his full no-trade clause allows him to choose where he wants to go. Would he choose the Islanders? Also, deals between the New York rivals are few and far between. It would be a shock to see the Blueshirts help out their neighbors to the East unless they got a king’s ransom in return.
Steven Stamkos, Nashville Predators: Another veteran with a full no-movement clause, Stamkos overcame a miserable start to the 2025-26 season and looks more like the Hall-of-Fame talent that helped the Tampa Bay Lightning become the gold standard. The Predators are not out of the playoff race, but they are going to start looking to get younger. An old friend, Barry Trotz, is the GM down in Nashville? Could he help his former team out?
Alex Tuch, Buffalo Sabres: A power forward who scored 36 goals last season and has 17 in 47 games this year, Tuch’s future is uncertain even with the Sabres challenging for a playoff spot. He’s a pending free agent and talks about an extension have gone quiet, even with new GM Jarmo Kekäläinen wanting to reach a resolution quickly.
Jordan Kyrou, St. Louis Blues: Kyrou feels like a perfect fit for Darche and head coach Patrick Roy’s vision. He’s one of the fastest skaters in the league and has scored 30-plus goals in each of the last three seasons. But he only has eight in 39 games this year, and the Blues could be looking to shake things up as they sit just two points out from the bottom of the Central Division. A change of scenery with playmaking centers like Bo Horvat or Mathew Barzal could get the 27-year-old right back on track.
