Noah Dobson #8 of the New York Islanders (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
The New York Islanders continue to fight to remain in the Eastern Conference's wildcard race. They are just three points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for the final spot in the East.
The Islanders are 8-2 over their last 10 games. As RG reported back in December, unless the Islanders really fell off, general manager Lou Lamoriello was not going to sell. It is more likely now that Lamoriello and the Islanders will be buyers.
That means a player like Brock Nelson, the top center on the trade board, is likely staying on the Island. Many teams have been linked to him, but given the Islanders' current standings, the best option is to keep him, according to well-placed NHL sources.
As RG has reported, teams like the Vancouver Canucks were poking around on Nelson last season. Nelson has been so consistent for the Islanders, recording 30-plus goals over the last three seasons. He currently has 16 goals in the season, playing in 53 games for the Islanders.
The 33-year-old is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, and if the Islanders do not trade him, there are options on the table for him to sign an extension with the club.
“There is a good chance the Islanders extend Nelson to a short-term deal,” a source confirmed. “It is unlikely he agrees to a two-year deal, but there is an option for a three-year extension with the team right now.”
However, the source did not indicate the type of money Nelson could be looking for, but he would get a raise from the $6 million he is currently making. A lot of what happens with Nelson and the Islanders will affect the rest of the center market because if he stays on the Island, there is a massive dropoff.
Noah Dobson on the Market For Scoring
After Nelson, players like Scott Laughton in Philadelphia, Ryan O'Reilly in Nashville, and Jake Evans in Montreal could cost teams more than they originally thought.
But that is not the only move the Islanders could make. While they have other commodities like Kyle Palmieri and Jean Gabriel-Pageau, RG can independently confirm the Islanders have made defenseman Noah Dobson available for an elite scorer.
“He is available for trade, and that is a piece the team is willing to part with in order to get that scoring presence they have wanted for three seasons,” a source confirmed.
Dobson is in the final year of a three-year extension that pays him $4 million a season. He is still a restricted-free agent when his contract expires. However, as it has been reported by The Hockey News’ Stefen Rosner, the Islanders have an interest in Vancouver's Elias Pettersson, so the young defenseman could be part of the package to get him.
“It would not just be Dobson in the deal,” a source indicated. “There would have to be more money in terms of players going back to Vancouver for the $11.6 million to balance out. The Canucks might have to retain the deal too.”
Lou Lamoriello always believed in the Islanders, but he did not bring in Patrick Roy to rebuild them. While Lamoriello looks toward the future, he still believes his team can win now and is not afraid to make bold moves to improve his hockey club.
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Jim Biringer
