"The Islanders have been good all season despite missing their best defenseman. They've also hung tough without Bo Horvat. Plus, the devastating loss of Kyle Palmieri has not derailed the Islanders' season Of course, the Isles would be much better with Palmieri and Romanov, but they've managed to get by without them. That situation means that trading valuable pieces at this point for the sake of making waves is not in the team's best interest."
"So, what could the Islanders do at the deadline? Well, there's plenty. For starters, depth on the blue line could be a big step forward. The loss of Romanov has forced a revolving door on the back end. So, adding a solid sixth defenseman would be a good place to start. Also, some more depth in the bottom six would be great. While a top-six forward would be great, not many will likely be available at the deadline."
The Islanders have performed well despite missing key players including their top defenseman, Bo Horvat and Kyle Palmieri. The team has maintained competitiveness without Palmieri and Romanov, demonstrating depth and resilience. Major deadline trades that sacrifice prospects or draft picks for short-term rental players would undermine long-term goals. Priority should be to add affordable, low-risk depth rather than expensive veteran rentals unlikely to re-sign. Practical targets include a reliable sixth defenseman to stabilize the back end and bottom-six forwards to bolster third and fourth lines. Any trade should directly improve chances to solidify a playoff position without jeopardizing future assets.
Read at Eyes On Isles
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