The New York Islanders made one big swing on NHL trade deadline day, picking up Brayden Schenn from the St Louis Blues. But new general manager Mathieu Darche had pending free agents of his own to tend to. Just after the trade deadline, the Islanders signed JG Pageau to a three-year contract extension worth $4.85 million per year.

The team account broke the news, but Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman came in to fill in the details. “3 x $4.85M.” This is a $150,000 annual pay decrease for Pageau, who signed a five-year deal with the Islanders after the 2020 deadline. He was traded from the Ottawa Senators to Long Island that day and has been with the club ever since.

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Pageau has been the third-line center for the Islanders and has been playing on the penalty kill. Time will tell how the Schenn acquisition impacts his playing time, but it is not a temporary addition. Schenn is under contract through the end of the 2027-28 season. Pageau is now under contract through the end of the 2028-29 season. The Islanders have veteran centers to lead them into the playoffs this year and for the next few years.

Pageau has 14 goals and 15 assists so far this season and is looking to add more down the stretch. He is more of a defensive centerman who dominates in the circle, but the Islanders need scoring. If Schenn cannot provide that, it will be on Pageau to bring that to the bottom six.

The Islanders made two trades before the Olympic break that kept them quieter on Friday. Ondrej Palat and Carson Soucy have been with the club for weeks after deals on consecutive days. Darche cashed in one of his two first-round picks in the upcoming draft to improve the center depth on a team that needed a push.