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The New York Islanders made the first big trade of draft day on Friday afternoon. They sent defenseman Noah Dobson to the Montreal Canadiens for Emil Heineman and two first-round picks in Friday's draft. New general manager Mathieu Darche has cashed in his biggest chip, but there are still more deals to be done. The Islanders should make another trade and send out JG Pageau to a contender.
Pageau is entering the final year of his contract, which pays him $5 million for the 2025-26 season. The Islanders traded a first-round pick and more to get him from the Ottawa Senators at the 2020 NHL Trade Deadline. He was key to their consecutive conference final runs, but his deal is ending. His trade value will be nowhere near Dobson's, but the deal should still be done.
Pageau is a solid bottom-six center who can kill penalties and is good in the face-off dot. The Islanders have enough cap space to keep Pageau, but are clearly trying to retool for the future this summer. Darche could flip Pageau for more picks in Friday's draft and build around Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal.
After the Dobson trade, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported that teams were calling on Mathew Barzal. But earlier in the summer, The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun reported that Barzal and Bo Horvat would not be traded. Darche is not participating in a complete tear-down, but should be willing to part with Pageau.
When Lou Lamoriello was still in charge, the Edmonton Oilers called to ask about Pageau. The Islanders were unwilling to retain half of his salary for the 2025-26 season, so the trade fell through. Now, Darche has the opportunity to trade Pageau and set the team up for future success.
Potential destinations if the Islanders trade JG Pageau
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The Oilers would make sense as a destination for Pageau once again. Even though they just extended Trent Frederic, Pageau would only be on their books for one season. His deal would not prevent them from giving Connor McDavid an extension, which should be their number one priority. Pageau can help stabilize the depth that crumbled in the Stanley Cup Final.
The Oilers are not the only team that would call the Islanders if they offered up Pageau. He would make a lot of sense on the Utah Mammoth, where they have a solid young team but very few veterans. Coming in for one year to kill penalties and set the locker room culture would be a great way to go into free agency.
The Anaheim Ducks have been active in the trade market, picking up Chris Kreider and dumping Trevor Zegras since the end of their season. They could use another center to play alongside Ryan Poehling, their newest pickup. Bumping Ryan Strome out to the wing would help their depth while creating a flexible lineup. It would not cost much and could come with an extension.
Another Western Conference team should be calling the Islanders on Pagaeu. That would be the Seattle Kraken, with former Isles coach Lane Lambert running the show. Lambert knows firsthand how important Pageau is to a young team and could help swing the deal.
The Islanders have three first-round picks on Friday night. While Pageau won't net them a fourth, it could bring them a solid prospect or mid-round pick. That should be enough for Darche to make the move, especially if Pageau is going to leave for free next summer. Holding onto Pageau on Friday puts the spotlight on the NHL trade deadline, where he could become one of the top names available.
