The New York Islanders' big splash at the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline was St. Louis Blues captain Brayden Schenn. Some rumors circulated about Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou, which makes the acquisition a little underwhelming, but that doesn't mean acquiring Schenn is a disaster by any means. They received a 2026 first-round pick (the Colorado Avalanche’s), a third-rounder, winger Jonathan Drouin, and goalie prospect Marcus Gidlof in return.
Schenn is the type of player that head coach Patrick Roy is going to love. He is a two-way, gritty center who is the type of playoff player that is going to fit right in with New York. The Islanders could've used more offensive punch in their trade deadline acquisitions, but the fans will grow to love Schenn.
New York has to feel that players like Matthew Schaefer, Mathew Barzal, and Bo Horvat are going to take the next step as the postseason approaches and provide enough scoring. It might be a bit of a risk to take, but if Schenn gives them more of a two-way presence, they won't regret it.
The one problem the Islanders face is that for Schenn to prove his worth as a postseason player, New York actually has to make the playoffs. There are no guarantees that Roy's squad will get in, and they'll need to hope the goaltending stays hot and the offense continues to do enough to get them over the finish line.
Brayden Schenn looking for a resurgence with Islanders
One problem the Islanders will have to face is that Schenn is in the middle of one of the toughest seasons of his career. He has just 28 points in 61 games, but it wasn't easy to have any success on the Blues with their struggles this season.
It won't be hard to have a new lease on life in New York. The Islanders are now one of the most exciting teams in the league, with Schaefer leading the way, and the Eastern Conference is wide open enough that you can see something special happen on Long Island this spring. They have a top goaltender, exciting young players, and now some Stanley Cup pedigree in Schenn.
Schenn had some clutch offensive output when the Blues won the Stanley Cup in 2019, but it was his all-around presence that led the way. He was a physical force in all four rounds, and if he is able to recreate that for the Islanders, he'll become a fan favorite.
One surprise is that the Buffalo Sabres weren't in on Schenn. Buffalo was circling the wagons on Robert Thomas and Colton Parayko, and once Luke Schenn went there in a trade, it felt like the brothers could unite for a playoff run on Chippewa Street.
Final Islanders, Blues trade grades
The Blues couldn't get a deal done for Thomas, Parayko, or Jordan Binnington, which hurt their chances of getting the ultimate returns. However, they made some tidy deals on Schenn and Justin Faulk to accrue some assets. It wasnt an A+ job from Doug Armstrong, but he was able to stock the cupboards a bit for Alex Steen when he takes on the general manager job next season.
It was also an underwhelming deadline for Matheiu Darche, but Schenn could prove his worth if the Islanders manage to make a playoff run. The Islanders gave up a bit of a haul to acquire him, but if the Avalanche make a run in the Western Conference, the draft isn't deep enough to worry about missing out on a pick in the late 20s.
Islanders grade: B-
Blues grade: B+
