For the majority of the summer, I have repeatedly written that if the New York Islanders make a trade, Jean-Gabriel Pageau is the most likely player going out the door, and I still stand by that statement.
Given that the Islanders have five players on the roster who can take faceoffs and the structure of his contract, Pageau is the easiest piece for Lou Lamoriello to move. Before Alex DeBrincat was dealt to the Detroit Red Wings, there was speculation that the Islanders were offering Pageau as part of a package to Ottawa.
Lamoriello still needs to make a trade this offseason. So before I go further and throw Pageau’s name into more potential trade talks, I want to clarify a few things. Namely, what makes Pageau so important to the Islanders and why he should be an asset any GM should be happy to get in a trade.
Bottom-six forwards who can kill penalties aren’t as coveted as they used to be. Front offices swap out those pieces for a multitude of reasons every offseason while placing a premium price tag on the players who can put the puck in the back of the net. Except for Lamoriello.
The way Lamoriello has constructed the Islanders’ roster over the years has been scrutinized, not placing enough emphasis on speed and skill while signing veterans to high price contracts.
Pageau had never been considered an elite talent at the time, and he still isn’t today. He’s only scored more than 20 goals in a season once, and it came in the year he was traded, with the majority being for Ottawa. But while he may not excel on the offensive end, Pageau
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