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The New York Islanders are in a tough position this offseason as they need to get younger while maintaining a focus on contention. Solving this issue could be done by gambling on a prospect to join the NHL lineup and make an immediate impact. However, this is not the most realistic given the Islanders’ weak prospect pool. The best way to solve this issue is by targeting restricted free agents with NHL experience and still in their low 20s.
Martin Necas
Martin Necas is a 25-year-old forward who has spent the entirety of his career with the Carolina Hurricanes. He possesses a right-handed shot, can play center and wing, and is reliable defensively. He is also on the taller side, coming in at 6-foot-2, adding a physical presence when on the ice. He scored 28 goals and 71 points in the 2022-23 season but regressed to just 24 goals and 53 points this past season. However, there is strong reason to believe he can amass 70-plus points once again in an elevated role elsewhere.
If the Islanders were able to land Necas, he would immediately slot in in the top six, likely the first line. He has a high hockey IQ, creating scoring chances from all over the ice. He has the speed to keep up with Mat Barzal and the scoring talent to add another 30-plus goal threat alongside Bo Horvat on the top line. Landing Necas would cost an arm and a leg but would be worthwhile for the aging Islanders’ core.
The price would undoubtedly start with a first-round selection and build from there. Since Carolina has so many free agents, it is hard to tell what they would want in return. They could target more draft selections, or some of the younger players in the Islanders’ organization such as Simon Holmstrom, Samuel Bolduc, or Danny Nelson. For now, we will wait to see what a trade would look like, but it would come in at a steep price regardless. Since Necas is due for a new contract that will likely come in at around $7 million per season, depending on the term offered, the Islanders will need to find a way to fit him in while staying under the salary cap.
Jack Drury
Sticking with the Hurricanes is center Jack Drury. The 24-year-old is a former second-round pick of the Hurricanes and has been a reliable member of the bottom six over the past two seasons. However, he is due for an elevated role elsewhere, and he may have priced his way out of Carolina.
After scoring 27 points in 74 games on just over 12 minutes per game this past season, the dominant two-way center may be looking for a pay raise the Hurricanes cannot afford. The team also has so many pending free agents to sign that Drury may end up becoming an afterthought. Frankly, there have been no rumors regarding a Drury trade since he came to the NHL, so predicting what one could look like is incredibly difficult. However, on the off chance he does get shopped, the Islanders need to capitalize on his availability.
The Islanders would target Drury to be their third-line center if Jean-Gabriel Pageau gets shipped out, which has become increasingly likely. This would be a great role for Drury, putting him in a position to play 15-plus minutes a night, as well as centering a penalty kill unit and potentially slotting in on the powerplay. If Pageau is not shipped out of New York, a Drury acquisition would be less likely, but he could become a utility option, slotting in as a left-wing in the top six. If Pageau were to get moved, the Islanders would free $5 million in cap space, allowing the team to offer north of $3 million to Drury on his next contract.
Anton Lundell
Perhaps the most fun option on this list is Anton Lundell. He is a dominant, two-way center who is one of the league’s top penalty-killers at just 22 years old. Despite playing just over 15 minutes per game this past regular season, he has been heavily relied upon during the Florida Panthers’ 2024 Playoff run. He is dominating the penalty kill and driving offense at even strength, totaling 10 points throughout the playoffs thus far. As a result of his play, it is becoming increasingly unlikely for the Panthers to be willing to trade him this offseason. However, a tight salary cap position could lead to a trade.
Just like when the Colorado Avalanche shipped out 22-year-old Alex Newhook one year after winning a Stanley Cup, the 2024 offseason could see another young forward get shockingly moved in Lundell. While this is all speculation, the Islanders must inquire about Lundell. A first-round pick would be the beginning, but anyone is up for grabs from there. Players like Holmstrom and Bolduc could be included, as well as other prospects or draft selections. However, just like Necas, Lundell would be expensive yet worthwhile for the Islanders to acquire.
With Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello already active this offseason, it will be interesting to see how he addresses the team’s major needs. Whether through trades, free agency, or internal decisions, there’s a clear necessity to improve the roster. Ideally, these improvements will bring in younger players to add some youth to the team, but only time will tell.
More must-reads:
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- Carter Hart, others found not guilty in Hockey Canada sexual assault trial
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Carter Hart, others found not guilty in Hockey Canada sexual assault trial
Carter Hart, Dillon Dube, Callan Foote, Michael McLeod and Alex Formenton have been found not guilty by Justice Maria Carroccia in London, Ontario, according to reporting from The Athletic, after being charged in connection with an alleged sexual assault involving the 2018 Canadian men’s national junior team. Carroccia said that she did not find E.M.’s [the alleged victim] evidence “credible or reliable,” in explaining her reasoning. “Having found that I cannot rely upon the evidence of E.M. and then considering the evidence in this trial as a whole, I conclude that the Crown cannot meet its onus on any of the counts before me,” Carroccia said. The allegations against Dube, Foote, Formenton, Hart and McLeod first became public in May of 2022, when reports emerged that Hockey Canada had paid to settle a lawsuit with a woman, known in court documents as E.M., who said she was sexually assaulted by eight players “over several hours” in a London hotel room on July 18, 2018. No charges were levied as a result of the initial investigation by local police, which was closed in February 2019, but the case was reopened after the 2022 report. Formal charges were then brought against the five defendants on Jan. 30, 2024. The trial began on April 22, 2025, and the verdicts were reached solely by Justice Carroccia after two mistrials influenced her to dismiss the jury. The NHL does not have a formal policy for players accused of or charged with domestic violence, sexual assault or similar crimes. Instead, the four players who were under NHL contracts at the time – Dube, Foote, Hart and McLeod – were granted indefinite leaves of absence by their clubs shortly before the charges were announced. All of them were pending restricted free agents on expiring contracts and were not extended qualifying offers, making them unrestricted free agents as of July 1, 2024. When asked about the playing eligibility of the defendants, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has continually deferred action until after a verdict was reached. While none of the players are formally suspended by the league, similar situations have routinely required some sort of permission from league offices for them to play in or return to the NHL. If teams approach any of them with a contract offer, they will presumably wait for that guidance before registering the deal.
Yankees Traded Flourishing Infielder for Struggling Closer
The New York Yankees have made their 2025 goals abundantly clear: They're trying to return to the World Series and win it all. In an effort to do so, the Pinstripes traded pitcher Nestor Cortes and infielder Caleb Durbin to the Milwaukee Brewers this season, adding closer Devin Williams to the roster. Halfway into the season, it looks like that was a big mistake. The Yankees are now looking to fill gaps in the both the bullpen and the infield before the MLB trade deadline rolls around at the end of the month. Utilityman Oswaldo Cabrera was great at third base, but suffered a potentially season-ending injury in May. The Yankees tried to compensate by shifting Jazz Chisholm Jr. to third, but it was clear Chisholm excels at second, and he's since been moved back. Durbin, on the other hand, has only gotten better in Milwaukee. "Over 75 games this season, Durbin is slashing .265/.350/.382 with five homers and elite contact skills at the plate," Alexander Wilson of Empire Sports Media wrote. "He ranks in the 95th percentile in whiff rate and 98th in strikeout rate — rare company for a young infielder. Durbin’s advanced plate discipline would’ve been invaluable in a Yankees lineup that too often leans on boom-or-bust approaches." Then there's Devin Williams, who has been part of a shaky-at-best Yankees bullpen. He has certainly seen improvement since the beginning of the season, when he was pulled from closing duties after a blown save to the Yankees' division rival Toronto Blue Jays. However, it hasn't been quite enough. Toronto swept New York in a four game series earlier this month, securing their lead of the AL east over the Pinstripes. Williams pitched the final inning, giving up two earned runs. He has a 4.82 ERA over 37.1 innings pitched in 41 games. Williams keeps improving, and hopefully will prove that the Yankees made the right choice by acquiring him. However, that still doesn't fill the gaping hole New York has at third base, and they're likely missing Durbin's consistent abilities in the field and at the plate. The Yankees have until the July 31 MLB trade deadline to make any trades to address these issues. Make sure to bookmark Yankees On SI to get all your daily New York Yankees news, interviews, breakdowns and more! Cam Schlittler is Not Yankees Paul Skenes Yankees Fighting Red Sox for Diamondbacks Pitchers Yankees’ Aaron Judge Ties Alex Rodriguez on All-Time List Braves Troll Yankees' Jazz Chisholm With Walk-Up Song Yankees in Trade Talks With Pirates
Biggest impact of Josh Naylor trade may still be to come
While the Seattle Mariners landed an impact bat on Thursday night, their trade for Josh Naylor has also likely impacted the entire upcoming MLB trade deadline. On Thursday, Seattle sent a pair of top pitching prospects to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for Naylor, with left-hander Brandyn Garcia (ranked as Seattle's 13th-best prospect by MLB.com) and right-hander Ashton Izzi (ranked as Seattle's 16th-best prospect by the same rankings) heading to the desert. Knowing what the Diamondbacks received in exchange for Naylor could well set the market for what is to come between now and the conclusion of the 2025 MLB trade deadline, set for 6 p.m. (Eastern) on July 31. The 28-year-old first baseman was ranked by The Athletic as the 17th-best trade candidate likely to be available, but ranked behind just one other first baseman (Baltimore's Ryan O'Hearn, who was slotted in at 16th). If Naylor brought in a pair of pitching prospects, including Garcia, who has appeared in two games this season for Seattle, the Diamondbacks could be salivating over what third baseman Eugenio Suarez and his 36 home runs could bring in return. All MLB teams who will be buying or selling at this year's trade deadline have had the first price bar set for them with the Naylor deal. Now it will be fascinating to see what comes next, especially knowing that Naylor will be a free agent at the end of this season. If Seattle gave up two pitching prospects for a player who could be a late-season rental only, imagine what the Minnesota Twins may be able to recoup for starting pitcher Joe Ryan (under team control through the 2027 season) or the Boston Red Sox might get back for outfielder Jarren Duran, who won't be a free agent until the 2029 campaign. While Naylor may not be the biggest move to come during this span before the trade deadline comes to a close, his deal could be the one that establishes selling prices for the trades that are to come. With so few MLB teams expected to be outright sellers, the price for available talent was expected to be high. We learned on Thursday night with the Naylor swap just how high those prices may go.
Cowboys quarterback seemingly takes a shot at his former team
Joe Milton III is experiencing training camp with his second NFL team in as many seasons, and the young quarterback says he has already noticed some significant differences. Milton was traded from the New England Patriots to the Dallas Cowboys this offseason in a somewhat surprising move. At practice on Thursday, the former Tennessee quarterback told reporters he has been surprised by how much mentoring he has received from Dak Prescott. Milton then seemed to take a swipe at his former team. "Dak is a great leader. … All respect to him. He literally goes out of his way to help me," Milton said. "I’ve been in another building. I know how that goes. It’s just very different over here.” Milton played behind fellow rookie Drake Maye in New England last season. He could not have expected the No. 3 overall pick to mentor him, so it is possible he was taking a shot at Jacoby Brissett, who was also on the Patriots' roster last year. Either way, it seems clear that Milton is having a better time in Dallas than he did last year. Milton gave a funnier reason for being happy about his trade to the Cowboys earlier this offseason.
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