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NHL Rumors: New York Islanders Could Have an Active Deadline

Originally posted on Full Press Hockey  |  By Jim Biringer  |  Last updated Feb 8, 2025 12:05 PM ET

Welcome to another edition of NHL Rumors. Unlike last time, when the New York Islanders were a team in turmoil, they are back in the playoff mix in the Eastern Conference. Again, they are doing this without Mathew Barzal, Noah Dobson, Ryan Pulock, Mike Reilly, and Scott Mayfield in this lineup.

The Islanders were a team near the bottom of the standings with a good chance of selling to a team that could be buyers at the deadline—aggressive buyers at that. We know their General Manager, Lou Lamoriello, believes in this team and will not give up on them. Even if the Islanders had a real falloff after their hot streak, he still thinks his team has a shot at the playoffs.

Remember, Lamoriello did not bring in Patrick Roy to coach a rebuilding team. Lamoriello does not believe in or like the word “rebuild,” but his team needs to get younger. However, with the Eastern Conference wild card race in the way it is, the New York Islanders are not out of it.

As the Four Nations Faceoff approaches, the chatter continues around several players on the Islanders. In this edition of NHL Rumors, we examine one player who could get a contract extension while a young defenseman could be on the move.

Let’s Dive In!

NHL Rumors: Who Could Stay and Who Could Go?

New York Islanders –  Noah Dobson is Available for Trade

There was some big news coming out of the Islanders land on Friday. A new report by RG Media confirmed that the New York Islanders have made defenseman Noah Dobson available for trade.

“He is available for trade, and that is a piece the team is willing to part with in order to get that scoring presence they have wanted for three seasons,” a source told RG.

As it has been documented for many years, the Islanders have needed an elite scorer to bolster that offence. Dobson, who will be a restricted free agent, could be that player who could get them that player. Now, the Islanders have moved a young defenseman in the past. Devon Toews was traded to Colorado for cap reasons, but moving Dobson would really shake up the team.


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Dobson is in the final year of a three-year extension that pays him $4 million a season. The question will be what he would command on his next contract. Could it be something in the range of what Brock Faber got at $8 million over eight years? Is that something Lamoriello would want to do?

According to reports by Stefen Rosner of the Hockey News, the Islanders have been continuously linked to the Vancouver Canucks and Elias Pettersson. Is there a fit? The Canucks just got their top four defenseman in Marcus Pettersson, but teams are always looking for more. Pettersson would make sense for the Islanders, but it is not just him the Islanders are looking at.

However, the fact that Dobson is available shows that Lamoriello is not afraid, even this late into the game, to shake up his team. Even though he does not believe in the word rebuild.

Could Brock Nelson Extend with the Islanders Rather Than Be Traded?

One of the many names on the trade bait boards is New York Islanders forward Brock Nelson. Nelson is the top center on the board if the Vancouver Canucks do not trade Elias Pettersson. The thing with Nelson is he is a consistent 30-goal scorer. He has topped that mark three times over the past three seasons.

As reported by RG Media in early December, there was a chance that if the Islanders did not improve their status in the standings, Nelson could be a guy on the move, along with Kyle Palmieri. There were several contending showing interest in Nelson, including the Vancouver Canucks, Colorado Avalanche, Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets, and others who are interested in his services.

He would have a reasonable cap hit if the Islanders were to retain 50% of his $6 million salary cap hit. However, given the team’s current performance, why would the Islanders, who are dealing with many injuries, give away a player of Nelson’s calibre?

In a new report from RG Media, if the Islanders do not trade the 33-year-old unrestricted free agent, there is a good chance that Nelson could sign an extension with the club.

“There is a good chance the Islanders extend Nelson to a short-term deal,” a source confirmed to RG. “It is unlikely he agrees to a two-year deal, but there is an option for a three-year extension with the team right now.”

It would be interesting to see what Nelson’s three-year extension would look like. But if he were to re-sign, the center market would dwindle even more, with players like Scott Laughton, Jake Evans, Ryan O’Reilly, and Yanni Gourde as the top guys available at the deadline.

Stay tuned for more NHL Rumors as things continue to heat up involving the New York Islanders.

This article first appeared on Full Press Hockey and was syndicated with permission.

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