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The New York Islanders have a hole to fill in their lineup. Regardless of how comfortable they may claim to be with the current group, Mathew Barzal’s loss is a major blow to the team’s forward group and depth.
It shows in the way the power play cannot buy a goal now, though they had been struggling with Barzal. Now, they look almost aimless. Anthony Duclair has not fully recovered from his lower-body injury earlier this season. His skating just doesn’t have that signature burst, which has hampered his usefulness.
Duclair’s game has started to improve, but the fit with Bo Horvat and Anders Lee may not be there. If Barzal’s injury had been short-term, the team might be more comfortable sticking with that combination. Instead, the team may look to utilize the cap space potentially gained by placing Barzal on the Long-Term Injured Reserve.
That would give the Islanders an additional $9.15 million in space to work with ahead of an explosion in cap space this summer. Though the dream acquisition is still Elias Pettersson, with him off the market, another top-six option that could be had on the cheap is out there.
That player is Trevor Zegras.
Zegras???
Zegras, 23, is a former all-star and multi-time 20-goal scorer. However, following major injuries last season, his game has taken a serious step back, while the Anaheim Ducks continue to have a lifeless team.
This year, Zegras has just six goals and 15 points through only 31 games while receiving a career-low 16:49 average time on the ice. The once flashy young superstar has lost a lot of his luster, thanks in large part to not fitting the system of Ducks’ head coach Greg Cronin’s grinding style.
In the prior two seasons before Cronin’s arrival, Zegras scored 23 goals and had over 60 points while playing on some truly miserable Ducks teams. Reports have come out that Anaheim is working to move the young forward, and he makes perfect sense for the Islanders now and in the future.
At just 23 years old, Zegras can fit in well to a retool if the Islanders do not hang onto Kyle Palmieri and Brock Nelson. What’s more, his position is so versatile. He’s played on the wing and up the middle, but he’s better suited as a winger at this stage.
The cost of acquisition is not going to be a lot, as he has one more year after this at $5.75 per year on the cap, something the Islanders can easily afford with the burgeoning cap.
Let’s Make a Deal:
The rumor is Anaheim wants a defenseman in exchange for Zegras. The Islanders, armed with their smooth-fitting new arrivals, have excess there. Could the Islanders convince one of Scott Mayfield, Ryan Pulock, or Adam Pelech to waive their NTC? That would be the ideal scenario for the Islanders. Money in, money out. With the news guys looking good defensively, you can afford to take a risk and ship out one of the older veterans.
If not, it may not even take one of those guys. Anaheim surely wouldn’t mind taking on a second-round pick and, say, a rejuvenated Scott Perunovich. Perunovich has potential and has looked solid in a top-four dro
Zegras’ value has cratered, and taking him on would be a risk. There’s no guarantee Zegras ever regains his top-line potential, scoring over 20 goals and 60 points, but his flashy ability and puck mobility make him a fit in the Patrick Roy system.
His shooting percentage is below his career average and has been since his injuries derailed last season. It’s not often a 23-year-old forward with that type of early production shakes free, but if the price is right, the Islanders should absolutely pounce.
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Chicago Blackhawks reportedly set to trade 25-year-old goaltender to Stars rival, Edmonton Oilers
Could this young forward answer multiple questions for the Rangers?
Through much of his time with the New York Rangers, Mika Zibanejad has been too good to be a second-line center, yet not quite a top liner for a contender. Now aging out of his prime, his play has dropped off the past two seasons, only rebounding when moved to the wing next to midseason acquisition J.T. Miller. That presents a problem for New York. The Rangers are not deep down the middle. Moving Zibanejad back to center provides that depth, putting Vincent Trochek back in his appropriate 3C role. But does Zibanejad again suffer without Miller? It also leaves the Blueshirts thin on the right side. Zibanejad can’t play two positions at once and the Rangers cannot rob Peter to pay Paul. There is a solution, however: Anaheim Ducks forward Mason McTavish. Anaheim and New York already have strong front office ties, with a pair of trades in the past eight months. The cross-continental line should be open. McTavish is precisely the player archetype that Rangers general manager Chris Drury has sought in this past year. The 22-year-old possesses good size (6-foot-1, 219 pounds) and plays with a grit that Drury adores. An old-fashioned power forward in the making, McTavish hunts bodies, making life miserable for defenders on the forecheck and finds pockets of space when off the puck, where he unloads a cannon of a shot. An all-situations player, McTavish digs in the corners and is developing nicely as an offensive driver. McTavish is a hard worker who shows leadership traits. New Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan loves to play with speed and relentless pressure, a mantra that suits McTavish down to the ground. For a second-line center, McTavish’s numbers don’t exactly pop off the page, but 52 points (22 goals) in 76 games for a bad Ducks team is nothing to sneeze at. In New York, he would also presumably get to play with Artemi Panarin and Alexis Lafreniere. Given the playmaking ability of those wingers and McTavish’s heavy shot, 30-plus goals could be on the cards. Bleacher Report has stated that the Ducks are unlikely to extend McTavish an offer sheet, instead willing to match whatever offer comes his way. Does that mean he is on the trade block? At the very least it means that Anaheim will likely be willing to listen to offers. That said, it would take an almighty package to pry the former No. 3 pick out of Orange County. The Ducks would rightly command a first-round pick — if not two — and a highly-rated prospect. New York has its own first-rounders in store, as well as a, likely, late first-rounder next year, with second-round picks each year except 2027. Would New York part with a first, a second and a pair of its top prospects? The Rangers are loaded with left wing prospects. Whilst Gabe Perrault is likely off the table, Brennan Othmann, Adam Sykora and Brett Berard should be discussed, as should defenseman E.J. Emery. Would picks and a pair of prospects be enough for Anaheim, though? Here’s a thought experiment: a deal centered around Will Cuylle. As mentioned, the Rangers have a raft of left wingers coming through and Lafreniere is also a natural left winger. Would trading Cuylle for McTavish solve the Rangers' issues at the pivot, allowing Zibanejad to help fix the right-hand side and give the team room to develop more youngsters on the left? Could this solve three issues in one swoop? It would be a, potentially, seismic move, but it might just make sense for both teams, especially if the Ducks are not looking to keep McTavish around long-term. It would complete a remarkable offseason for Drury.
Caitlin Clark drops mic on Kelsey Plum's Instagram post
Caitlin Clark might be the most popular figure in women's basketball right now, but she continues to draw shots left and right, both on and off the court. The Iowa product has stayed even keeled and mostly unrattled, but that doesn't mean she won't fight back. That's why, in the light of Kelsey Plum's recent comments, she decided to take matters into her own hands and clapped back at her with a simple, six-word message. Plum shared a picture of her during the WNBA's All-Star Weekend, which showed half of a Nike logo in the background. Clark was quick to spot it and just wrote "Thank u for the Nike ad." This happened just hours after Plum seemingly took a shot at Clark and her Team Clark teammates for reportedly not getting involved in their pre-game protest. “The T-shirt was determined this morning. Not to tattletale, but zero members of Team Clark were very present for that,” Plum revealed. “That really needed to be mentioned,” Sabrina Ionescu added while both laughed. WNBA All-Stars warmed up with a T-Shirt that read 'Pay us what you owe us,' ahead of their new CBA agreement, which is expected to be signed in the offseason. WNBA players get around 9 percent of the league's revenue, and they're asking for a bigger share since most of them also have to play overseas during the offseason because of the salary disparity. Plum is the vice president of the WNBPA, so it's not surprising to see her so involved in the protest and the demands. Then again, it's hard to understand the reasoning behind the tattle telling, as not only does it show that there might not be a united front ahead of these negotiations, but it also drives attention away from where it should be.
Kelsey Plum takes shot at Caitlin Clark after WNBA All-Star Game
On Saturday night, Kelsey Plum was part of Team Collier's 151-131 win over Team Clark in the WNBA All-Star Game, scoring 16 points, grabbing five rebounds and dishing out three assists. Following the game, the Los Angeles Sparks star was asked about WNBA All-Stars wearing shirts before the game that read, "Pay Us What You Owe Us." Specifically, Plum was asked about how that idea came together. "The T-shirt — just a united front," she said. "That was determined this morning, that we had a meeting for. Not to tattletale, but zero members of Team Clark were very present for that." Plum said it with a chuckle. However, she was sitting next to New York Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu, who rolled her eyes and said, "Didn't really need to be mentioned" before laughing. It was awkward, especially because Caitlin Clark, as well as all of the members of Team Clark, wore the shirts. If Clark didn't wear the shirt, you could understand some backlash. But she did. It should also be noted that Team Collier featured the president of the WNBA Players Association, Nneka Ogwumike, as well as the first vice president, Plum, and two vice presidents, Napheesa Collier and Brenna Stewart. It makes sense if they took on greater leadership roles in a statement like this against the league. Whether Plum likes it or not, the reason the WNBA has any sort of leverage heading into these negotiations with the league is Clark. She would do well to remember that the next time she wants to take an unnecessary shot at Clark, who is responsible for the greatest surge in fan attention the WNBA has ever seen.
Marcus Smart signing could spell disaster for LeBron James, Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers brought in some toughness and defensive versatility with the addition of Marcus Smart. However, they're now going to have to play financial Jenga. As reported by Bryan Toporek of Silver Screen and Roll, they won't have a lot of money to make any more moves. "After waiving (Shake) Milton and (Jordan) Goodwin and signing Smart, the Lakers now sit $1.1 million below the first apron. Since they’re hard-capped, they cannot cross the first apron under any circumstance between now and June 30, 2026," Toporek wrote. As a result, the Lakers' best hope for help will come once the buyout market starts to take shape. "Since they’re only $1.1 million under the first apron, they currently don’t have enough room below the hard cap to sign anyone to even a veteran-minimum contract. They’d have to shed salary in a trade before they can make another free-agent signing," he added. That's not necessarily what LeBron James might want to hear. His agent, Rich Paul, claimed that he wanted to pursue another championship and that they would assess the team's roster to determine his future. This team got marginally better, but it still needs to add a defensive-minded big man, since JJ Redick didn't seem to trust Jaxson Hayes in the playoffs last season. The Western Conference is as stacked as it's ever been, and it will take more than what the Lakers have to keep up with other powerhouses. So, unless Rob Pelinka works his magic with another shocking trade, James will have to weigh all of his options.
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