The New York Islanders have traded forward Josh Bailey and a 2026 second-round draft pick to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for future considerations.
The New York Islanders kicked off Day 2 of the 2023 NHL draft with a trade on Thursday, sending forward Josh Bailey and a 2026 second-round draft pick to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for future considerations.
The move represents a pure cap dump for the Islanders, who now clear Bailey's entire $5-million salary from their books just in time for free agency to open on July 1.
It's a bittersweet end to Bailey's tenure on Long Island. The 33-year-old was drafted ninth overall by the Islanders in 2008 and spent the following 15 seasons with the club prior to his trade today, suiting up in more than 1,000 games.
Alas, Bailey's recent performance made this a necessary move for an Islanders team looking to maximize their contention window. In 64 games last season, Bailey finished with just eight goals and 17 assists for 25 points despite being deployed in a primarily offensive role as his ice time dipped to the lowest average mark of his career. Taking up $5 million in cap space while not even cracking double-digits in goals simply wasn't a tenable situation for the Islanders. And, so, Bailey's remarkable run with the only organization he's ever known has come to an end.
For the Blackhawks, GM Kyle Davidson reportedly plans to buy out Bailey's contract, which would make him a UFA on July 1, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman and The Athletic's Scott Powers. They get a second-rounder down the road of a rebuild for doing the Islanders a favor.