trim_14028474-D033-4FF6-B654-3A09671C9AFC The New York Islanders [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/]' cross-town Rival New York Rangers have traded their captain Jacob Trouba to the Anaheim Ducks. Per Jonny Lazarus, the return was defenseman Urho Vaakainainen and a 2025 fourth-round pick, with no salary being retained. While the Rangers had been rumored to be interested in a trade since early summer, Trouba's $8 million annual cap hit through 2025-26 and his refusal to go elsewhere left the team in a sticky spot. The Rangers (13-10-1) have lost six of seven, and management believed they had no choice but to start making moves. The New York Islanders, who have had a lousy start to their season at 9-11-7, aren't going to mimic the Rangers' trading of their captain, but that's not to say a major locker-room shake-up move isn't on the agenda. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjExMjA4ODM1Mjc1MTcxNzk5/usatsi_24852984.jpg] However, the Islanders should avoid following in the Rangers' footsteps. Unlike the Trouba situation, in which a player struggled mightily this season, the Islanders have a few players whose stocks have risen and are still rising. Brock Nelson (10 goals, 7 assists) and Kyle Palmieri (10 goals, 10 assists), two pending unrestricted free agents, are off to great starts and, if they keep things up, are worth a first-round pick each. If they were to sell either one right now, they would risk selling "low" since there would be more desperation from bubble playoff teams and playoff teams to acquire goal scorers and two-way forwards. The Rangers had Stanley Cup aspirations as they planned for this season, a plan that didn't include Trouba if they could help it. The Islanders, albeit wanting to have a strong regular season in their first full year under Patrick Roy, aren't in a Stanley Cup or bust situation. Yes, they are in the "mushy middle," as the Athletic's Arthur Staple put it in his column a few weeks back. And, had the Islanders struggled mightily through 25-plus games with Anthony Duclair, Mathew Barzal, Adam Pelech, and Mike Reilly in the lineup, then a trade to shake things up would have made sense. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjExMjA3MDI5Nzc4Mjk0NDYx/usatsi_24918892.jpg] But, the Islanders, for as lackluster of a season as we have seen, will all the blown leads and failed special teams. A move of this level, right now, with injured players coming back soon(ish), doesn't make sense. However, if things stay remotely the same once the injured players get back -- Reilly is likely to miss the rest of the regular season -- then trading a player or two or three becomes much more of a reality. Just not right now.
