Country Club Islanders?

Hockey trades.

New York Islanders fans have heard Lou Lamoriello allude to the term “hockey trades“ over the past few seasons. And while some trades have come, none really have moved the needle besides acquiring, and signing Bo Horvat.

But now the Islanders have been backed into a corner, bounced twice in a row in the first round of the NHL playoffs by the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Islanders definitely don’t have the ability to vault their immediate talent quotient through the draft this off-season. They are slated to select 20th overall in the first round of the NHL Entry Draft in late June at The Sphere in Las Vegas...if they keep it.

This leaves free agency and trades as the only way to improve this down-trending club for the 2024-2025 season.

The Islanders' salary cap situation does not allow for fat-cat contracts, so one way or another, if a splash is made, a contract will have to be foisted.

In terms of needs, the Islanders long time need – – and when I say long time, I’m talking about going back to the days of Alexei Yashin – – is to have two top-flight wingers flanking the top center.

Two players come to mind.

Of course, there's pending unrestricted free agent forward Jake Guentzel, who would help any NHL club.

The other player is Mitch Marner from the Toronto Maple Leafs. And Marner is a more likely candidate.

For starters, Marner may be looking for a fresh start after spending his whole career in Toronto. Mild Mitch has never had the full support of the Toronto faithful and has shouldered much of the losing blame -- mostly unfairly.

Unquestionably a fantastically gifted forward, Marner has shown tremendous skill every single night in one way or another. He’s clearly an asset for any team looking for power-play help, five-on-five goals, and often opportunities created from what was once seemingly a nothing play.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfWXwUB4bZY[/embed]

Mitch Marner Stats

His shortcomings always seem to be his defensive play.

So say the Torontonians!

Watching Marner’s career from outside the Toronto bubble, the following obvious question should be asked:

Is it Marner who is the defensive liability, or is he just a scapegoat for a putrid defense and a never-stable goaltender in the Leafs’ crease?

I’m going with the weak Leafs defense/goalie combination – – but there is much more to this.

In fact, what would happen if Marner ever played on a team that had solid defense and consistently strong goaltending?

My bet is that we see even more offensive production from the already not-too-shabby numbers that Marner has produced. The back-check burden would be lifted, and maybe we see an even better Marner.

Rumors of a possible New York Rangers, Marner destination should be discarded, as the Blueshirts are loaded on the wing, but have a real need for a number-one center – which Marner definitely is not.

So, what’s the plan? How do the Islanders land a skill like Marner?

Or maybe the right question is, how does a trade between the Islanders and Maple Leafs benefit and make sense for both clubs?

Here’s the basic idea: The Islanders dish Adam Pelech ($5.75 M AAV) or Ryan Pulock ($6.15 M) and a draft pick(s) for Marner.

New York picks up much-needed offense while the Leafs gain cap space and a defensive playoff-tested presence, improving a leaky Toronto blueline.

Fair trade for both teams, right?

Maybe.

But first, Marner and most any top-flight skater who would return to Toronto would need to waive no-move clauses.

Not easy.

Nothing is, but that's the challenge ahead this summer for Lou.

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The Islanders, Not The Rangers, Is the Right New York Destination For Toronto's Mitch Marner