New York Islanders Should Target These 3 High Risk Players – Hockey Writers – New York Islanders

The dust settles on the offseason and we're at that point in the summer, after the big signings, when not much happens. If the New York Islanders hope to improve their roster, other than the addition of Anthony Duclair, any improvement will come in a trade.

Related: 4 Teams Could Trade Islanders JG Pageau

The problem is that the only type of trade that is possible is high risk. It doesn't look like Mitch Marner is being traded and Nikolaj Ehlers' talk is quiet. It means that general manager (GM) Lou Lamoriello has to flip or roll the dice (or whatever you want to say that translates to taking a risk) on a player he trades in hopes that the deal will work out. With this in mind, there are a few players who may not be seen as high-risk that the Islanders could target.

Torey Krug

St. Louis Blues finally have to admit that the Torey Krug signing was a flop. They signed him to a seven-year contract in the 2020 offseason and failed to live up to expectations as a strong two-way defender. The Blues aren't shopping Krug, at least not this season, but a trade is on the table for a rebuilding team.

Signing Ryan Suter adds fuel to the trade. The Blues added a veteran defenseman and now have more pitchers on the roster, making Krug an oddity. Even if the trade doesn't go in the Blues' favor as they will have to retain most of his remaining contract, it will help them move forward and start rebuilding.

The Islanders don't need one of the starting six defensemen but are scheduled for next season. However, having Krug as an extra skater will go a long way. First, it will allow them to prepare for the inevitable injuries, something the division has dealt with over the past three seasons. There is no guarantee that Scott Mayfield can play all 82 games and having Krug around to split the games with the third pair will go a long way.

In addition, the addition will give the Islanders a dual defenseman to help Noah Dobson in the position, something the division desperately needs. Krug has declined on the defensive end of the ice but remains a prolific passer with 124 assists in four seasons with the Blues. It's a big reason for the Islanders to consider making a run for him in a trade, especially if they can fit his remaining contract under the salary cap.

Jesperi Kotkaniemi

Jesperi Kotkaniemi is a high-risk player that the Islanders should consider trading this offseason. His stay with the Carolina Hurricanes has been a disaster as he signed an eight-year contract worth an average of $4.8 per year through the 2021 offseason yet has only 42 goals and 57 assists to show for three seasons.

If the Islanders find him, they are betting on two things. One is that he is returning to the form he had with the Montreal Canadiens early in his career. The second is that at 23 years old, he still has time to turn his career around and develop into a powerful striker. In the right situation, he can be a great addition to any offense, especially with his big-play speed.

Like Krug, Kotkaniemi will need a trade team to pick up most, if not all, of the contract. If the Hurricanes are willing to do that, the Islanders will look to move him to their third line, which needs spark and speed to help turn it around after a lackluster season. He will help add depth to the offense and his upside makes him a top-six pick at some point down the road.

Rutger McGroarty

Rutger McGroarty doesn't seem like a high-risk player considering he's a potential record holder. That's part of the risk of acquiring him is that as a prospect, there's no telling if he'll succeed at the NHL level, despite many fans and experts believing he'll be a top player one day. There is also a trade demand which is a red flag. Of course, Cutter Gauthier did the same thing, asking his way out of the Philadelphia Flyers organization despite never playing a game for them and other prospects will do the same. But other teams will see the prospects they want to trade as an issue and Lamoriello could be one of those GMs.

The trade talk surrounding McGroarty was coming fast and furious ahead of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. It's cooled off since then but he may still want to be dealt and a trade is still possible in late summer. The Islanders will look to add him to the prospect pool and hope that he will be part of their young core moving forward.

Some High Risk Players The Islanders Could Target

The Islanders would love to have Patrik Laine on the wing but there are many issues surrounding him and the Columbus Blue Jackets that make a deal impossible. First, Laine remains on the NHL's roster, making it difficult for him to be traded. There's also the fact that the Blue Jackets remain without a head coach and are at a crossroads – they want to rebuild but also make moves to compete and that puts them in a bind with their powerful winger.

There is also a conspiracy involving the veterans of the Calgary Flames, especially Nazem Kadri and Blake Coleman. The Flames are rebuilding and may look to trade a skater to continue adding young talent to the roster but both veterans don't want to leave town. It looks like both of these players will continue to build to help the team be able to compete in the future.

Is there a high-risk player you think the Islanders should target? Let us know in the comment section below!