GOING QUIETLY
Isles make another minor deal at deadline
As mayhem ensued around them Monday, the Islanders quietly made their second minor trade in three days to wrap up business ahead of the league’s 3 p.m. trade deadline.
Settling for depth moves instead of a blockbuster as they chase a playoff spot, the Islanders acquired forward Chris Wagner from the Ducks in exchange for veteran winger Jason Chimera in a swap of pending free agents. It was a similar move to Saturday’s trade for defenseman Brandon Davidson from the Oilers.
“I think we are good enough to make the playoffs this year. We got a month and a half to prove that,” coach Doug Weight said after practice Monday morning, just shy of three hours before the deadline. “Would you want an Erik Karlsson or a Ryan McDonagh or whoever these guys are talking about? Sure. I’m sure we’ve dipped our foot in every pool.”
Center John Tavares, who has a decision looming about his future when he becomes a free agent July 1, reaffirmed his trust in the front office. The captain shot down the perception that the Islanders needed to make a major move at the deadline to show him their commitment to winning
“If they feel we need to make an upgrade or we need to acquire a certain type of asset, obviously it’s the intention [for] the best of the hockey team,” Tavares said before the deadline passed. “I know that’s the way [general manager Garth Snow] and management approach it, so I don’t really try to question whether we need to make a move or not.”
Snow was not made available for comment.
Entering the day two points out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, the Islanders (29-27-7) had potential assets to work with had they been in a position to make a splash. They own an extra first- and second-round pick in the 2018 draft, both coming from the Flames in the Travis Hamonic deal.
The teams the Islanders are chasing for playoff spots, meanwhile, made some more noise. The Devils — in the first wild-card spot — bolstered their offense by trading for wingers Patrick Maroon and Michael Grabner. The Blue Jackets — in the second and final wild-card spot — acquired forwards Thomas Vanek and Mark Letestu and defenseman Ian Cole.
“Even if we were six points north of where we are, are we gonna [give up] a couple first-round picks or two second-round picks?” Weight said. “Those are decisions that, if they’re not attractive enough you’re not going to make them. So regardless of your position, we believe in our team and the direction we’re going.”
The 26-year-old Wagner has recorded career-highs of six goals and nine assists while playing in all 64 games this year, his fourth in the NHL. The Colgate product is second in the NHL with 212 hits and is $1.6 million cheaper than the 38-year-old Chimera, who was a healthy scratch the last five games and had recorded just two goals and nine assists in 58 games.