The New York Islanders have put together a strong first quarter of the 2025-26 season. If this pace continues, the Islanders will be in a playoff spot after Game 82. According to PuckPedia, the Islanders have just $44,185 in cap space. Any trades will have to include money going the other way.
The standings are compressed, and there is a lot of movement that can and will happen until the trade deadline. Here are five players who would improve the shape of the Islanders’ roster today. These names are likely going to be available based on team trajectories and trade request rumors.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement1 – Pavel Mintyukov, Anaheim Ducks – Age: 22; Position: LD; Term: $918K, RFA at end of season
Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn ImagesElliotte Friedman reported recently that Mintyukov would like to be moved if he’s not going to play a bigger role on Anaheim’s blueline. The New York Islanders, through 24 games, have just one defenseman other than Matthew Schaefer with a goal to his name. Schaefer has seven; Tony DeAngelo has one. Mintyukov is scoreless this season himself, but is an offense-first defenseman. He would be an immediate upgrade to a blueline core that doesn’t contribute too much to the scoresheet.
The analytics this season haven’t been pretty. Via AdvancedHockeyStats, Mintyukov is a well-oiled offensive machine at even strength but has shown deficiencies defensively. According to HockeyStatCards, Mintyukov has a -1.6 defensive and -1.6 offensive rating. This means, according to their analytics, Mintyukov has been a negative factor on both ends of the ice this season.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe counter-argument is that Mintyukov has shown the ability to be a dynamic playmaker earlier in his career. The negative analytics are probably more a byproduct of his unhappiness in Anaheim than a sign of his play declining. A change of scenery at such a young age shouldn’t just help him regain his offensive skills; it should help improve his defense under Patrick Roy’s system, too. Mintyukov has great foot speed and has a knack for creating something out of nothing. These are additions the Islanders’ blueline should welcome.
Mintyukov is a prime buy-low candidate for the Islanders, who currently have the second-worst power-play percentage in the NHL at 12.7% heading into Nov. 28. They haven’t scored a power-play goal in nearly two weeks. Only Calgary’s power play is worse. There are some red flags in Mintyukov’s game, but the gamble on a still-developing player with a high ceiling should be enticing for the New York Islanders. As long as the cost of doing business isn’t too high.
2 – Filip Forsberg, Nashville Predators – Age: 31; LW/RW; Term: $8.5M through 2030
Per Haljestam-Imagn ImagesThe Nashville Predators are the worst team in the NHL and are on the brink of a fire sale. Nashville sits dead last with just 58 goals scored heading into Nov. 28, but Forsberg’s output hasn’t been in question. He has scored nine goals and eight assists in 23 games. Injecting Forsberg’s offense into the Islanders’ top six would enable a guy like Jonathan Drouin to slide down to the third line. This, in turn, deepens the offensive capabilities in the forward group.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvancedHockeyStats shows a dramatic decline in Forsberg’s defensive performance since 2024 (~60th percentile down to ~20th). But a bounce-back is expected in the event that Forsberg gets moved to a playoff team. According to HockeyStatCards, Forsberg is rocking a + 1.5 offensive and a +2 defensive rating. All the more impressive considering how poorly Nashville has played this season.
Forsberg’s cap hit could be an issue for Islanders General Manager Mathieu Darche. Forsberg is 31 years old and will make $8.5 million through 2030. Whether the Islanders want to commit five years to an over-30 player is a legitimate question. But there is no question that Forsberg’s talent would be worth that commitment for the majority of the deal. Couple that with the salary cap growing from $95.5 million this season to $104 million next season and beyond, and the money won’t be as much of a problem down the road.
This type of deal would involve bigger names from the Islanders going the other way. Could a Jean-Gabriel Pageau ($5M) + Simon Holmstrom ($3.625M) (and picks/prospects/etc) for Forsberg and Mike McCarron ($900K) deal be worked out? Because the Islanders don’t have breathing room cap-wise, Darche is going to have to get creative. One possible scenario involves Darche paying Nashville GM Barry Trotz in extra assets in exchange for most money retention.
NHL EDGE stats show Forsberg has been elite in all areas on the ice. Forsberg is in the 96th percentile of players in the offensive zone and 98th in the defensive zone. This means he’s spending more time than 96 percent of skaters in the offensive end and spends less time than 98% defending in his own zone.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementForsberg immediately becomes one of the Islanders’ top scoring threats and could be the difference maker in a tight-knit series.
3 – Rasmus Andersson, Calgary Flames – Age: 29; Position: D; Term: $4.55M, UFA at end of season
Credit: Scott Galvin-USA TODAY SportsRasmus Andersson has been the subject of trade rumors for a couple of seasons now, and for good reason. Despite being on one of the worst teams in the league, the Calgary Flames defenseman continues to play stellar hockey. AdvancedHockeyStats highlights him as a strong two-way defenseman, and his counting stats (five goals, eleven assists) have him as the second-leading goal scorer on the team. Only Nazem Kadri has more at eighteen total points.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementNHL’s stats show Rasmus Andersson has been on the ice for 23 even-strength goals for and 22 against. To be positive in that category, even if it doesn’t tell the whole story, on a poor Calgary team, is something worth noting. According to HockeyStatCards, Andersson is sporting a +2.6 offensive rating and a +1 defensive rating.
There will be a bidding war for Andersson, especially near the trade deadline. Calgary will no doubt require a high draft pick and at least a talented prospect in return for him. The Islanders would have to cough that up on top of at least one roster player (Scott Mayfield, perhaps) to make the money work. The Islanders do have Colorado’s 2026 1st round pick along with their own. Calgary probably wouldn’t want Colorado’s pick as the main piece in this exchange. It would be up to Darche to decide how many chips he’d want to push toward the center of the table.
There might be a path to an Andersson ($4.55M) for Simon Holmstrom ($3.625M) + Scott Mayfield ($3.5M) + 2026 First Round Pick + prospect (Isaiah George?) swap. Islanders fans may not want to stomach that price tag, but Rasmus Andersson is worth the price of admission. He’s a speedy and shifty two-way defenseman who creates offensive opportunities while suppressing chances in his own end. The price is high, but it’s worth considering.
4 – Nick Bjugstad, St. Louis Blues – Age: 33; Position: C/RW; Term: $1.75M, UFA at end of season
Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn ImagesNick Bjugstad won’t break headlines and isn’t a player who puts people in seats. But he’s a reliable 3rd line skater and the kind of cheap depth the Islanders will need to look at.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBjugstad can score occasionally, but the Islanders would mostly be looking to acquire him for his defensive abilities. Bjugstad has been a pesky forward to escape from in the defensive zone, and has shown the ability throughout his career to supplement offensively through some playmaking abilities.
The Islanders wouldn’t be able to acquire Bjugstad outright, so a player would have to go the other way. There’s a world in which GM Mathieu Darche entices St. Louis to take Casey Cizikas’ contract ($2.25M until 2027) along with a higher pick (maybe two fourth-round picks get it done?) to acquire the 33-year-old. Cizikas is a fan favorite on Long Island and an Islanders lifer. But given his contract and what he provides to the Islanders on the ice at this stage of his career, a trade might be what’s best.
Or, say the Islanders (and Islanders fans) want Cizikas to remain on Long Island. Maybe the Blues would look to take 27-year-old Max Tsyplakov, who is signed to a similar but slightly cheaper $2.25M deal through 2027. A strong rookie campaign for Tsyplakov last season has turned into the polar opposite sophomore NHL season. Heading into Nov. 28, he has scored just one goal in 15 games and has an overall net rating of -3.6, according to HockeyStatCards. St. Louis gets younger (and maybe the Islanders add a low pick to sweeten the deal) while the Islanders acquire a well-rounded veteran.
5 – Kiefer Sherwood, Vancouver Canucks – Age: 30; Position: RW; Term: $1.5M, UFA at end of season
James Guillory-Imagn ImagesSherwood is going to be another hot commodity at the trade deadline.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHe can snipe, be a disruptor, throw the body around, and teammates love being around him. He’s a vibes guy who also brings it on the ice. All of that for just $1.5 million. Sherwood is going to get a hefty payday from some team come July 1. Until then, the Islanders could stand to use his services. HockeyStatCards gives Sherwood a -1.3 defensive rating this season, but AdvancedHockeyStats is nicer to the winger. It has Sherwood as an above-average two-way player dating back to the 2022-23 season in the 62nd percentile (the higher, the better) for his even-strength defensive efforts.
It’ll take a heftier deal from the Islanders for Vancouver to agree to send him to Long Island. The Islanders will have to move out a roster player, a B-tier prospect, and probably a mid-round pick to make it happen. Is that worth it for a middle-six rental?
The Islanders do not have cap flexibility. Therefore, compromises and overpayments will have to be conveyed for GM Mathieu Darche to upgrade the roster. There are pathways for Darche to fish for bigger-name players if he gets creative. However, upgrades must happen if the New York Islanders show they deserve some new faces by the trade deadline.
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