May Islanders Mimic Romanov Commerce If Montreal Canadiens’ Xhekaj Hits Market?

The New York Islanders are looking out for a left-handed defenseman with Adam Pelech out for 4-6 weeks and no timetable on Mike Reilly‘s return.

Related: Patrick Roy Has His Hands Full Managing Bruised & Battered Islanders Blueline

The easy reply can be to get an inexpensive bottom-pairing defender, whether or not that is through a commerce just like the one the Islanders made once they acquired Robert Bortuzzo from the St. Louis Blues for a 2024 seventh-round choose or once they acquired Reilly off waivers from the Florida Panthers.

However, with Reilly within the remaining yr of his deal and the blue line’s historical past of accidents, might the Islanders go and make a long-term transfer?

They did so on the 2022 NHL Draft in Montreal once they acquired Alexander Romanov from the Montreal Canadiens, together with the 98th choose for his or her thirteenth total choose in 2022.

A transfer that was ridiculed on the time, Romanov has became a top-flight defenseman, taking large strides on each side of the puck over the past two years and continues to be solely 24.

If the Canadiens make 23-year-old defenseman Arber Xhekaj out there, the Islanders will seemingly inquire.

Up to now, in his younger NHL profession, Xhekaj is enjoying the way in which Romanov performed when he first broke into the league.

He is a hitting machine, with 29 in 9 video games, however he will get caught doing the identical factor Romanov used to—chasing hits.

At occasions, he might be wild on the market, however he brings that spark that Romanov delivered to Lengthy Island. He hasn’t proven offense, with no factors this season, however neither did Romanov when he was in Quebec.

Xhekaj just isn’t afraid to combat, with 27 profession tilts, one thing the Islanders are lacking from their sport:

As Dreger talked about, many groups would line up for Xhekaj if he turned out there, and the Islanders do not have the prospect pool to compete with most groups.

However earlier than anybody counts Lamoriello out, be aware what he is been capable of do when a high participant within the NHL turns into out there on the commerce market.

• Jean-Gabriel Pageau was a high commerce deadline title in 2020

• Kyle Palmieri was a high trade-deadline title in 2021

• Bo Horvat was to be a high free agent in the summertime of 2023

Who is aware of if Lamoriello would win a bid for Xhekaj, who carries a $1.3 million AAV by way of 2026, however he will surely be in play.

The Islanders had a profitable 2024 Draft, taking Cole Eiserman, the most effective pure purpose scorer, at No. 20. In addition they took big-body, cellular defenseman Jesse Pulkkinen at No. 56 and Kamil Bednar, one of many higher two-way centermen within the draft at No. 61.

There’s cause to suppose that 2025 picks could possibly be in play; it is determined by which one(s).

The asking value is determined by what number of groups are concerned and who’s prepared to overpay Montreal.

But when the Islanders’ draft picks are in play, they are going to be used on somebody who will help within the brief and long run, just like the Romanov deal.

What about Isaiah George, Marshall Warren, Calle Odelius, Aidan Fulp, and Travis Mitchell, who’re in Bridgeport?

It is attainable that a few of these guys might flip into bonafide NHL gamers, however none have NHL expertise, and improvement in Bridgeport would not have a fantastic monitor file, particularly with defensemen since Pelech, Ryan Pulock, and Scott Mayfield got here by way of Connecticut.

With the Islanders’ skill to show the rampant Romanov right into a dependable top-pairing defenseman in lower than two years, they need to trust they’ll do the identical with Xhekaj, who hails from the identical system.

If Xhekaj would not hit the open market, the Islanders would nonetheless profit from buying a younger defenseman who might be a part of the staff’s core blue line.

4 of the staff’s six defensemen are 30-plus, and having a youthful participant so as to add to the Romanov-Dobson tandem appears important.

As an instance the Islanders acquired Xhehaj tomorrow (for the aim of this train), and Romanov will be capable to return in opposition to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday.

The Islanders might lineup like this:

D1: Romanov-Dobson

D2: Xhehaj-Pulock

D3: Cholowski-Mayfield

So, what would occur if blueliners acquired wholesome?

There can be wholesome protection competitors, with Pelech, no query, coming again in and shifting Xhehaj down within the lineup. Then, it is as much as the newcomer to earn Roy’s belief.

Reilly has performed properly within the Roy system and is a very completely different participant from Xhehaj.

But it surely’s quite unlikely that Reilly and Pelech will return on the similar time, and who is aware of what’s going to occur to the lineup from now till then?

You may by no means have too many defensemen, particularly younger and bodily ones, in a league the place offenses are primarily based on velocity and talent.

Will the Islanders go short-term and mimic what they did final yr?

Will they appear internally and hope that Samuel Bolduc, Grant Hutton, and Dennis Cholowski can maintain down the fort?

Or does Lamoriello look long-term on the commerce market?

Time will inform…