Islanders must scrap this season and consider trade offers as deadline looms
Ilya Sorokin #30 of the Islanders reacts with his teammates after surrendering a first period goal against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Monday, Mar. 3, 2025 in New York City. Credit: Jim McIsaac
It’s hard to whittle so many decisions into such a small sample of hockey.
But the hard-luck first period of the Islanders’ 4-0 loss to the Rangers on Monday night at Madison Square Garden — their second loss to their rivals in seven days — should tell president/general manager Lou Lamoriello all he needs to know heading into Friday’s NHL trade deadline.
It just ain’t the Islanders’ season.
“Every guy knows the situation and where we’re at and what we’re fighting for,” defenseman Ryan Pulock said. “Obviously, decisions have to be made and we know that sometimes they’re dependent on winning and losing.”
Lamoriello must go against his instincts and give up the ghost of the Islanders being a viable playoff contender. They sit five points out of the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot but have seven teams ahead of them in the chase for two berths. Their last game before the trade deadline is Tuesday night at UBS Arena against the NHL-leading Jets.
Lamoriello must consider all trade offers and act responsibly to restock the organization’s future assets.
Most of the trade speculation surrounding the Islanders focuses on pending unrestricted free agents Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri, but Anders Lee, Jean-Gabriel Pageau and defenseman Tony DeAngelo could be among those other teams are inquiring about. Lamoriello should be open to moving any of them.
“As a group, we’re disappointed in ourselves,” said Palmieri, who was a minus-4 against the Rangers and is coming to the end of a four-year, $20 million deal. “What kind of message that sends to whoever is what it is. We’re the guys in this room that control it.”
But let’s take you through Monday’s first 20 minutes as a microcosm of how things have gone for the Islanders through this up-and-down season.
The Islanders took four of the first five shots in the game and controlled puck possession through the first half of the first period. At 11:46, they appeared to take a 1-0 lead as Lee sneaked a short-side shot past Igor Shesterkin, an apparent goal that the Rangers goalie certainly wanted back.
Which he got. Rangers coach Peter Laviolette successfully challenged that Casey Cizikas entered the offensive zone offside, negating the goal and changing the momentum of the game.
The Rangers took a 1-0 lead for real at 15:03. Defenseman Zac Jones sent a wrist shot toward the net that deflected off Palmieri’s skate and up, hitting Will Cuylle in the helmet at the crease. That sent the puck fluttering up and over Ilya Sorokin.
Defenseman Will Borgen made it 2-0 with the Rangers’ 11th shorthanded goal of the season on a laserlike wrist shot just under the crossbar with 44.9 seconds remaining.
The Rangers were called for too many men twice — twice! — in the first period, but the Islanders could muster only two man-advantage shots. They were 0-for-3 on the power play overall.
So yes, a tough-luck first period. But good teams make their own good luck, and that’s been in short supply for the Islanders this season.
“The first two goals were bad bounces,” coach Patrick Roy said. “A puck up in the air and hit their guy and went in. And then the second one, I think we tipped that one and it hit the mask of Ilya and it went in.
“I thought both teams didn’t generate much offense all night long. We didn’t play the type of hockey that I was expecting.”
Which brings the discussion back to Nelson, who is listed No. 1 on most trade-target projection boards.
He’s coming to the end of a six-year, $36 million deal signed on May 23, 2019. There have been contract extension talks but no indication that Nelson won’t make it to July 1 as a free agent for the first time.
“I’ve referenced the last time, six years ago, being in the same spot,” said Nelson, 33, who dressed for his 900th NHL game on Monday. “It was a little bit different because I think we were in a playoff spot and it’s just a little bit of a different conversation. For me, it’s just worrying about playing, and everything will take care of itself.
“I love playing here. I’m still playing here. So until someone tells me differently, I’m just worried about playing and making a difference in the games . . .
“Obviously, there’s a lot going on and everyone’s like, ‘Hey, the deadline is Friday. Let’s get an answer right now and decide.’ It may not work out that way. There’s a number of different situations that could play out in contract [talks]. It could be one that is left not done. You don’t have to have one by Friday. We’ll see how everything plays out.”
After Monday’s loss, it seems clear how it should.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
