Rumour Mill: Could the Isles make a splash?

Keep up to date on the latest rumours and speculation around the NHL beat with TSN.ca's Rumour Mill.

Big-Time Buyers?

The New York Islanders are off to a 14-7-2 start to the season and currently sit third in the Metropolitan Division, behind the New Jersey Devils and Columbus Blue Jackets.

Larry Brooks of the New York Post writes the Islanders should act quickly to take advantage of the changing of the guard atop the division, with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals both outside the top three after years of domination.

Brooks points out the biggest flaw in the Islanders as they look to make a long playoff run is the play of their goaltenders. Jaroslav Halak and Thomas Greiss, who have both played in 12 games this season, own matching .903 save percentages – ranking the Islanders 20th in the league in that category. However, Brooks believes the Isles will stick with their tandem and instead pursue a big-name skater on the trade market.

While Evander Kane would add scoring and is expected to be available at the trade deadline, Brooks doesn’t think the Islanders, who rank third in goals per game, need to add more offence. Instead, it’s their defence that could use an upgrade.

Less than six months after trading defenceman Travis Hamonic to the Calgary Flames, Brooks believes the Islanders should make a blockbuster move to acquire Oliver Ekman-Larsson from the Arizona Coyotes.

Ekman-Larsson has been the subject of trade speculation throughout the early season, though Coyotes general manager John Chayka has denied the rumours at every opportunity. The 26-year-old owns five goals and 17 points in 26 games this season, though he ranks last in the NHL at minus-18.

The Swedish defender is set to become a free agent in 2019 and Brooks writes the Coyotes are aware he’s unlikely to re-sign with the team.

Brooks believes the blockbuster trade could cost the Islanders one of their top young players in Josh Ho-Sang or Anthony Beauvillier, a consistent NHLer, and a first-round pick, of which the team has two in 2018 thanks to the Hamonic deal.

Perhaps Ekman-Larsson could be the piece to push the Islanders over the top in the East, or maybe, acquiring him could lead John Tavares to re-signing with the team. It’s a high-stakes time in Brooklyn.

Staying Atop the Board?

With the Sabres struggling and Evander Kane set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, a trade from Buffalo before the deadline seems plausible, if not likely before the trade deadline.

Appearing on TSN Radio 1260 Edmonton, TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie broke down the internal debate and the options Buffalo must weigh before deciding whether to part their top scorer.

“He’s only 26 years old, which is not old by any stretch,” McKenzie said of Kane, as transcribed by Fanrag Sports. “If the Sabres did decide that they wanted to sign him to a long-term deal even though he’s 26 years old and the core of the team that they’re building are 21, 22, 23 year olds, then you could see a team doing that.

“But I think the likelihood – and again, you’ve got to be careful not to box yourself in a corner. I’m not saying unequivocally that they will trade Evander Kane, but I am suggesting it’s more likely than not that they will. And it helps them, obviously, that he’s playing very, very well.

“And you’re right; there will be some fans in the marketplace that say, ‘Wait a second. He’s been our best player this year. What do you mean you’re going to trade him?’ And that’s the frustrating part of being a fan of a rebuilding hockey team because ultimately what they’re building in Buffalo is not for this season or next season, as much as the next five seasons.

“And what they may find out is that the price they get on Evander Kane on the open market as a rental will help them get to where they want to be in three, four, or five years much better than holding on to him, especially at the cost that Evander Kane may be demanding on the open market.

“So I would guess that it’s more likely than not that he’s traded. But that always comes down to what they’re being offered. And I’m sure between now and the deadline they’ll also get a handle on what the cost might be – number of years, number of dollars, cap hit for Evander Kane. So they’ll do those two things simultaneously.

“But if I were a betting man, I’d say Evander Kane should be high on our TSN Trade Bait board.”

Fittingly, Kane sits first on the TSN Trade Bait board, which was last updated on Nov. 7.

He owns 12 goals and 23 points in 24 games with the Sabres (6-14-4) this season.