The New York Islanders are still in the middle of their search for a new general manager (GM), which holds up the draft process. The direction this team will take will be clear once they know who is steering the ship. Once the Islanders have a GM, it will be time to get to work, not just by making a big selection with the top pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft but also by fixing the roster.
Related: Michael Misa or James Hagens: Who’s the Better Fit for the Islanders at 1st Overall?
The subsequent fallout that will come from the pick is that other players on the Islanders could be on the move this offseason. It’s unlikely that players will be traded because of the top pick, especially since the prospect probably won’t make an impact from day one. That said, some players can become expendable following the draft and be traded in the offseason to help the Islanders rebuild or retool on the fly.
Adam Pelech
The easy answer for the most expendable defenseman, at least for some fans, is Noah Dobson. He’s a restricted free agent (RFA) and is more expendable based on his style of play. If the Islanders select Matthew Schaefer, they’ll add a scoring presence to replace their only scorer at the point. That said, Dobson is 25 and will remain a staple of the defense along with Alexander Romanov, who is the stay-at-home top-pair option on the unit.
Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock are the two defensemen to watch this summer. Both are in their 30s and are no longer the top-pair players they once were, with injuries and decline limiting them. That said, they are both valuable as second-pair stay-at-home options.
Pelech is the one who can be traded for a few reasons. His contract isn’t an ideal one with four more seasons left on it, and a $5.75 million average annual value (AAV) attached to it. However, if the Islanders retain some of the contract, it’s manageable for most teams to take on. The other factor is Schaefer’s position. If the prospect is ready to start the new season, he’ll slot in on the left side as the second-pair defenseman with the possibility of being the top-pair option by the end of the season. That’s the role and position Pelech plays, and it’s why the Islanders can trade him.
Anders Lee
Anders Lee is a trade target regardless of who the Islanders take with the number one pick. Yes, he’s the captain and a key part of the roster. That said, if the Islanders want to rebuild and bring in a considerable haul before the season starts, Lee is the player to trade, and now is the time to trade him.
Lee is coming off one of the best seasons of his career with 29 goals and 25 assists despite being 34 years old, far from his prime. He’s a scorer and will be a key part of any team’s middle six, especially a Cup contender. Lee heads to free agency in the 2026 offseason, so his value is at its highest this offseason.
If the Islanders select Michael Misa or James Hagens, it won’t impact Lee directly since both prospects are centers and not expected to be on the NHL roster right away. However, both can start their careers out on the wing and eventually move to center. Likewise, if either skater plays center and is ready to begin the 2025-26 season, the Islanders will move Mathew Barzal to the top-line wing and bump Lee down in the lineup or trade him. Ideally, they keep the veteran to help the offense, which was terrible last season, rebound. Yet, a trade must be considered if the Islanders are planning a rebuild.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau
Since the Brock Nelson trade, the Islanders have yet to find a second-line center. The makeshift plan (for now, at least) is Jean-Gabriel Pageau playing that role. While he’s not nearly as good as Nelson, he’s the Islanders’ best option. To Pageau’s credit, he stepped up last season, with 14 goals and 28 assists, including three goals and nine assists in the 20 games following the trade deadline.
What if the Islanders select Misa, and he’s ready to play the second-line center position? Then Pageau moves back to the third line, which is where he’s more comfortable, and it gives the Islanders some depth in their forward unit. That’s the initial thought, yet in the back of the head of any GM must be a trade proposal. Pageau is a free agent after the 2025-26 season, and he won’t bring back a lot in a move, but he’ll help the team rebuild. It’s why a deal involving him might not come right after the draft as much as at the trade deadline if the team is out of the playoff race.
Other Expendable Islanders Following Draft
Casey Cizikas is another center who the Islanders can trade with the same idea as Pageau. If Misa or Hagens is projected to be in the lineup, then suddenly, there is a surplus of centers on the roster. Sure, one of them can move to the wing, something Barzal did when Bo Horvat was acquired, but a trade is also on the table. Cizikas ironically has more value than most forwards on the roster as he’s a forechecking presence and can score, two qualities playoff teams are always searching for on their fourth line.
Circling back to the defense, the Islanders always have the option of trading a right-side skater and moving someone over to play their weaker side. If Schaefer is a dynamic top-pair option and his skills work well with Romanov’s, the Islanders should lean on them as a top pair and figure everything else out from there.
Who might become expendable on the Islanders following the 2025 Draft? Let us know in the comments section below!
