Catch of the Day: March '24

All the New York Islanders news that's fit to print!

Fine-Tuning

With a quarter of the season in the books, the Islanders are hanging tough in the Metropolitan Division, where first and fifth place are separated by just a single point in the standings.

A 14-7-3 record hasn't exactly impressed the Isles' top brass, however, and General Manager Kyle Phillips has been steadily working the phones looking to augment his team's roster. 

And while the EHE trade market can often be unforgiving, some of Phillips's work came to fruition yesterday, with the acquisition of forward Trent Frederic from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for New York's 2nd and 4th round picks in 2025.

While hardly an earth-shaking move, it does represent a tidy bit of business for a team on the hunt for improvement at the margins.

"[The trade] came together pretty quickly, and we couldn't be happier," said Phillips.

"We're always looking to give Sully the best options to roll out every night, and frankly, the fourth line hasn't lived up to expectations so far this season. We feel Trent will be an upgrade there right away. 

"And beyond that, as a guy on the younger side, he should be able to move up and down the lineup for us for a number of years. He certainly has the skill and two-way game for it, and he's an absolute competitor."

That may be a lot of hype for a bottom-six forward, but Frederic will get an early chance to show his worth: with the Oilers in Chcago at the time of the trade, it's expected he will arrive on Long Island in time to suit up for Monday night's matchup with the Nashville Predators.

Fine-Tuning...Part Two?

Speaking of the trade market, it sounds like draft picks might not be the only asset Phillips is prepared to move out of Long Island.

EHE insiders are reporting that Stuart Skinner's name has come up a lot over the last few weeks--although the man himself couldn't offer any insight.

"That's news to me," said Skinner at a post-practice interview Sunday afternoon. 

"Nobody has said anything to me, so I'm not too worried about it. I'm proud to be an Islander, and just focused on doing my job here. 

"If anything changes, I'm sure you guys will let me know."

Despite the buzz, the rumour mill is suggesting Phillips has placed an extremely high asking price on the 25-year-old starter, meaning that no move seems imminent.

Indeed, one Western Conference GM was said to have "put the Skinner deal in the dumpster" on account of the Islanders' demands. 

Nevertheless, this is New York, so it should come as no surprise if a blockbuster deal pops up in the coming days.