What the Devon Toews Trade means for the New York Islanders
The New York Islanders have traded RFA defenseman Devon Toews to the Avalanche for a pair of second-round picks. What does this move mean for Isles?
With how this free-agency period has gone for the New York Islanders, it has slowly started to pick up some speed. After a minor trade and a signing of a depth goaltender, the Islanders have traded one of their restricted free agents.
Devon Toews has been sent to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for a second-round pick in 2021 and a second-round pick in 2022.
Out of all the RFAs that the Islanders have, the priority was always on defenseman Ryan Pulock, and more importantly, Mat Barzal. If there was going to be an odd-man-out, Toews was surely the guy. Since Toews was heading to arbitration, the team must have thought his asking price would be too high for their liking. Clearly, they did not believe in waiting around to find out.
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The 26-year old had six goals and 22 assists in 66 games this season, averaging 20:31 of ice time per game, getting more playing time in the absence of Adam Pelech.
He had 10 points in 22 playoff games but was on the bad side of a few unfortunate bounces that left a sour taste in the mouths of Islander fans. While it was not his fault the Islanders could not get the job done in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the trust for him to come through defensively in crunch time was just not there.
With him now off the depth chart, I believe the Islanders must re-sign 37-year old Andy Greene at some point to a league minimum. With rumors looming of a Johnny Boychuk trade in the works, most likely with draft picks or prospects attached due the $12 million remaining over the next two years, the team needs help on the backend.
The team did sign their Sebastian Aho, a defenseman, to a two-year deal worth $1.45 million over the next two seasons. Team general manager Lou Lamoriello may believe the 24-year old is ready to take the next step.
With this Toews trade and potentially more moves to be made involving Boychuk as well as Nick Leddy, the Islanders must believe that Noah Dobson is ready to be a top-four defenseman in this league. In 34 games this season, the 20-year old improved as time went on, finishing the year with one goal and six assists, not getting the opportunity to showcase anything in the team’s elongated playoff run.
For Toews, this now gives him an opportunity to join a strong Avalanche team that has the pieces to win a Stanley Cup right now. The Islanders, even though they fell two games short from a meeting with the Dallas Stars in the Stanley Cup Finals, do not have the weapons that the Avalanche have in their arsenal.
Next. Seattle Kraken Mock Expansion Draft. dark
Islanders’ general manager Lou Lamoriello is not done making moves. Devon Toews is just one move in his master plan to clearing cap space and keeping this Islander team intact, while also adding some more pieces to make them a true contender before next season begins.