Post by NY Islanders GM on Mar 22, 2024 22:10:44 GMT -5
ELMONT, NY - It’s been a strange year for the New York Islanders and General Manager Chris Hessel.
Despite the Islanders having already made a few large trades this season, they find themselves in the midst of another blockbuster, in what has been quite a different pace for Hessel.
The normally calm and laid back GM has moved a second player acquired earlier this season, as it’s Nino Niederreiter this time who finds himself off to the Columbus Blue Jackets for star RW Vladimir Tarasenko in - believe it or not - the first ever trade between Hessel and fellow long-time GM Greg Stack.
The Islanders are also shipping this year’s 5th, next year’s 3rd and some cash to the Jackets.
Tarasenko is a pending UFA who played 65 games with Columbus this season, registering 14 goals and 23 assists for 37 points. The numbers don’t jump out for the skillset, but of note is that Tarasenko is a shot generating machine performing to the tune of a below average shooting percentage.
Hessel was sure to point this out when addressing the trade on a call with reporters.
“Vlad is an elite scorer, and someone we think can further inject some life into our offense particularly our power play. Our analysis of this player is he’s been unlucky and we are encouraged by the results we have seen over the past couple of weeks, and that’s why the player is here today.”
Tarasenko scored a goal and an assist in his final game for the Jackets, as he has gotten on a bit of a pace of late.
Niederreiter, acquired by the Islanders from Las Vegas in the February 26th blockbuster, played in 14 games for the Blue and Orange registering just two points - both goals - and only in the past week. He had gone pointless for double digit games, and the Islanders had some issues finding his rhythm.
“I’m a big fan of Nino,” said Hessel. “I didn’t ask for him from Vegas just because. He’s a big bodied player, who has a contract and can provide some muscle and some secondary scoring.
We certainly weren’t losing any games because of him, but it was a noteworthy consideration for us.”
To start, Niederreiter had played on the top line with John Tavares and Johnny Gaudreau where those two continued to do what they do with Niederreiter along for the ride. Of late, Ross Colton found himself back on that line where he has steadily contributed of late, while Niederreiter seemed to find somewhat of a home but on a 3rd line.
“We tried a few things there. 14 games isn’t a tell all, but we had an opportunity where we had a few teams interested in the player and we wondered about some possibilities. We had engaged Greg a few weeks back, and again this week…Nino is a great player with a contract for next season and we look forward to seeing what he can do in another environment.”
Ultimately, thanks to some of their moves this season the Islanders will have some decisions to make this offseason. They have moved out some guys with term and replaced them with very good pending UFAs, and while there is that cap flexibility for the offseason it’s likely they will want to retain some guys - particularly Tarasenko, if he shows he can perform.
The quick changes on Niederreiter today and Luke Schenn after just three games earlier this season are eyebrow raisers from the normally patient Hessel, and he was indeed asked about this perception too.
“I don’t think there’s anything to this,” he said interrupting the question before it was done. “That’s crazy, these were two unique situations. People look for narratives, try and see what’s changed, is it becoming a turnstile - no, it’s not and nothing’s changed. This is still the core of a team that went to the Cup Finals last season, and the collective unit has underperformed this season compared to the top teams we need to beat to have any shot at making it there again. We’ve liked every player we’ve acquired, but there’s always work to be done and you do have to give to get.
Whether a player is here for two games, two weeks, 15 years…I’ve always said things have to make sense. These situations have always needed to make sense. This year things just lined up in ways that make sense for us to pursue and get the team to where we want to be.”
When it comes to fit, one has to wonder if Tarasenko’s skillset will benefit most from playing on that top line with Gaudreau and Tavares. The two playmakers have generally done well with any mix of players there, but his scoring prowess and combination of size and skating is tantalizing to try on the opposite side of the LW only Gaudreau.
On paper, more than we could see with Niederreiter there is any number of fits for Tarasenko including perhaps the former’s 3rd line spot.
As far as the rest of the weekend, with the NsHL trade deadline on Saturday the Islanders might very well be done with Tarasenko, Chris Tierney, Neal Pionk, Scott Mayfield and Wayne Simmonds all in tow.
But this is a different Hessel and a very atypically performing team, so perhaps there’s another surprise or two in store for the Boys from Belmont.
Despite the Islanders having already made a few large trades this season, they find themselves in the midst of another blockbuster, in what has been quite a different pace for Hessel.
The normally calm and laid back GM has moved a second player acquired earlier this season, as it’s Nino Niederreiter this time who finds himself off to the Columbus Blue Jackets for star RW Vladimir Tarasenko in - believe it or not - the first ever trade between Hessel and fellow long-time GM Greg Stack.
The Islanders are also shipping this year’s 5th, next year’s 3rd and some cash to the Jackets.
Tarasenko is a pending UFA who played 65 games with Columbus this season, registering 14 goals and 23 assists for 37 points. The numbers don’t jump out for the skillset, but of note is that Tarasenko is a shot generating machine performing to the tune of a below average shooting percentage.
Hessel was sure to point this out when addressing the trade on a call with reporters.
“Vlad is an elite scorer, and someone we think can further inject some life into our offense particularly our power play. Our analysis of this player is he’s been unlucky and we are encouraged by the results we have seen over the past couple of weeks, and that’s why the player is here today.”
Tarasenko scored a goal and an assist in his final game for the Jackets, as he has gotten on a bit of a pace of late.
Niederreiter, acquired by the Islanders from Las Vegas in the February 26th blockbuster, played in 14 games for the Blue and Orange registering just two points - both goals - and only in the past week. He had gone pointless for double digit games, and the Islanders had some issues finding his rhythm.
“I’m a big fan of Nino,” said Hessel. “I didn’t ask for him from Vegas just because. He’s a big bodied player, who has a contract and can provide some muscle and some secondary scoring.
We certainly weren’t losing any games because of him, but it was a noteworthy consideration for us.”
To start, Niederreiter had played on the top line with John Tavares and Johnny Gaudreau where those two continued to do what they do with Niederreiter along for the ride. Of late, Ross Colton found himself back on that line where he has steadily contributed of late, while Niederreiter seemed to find somewhat of a home but on a 3rd line.
“We tried a few things there. 14 games isn’t a tell all, but we had an opportunity where we had a few teams interested in the player and we wondered about some possibilities. We had engaged Greg a few weeks back, and again this week…Nino is a great player with a contract for next season and we look forward to seeing what he can do in another environment.”
Ultimately, thanks to some of their moves this season the Islanders will have some decisions to make this offseason. They have moved out some guys with term and replaced them with very good pending UFAs, and while there is that cap flexibility for the offseason it’s likely they will want to retain some guys - particularly Tarasenko, if he shows he can perform.
The quick changes on Niederreiter today and Luke Schenn after just three games earlier this season are eyebrow raisers from the normally patient Hessel, and he was indeed asked about this perception too.
“I don’t think there’s anything to this,” he said interrupting the question before it was done. “That’s crazy, these were two unique situations. People look for narratives, try and see what’s changed, is it becoming a turnstile - no, it’s not and nothing’s changed. This is still the core of a team that went to the Cup Finals last season, and the collective unit has underperformed this season compared to the top teams we need to beat to have any shot at making it there again. We’ve liked every player we’ve acquired, but there’s always work to be done and you do have to give to get.
Whether a player is here for two games, two weeks, 15 years…I’ve always said things have to make sense. These situations have always needed to make sense. This year things just lined up in ways that make sense for us to pursue and get the team to where we want to be.”
When it comes to fit, one has to wonder if Tarasenko’s skillset will benefit most from playing on that top line with Gaudreau and Tavares. The two playmakers have generally done well with any mix of players there, but his scoring prowess and combination of size and skating is tantalizing to try on the opposite side of the LW only Gaudreau.
On paper, more than we could see with Niederreiter there is any number of fits for Tarasenko including perhaps the former’s 3rd line spot.
As far as the rest of the weekend, with the NsHL trade deadline on Saturday the Islanders might very well be done with Tarasenko, Chris Tierney, Neal Pionk, Scott Mayfield and Wayne Simmonds all in tow.
But this is a different Hessel and a very atypically performing team, so perhaps there’s another surprise or two in store for the Boys from Belmont.