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As an Islanders-focused site, we don't typically do separate posts for Other People's Property. But it's not every day -- not every season, even -- when two NHL teams pull off a trade that involves six, count 'em, six future or past first-round picks. So it's worth debating here (and has already come up plenty in comments of the morning thread).
Oh, also: The New York Islanders' 2015 first-round pick used to acquire Thomas Vanek could be involved, depending on how this year's playoffs shake out.
The centerpiece. due to recent drama, is Evander Kane, who is out for the season with shoulder surgery. But Buffalo isn't making this trade for this tanktastic season.
To the Winnipeg Jets:
- defenseman Tyler Myers (12th overall, 2008)
- forward Drew Stafford (13th overall, 2004)
- prospects Joel Armia (16th overall, 2011) and Brendan Lemieux
- 2015 first-round pick to be determined (the lower of the two Buffalo acquired from the St. Louis Blues and Islanders.)
To the Buffalo Sabres:
- forward Evander Kane (4th overall, 2009)
- defenseman Zach Bogosian (3rd overall, 2008)
- RPI goalie Jason Kasdorf
The Sabres also will retain part of Stafford's salary in the deal.
This trade is massive for both teams involved. Winnipeg is still pushing for the playoffs, and loses a very good defenseman in Bogosian, while acquiring a promising defenseman whose game needs rehabilitation in Myers, and a forward in Stafford who helps partly mitigate the loss of Kane, who was done for the season anyway.
Buffalo doesn't care about this season, and the writing was on the wall that the two first-rounders they famously acquired in the Vanek and Ryan Miller deals are going to be late first rounders, since both the Isles and Blues are playoff-bound.
Check out local reactions at Arctic Ice Hockey (Jets) and at Die By The Blade (Sabres).
Meanwhile: Hey, the Islanders' first was used to maybe-sorta acquire Kane after all!