Islanders News: Cheetah chased, new guys arrive, contenders reload

Yesterday’s trade deadline was as dull as you probably expected for the Islanders, though there were lots of significant moves around the NHL. No Karlsson or Hoffman trades out of Ottawa, but plenty of big names moved.

Just not to the Isles. They’re back in action tomorrow in Montreal, where things are even worse. It’s the first of a home-and-home with the Canadiens.

Podcast Alert: Look for Dan and Mike’s latest Islanders Anxiety episode later this morning. Expect lots of catharsis about this godforsaken team.

Islanders Reading

• Trade deadline hot take: The Isles did little, which is just as well, as they can’t be trusted to fix in one day what they couldn’t address over the past year. [LHH]
• Garth Snow told Arthur Staple no one’s happy with where the team is now, but “We knew where the market was going in regards to cost, with high draft picks being asked for players. It wasn’t worth it for us to make those moves now.” [The Athletic]
• The lone Isles move of the day was Jason Chimera for Chris Wagner, who is also a pending free agent but probably a little better than Chimera at this point. [LHH | Newsday | Post | Isles | Anaheim Calling]
• In paper moves (“clear day” as they say), Sebastian Aho, Tanner Fritz and Christopher Gibson are all eligible for the AHL playoffs but Ross Johnston is not. [Soundin’ Off]
• Seven facts about Wagner. [Isles] He’s a physical guy who likes to hit, and played some “shutdown center” when Ryan Kesler was hurt. [Isles] Wagner says farewell to the Ducks. [Instagram]
• New defenseman Brandon Davidson is happy to be in a playoff chase and thinks he can help. [Newsday]
• The Isles like Davidson, and Jordan Eberle knows him quite well from three previous stops together. [Isles]
• The trade deadline calls for some more Butch Goring memories. He was hoping to stay in L.A., but then he figured okay he’ll win four Cups. [Sportsnet]
• John Tavares, asked for the 1,398th time, says he hasn’t ruled out re-signing with the Isles during the season. At this point he’s just trolling all of us. [Newsday]
• Ducks GM Bob Murray says the prices for other things were too high, but veterans Chris Kelly and Chimera add “speed, energy, leadership.” [OC Register | @AnaheimDucks]
• Mathew Barzal is a Calder favorite. But you knew that. [NHL]
• Brett Yormark says some crap about the Isles, Andrew Cuomo’s office assures everyone Belmont is a thing that will happen. [Newsday]
• Chris Botta puts the screws to Yormark and Snow. [SNY]

Two fan protest/anti-Snow billboards are up at Flatbush and 6th and Atlantic and Classon:

Elsewhere

Last night’s scores included the Blue Jackets smoking the Capitals (pushing the Isles four points back in the wild card chase) and the Flyers beating the Canadiens in a shootout.

• Here’s a running list of all the trades. [SB Nation]
• Eight teams loaded up to contend at the deadline. [NHL]
• One of them was the Sharks, who got Evander Kane. [Fear the Fin]
• Another was the Jets, who after years of pretty much not making an upgrade trade, like, ever, acquired Paul Stastny and signaled they are going for it. New day. [Sportsnet]
• Max Pacioretty unloaded about trade deadline rumors, as he wasn’t dealt (and never requested to be), and offered this gem: “I’m not on social media and I don’t have all this stuff.” [Sportsnet]
• Marc Bergevin is terrible though. [Sportsnet]
• The Canucks wanted to get picks back but instead took a prospect and the much-waived Jussi Jokinen for Tomas Vanek, which is kind of like saying, “we prefer an unknown future to the prospect we got.” [NHL]
• Being cool and stuff to Plekanec before trading him means maybe he’ll come back to Montreal? I don’t know. [Sportsnet]