Islanders Gameday News: With the Deadline approaching, trades being made and rumors swirling

With about 28 hours until the Trade Deadline passes, the New York Islanders welcome back to the Coliseum the New York Rangers, hoping to avenge Friday’s lackluster defeat.

Meanwhile, rumors continue to swirl. Despite having already acquired Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac from the New Jersey Devils, they have still been connected to the other big fish forward on the market, Taylor Hall. We shall see whether those rumors come to fruition by tomorrow afternoon at 3:00 p.m. ET.

FIG Picks go here. We do not know whether you can pick Oliver Wahlstrom.

Islanders News

• The team site previews tonight’s match-up.
• The Islanders know that they were not really close to their best on Friday night. After a day of rest, look for them to bring their ‘A’ game. [Newsday]
• WATCH: Every week, during the second intermission of the early Hockey Night in Canada game, Chris Johnston and Elliotte Friedman discuss the headlines, which is where we’re getting that Hall may still be connected to the Isles. [Sportsnet]
• It makes sense; Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello feels comfortable with the roster, but with the cap space he still has, you cannot count him out on anything. He always looks to improve if he can. [Newsday]
• In the interim, Barry Trotz has tinkered with his new lines a bit as he works in the new acquisitions. In this, Andrew Gross says rather definitively that Wahlstrom will be back in the lineup at some point, even if it is not until after the Deadline and subsequent roster expansion. I’ve never known Gross to take liberties in his work, so I trust his insight. [Newsday]
• Yesterday was Arbor Day. In the holiday spirit, the Islanders honored the nearly 200-year-old Japanese White Pine in Belmont Park. [Islanders]
• It seems like the Islanders will sign 2016 sixth-round pick Collin Adams, who recently completed his senior year at North Dakota. It has not been officially announced, though, probably because the Isles are at 48/50 of the 50-contract limit and want the flexibility until the Deadline.

• Palmieri took to Twitter to thank the Devils and their fans for their support during his time in New Jersey and then expressed his excitement to be an Islander.

Elsewhere

Yesterday’s NHL scores include the Philadelphia Flyers eking out a regulation win over the Boston Bruins. Also, Auston Matthews recorded a hat-trick to reach 31(!) goals on the season as the Toronto Maple Leafs held off the Ottawa Senators. And, after having been a healthy scratch for a few games, Mike Hoffman returned to the St. Louis Blues’ lineup and notched two goals in their overtime win over the Minnesota Wild.

• The Edmonton Oilers looked flat in losing to the Calgary Flames in last night’s Battle of Alberta, but they questioned the league’s decision to re-schedule a game on the day of Colby Cave’s memorial. Cave shockingly and tragically passed away one year ago yesterday at the age of 26. [Sportsnet]
• The two big fish on the defenseman market came off the board yesterday. First, the Buffalo Sabres sent Brandon Montour to the Florida Panthers for a third-round pick. [NHL]
• Then, the Tampa Bay Lightning acquired David Savard. The west Florida franchise engineered a three-team trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets, who retained 50% of Savard’s salary, and the Detroit Red Wings, who retained 50% of what was left of Savard’s salary. [NHL]
• The Colorado Avalanche, in its quest to acquire the weakest goalies available, nabbed Devan Dubnyk from the San Jose Sharks. [NHL]
• Cole Caufield, the Hobey Baker Award winner after scoring 30 goals in a single college season of 31 games, could be the offensive spark needed by the Montreal Canadiens. [Sportsnet]
• Speaking of college hockey, UMass decimated St. Cloud State to win its first NCAA men’s hockey national championship. [ESPN]
• On April 16, the Vancouver Canucks can return to game play. They insist on finishing their season, so the end of the regular season will be pushed back to May 16.
• As such, the start date of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs remains up in the air. I have seen it suggested that the U.S. divisions’ playoffs start while the North Division finishes its season. [NHL]
• Coming down to the wire, which team has the best chance to snag the West Division’s final playoff spot? [Yahoo]