The first major deadline transaction for NHL trade in 2021 has landed, and while it’s a major move, it shouldn’t be as shocking. The New York Islands are looking for a replacement for the captain’s lost score and lead Anders LeeEnd-of-season injury added to both in a deal with the Devils, acquiring veteran strikers Kyle Palmieri and Travis Rabbit. Trade, like first reported by Arthur Staple of Athletic, marks the second consecutive season in which the Islands have acquired a career Devil from their rivals in the city, as Zajac will reunite with a long-term teammate Andy Greene in New York. Both Palmieri and Zajac are immediately available for the island due to nearby localities and are expected to join the team tomorrow.
As we can imagine, the commercial profitability of the Devils is substantial, even in a buyer’s market. In exchange for the two base strikers and the 50% withholding on both salaries, New Jersey receives the first round pick of the islands in 2021, a conditional pick in the fourth round of 2022 and the young strikers AJ Greer and Mason Jobst. The conditions for the second choice are as follows: if New York reaches the Stanley Cup final this season, the fourth round becomes the third round and the devils can choose whether they want to be in the 2022 or 2023 draft.
This trade obviously has fingerprints from GM Islanders Lou Lamoriello Everywhere. The veteran executive was the general manager of the Devils when Zajac was drafted in 2004. He tried to re-acquire the two-way center last season, but Zajac did not give up his lack of motion clause. This time, with his contract expired, Zajac is finally willing to go to the devils in search of a Stanley Cup, especially when some familiar faces will join him. After giving up the second-round pick for Greene last year, Lamoriello didn’t hesitate to return to the New Jersey fountain and give a premiere for Zajac and Palmieri. He may also have played somewhat with the crowd at home, adding a Long Island native from Palmieri. The 78-year-old GM is this year and makes fans happy along the way.
What do islanders get in this business? For starters, they add more than 1,600 NHL games of experience to the range, an element that cannot be underestimated for a competitor. It will certainly help make up for Lee’s loss to the management department. Offensively, neither Palmieri nor Zajac have been at their best this season, but they are still the Devils’ top five scorers with 15 goals and 35 points between them. Palmieri was considered one of the top targets on the market even in a play season and playing with any of the top three centers in Islander, especially Mathew Barzal, should help his score improve. Zajac fits the head coach perfectly Barry Trotz“Conservative system as an intelligent, measured system, two-way forward. Where exactly it falls into the list on a deep list remains to be seen. Islanders will have to figure out what works best with their many possible line combinations, but for now Palmieri and Zajac will hit. Oliver Wahlstrom and Kieffer Bellows from the active list. An undervalued part of this trade from the point of view of the islands is the retained salary. With only half of Palmieri and Zajac’s contracts contributing to the maximum wage, the Devils still have about $ 3 million left in the long-term injured reserve space, enough space to make another purchase if they want to.
As for the Devils, they get a coveted first-round pick – an asset that is expected to be hard to find for sellers this season. GM Tom Fitzgerald he knew the islands had no second-round backups, because he had already won the Greene deal last season, so he knew a first tournament would have to be in play if the islands wanted Palmieri. Adding Zajac and maintaining the salary certainly helped the cause, but overall, it’s worth adding another top perspective to the reconstruction of New Jersey. As for the players in the pack, there are no bright names or long-term building blocks, but they could be nice additions of depth if the devils decide to keep them. Jobst he has yet to make 15-point appearances in 50 AHL games, but was a Hobey Baker candidate at Ohio State and scored well in his college career. Oversized and already 27 years old, Jobst is not exactly a prospect and has an expiring contract, but it could be a good depth ahead if New Jersey gives him the chance to translate his game to the highest level. Greer, 24, was a pick in the second round of the Colorado Avalanche in 2015 and already has 37 NHL games and over 200 AHL games to his credit. Greer plays with size and energy, but has also shown a score on minors, making him a valuable replacement who can contribute to any role. The impending RFA has not proven to be a regular NHL yet, but it should have a chance with New Jersey to prove that it deserves a new contract and an extended look.