The New York Islanders have had an interesting few weeks ahead of the NHL trade deadline. Shortly before the Olympic break, they acquired Ondřej Palát and a couple of draft picks from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for Maxim Tsyplakov. Today, they made one of the splashier deals of Deadline Day, acquiring Brayden Schenn from the St. Louis Blues. Here are the full details:
Islanders acquire:
Blues acquire:
- 2026 1st-round pick
- 3rd-round pick
- Jonathan Drouin
- Goaltending prospect Marcus Gildof
Schenn had to waive his no-trade clause to go to the Islanders, but it may have been better for the Islanders had he invoked his no-trade clause. This is a head-scratcher that doesn’t make much sense for where they are as an organization. As for the Blues, they made out like bandits and got full value for their longtime captain.
Islanders Get Older and Slower With Schenn
The Islanders have been a surprise this season and look like a safe bet to make the playoffs at this point. That’s why GM Mathieu Darche decided to become a buyer, but it’s questionable whether his moves have made the team that much better. Palát’s best days look like they’re behind him, and the same is true for Schenn.
Related: 2026 NHL Trade Deadline Tracker
Schenn has 12 goals and 28 points in 61 games this season, which is decent production, but there are red flags in his game. Most notably, his skating has declined in recent seasons. The Islanders play a more uptempo style of hockey, so he might not be the best fit, especially since he struggles in transition.
Schenn’s shooting ability has also fallen off quite a bit in the last couple of seasons. He’s still scoring goals at a decent clip, but the volume has declined. He is a good playmaker, so he can help the Islanders in that regard. He also excels in the faceoff dot, and I’m sure the intangibles are part of why the Islanders acquired him.
Still, there are more cons than pros in this deal. One being Schenn’s contract, which runs through next season at a cap hit of $6.5 million. This trade would have been much more palatable if he were a rental, but the extra year is a problem. Two) He makes the Islanders a slower team, which Palát already did.
They also gave up quite a bit to acquire Schenn. Drouin struggled with the Islanders. I don’t think they’re losing much there, but giving up a first-round pick for a declining player in his mid-30s who has term is not the best asset management. I’m skeptical this trade will work out the way the Islanders intend it to, but time will tell.
Islanders Grade: C
Blues Maximized Schenn’s Value
The Blues already had one trade nixed by a no-trade clause when Colton Parayko did not waive to go to the Buffalo Sabres. That wasn’t an issue here, and it allowed them to get a very solid return for their longtime captain.
Drouin did struggle with the Islanders, but he’s been productive, at times, over the last few seasons. He doesn’t have one standout trait, but he does have some playmaking ability and is a decent enough skater. The Blues aren’t exactly sitting pretty in the NHL standings, so he’s walking into a worse environment than he had in New York, but he should get consistent minutes in the top six.
I also wouldn’t worry about the extra year Drouin has on his contract. The Blues are in rebuild mode, and they could even move more players, such as Robert Thomas or Jordan Kyrou, this offseason. They still need to ice a roster, and if Drouin bounces back, they can always flip him at next season’s trade deadline. His cap hit of $4 million is perfectly manageable as well.
The key for the Blues is getting a first-round pick. After losing out on an extra first in the nixed Parayko deal, they finally get their extra pick heading into the 2026 draft. Schenn’s value was at its peak this trade deadline, and GM Doug Armstrong did well to maximize the return.
Blues Grade: A-
