For the majority of the summer, I have repeatedly written that if the New York Islanders make a trade, Jean-Gabriel Pageau is the most likely player going out the door, and I still stand by that statement.
Given the structure of his contract plus the fact that the Islanders have five natural centers on their roster, Pageau is the easiest piece for Islanders president of hockey operations and general manager Lou Lamoriello to move, which he tried to the Senators for Alex DeBrincat, according to Andrew Gross of Newsday.
That proposed deal never panned out for the Islanders, as DeBrincat is now on his way to Detroit. However, Lamoriello still needs to make a trade this offseason.
Regardless of whoever the Islanders target next, Pageau will likely again be a part of the package Lamoriello offers. So before I go further and throw Pageau’s name into any more potential trade talks, I want to clarify a few things. Namely, what makes Pageau so important to the Islanders and why he is an asset any general manager should be pleased to acquire in a trade.
During Lamoriello’s tenure leading the front office, the Islanders have been notorious for their grinding, defense-oriented style of play, with Pageau serving as one of the team’s most vital pieces.
Since his first full season in New York in 2020-21, no other center has taken more faceoffs for the Islanders than Pageau. In fact, Pageau ranks 16th across the entire league in total faceoffs and seventh in defensive zone draws, while his 56.8% success rate in the circle is sixth among players who have taken a minimum of 3,000 faceoffs in that time span.
Along with his faceoff dominance, few other players can match Pageau’s ability when his team is shorthanded.
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