Anders Lee is out for the rest of the season with a torn ACL, and his absence could be a big problem for the New York Islanders. At times, the line of Mat Barzal, Jordan Eberle and Anders Lee was one of the league’s most effective lines offensively. Now, the Islanders’ top line needs its goal scorer and Lou Lamoriello is searching for possible trade targets. Luckily, the Islanders have a kid who can mimic Lee on the wing at least temporarily.

Enter: Kieffer Bellows

After being drafted, Kieffer Bellows struggled to make a name for himself at the major level. He bounced around from NCAA hockey, to the WHL, to the AHL, until finally earning a full-time trial in the NHL in Feb. 2020. In his eight games, he scored two goals and one assist. This season, Bellows failed to register any points in eight games and was scratched 19 times. But Lee’s injury presented him a chance.

Barry Trotz didn’t want to break up any of the other lines to cater to Lee being out. The second line (Beauvillier, Nelson, Bailey), the third line (Dal Colle, Pageau, Wahlstrom) and the fourth lune (Martin, Cizikas, Clutterbuck) all have strived. So, to keep those intact, Trotz took a scratch and put him on the first line.

The five main options to possibly fill in the wing spot were Kieffer Bellows, Leo Komarov, Austin Czarnik, Dmytro Timashov or Ross Johnston. Due to his goal-scoring ability, Trotz chose the kid.

In his first game alongside Barzal and Eberle, Bellows looked phenomenal. He scored two goals in the third period to a Devils’ 2-1 lead into a 3-2 Islanders win. He scored again the next day in another 3-2 win over New Jersey. Maybe Bellows is the goal scorer Islanders fans hoped he’d be when paired with the right people. But, if Bellows cools down and Is not the answer to replace Lee long-term, here are a few players the Islanders could possibly trade for.

What is the Criteria for Islanders Trade Targets?

Only a few players make sense for the Islanders with Lee’s additional $7 million in salary cap space.

Left-Wingers

Anders Lee is a pure left wing, playing with a pure center (Barzal) and a pure right wing (Eberle). To replicate the effects of Lee, the Islanders are best going after a forward with experience on the left side, ideally a left-handed shot.

Goal-Scorers

Not only does Lee currently lead the Islanders in goals, but his success hasn’t only been showcases this year. Lee has four 25+ goal seasons under his belt, including a 40-goal season in 2017-18.

Expiring Contracts

If the Islanders do decide to make a trade, it would have to be for a rental. Lee’s $7 million contract will begin counting against the salary cap again once he’s healthy next year, and should be able to make a straight return to the first line. Plus, Anthony Beauviller, Casey Cizikas, Adam Pelech and Ilya Sorokin will all need new contracts this summer. So only a rental for the rest of the season makes sense.

So, who on the trade block fits this criteria?

1. Kyle Palmieri, New Jersey Devils

Despite being a division rival, the Islanders have made “deals with the Devils” in the past. Last deadline, Islanders’ general manager Lou Lamiorello acquired defenseman Andy Greene from the Devils. Greene was the Devils captain for almost five seasons and had a close relationship with Lamiorello dating back to his time in New Jersey. Kyle Palmieri is also a familiar face for the GM.

Palmieri checks all the boxes, and may be the most realistic acquisition on this list. He is on a one-year contract, and the Devils don’t seem hopeful they can sign a new contract with the 30-year-old veteran. Also, Palmieri is arguably the closest thing to Lee on the trade block. He is the same age, position, and puts up similar numbers. His last five seasons have been consistently great, posting at least 40 points each year.

Also similar to Anders Lee, as of March 15, out of Palmieri’s 350 career points, 179 are goals (51%). So, he knows how to put the puck in the net. Lastly, Palmieri has ties to Long Island, growing up in Smithtown, NY, another reason he could fit with the Islanders.

2. Mikael Granlund, Nashville Predators

If any of these players get traded at the deadline, Grandlund is probably the most likely to go. Granlund severely needs a change of scenery, and ranks in the top ten in both the Athletic’s and TSN’s “trade bait” lists. It seems the struggling Nashville Predators are prepared to have a garage sale, possibly trading defenseman Mattias Ekholm, center Ryan Johansen and others alongside Granlund.

Granund makes a lot of sense for the Islanders. The sole concern with Granlund is his lack of experience on the wing. Although he has played on both the left and right wing on numerous occasions in the NHL, he has always been mainly a center. So it depends if the Islanders believe in his production as a top left winger. He is also coming off a down season, and hasn’t exactly produced this season either.

After 69, 67, and 54 point seasons with the Minnesota Wild and Nashville Predators respectably, Granlund posted just 30 points in 63 games last season, and 10 points through 25 games this season. Sure, has numbers have regressed, but so has a lot of his teammates in Nashville. Perhaps a fresh start on a line with Mat Barzal and Jordan Eberle could pay dividends for Granlund, even if it’s just for the rest of the season.

3. Ryan Dzingel, Ottawa Senators

Although Ryan Dzingel was traded once already this season, there are rumors that the Ottawa Senators are open to flipping him at the Deadline. Dzingel began the season with the Carolina Hurricanes, before the was traded to the Senators, who he had previously played for from 2015-19. But with Dzingel at the end of his deal and the Senators far from the playoff race Dzingel can be on the move again.

The 29-year-old forward has had some inconsistencies, though. After scoring 56 points in 78 games in 2019 with Ottawa and Columbus, Dzingel had just 29 points in 64 games the next season. This season, he has five goals and two assists in 18 games. Perhaps playing on a high-scoring first line can make Dzingel play like the 50-point juggernaut he once was.

4. Tanner Pearson, Vancouver Canucks

On the last year of his contract, Tanner Pearson might be moved by the Canucks. Something seems damaged between the relationship of Pearson and Vancouver. Tanner Pearson would definitely be a cheaper option on the trade market for teams looking for offensive help.

Pearson is a realistic player the Islanders could trade for. The problem is, he doesn’t compare to Anders Lee well. He’s scored a solid amount goals with the Canucks since getting traded there in 2019.  But it’s really secondary scoring. Pearson has never proved to be a first liner, but more of a middle-six winger. If Pearson is the only player on this list they’re willing to pay for, they could be better off sticking with Bellows on the first line wing. Still, a possibility the Islanders have some interest in Pearson.

5. Taylor Hall, Buffalo Sabres

Taylor Hall as an option for the Islanders is definitely out of left field. He is by far the most expensive on the list. Technically though, New York can afford Taylor Hall’s contract with Lee on LTIR. And if they could handpick a candidate to replace Lee out of the five, it would obviously be Taylor Hall.

But Taylor Hall is very unrealistic. Although usually the Sabres are in the Atlantic Division and the Islanders are in the Metropolitan Division, they are division rivals at least for now. Also, the Sabres won’t care that keeping Hall after this season is impossible for the Islanders. They want value.

Would they Islanders be willing to part with a first-round pick for Hall? That is the question.

Ben Kule

Die-Hard Islanders fan and writer from Plainview, Long Island, NY. I have a passion and knowledge for this team and I enjoy sharing that with others