This season has had one surprise after another. From Vegas and Jersey leading their respective divisions to Detroit currently in a playoff spot, but lets not forget about the Vancouver Canucks, who are also among the surprises this season, are a point out of a playoff spot.
Former Islanders forward Travis Green makes his first trip as Canucks head coach to face his former team. Green played six seasons on the Island, scoring 92 goals. Perhaps Green is best know for this moment...
This matchup will feature two of the league's top rookies in Canucks forward Brock Boeser and British Columbia native Mathew Barzal. The Islanders center leads all rookies with 23 points. Boeser is a point behind with 22.
Jaroslav Halak will get the start tonight. Halak perhaps played his best game of the season Saturday in Ottawa, stopping 31 of 32 shots.
Anthony Beauvillier is back in the lineup tonight. He will replace Casey Cizikas, who suffered a lower body injury Saturday. Cizikas is day-to-day.
New York Post's Larry Brooks suggested this past weekend that general manager Garth Snow should make a big splash and trade for Arizona Coyotes defenseman Oliver Eckman-Larsson. The Coyotes are not going anywhere this season. Eckman-Larsson has another season left on his contract that carries a $5.5M cap hit.
If Snow elects to go against his philosophy, he can look at what the Rangers gave the Coyotes for defenseman Keith Yandle back in 2015. Yandle was acquired with defenseman Chris Summers and a fourth-round pick in 2016 in exchange for defenseman John Moore, forward Anthony Duclair, a lottery-protected first-round draft pick in 2016 and a second-round pick in 2015. The Coyotes retained 50 percent of Yandle's salary in the deal.
Eckman-Larsson is a better player Yandle. Snow will likely have to include at least two, maybe three prospects. The Isles have plenty of defensive prospects playing in Bridgeport (Devon Toews, Sebastian Aho, Mitchell Vande Sompel, and Parker Wotherspoon). The first three are having strong seasons. Forwards Anthony Beauvillier, Josh Ho-Sang and Kiefer Bellows, who is tearing up the WHL, could also be in the deal. Also included in the deal would be a first and second rounder, which would likely be from the Travis Hamonic deal.. Arizona will also have to retain half of OEL's contract. An Isles defenseman on an expiring contract would also have to go in the deal, most likely Thomas Hickey.