Could Islanders Mimic Romanov Trade If Montreal Canadiens’ Xhekaj Hits Market?

The New York Islanders are on the lookout for a left-handed defenseman with Adam Pelech out for 4-6 weeks and no timetable on Mike Reilly’s return.

Related: Patrick Roy Has His Hands Full Managing Bruised & Battered Islanders Blueline

The simple answer would be to get a cheap bottom-pairing defender, whether that’s via a trade like the one the Islanders made when they acquired Robert Bortuzzo from the St. Louis Blues for a 2024 seventh-round pick or when they acquired Reilly off waivers from the Florida Panthers.

But, with Reilly in the final year of his deal and the blue line’s history of injuries, could the Islanders go and make a long-term move?

They did so at the 2022 NHL Draft in Montreal when they acquired Alexander Romanov from the Montreal Canadiens, along with the 98th pick for their 13th overall pick in 2022.

A move that was ridiculed at the time, Romanov has turned into a top-flight defenseman, taking tremendous strides on both sides of the puck over the last two years and is still only 24.

If the Canadiens make 23-year-old defenseman Arber Xhekaj available, the Islanders will likely inquire.

So far, in his young NHL career, Xhekaj is playing the way Romanov played when he first broke into the league.

He’s a hitting machine, with 29 in nine games, but he gets caught doing the same thing Romanov used to—chasing hits.

At times, he can be wild out there, but he brings that spark that Romanov brought to Long Island. He hasn’t shown offense, with no points this season, but neither did Romanov when he was in Quebec.

Xhekaj is not afraid to fight, with 27 career tilts, something the Islanders are missing from their game:

As Dreger mentioned, many teams would line up for Xhekaj if he became available, and the Islanders don’t have the prospect pool to compete with most teams.

But before anyone counts Lamoriello out, note what he’s been able to do when a top player in the NHL becomes available on the trade market.

• Jean-Gabriel Pageau was a top trade deadline name in 2020

• Kyle Palmieri was a top trade-deadline name in 2021

• Bo Horvat was to be a top free agent in the summer of 2023

Who knows if Lamoriello would win a bid for Xhekaj, who carries a $1.3 million AAV through 2026, but he would certainly be in play.

The Islanders had a successful 2024 Draft, taking Cole Eiserman, the best pure goal scorer, at No. 20. They also took big-body, mobile defenseman Jesse Pulkkinen at No. 56 and Kamil Bednar, one of the better two-way centermen in the draft at No. 61.

There’s reason to think that 2025 picks could be in play; it depends on which one(s).

The asking price depends on how many teams are involved and who is willing to overpay Montreal.

But if the Islanders’ draft picks are in play, they will be used on someone who can help in the short and long term, like the Romanov deal.

What about Isaiah George, Marshall Warren, Calle Odelius, Aidan Fulp, and Travis Mitchell, who are in Bridgeport?

It’s possible that some of those guys could turn into bonafide NHL players, but none have NHL experience, and development in Bridgeport doesn’t have a great track record, especially with defensemen since Pelech, Ryan Pulock, and Scott Mayfield came through Connecticut.

With the Islanders’ ability to turn the rampant Romanov into a reliable top-pairing defenseman in less than two years, they should have confidence they can do the same with Xhekaj, who hails from the same system.

If Xhekaj doesn’t hit the open market, the Islanders would still benefit from acquiring a young defenseman who can be part of the team’s core blue line.

Four of the team’s six defensemen are 30-plus, and having a younger player to add to the Romanov-Dobson tandem seems vital.

Let’s say the Islanders acquired Xhehaj tomorrow (for the purpose of this exercise), and Romanov will be able to return against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday.

The Islanders could lineup like this:

D1: Romanov-Dobson

D2: Xhehaj-Pulock

D3: Cholowski-Mayfield

So, what would happen if blueliners got healthy?

There would be healthy defense competition, with Pelech, no question, coming back in and moving Xhehaj down in the lineup. Then, it’s up to the newcomer to earn Roy’s trust.

Reilly has played well in the Roy system and is a completely different player from Xhehaj.

But it’s rather unlikely that Reilly and Pelech will return at the same time, and who knows what will happen to the lineup from now until then?

You can never have too many defensemen, especially young and physical ones, in a league where offenses are based on speed and skill.

Will the Islanders go short-term and mimic what they did last year?

Will they look internally and hope that Samuel Bolduc, Grant Hutton, and Dennis Cholowski can hold down the fort?

Or does Lamoriello look long-term on the trade market?

Time will tell…