Lou Lamoriello did not give off the sense of someone satisfied with how the trade deadline went when he spoke to reporters before the Islanders beat the Sharks 4-2 on Saturday.
BOTTOM LINE: The Anaheim Ducks face the New York Islanders in a non-conference matchup. Anaheim has a 27-28-7 record overall and a 14-14-2 record in home games. The Ducks have allowed 190 goals while scoring 162 for a -28 scoring differential.
The Islanders are up on the season series 1-0-0 after a 4-1 win over the Sharks on Jan. 18, which kicked off a season-long, seven-game winning streak for the Isles. New York 5-0-4 in its last nine games against the Sharks, including 2-0-2 on the road.
There’s also the matter of Lamoriello’s loyalty to his crew. He only traded Nelson for that good return because Nelson rebuffed several contract offers, likely in the three-year range. If Lamoriello had his way, no one would have been traded this week and the Islanders would have brought the entire gang back for another go in 2025-26.