"NY Islanders GM Mathieu Darche has been working the phones to improve his team before the NHL roster freeze begins tomorrow at 3 pm, before the Olympic break. The acquisitions of Ondrej Palat and Carson Soucy were low-cost deals that improve the team now in anticipation of a playoff push. But it appears as if Darche was ready to pull the trigger on a trade before executing the two deals that eventually came to fruition."
"Perhaps the case was Drache had a deal ready to go for Soucy, which cost them a third-round pick, and knew he wouldn't have the pick available for 2026. Bunting, 30, is in his second year with Nashville, registering 12 goals and 18 assists through 55 games this season, playing mostly third-line minutes. In the final year of a three-year deal coming with a $4.5M cap hit, Bunting could have been a rental or extended after playing down the stretch with the Isles."
Mathieu Darche intensified trade activity before the NHL roster freeze, acquiring Ondrej Palat and Carson Soucy as low-cost upgrades for a playoff push. Darche nearly completed a trade for Michael Bunting, but negotiations collapsed over whether to exchange a 2026 or 2027 draft pick. The Soucy deal reportedly cost a third-round pick, possibly removing a 2026 asset. Bunting has 12 goals and 18 assists in 55 games and carries a $4.5M cap hit in the final year of his contract, making him a potential rental or extension candidate. The Islanders have six games remaining before the deadline and could still pursue larger targets.
Read at Eyes On Isles
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