NHL Trade Buzz: Islanders 'not thinking' about Deadline after 4th straight loss

Welcome to the NHL Trade Buzz. There are nine days remaining until the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline (3 p.m. ET on March 7). Here's a look around the League at the latest deadline doings:

New York Islanders

The Islanders (25-25-7) have lost four games in a row and five of six, all in regulation, including 5-1 to the New York Rangers at home Tuesday. They are now seven points back of the Columbus Blue Jackets for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.

Short of a 180-degree turn in the next four games, the Islanders could be moving closer to being sellers in advance of the Trade Deadline, which is notable since forwards Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri are both pending unrestricted free agents.

"Honestly, I don't think anyone in here really thinks about that -- at least I don't," defenseman Adam Pelech said after the loss Tuesday. "Really, I think in this game you've got to take it one day at a time, and that's kind of the only way to look at it. We're going to do everything we can to turn this around and start winning some games. But I don't think we can think about that."

The players might not, but general manager Lou Lamoriello has to consider all options, especially since Nelson and Palmieri are viewed as two of the top rentals who could be available.

Palmieri has 38 points (17 goals, 21 assists) in 57 games and Nelson, who played for the United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off, has 37 points (17 goals, 20 assists) in 57 games.

"Obviously you know what the situation is and you know it's coming, but I don't think it's an issue in our locker room," defenseman Ryan Pulock said. "Every guy is fighting to win a hockey game every night and not thinking about the Trade Deadline. It's about winning and losing."

New York visits the Boston Bruins on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; MSGSN, NESN, TVAS).

Minnesota Wild

Injuries to forwards Joel Eriksson Ek and Kirill Kaprizov could impact the Wild's plans for the Trade Deadline.

Eriksson Ek is week-to-week with a lower-body injury he appeared to sustain at practice Monday. He was placed on injured reserve Tuesday.

Kaprizov remains out following surgery Jan. 31 for a lower-body injury. He is on long-term injured reserve retroactive to Jan. 26. Despite that, he still leads Minnesota with 52 points (23 goals, 29 assists) in 37 games.

Wild general manager Bill Guerin told KFAN radio in Minneapolis last week he can't predict how long Kaprizov will be out.

If it's going to be to the end of the regular season, Kaprizov can remain on long-term injured reserve, which would allow them to exceed the salary cap by his pro-rated $9 million average annual value, opening the door for a bigger addition at the Deadline.

It's unclear as of now, but the situation could potentially be similar with Eriksson Ek, who carries a $5.25 million AAV.

However, if Kaprizov and/or Eriksson Ek can return before the end of the regular season, the Wild must have the salary cap space to activate them.

"We'll see how he progresses. That's really where we're at," Guerin said of Kaprizov on KFAN on Feb. 22. "And what that does with our (salary) cap situation? I don't know because when he's healthy, we'll put him back in. If he's not, then we won't."

Minnesota (34-20-4), which is third in the Central Division, visits the Utah Hockey Club on Thursday (9 p.m. ET; FDSNWI, FDSNNO, Utah16).

Chicago Blackhawks

Seth Jones has already said he's open to waiving his no-movement clause to be traded to a contender, according to a report in The Athletic on Friday. The Blackhawks defenseman has four years remaining on a contract that carries a $9.5 million AAV.

His comments out of frustration following a 2-1 loss at Utah on Tuesday showcase why Jones wants out. The Blackhawks (17-34-7) were outshot 36-22 and were on the wrong side of the total shot attempts, 93-39.

Chicago, which has lost four in a row (0-3-1) and seven of eight (1-5-2), is 31st in the NHL standings and has not qualified for the playoffs the past four seasons.

"I think we're the exact same team right now as we were Game 1," Jones said. "I think it's pretty evident out there. We haven't made any strides to be a better, more simple hockey team, and it shows. We don't get a lot of wins because of that.

"This has been almost four years of bottom of the League, it's not just this year, for me at least.”

Jones, 30, has 27 points (seven goals, 20 assists) in 47 games while averaging 24:31 of ice time, which ranks 13th in the NHL.

Detroit Red Wings

The Red Wings (30-22-6) have won their past two games and nine of 11 since Jan. 23. They hold the first wild card in the East, two points ahead of the Blue Jackets, and four ahead of the Ottawa Senators, Rangers and Bruins. Detroit is also four points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for third place in the Atlantic Division.

It might be enough to convince them to add before the Deadline, which appears to be more of a need after it was announced Tuesday that center Andrew Copp will miss the rest of season following surgery to repair his left pectoral tendon. Copp is expected to be out 4-6 months.

Copp can be placed on LTIR, allowing the Red Wings to exceed his pro-rated salary cap charge of $5.625 million. He has 23 points (10 goals, 13 assists) in 56 games this season.

Copp had been Detroit's center on the second line between Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat. J.T. Compher played in that spot the past two games, both wins (5-4 in overtime against the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday and 3-2 in a comeback against the Wild on Saturday).

The Red Wings could, in fact, look to the Islanders and Nelson, who carries a $6 million cap charge. However, as always, it will come down to cost and what Detroit is willing to give up at this point as a wild-card team instead of a top team in the Atlantic Division.

The Red Wings host the Blue Jackets on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; FDSNOH, FDSNDET) before playing against them in the 2025 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Saturday (6 p.m. ET; ESPN, TVAS-D, FX-CA).