The first fire sale of the NHL trade season was triggered Wednesday when the New Jersey Devils traded Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac to the New York Islanders.
Kyle Palmieri #21 of the New Jersey Devils
“The opportunity to go and be a part of a team that has a chance to do something special is something every player wants,” Palmieri said. “That’s all you can ask for. I’m really looking forward to this opportunity.”
Well, sure, there’s that. There is also the thought of the Devils poking a finger in the eye of every club in the division now and in the future.
Both skaters are unrestricted free agents at the end of the season.
“I’m extremely excited for this opportunity,” Zajac said. “At [this] point in my career and where I’m at, I want a chance to win. I just believe this is a team that has all the aspects of a winning hockey team and to be able to try and be a part of that and help them in any way possible … I think it was just, for me, it was the right time.
“I was fortunate enough to have a great career in New Jersey and a lot of great memories, a lot of great people along the way, players, coaches, staff. But I think it just came down to, at this point I want a chance to try and reach that ultimate goal.”
With Anders Lee gone for the season, the Isles needed to sure up the roster.
“I know what they bring on the ice,” Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello said. “I also know who they are as people and how well they’ll fit in the locker room here. Chemistry is extremely important to me, but their experience, their talents, their competitiveness, especially in this division, knowing what they have to go through, to me, is an excitement from our end of it in management, coaching and so forth.”
Travis Zajac #19 of the New Jersey Devils
Reports suggest New Jersey tried to resign Palmieri.
“Like any negotiation, there are some differences and [it got] to the point where I felt, because of the amount of interest that teams have shown Kyle, [it] was probably time appropriate for the organization to listen and see what Kyle’s value was out there as a [free agent] rental,” New Jersey general manager Tom Fitzgerald said. “Kyle and I, we have a great relationship, we got to the point on Saturday, we got together for a couple hours and just kind of talked about his future, talked about his past, my experiences and potential trades and deadlines. … I just told him I have to do the best for the organization here and try to make the best deal possible.”
The Devils received prospects and draft picks including, minor league forwards A.J. Greer and Mason Jobst, a first-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft and a fourth-round pick in the 2022 NHL Draft.
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