Islanders 2020-21 Ideal

In his first of 5 offseason trades, including 3 on Draft Day; Lou sends Nick Leddy to the Montreal Canadians for 3 of their combined 8 picks in the draft, specifically a 2nd, 3rd and 4th round selection

In his second Draft Day deal, Lou unloads the last two remaining years on Thomas Hickey as well as shipping out Dal Colle and Ho-Sang to Ottawa. With no money retained the return is modest, as Lou gets a 6th rounder in 2020 and a second in 2021 but has to give up a third in this draft

In his third and final Draft Day swap, Lou rekindles the trade that almost happened at the 2020 deadline. With Ladd being paid another 3 million on his bonus the Wild agree to the deal as well as take on Clutterbuck for Parise and 2.5 million retained. The cost for the retention is Lou sending three picks in the draft, including two he just acquired earlier in the day...

Wild are stuck with Parise final payment if and when he retires regardless, but in this deal they get a useful player with a 3.5 cap hit the next two years in Clutterbuck, worse case can bury Ladd with a 4 million cap during the same period (then buy him out after two years for $333,333)and retain 2.5 million over the final years of Parise' deal. Islanders could then bury Parise in the minors at a cost of all only 3 million until he retires. Total cap hit for the Wild would be 10 million over the first two years and less than 3 over the final three. Savings would be about 8-10 million total. To lessen the blow further they get three draft picks as well....

Lou stays busy, making his fourth trade shortly after the draft as he sends Boychuk's final two years to the Edmonton Oilers with 1.25 million retained for a 2022 third round pick

Boychuk returns home for his likely final two years before he retires

On a complete rebuild and needing a veteran presence, Lou makes a swap with Ottawa for the third time in 6 months with his fifth and final trade of the offseason. Bailey gets sent to the Senators for one of their 3 2021 second round picks and a third rounder in 2022, giving Lou nine selections in the first 3 rounds of the next two drafts after not selecting anyone in those rounds in 2020

The Ontario native leaves Long Island despite being a longtime favorite of the team