The New York Islanders are making moves, or at least trying to, as the 2026 NHL Trade Deadline winds down at 3 PM ET today.
David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports that New York is shopping both Anthony Duclair and Maxim Shabanov while simultaneously looking to add a top-six forward.
Isles shopping both Duclair and Shabanov, and also looking to add topsix guy https://t.co/UXh8X8NziD
— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) March 6, 2026
Duclair Available But His NTC Is a Problem
The Islanders have been open to moving Duclair all season, but the winger holds a full no-trade clause. Pagnotta reported that New York asked Duclair to waive his clause earlier this season. He declined and the team hasn’t seriously revisited it since but that stance could be changing.
Duclair signed with the Islanders in the summer of 2024 and has managed just 37 points in 98 games since arriving on Long Island.
This season he’s posted a 12-14-26 line in 55 games, still below his career average. His $3.5 million cap hit runs through 2028, and with two years remaining after this season, New York clearly sees an opportunity to clear future cap flexibility.
He’s also fallen out of favor with head coach Patrick Roy, finding himself in the press box despite a strong January.
The deadline may simply come and go for Duclair. As of July 1, his no-trade clause converts from full to partial, requiring him to submit only a 16-team no-trade list.
Shabanov Open To Change of Scenery
The Shabanov situation cuts deeper than a simple roster crunch.
It’s the story of a signing that never found its footing.
Last summer, Maxim Shabanov arrived as one of the most coveted KHL free agents in recent memory. His 67 points in 65 games with Traktor Chelyabinsk made him a legitimate prize, and the Islanders beat out multiple suitors to land him.
The expectation was clear. He was seen as an offensively gifted 25-year-old making the jump to the NHL with something to prove.
Instead, he never cracked the lineup with any consistency. The transition from the KHL proved to be more difficult than anticipated.
Shabanov’s game was built for space that simply doesn’t exist in Roy’s world. He moved from a league that rewards skill and skating in open ice, to the grinding, structured defensive system Patrick Roy demands.
Shabanov hasn’t played since January 31, watching from the press box as the Islanders fight for their playoff lives. Through 40 games, he has four goals and 12 assists, averaging under 14 minutes a night.
#Isles F Maxim Shabanov is a name to watch ahead of the Trade Deadline.
Told he's open to a change of scenery to gain more #NHL experience.
That + more on this trade deadline day [Free Friday] @TheElmonters https://t.co/aJ7NuKWTho
— Stefen Rosner (@stefen_rosner) March 6, 2026
Stefen Rosner of The Elmonters flags him explicitly as “a name to watch ahead of the Trade Deadline,” adding that Shabanov is “open to a change of scenery to gain more NHL experience”. That’s the kind of on-record characterization that signals this move has real momentum behind it.
At just $975,000 on his entry-level deal, he’s a low-risk flier for any team willing to give him real minutes. The fit just wasn’t New York and at this point, both sides likely know it.
The Bigger Picture: Buyers Who Can’t Quite Buy
GM Mathieu Darche has roughly $6 million in LTIR space to work with and, per Pagnotta, is actively targeting a top-six forward, but to get one in, something has to go out.
Duclair and Shabanov may be the pieces that lead to something bigger. The Islanders have been linked to Owen Tippett, Jordan Kyrou, and Robert Thomas, but a deal has yet to materialize.
Either way, Darche is working the phones, and the next few hours will reveal just how much leverage he actually has.
