Now there are quite a few things wrong here with this move. First of all the trade was done between two struggling teams. Buffalo has 1 win on the year, ironically it came against the Islanders, while the Islanders sit at 4-4-3. Both guys, Moulson and Vanek, are the same age 29. Both guys will be free agents at the end of the season. Both guys can score goals, Moulson has had three straight 30 goal seasons, while Vanek has scored 40 or more twice and 30 or more four times. So it's kind of swaping talent.
Here's where the trade bothers me. I know the Islanders needed to try and shake things up. There were high expectations on the team coming into the year after last seasons success. Sitting 4-4-3 after 11 games isn't where the team wanted to be, but it is still better than where they have started the past few seasons at this point. Garth Snow could have done so much more in this trade. Don't get me wrong I don't mind yet the Islanders getting Vanek, who is a proven scorer. What I do mind is that the Islanders didn't address their biggest needs, defense and goaltending.
Garth Snow gave up a bit much in the deal, losing the two draft picks as well. He also didn't address the problem of a lackluster goaltending and a just as lackluster defense. We know the Islanders can score goals, they have the punch on offense to make noise in the NHL, and be one of the top tier talent teams in the league. The defense and goaltending isn't even close to being on par with the offense. Evgeni Nabokov and Kevin Poulin can only do so much in net. The defense, at times, has left their goalies out to dry. They needed to be upgraded and Snow failed to do that with this trade. He dropped the ball on the deal. Of course this could change, and it could really work out in the Islanders favor. But right now it looks like a really stupid trade.
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