Islanders Forward Intrigue At Center Of Attention
As Calum Ritchie’s role grows, the Islanders’ center depth is shifting. Here’s how it affects Jean-Gabriel Pageau moving forward.
When I was in Nashville last week, we spoke with GM Mathieu Darche about his pending unrestricted free-agent forwards, Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Anders Lee.
“We said at the beginning of the year we’d let the season go. We haven’t talked lately, but I talk with the players all the time. They know where I stand. We’ll see where it goes.”
When asked if he’d be comfortable going past the trade deadline without extensions—assuming the Islanders are in a playoff spot—Darche didn’t hesitate.
“Yeah [I would be]. This is the team I have right now. I don’t give myself a deadline. They know I’m happy with them and that they’re part of our team. We’ll go from there.”
While Lee, the captain since 2018, would likely only be moved if he made it clear he wanted out, Pageau’s situation is an incredibly interesting one.