12:53 p.m. — It looks like the cost to bring Pageau aboard isn’t just for a rental, however, as the Islanders announced they have signed him to a six-year extension to remain with New York. Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston adds that the deal has a $5MM AAV.
9:46 a.m. — The New York Islanders announced they have completed a deal with the Ottawa Senators, as the team picked up center Jean-Gabriel Pageau. In exchange for Pageau, the Islanders sent over a significant haul of draft picks as Ottawa receives a 2020 first-rounder, a 2020 second-rounder, and a third-rounder in 2022. The first-round pick is top-three protected while the third-rounder will only be conveyed if the Islanders win the Stanley Cup this season.
The 27-year-old had been engaged in discussions regarding a contract extension in recent days but clearly, the two sides weren’t able to come to an agreement. This means he’s likely to hit the open market as an unrestricted free agent unless New York can work out an agreement with him.
Pageau is having a career year offensively. He already has 24 goals and 16 assists in 60 games; it’s the first time that he has reached the 20-goal mark in his career though that is aided by a 17.8 shooting percentage. He has also seen his ice time jump to over 19 minutes per game, also a career-best.
He immediately becomes the top goal scorer on the Islanders (Brock Nelson checks in at 22 goals) and should play a key role for them as a second-line pivot. The fact that he can be an effective penalty killer will certainly help a unit that is killing just over 80% of their penalties and his 53.2% success rate at the faceoff dot will be critical as well. Nevertheless, it’s a steep price to pay for someone who has been more of a third liner for most of his career.
Meanwhile, the Senators add a third first-round pick to their arsenal for the upcoming draft (unless New York wins in the draft lottery) and currently have 14 picks at their disposal. GM Pierre Dorion already has a deep prospect pool and with this many selections (including nine in the first three rounds), it’s about to get a lot stronger.
TSN’s Bob McKenzie was the first to report the trade.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Wow that’s allot for a rental
They’re working on extending him
6 year extension
he’s arguably the top available rental at least from conceivable players right now.
the Sens though won’t likely be in Ottawa by the time this team is competitive again. the fan base has dwindled with the sell off and with it continuing (and now with a local guy), unless he resigns in the off-season they will not have more than 10,000 at any non Toronto or Montreal game
Okay leafs now sell the team if that’s what Ottawa’s getting for him. Darn good deal for Ottawa. Pretty much what VGK gave up for 3 years of Tatar
Is Lou losing his marbles?
Usual overpay by Lou
it’s not that much of an overpay. it’s essentially a 1st and a 2nd for the top 2 way centre available.
He’s a rental
yes but scarcity drives prices and there isn’t really a two way player like Pageau available. he is literally a perfect fit for the isles. come playoff time, fans will love seeing him go up against Crosby or malkin
Signed a 6 year extension. Great trade
All those draft choices! Sure to put butts in seats!
Ridiculous package. Every deadline theres that delusional GM that trades a 1st round pick for a rental on a team thats not going to win a cup.
Oh and he gave up a 2nd for 37 year old Andy Green lmao. Pure delusion.
6 year extension.
This package of picks is nuts!
Islanders GM is a moron. That return is big even if he re-signs.
the number of people saying the package is too much need to see him play. he will become a fan fave. a 2 way centre who is dangerous on the PK.
Wow. 7 years at $5 million for a guy who just hit 20 goals for the first time in his career on a unsustainable 17.8% shooting percentage. Overpaid to get him, now it seems they’re overpaying yo keep him.
you my friend know very little.
20 goals with a bad team!!
Well, if you’re going to make claims at least provide reason. Otherwise you’re just looking like a troll. Please explain why you think Pageau is worth all that money and term…
@osonvs – He’s either going to a new level, or this is just a flash-in-the-pan year. He seems to be more the former than the latter, but if he regresses, it’ll probably be due to Barry Trotz’s systems/schemes.
try reading my other posts. your post started with the wrong terms. I said he is a 2 way forward. he’s only scored 20 once because he was constantly playing a 3rd line role in previous years but has arguably been on the of the better penalty killing forwards in the league. and finally check out his +/-. He’s a +10 on a team with the second worst goals against. I’d say he is better than Eberle and Bailey and is probably the most complete player on the Isles right now.
Firstly, I’m throwing +/- away as that means nothing to me. Secondly, as you mentioned, Pageau has only scored 20+ goals once because he usually slotted in as a 3rd line center. What do you think he will be once he hits Long Island? He’ll be playing behind Barzal and Nelson which will take away the minutes he was getting in Ottawa. So basically, Long Island will be paying $5 million a year for a 3rd line center who may not hit 20 goals again unless he’s playing top line minutes again. And to do that you’d have to slot him in as a wing which I’m sure that’s what you’re thinking since you compared him to wingers (Bailey and Eberle).
I mean I get that +/- isn’t a great stat and can be a luck-based stat, but it can provide some context into the player’s game. I mean Andreas Athanasiou is a -45 on the season. I get that the Red Wings have been bad, but you don’t just get unlucky and stumble into a -45 plus/minus. There is a point where you have to realize the player is a liability on at least one half of the ice.
While I understand what you’re saying, I’m hardly going to justify a huge contract based on a “luck-based stat.” This guy basically had a hot November scoring 11 of his 24 goals and then shot back down to earth. He’s 27 with a full 6 seasons under his belt which is a pretty solid track record of what your career will pan out to be. Again, has never scored more than 20 goals this season except this season when he was basically forced to play top line minutes which he won’t get in New York yet some people think he can duplicate or even add on to those totals going back on third line minutes. And since they like to throw out +/- stats, he’s -9 in the last 2 months. It’s not like he has elite possession stats either so I really don’t see how anyone here is arguing his contract is great.
have you watched him play? clearly not as he has not played a full 6 seasons.
yes he has played on the first line this year so I guess that’s a strike against him in your opinion. I’m telling you of the nyi forwards he is likely number 3 and at worst #4. That isn’t factoring his two way game which is the best of any player on the isles.
As for +/-, your right he’s been bad the last 2 months so he’s garbage. You nitpick yet as someone who has watched him a fair over years I can tell you he’s an all around better player than anyone the isles are putting out there. No he isn’t probably going to be a perennial 30 goal scorer. I never claimed he was. But for $5 million per, the offense he can provide with his superior defensive game (has less giveaways then takeaways which can’t be said for almost every other isles forward) is fair.
but look agree to disagree. that’s fine.
All you guys who are hating on this have no clue what you are talking about. This is why you are not an NHL GM. Great deal, great signing. He’s young and works his tail off to be better. Look at his numbers each year, they get better. One of best PK in the league and he’s a plus player on the worst team in the league outside Detroit. Stop hating on it and embrace it. Helps both teams very much. The first round pick we lose this year is going to be in the high 20’s and it’s unknown who it is. Isles are still deep in the minors and held all assets. Be quiet and watch how much it improves both franchises. And calling the GM a moron, apparently you forgot what he did in NJ. Keep tapping amateur fans
somebody clearly sees it properly.
Losing his marbles he says, Lou is about to pull off Parise for Ladd. Sounds like a moronic move too… some people
LMAO relax. The extension doesn’t make it as bad bit Pageau is not THAT good. And how about Lous disaster in Toronto. Awfully convenient to ignore that. Lou is riding the work that was done before him in Long Island/Brooklyn.
Rotor to is a disaster in general. Can’t blame that on Lou
Sorry Toronto not rotor
And he hasn’t had the chance to blossom. He is that good, Mark my words. He’s been stuck in a terrible organizations and even worst system. Trotz will work wonders for him. He will thrive in this system
@jmpast33 – I’m not one of the haters, and, while only seeing a couple of games on NHL.com, he has shown me that he has been one of the couple of bright spots in OTT. Unfortunately, with Pierre’s track record, it didn’t look good for them to get him re-signed. He’s one I’d root for to be able to show the league just how good he can be on a better team.
Ottawa couldn’t have signed him for the same amount of money? Geez!