The Islanders don’t have any leverage: Oliver Wahlstrom deserves a try from the Habs

Kent Hughes likes projects with potential. He likes to go after talented players who seem to be looking for themselves in the NHL.

And that’s why it makes sense that the Habs GM might call Lou Lamoriello to see if Oliver Wahlstrom might be available.

Why him in particular? Because he played at Boston College, of course.

Trickery aside, we’re talking about a first-round pick in 2018 (11th overall) who isn’t capable of establishing himself with the Islanders. For the past two years, his stats haven’t exactly been stellar.

Really not, in fact.

I think now is a good time to pick him up on the cheap from New York (or at least try to), figuring he could be an interesting project for Martin St-Louis and the development team.

After all, his shot is really, really something… when he knows how to use it.

Expectations would be low if an ordinary pick made his way to New York, and at worst, it doesn’t work out. And at best, it works out and the Habs have a good player on their hands.

But why talk about it now? Simply because we realize that, as a restricted free agent, the player will have a hard time finding a new contract in New York.

In fact, it will be quite a challenge.

Of course, Lou can move money, but right now, his Islanders only have $50,000 under the cap for the upcoming campaign.

But even if Lamoriello were to make room on the bench, the consensus is that it would surely be for immediate reinforcement. The GM will want to give Patrick Roy the tools to win right away.

And Oliver Wahlstrom is in no position to help him win right now.

Remember, it’s to Hughes’ advantage to try to find players who don’t currently belong elsewhere in the NHL and develop them in Montreal. On a larger scale, that’s what he did with Alex Newhook.

He has the assets and room on the payroll to do it again with the Islanders, in any case.

If such a transaction were to take place, we shouldn’t get our hopes up (in any case, the Islanders aren’t in a position to ask for the moon) and we shouldn’t have high expectations.

But who knows what might come of it?

In Overtime

– 500,000: Zach Hyman is good at raising money for a good cause.

The @ZachHymanGolf event held Monday raised just under $500K, adding to what Carlo posted here. It really is an excellent day.

The organizers and volunteers did a spectacular job https://t.co/DfLodIxYxy

– Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) July 18, 2024

– Will we see the Blackhawks alumni back in the NHL?

Sheldon Kennedy says former Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman has done the work to learn and improve after the Kyle Beach scandal.
Kennedy supports Bowman’s return to the NHL. https://t.co/kSlTmrXYqE

– Rick Westhead (@rwesthead) July 18, 2024