NY Islanders Trade for Brayden Schenn May Prove To Be a Mistake

The New York Islanders acquisition of Brayden Schenn was not a good one.

Sep 22, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Islanders center Brayden Schenn (10) chases after the puck in the second period against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Islanders are heading into a better future one step at a time.

They just named Bo Horvat, whom they got via trade from the Vancouver Canucks, their captain after he decided to sign an eight-year contract to stay with the team. Matthew Schaefer was surprisingly handed to them after the lottery balls fell their way in the 2025 NHL Draft. 

General manager Mathieu Darche made it a point when he came in to rebuild the prospect pool that was broken down by past leadership, and he did.

Darche drafted Schaefer, Victor Eklund, Kashawn Aitcheson, and Malte Gustafsson in the first rounds from 2025 to 2026 since he was hired. The general manager made a trade at last year’s trade deadline that goes against that, though. 

Trading for Brayden Schenn Might’ve Been a Mistake

Apr 12, 2026; Elmont, New York, USA; Montréal Canadiens goaltender Jacob Fowler (32) poke-checks the puck away from New York Islanders center Brayden Schenn (10) in the second period at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: Alexander Wohl-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Islanders were fighting for a playoff spot, the first time they’ve done so since Darche’s hiring. To hopefully get them over that hump, they traded for Brayden Schenn, the captain of the St. Louis Blues at the time.

New York paid a hefty price: Jonathan Drouin, goalie prospect Marcus Gidolf, a 2026 third-round pick from the New Jersey Devils, and a 2026 first-round pick from the Colorado Avalanche. 

Schenn, 35 years old, is a known and respected veteran in the NHL. With the Blues (and Islanders) last season, he had 18 goals and 21 assists, adding up to 39  points in 80 games. With New York alone, he somewhat stepped up his game, tallying 11 of those points in just 19 games. 

The Schenn trade came with some baggage. He’s making $6.5 million per year for the next two seasons, leading to free agency when he will be 36 years old. That’s a lot of money for someone who’s a veteran and isn’t going to return to his former form back when he was in his prime.

Islanders have created logjam with Brayden Schenn

Mar 21, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; New York Islanders center Brayden Schenn (10) plays the puck against the Montreal Canadiens during the first period at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Along with the trade, at the same time, New York extended Jean-Gabriel Pageau to a three-year deal, leading to the departure of Anders Lee, who served as the Islanders’ captain for eight years, out the door. Lee ended up signing with the Utah Mammoth.

A step up in play will be needed, as Schenn looked rough in the first preseason game he played in for the Islanders against the New York Rangers. He shouldn’t be on the first-line power play on opening night after what we saw from him, and he should be on the brink of getting top-six minutes.

At best, Schenn will likely fall into the 2C or 3C position if they keep him down the middle of the ice as they did towards the end of last season, although the wing would be a better option for him. 

Trading for Schenn was counterproductive. Darche made it a point to prioritize a young squad, and Schenn obviously doesn’t fit that timeframe. He will offer a veteran presence and can give some pointers to the kids, but it may turn into a situation where he ends up hogging a roster spot from someone who needs it faster than they originally thought.