Josh Bailey traded to Chicago Blackhawks
Josh Bailey has finally found a new home. The Blackhawks are acquiring the longtime Islanders winger plus a 2026 second-round pick to make it worth the Chicago’s while, Frank Seravalli confirmed the deal Thursday.
#Isles have traded Josh Bailey and a 2026 2nd Round pick to the #Blackhawks for future considerations.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) June 29, 2023
Pure salary dump.
The writing has been on the wall for weeks. While it’s not the way both sides wanted it to end, it had to happen. His $5 million cap hit was a big weight on Lou’s shoulders considering the free agents that must be signed. With roughly $10 million in cap space, the Isles will now be able to bring back the group that made it to the playoffs last season. Pierre Engvall, Scott Mayfield, Semyon Varlomov, Oliver Wahlstrom, and potentially Zach Parise all need new deals.
However, is Lou Lamoriello done? The fact that the pick is so far away that it makes this a very smart move. Are there other names on the trade market or free agency the Isles could go after? We know that the Isles move in silence, so perhaps anything is possible.
Bailey On The Move
Bailey will actually not be playing for Chicago. The Hawks are going to place him on unconditional waivers in order to buy out his contract. Elliotte Friedman confirmed the news:
Josh Bailey is on unconditional waivers for purposes of a buyout. If he clears, will become an unrestricted free agent
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) June 29, 2023
This continues a busy offseason for Kyle Davidson and the Blackhawks. They also signed Nick Foligno after acquiring him alongside Taylor Hall. They need someone to help show No. 1 pick Connor Bedard the ropes in the NHL. These moves really won’t hurt their cap situation at all and the next season will go only as far as Bedard takes them.
It also helps to add even more draft capital to this rebuild. That 2026 second could become very useful down the road if they become a contender within the next few years.
Josh Bailey has earned a lot of respect on Long Island over the past fourteen years. When he retires, he will hopefully get the love he deserves. But for now, things are looking up slightly more for the Islanders.
