- Teams are calling the Islanders about defenseman Alexander Romanov with July 1 approaching, per NHL.com’s Stefen Rosner
- Romanov’s no-trade clause doesn’t kick in until July 2027, which makes him easier to move right now
- Read below for the contract, the injury, and why rival GMs are trying to buy low
Teams are calling about Alexander Romanov.
The Islanders defenseman is the latest New York name drawing trade interest with July 1 a few days away, per NHL.com’s Stefen Rosner.
Rosner said the noise reminds him of the earlier chatter around Mathew Barzal:
His no-trade clause doesn’t take effect until July 1, 2027. Until then, the Islanders can deal him without his sign-off, and a few GMs see a window to buy low on a quality defenseman locked up long term.
The contract is the hook. Romanov is signed through 2032-33 at a $6.25 million cap hit, the richest deal on the Islanders blue line. He inked that eight-year extension in June 2025 after stepping into a true top-pair role.
The injury is the catch. A November hit from Stars winger Mikko Rantanen wrecked Romanov’s shoulder and required surgery. He closed out 2025-26 with one assist in 15 games.
Before that, the 26-year-old had shown he could carry the load. He averaged a career-high 22 minutes a night in 2024-25 and put up 20 points in 64 games skating next to rookie star Matthew Schaefer.
General manager Mathieu Darche isn’t telegraphing a teardown. He said after the draft that he doesn’t expect any significant changes to the roster:
New York has bigger calls to make first. Captain Anders Lee hits free agency July 1, and the two sides were reported far apart on a new deal earlier this month.
If the Islanders do start listening on Romanov, the asking price begins with a 26-year-old signed cheap for seven more years and one healthy shoulder away from a top-pair job.
