A major trade between the Montreal Canadiens and the New York Islanders has sent shockwaves through the NHL, with both organizations hoping they’ve landed the missing piece to their puzzle.

The deal, which saw promising young forward Emil Heineman head to Long Island, has quickly become one of the most talked-about moves of the offseason.

For weeks, rumors swirled about what it would take for the Canadiens to pry star defenseman Noah Dobson from the Islanders, with multiple first-round picks reportedly on the table.

Yet, it was the last-minute inclusion of Heineman that finally tipped the scales and sealed the deal.

Now, as the dust settles, excitement is building on both sides: the Islanders are thrilled with their new acquisition, while Canadiens fans are left wondering what the future holds for their team.

With glowing praise coming from analysts and insiders alike, all eyes are on Heineman as he prepares to take on a bigger role in New York.

This trade could mark a turning point for both franchises, and its impact will be felt for seasons to come.

Canadiens and Islanders logo

Photo credit: HabsFanatics/NHL

We recently spoke about the need to include Emil Heineman in the trade with the New York Islanders to acquire Noah Dobson.

According to what Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman recently reported, the Montreal Canadiens initially submitted the following trade offer to general manager Mathieu Darche:

“2025 first-round pick (16th overall) + 2025 first-round pick (17th overall), in exchange for Noah Dobson.”

While it’s not explicitly stated that the Islanders rejected the offer, it’s clear that Darche wasn’t too enthusiastic about it and appeared to lean toward accepting the offer from the Columbus Blue Jackets (over that of the Canadiens).

And Noah Dobson would have been a Blue Jackets player today. However, everything changed when Kent Hughes added a certain Emil Heineman to the trade.

In the end, the Islanders successfully acquired the young Emil Heineman. They managed to get him included in the trade, and as we know, the deal was ultimately accepted.

The Islanders successfully acquired Emil Heineman, and they’re extremely happy about it

Today, a few weeks after the announcement of the trade, the Islanders are still thrilled to have landed Heineman.

They have very high hopes for Heineman and view him as a key piece in the trade.

“Every time I saw Emil Heineman, he was one of the Canadiens’ best players”

– Thomas Hickey

Yes, there are people on Long Island who really like Heineman!

“Thomas Hickey, for example, saw Heineman play a few times against the Islanders last year and really liked what he saw, as he shared on the On The Line podcast.”

– DLC

He continued:

“I was doing rinkside coverage and the first four times I saw him, his line was the best on the ice.

Each time, I walked away thinking Heineman was one of their best players that night.”

– Thomas Hickey

That absolutely lines up with what Mathieu Darche, Patrick Roy, and Islanders management think about Heineman.

All the better if they’re happy with their acquisition!

Personally, I believe the Canadiens could absolutely afford to trade a player like Heineman, but I also understand why the Islanders feel they nailed the deal by getting the young forward.

It’ll be interesting to see what he can do in a bigger role over there.