NHL Trade: The Islanders send Josh Bailey to the Blackhawks
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Cap Friendly: The New York Islanders trade forward Josh Bailey and a 2026 second-round pick to the Chicago Blackhawks for future considerations.

Puck Pedia: After the trade the Islanders have $10.3 million in projected cap space with 19 rostered players.

RFA: Wahlstrom
UFA: Parise, Engvall, Mayfield, Wotherspoon, Varlamov

Ben Pope: “I think they actually preferred 2026. They seem to want to space out picks and they already have so many today and the next few years.”

Scott Powers: The Blackhawks will be buying out Bailey.

Puck Pedia: Bailey has a $5 million salary cap hit and a $3.5 million salary.

2023-24: $2.67 million (a $2.33 million savings)
2024-25: $1.167 million cap hit.

Cash value of the buyout is $2.33 million.

Kevin Kurz: “Lou says freeing up the cap space by trading Bailey “was the key, certainly. That gives us more flexibility right now to do some things that we’d like to do.” Reasserts he’d like to re-sign the 4 pending UFAs.”

Charlie Roumeliotis: “#Blackhawks plan to buy out Josh Bailey, which shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. Lou Lamiorello was on record saying he wanted to do right by Bailey. The buyout allows Bailey to sign with any team he wants rather than being part of a rebuild in Chicago.”