Travis Hamonic Asks Islanders For Trade

The Islanders have been attempting to accommodate a trade request from top defenseman Travis Hamonic, according to multiple reports.

With the news breaking that the NY Islanders are, no longer quietly, shopping talented young defenseman Travis Hamonic, all National Hockey League eyes have turned to the franchises located in or nearest to Western Canada.

“The root of all of this is a personal, family matter”, Hamonic said.

Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet posted the report, which of course had all parties – general manager, agent and player – either declining to comment or in Hamonic’s case not yet being reached for comment.

There’s a ton to like about this player.

And Hamonic does phenomenal things off the ice. The average annual amount is $3.857 million, although the actual dollars will be $4.875 million beginning in 2016-17.

Hamonic lost his father Gerald to a heart attack when he was 10-years-old. (This work was illustrated in a tremendous 2014 ESPN feature). I know people are going to say and write what they want, but it has nothing to do with the organization or how I’ve been treated here. Darren Dreger’s initial report on Hamonic trade interest pointed to teams like the Winnipeg Jets, the Edmonton Oilers, the Calgary Flames and the Vancouver Canucks as being among the teams to which the elite blueliner would like to be dealt.

Hamonic, who is from St. Malo, Manitoba, was drafted in the second-round by the Islanders in 2008. In his career, Hamonic has played in 342 games and has totaled 18 goals and 96 assists. Shipping out a valuable piece like Hamonic for draft picks and/or prospects is not going to cut it.

In 19 games with the Islanders this season, Hamonic, who averages 23 minutes of ice time per game, has three assists and is plus-five.