Will Isles Deal Blake?
By Jeff Zachowski on February 27th, 2007 3:53 AM |

The NHL trade deadline arrives at 3 p.m. tomorrow afternoon, and a plot line worth following in New York will be the fate of Islanders winger Jason Blake. Blake, a free agent at the end of the season, leads the team in points (52) and goals, scoring his career-high 29th of the season in Saturday’s 3-2 win over Montreal. Tied for with the Canadiens for the eighth and final playoff berth, it would seem lunacy that the Isles would even consider trading their leading scorer.
Nevertheless, the team is concerned enough about the possibility of the 33-year-old walking at the end of the season that general manager Garth Snow is at least listening to offers for their star. According to Greg Logan in Newsday, Nashville, Vancouver, Detroit, San Jose and Dallas have all made pitches for Blake’s services. At this time the team is not entertaining the idea of trading him within the Eastern Conference.