Andrew Gross: Brayden Schenn, Jean-Gabriel Pageau deals are moves that must work out for Isles
The Islanders' Jean-Gabriel Pageau skates against the Florida Panthers at UBS Arena on March 1, 2026. Credit: Getty Images/Bruce Bennett
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Newly re-signed Jean-Gabriel Pageau could have been talking about himself, not newly acquired Islanders teammate Brayden Schenn.
“Excellent two-way center, he can play on both sides of the puck,” Pageau said. “He’s got a scoring touch. He’s got some grit. I remember playing against him, he’s a pain in the butt. He’s good in the faceoff circle and he competes.”
Which brings us to this point: In trading for the former Blues captain, signed through 2028, and agreeing to a three-year extension with Pageau, has general manager Mathieu Darche given the Islanders too much redundancy at one position or correctly constructed his roster based on the NHL tenet of “you can never have enough centers”?
Saturday night’s game against the Sharks at SAP Center was a first chance to get a preliminary answer. Schenn made his Islanders debut after Friday’s trade for first- and third-round picks, underperforming top-six wing Jonathan Drouin and goalie prospect Marcus Gidlof. He’s in the sixth season of an eight-year, $52 million deal, an annual average value of $6.5 million. The same day, Pageau re-signed for an AAV of $4.85 million.
The Islanders need Darche to be right on these twin moves because it’s not just a rest-of-this-season setup.
“It’s exciting to have Schenn,” coach Patrick Roy said. “I really think he’s going to help us a lot. He brings depth to our lineup and experience. He won a Stanley Cup. I see only positives.”
The Islanders had six natural centers in their lineup on Saturday: Schenn (second line), Pageau (third line), Bo Horvat (top line), Casey Cizikas (fourth line), Mathew Barzal (top-line wing) and rookie Cal Ritchie (second-line wing). A seventh, Kyle MacLean, was a healthy scratch in favor of Anthony Duclair but usually skates on Cizikas’ left wing.
Schenn, 34, had 12 goals and 16 assists in 61 games in a down season for the Blues and entered Saturday having won 54.2% of his faceoffs, 26th in the NHL.
Pageau, 33, had 14 goals and 15 assists in 55 games for the Islanders and was fourth in the league in faceoffs at 60.1%.
“He’s a righty and a very good righthanded-shot centerman,” Schenn said of Pageau. “Me being a lefty changes things a little bit. What I know about his game is when you’re playing him on a night, you’re not going to get an easy night. He’s strong in the faceoff dot, he plays hard defense. He’s all over you. He’s responsible at both ends of the ice.”
Again, it begs the question of whether having two hard-nosed centers, albeit both with some offensive skill, for the middle two lines will detract from the team’s overall ability to play a fast, up-the-ice game. It shouldn’t if Schenn and Pageau both continue to win faceoffs the majority of the time.
But some teams, particularly playoff teams, have a second-line center capable of 25 to 30 goals and 60 points on a consistent basis. Sort of like the arrangement the Islanders had with Horvat and Brock Nelson.
To be fair to Schenn’s offensive potential, Roy immediately inserted him on the top power-play unit.
There are plenty of hints that Schenn will fit in nicely and quickly with the tight-knit Islanders.
He agreed to waive his modified no-trade clause to come to the Islanders, in part because of the allure of playing with rookie sensation Matthew Schaefer. His brother Luke played for the Lightning when Darche was their assistant GM.
The negotiation with third-line wing Simon Holmstrom, the former No. 10, about who would wear those digits with the Islanders went smoothly. Schenn kept his No. 10 and Holmstrom, for the price of a Rolex watch, now is No. 92, his number before coming to North America.
Roy, observing how Schenn and Ritchie communicated during the morning skate, believes the new acquisition will be a strong mentor to his rookie linemate.
“I think [Darche] went out and did his best to make our team better,” Anders Lee said. “You bring a guy like Brayden Schenn, that’s a big addition for our group and addresses some great things in our game. This guy has played a lot of hockey, he’s a veteran, he’s a winner. There’s nothing bad you can say about him. To bring Schenner in is pretty awesome for us.”
Awesome, but redundant? No chance, Lee said.
“You can’t have too many of those guys,” Lee said. “Two-hundred-foot players, utility guys that can play on the penalty kill. [Schenn] has got plenty of skill to play up and down the ice and on the power play and make a ton of plays.”
This could work for the Islanders. Given Schenn and Pageau’s contracts, it must.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
