Moulson hopes to remain with Islanders

Islanders wing Matt Moulson. Credit: Jim McIsaac

By KATIE STRANGcaitlin.strang@newsday.comJanuary 20, 2011

Less than a week after expressing his desire to remain with the Islanders, Matt Moulson found himself at the center of a juicy trade rumor that hit the Internet earlier this week. The 27-year-old winger knows that remains a possibility, but he insists he isn't distracted by the speculation.

"I haven't really worried myself with rumors like that or anything,'' Moulson told Newsday yesterday morning. "Personally, I've never been a part of them before, so it's kind of funny. That's professional sports; you're going to hear stuff like that."

Moulson, whom the Islanders inked to a one-year, $2.45-million contract last summer, was rumored to be on the move to Boston Monday night. And although that didn't come to fruition, Moulson knows the prognosticating is likely to persist, given that he will become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

After a breakout 30-goal season last year, Moulson has 14 goals and 12 assists in 44 games with the Islanders this season.

"People need things to talk about,'' Moulson said. "People are going to try to predict what is going to happen no matter what, especially with guys that are unrestricted. It's not like I stay awake and think about it at night. I don't really think about that at all."

It is believed that general manager Garth Snow will make an attempt to re-sign Moulson to a multiyear deal before the deadline. According to a source, Snow and Moulson's agent already have had two discussions about the matter this week.

If the two sides cannot come to an agreement or if Snow receives an offer from an interested team that is too good to refuse, Moulson likely will be dealt before the Feb. 28 deadline.

Snow, who declined to comment, already has traded top defenseman James Wisniewski and veteran goaltender Dwayne Roloson this season.

"It's always a possibility no matter what," Moulson said. "I'm not dumb. I know that if I were a GM, that's something you look at. Hopefully, they want me to be part of this team for a while. But it's always a possibility no matter what."