NY Islander Hamonic wants to come home to the Jets

By: Ed Tait Posted: 5:33 PM CST Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2015 Last Modified: 7:47 PM CST Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2015 | Updates

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New York Islanders defenceman Travis Hamonic has requested a trade out of Brooklyn and one of the destinations on his preferred list is back home here in Manitoba with the Winnipeg Jets.

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New York Islanders defenceman Travis Hamonic has requested a trade out of Brooklyn and one of the destinations on his preferred list is back home here in Manitoba with the Winnipeg Jets.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/11/2015 (3638 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

New York Islanders defenceman Travis Hamonic has requested a trade out of Brooklyn and one of the destinations on his preferred list is back home here in Manitoba with the Winnipeg Jets.

And so while there are trade rumours every minute of every day in the National Hockey League, this one looks, smells and feels different given the circumstances.

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman first reported Wednesday afternoon that Hamonic — the 25-year-old first-pairing defenceman who hails from St. Malo, Mb. – first asked the Islanders for a trade to a Western Canadian-based team this summer for personal reasons. TSN’s Darren Dreger followed up that report with more information: Hamonic’s preferred list includes the Jets, Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks.

THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
New York Islanders' Travis Hamonic reaches to knock the puck out of his end during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Vancouver Canucks in Vancouver, B.C. — THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck New York Islanders' Travis Hamonic reaches to knock the puck out of his end during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Vancouver Canucks in Vancouver, B.C.

Isles’ GM Garth Snow has reportedly been attempting to accommodate Hamonic, but dealing a defensive cornerstone who has four years remaining on his contract – with an affordable average annual value of $3.857 million ($4.875 million next season) — isn’t as simple as flipping prospects or draft picks.

Not surprisingly, a couple of names have already been linked to the Islanders, who are said to want a player of equal value in return, not prospects. Toby Enstrom’s name popped up in rumours earlier this week as Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff was said to be shopping for a Top 6 forward. And the uncertain status of Dustin Byfuglien – he becomes an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and has had contract talks stalled while the club attempts to lock up captain Andrew Ladd – also means his name could be and will be linked to the Islanders.

Arthur Staple of Newsday is reporting that Snow has talked to numerous teams about a deal ‘but finding a match has been extremely difficult.”

“They’re not just going to give him away,” a source told Newsday. “He’s their best defenceman.”

Hamonic is not just a solid player on the ice, he’s a respected and giving player off the ice. His father passed away when he was young and he has regularly invited children who have had to deal with similar circumstances to Islanders games as his guest.

A second-round pick of the Islander in 2008, Hamonic is averaging 23 minutes and 20 seconds of ice time through 19 games this season and has three assists. He posted career-high offensive numbers a year ago with five goals and 33 points in 71 games.

Ed.tait@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @WFPEdTait