from Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet,

Very quietly, the New York Islanders are trying a manoeuvre a difficult situation — the possibility of trading Travis Hamonic.

Hamonic, a talented 25-year-old defender who does tremendous things off the ice, is in play, although the exact reasons are private.

One rumour indicated it was because he was unhappy with the unusual Long Island–Brooklyn setup for the team’s players, but a few sources blew that rationale out of the water.

“Nothing to do with it,” one said.

“This was a possibility before games began this season,” said another.

Islanders general manager Garth Snow and Hamonic’s agent, Kevin Epp, declined comment. Hamonic himself could not be reached.

There’s a ton to like about this player. He’s a right-hand shot, top-pairing defenceman with four years remaining on a good-value contract.

continued

added 4:57pm,