A small deal to kick off the NHL Trade Deadline season.
On Tuesday, the New York Islanders acquired forward Matt Luff from the St. Louis Blues. In exchange, the Blues are receiving winger Julien Gauthier.
#Isles Transaction: The New York Islanders have acquired Matt Luff from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for Julien Gauthier.
Luff has bounced around the American Hockey League for the past couple of years. After spending most of two seasons with the Grand Rapids Griffins, the Detroit Red Wings‘ primary affiliate. Last season, he played a few games for the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers before joining the Blues’ top farm team, the Springfield Thunderbirds, in November 2024.
This past July, he signed a one-year, two-way contract with St. Louis, with a deal carry an NHL cap hit of $775,000, and a minor-league salary of $400,000.
Luff has played five games with the Blues this season, scoring a goal on Dec. 12 against the Chicago Blackhawks. In 42 games with the T-Birds, he has potted 14 goals and 25 assists for 39 points, and is on pace to reach 40 points for just the second time in his AHL career.
The Oakville, Ont. native has appeared in 111 NHL games, scoring 16 goals and 12 assists for 18 points. In 321 AHL contests, he has notched 101 goals and 150 assists for 251 points.
Gauthier hasn’t seen NHL ice since October 2024, spending much of the past three seasons with the Isles’ AHL club, the Bridgeport Islanders. This year, the 28-year-old has played in just 14 games, scoring five goals and two assists for seven points.
The former New York Ranger is also on a one-year, two-way contract, with a $775,000 NHL cap hit and $325,000 minor-league salary. He has appeared in 181 NHL contests, scoring 19 goals and 22 assists for 41 points. In the AHL, he has scored 86 goals and 44 assists for 130 points in 228 regular-season affairs.
