[TheScorpion]

The Islanders continue to add star talent following a deal completed in the early hours of Wednesday. The trade saw star defenseman Duncan Keith on his way to Brooklyn, with scoring forward Michael Grabner and solid defensemen Thomas Hickey and Kevan Miller on their way to Nashville. The deal also saw $5 million heading the Islanders' way, in an effort to help their cap situation.

"At the end of the day, this was a deal that we had to make," said GM TheScorpion. "We'd like to thank the Predators and their GM Mathalete for hammering this out with us over the span of a few days... we know there was a lot of interest in this player and we're glad to have gotten him."

Keith brings #1 pedigree and experience to an Islander blueline lacking in both facets. While Morgan Rielly, Adam Larsson, and Josh Manson are all very good young top-4 defensemen, Duncan Keith is a step ahead of them all and will become the team's de-facto top player on the back-end going forward.

"It's a huge opportunity for me," said Keith, reached on his cell phone early Wednesday. "I loved my time in Nashville and I wish those guys all the best, but this really will be an exciting new chapter in my career. Seeing all those guys up front, like Alex, Mike, Radim, Thomas, Frans, and Josh... it makes your heart race a bit, you know?

"I just can't wait for the season to start."