I think its safe to say that anyone who thinks the Rangers and Islanders will make a trade = never going to happen. Sign a FA in the summer yes . trade with each other = good luck with that. In other news right now they are shaking up the lines but I think they are VERY active in the next 2 weeks trying to find guys with skills especially a real 2nd line center. just my opinion
I think you're probably right and other than the one example that Dark Horse mentioned, I can't recall it happening before (I didn't recall that time either to be honest). The fact that Bryan Trottier coached them was something I've tried to erase from my memory.
But has there been a more docile time in the rivalry between these two teams? Most younger Rags fans I talk to don't even really hate the Islanders. They are 3rd, 4th or 5th down the list of teams they don't like. Caps, Pens, Flyers, Devils all come before the Islanders. And now, while it was unforeseen, the fortunes of the two franchises - at least in the short term - are diametrically different. The Rags are in total rebuild/firesale mode. So while I don't think a trade between the two is at all likely, if there somehow was a unique situation whereby the Rags had a player that would really help the Islanders, I could foresee them contemplating a deal. The pushback from the respective fans would at least be at an all time low at this point in time.