The St. Louis Blues have traded forward Matt Luff to the New York Islanders for forward Julien Gauthier, marking the first NHL trade after the Olympic break. Both players, aged 28, will report to their new teams' AHL affiliates. This deal continues a recent pattern of exchanges between the two organizations.
The trade was announced on February 24, 2026, shortly after the NHL lifted its roster freeze following the Olympics. St. Louis Blues President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Doug Armstrong confirmed the acquisition of Julien Gauthier, who will join the Blues' AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds.
Gauthier, a first-round pick (21st overall) by Carolina in the 2016 NHL Draft, has faced injury challenges recently. This season, he has appeared in 14 games for the Bridgeport Islanders, recording five goals and two assists for seven points. Over his AHL career, Gauthier has amassed 86 goals and 44 assists in 228 games across Bridgeport, Hartford, and Charlotte, including a Calder Cup win with Charlotte in 2019. In the NHL, he has played 181 games with Carolina, the New York Rangers, Ottawa, and the Islanders, totaling 19 goals and 22 assists.
In return, the Islanders receive Matt Luff, who has led the Thunderbirds in scoring with 14 goals and 25 assists for 39 points in 42 games this season. Luff, a ninth-year professional, was the Thunderbirds' representative at the AHL All-Star Classic. His career AHL totals stand at 101 goals and 150 assists in 321 games with multiple teams. Luff has also skated in 111 NHL games across Los Angeles, Nashville, Detroit, and St. Louis, posting 16 goals and 12 assists. This season, he appeared in five games for the Blues, scoring one goal. Luff signed a one-year, two-way contract with St. Louis and will become an unrestricted free agent at season's end; he is expected to report to Bridgeport and serve as a top recall candidate.
This marks the third consecutive season the Blues and Islanders have traded. Last season, New York acquired Scott Perunovich for a conditional draft pick, and in 2023-24, they obtained Robert Bortuzzo for a seventh-round pick. The move provides Gauthier a fresh opportunity for an NHL comeback in St. Louis, while adding veteran depth to Bridgeport's lineup as they pursue playoffs.
