Fantasy Impact: The Islanders have acquired defenseman James Wisniewski from the Anaheim Ducks for a conditional 3^rd round draft pick in 2011.

The Islanders get: A feisty, injury-prone two-way defenseman who plays bigger than his 5'11" frame. Wisniewski will slot into the top four along with Mark Streit, Mark Eaton, and Andrew MacDonald. Something must have gone wrong in the negotiating process, as Anaheim was already a team in desperate need of defensive help before making the trade.

Fantasy Players Impacted: Wisniewski will get lots of power play time with the Islanders. He also bumps Bruno Gervais and Milan Jurcina out of the top six, and he pushes prospects Travis Hamonic and Calvin de Haan back in the short term as well. This move may also cut into the power play time on the top unit for any defenseman on New York not named Streit. The talent drop-off from the first to second unit is significant, so this could have significant ramifications for the likes of Hillen, Gervais, and MacDonald.

Projected NYI pairings:

Streit-MacDonald

Eaton-Wisniewski

Hillen-Martinek

Gervais/Jurcina

It is hard to say how this move will impact the remaining defensemen in Anaheim, as one would assume they will be in the market for at least two defensemen. A top six featuring Sheldon Brookbank and Brendan Mikkelson is nothing to write home about. Does this move signal Anaheim's hope of Cam Fowler stealing a spot in training camp?

Fantasy Players this deal helps, in order:

1. Wisniewski

2. Cam Fowler

3. Mikkelson

Fantasy Players this deal hurts, in order:

1. Hamonic

2. Gervais

3. Hillen