Andrew MacDonald Looking For $5 Million A Season From New York Islanders

Jan 16, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Islanders defenseman Andrew MacDonald (47) shoots against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the first period at Tampa Bay Times Forum. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 16, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Islanders defenseman Andrew MacDonald (47) shoots against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the first period at Tampa Bay Times Forum. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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It now looks like we know why New York Islanders Andrew MacDonald turned down a reported four-year, $4 Million contract.

Arthur Staple of Long Island Newsday reports that MacDonald is looking for five million dollars a season. He doesn’t say anything about how many years that MacDonald is looking for but if $5 million is the hill that MacDonald will die on, it doesn’t look like the Islanders are willing to offer him that.

MacDonald had this to say about his way of thinking heading into the Olympic Break.

"“It’s not exactly what you want to be going through… I’m sure it’ll cross my mind during the break, but that’s time to get away from it all and, when I’m back, it’s back to business, no matter what happens.”“I’m an Islander and this is where I want to be. That’s all you can think for now.”"

That might all he can think about right now, but it looks more and more like MacDonald will be traded before the March 5 NHL Trade Deadline. He has spent his entire four-year career with the Islanders and has never really been a big part of trade rumors in that time so this is entirely new to him.

MacDonald might not be as big of a name as Thomas Vanek but that does not mean that mean that the Islanders won’t get  a lot for him. A lot of teams will be looking for a defenseman like MacDonald and he might be the defenseman that costs the least to another team compared to defensemen like Dan Girardi.

If the Islanders can find a way to come to terms with MacDonald, it will be good for both sides. However, it doesn’t look like that will happen.