isles fans

I don't think they swap their 3C for a winger. JGP is a really good complimentary player. They don't really have anyone to replace him.

Would rather keep Pageau and play Barzal at RW than have Garland at wing and Barzal back at center.

To me, Vancouver adds 3rd-ish round value to this. Contracts are basically the same (3x$5M vs. 3x$4.95M), so it comes down to the pros & cons on both players. Garland is 3.5 years younger than JGP and has scored at a higher overall pace over the past 3 seasons (0.66 pts/game vs. 0.52); Pageau plays the more valuable position (C > W), is regarded as superior defensively, scores goals at the same rate (both are at 19 G/82 GP over the past 3 years), and - this is the big key to me, since it's NHL GM catnip - JGP has a much longer record of playoff success, with 23 goals across 82 playoff GP vs. Garland's 1 in 8.

That being said, I think Lou would need more an overpayment for this because as we talk today, here's what I'd assume the Isles start the season with line-wise:
Lee - Horvat - Barzal
Engvall - Nelson - Palmieri
Hudson Fasching - Pageau - Wahlstrom
Martin - Cizikas - Clutterbuck

With Garland, I think you get stuck pushing Barzal or Nelson down to 3C, or you push Cizikas up there with not much in the org besides Otto Koivula to backfill that hole you just made at 4C. Garland pushing Fasching down to the 4th line is a net positive, sure; but I think having your 3C/4C combo go from Pageau/Cizikas to Cizikas/Koivula outweighs it as a negative.