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New York Islanders Confirm Contracts For Schneider, Dal Colle, Bellows

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The New York Islanders have confirmed three more signings, with GM Lou Lamoriello telling reporters including Brian Compton of NHL.com that they reached agreements with Cory Schneider, Michael Dal Colle, and Kieffer Bellows. Schnieder’s deal will be a two-way contract, but no other details have been released.

Now 35, Schneider spent last season as the Islanders’ taxi squad goaltender, playing just a single game for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and none in the NHL. That very well could be his role again this season, if the league decides to create a goaltender taxi squad this season as deputy commissioner Bill Daly suggested to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff recently. There is no chance of him supplanting Semyon Varlamov or Ilya Sorokin as the team’s main options, but Schneider does represent more than 400 games of NHL experience to have just in case injury strikes.

Dal Colle is perhaps the most interesting name announced today, if only because of the fact that he failed to receive a qualifying offer from the team and technically became an unrestricted free agent. The 25-year-old will be in training camp as always, once again fighting for playing time in the NHL. Originally selected fifth overall by the Islanders in 2014, that high draft pedigree wore off years ago. He should now be considered just another depth player that will battle for a bottom-six spot, contributing whenever he gets the chance. In 26 games with the Islanders last season, Dal Colle had just four points, and he has totaled 21 through his 111-game career.

Bellows, 23, still has just 22 games to his name despite being a first-round pick in his own right, selected 19th overall in 2016. The power forward scored three goals in 14 games last season and is not guaranteed a full-time role on this roster. Though he has shown an ability to score at the minor league level, recording 22 goals in 52 games during the 2019-20 season, he’ll have to show more consistent play in the NHL to secure a spot with the Islanders. Eligible for waivers this time around, he may have a leg up on some of his competition simply because the Islanders won’t want to risk him to the rest of the league.

The team also confirmed that Zach Parise’s deal is for just one year, and that all but one player in the organization is vaccinated at this point. Lamoriello expects to loan that player–who was not identified–to Europe this season.

New York Islanders Sign Otto Koivula, Cole Bardreau

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Sep 20: The Islanders have officially announced that they’ve agreed to terms with Andreoff, Bardreau, Koivula, Timashov and Paul LaDue, all players whose deals had been previously reported. The team did not confirm any of the contract details.

Sep 16: Just following the news that Andy Andreoff and Dmytro Timashov are signing with the New York Islanders, CapFriendly reported two other players that are now under contract with the team. Otto Koivula, one of the teams remaining restricted free agents, has signed a one-year, two-way contract worth $750K in the NHL, $125K in the AHL and carries a $175K minor league guarantee. Cole Bardreau meanwhile has inked a two-year, two-way contract that carries an average annual value of $750K at the NHL level, pays him an average of $170K in the AHL and contains minor league guarantees of at least $205K.

Koivula, 23, split last season between Finland and the AHL, suiting up 20 times for the Bridgeport Sond Tigers. He had just two goals and nine points in those games, but has been a very strong contributor in the past. In fact, he played well enough to earn 12 games at the NHL level in 2019-20, though he failed to record a single point during them. The 6’5″ forward was a fourth-round pick by the Islanders in 2016 and is coming off his entry-level contract.

Bardreau, 28, is a little bit of a different story. The undrafted center has been a long-time minor league staple, first playing five years for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms before joining Bridgeport in 2019. He scored ten goals and 16 points for them in 24 games last season and shouldn’t be expected to have much of an impact in the NHL. Bardreau did get ten games with the big club in 2019-20, but is likely getting locked up to be a key part of the Sound Tigers attack for the next two seasons.

Like all of the other reported deals, the Islanders have not yet officially confirmed either Koivula or Bardreau.

New York Islanders Facing Severe Roster Crunch

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After a slow summer, the month of September has belonged to GM Lou Lamoriello and the New York Islanders. On September 1, the team announced new contracts for forwards Anthony Beauvillier, Casey Cizikas, and Kyle Palmieri and goaltender Ilya Sorokin. That same day, they hinted that veteran UFA Zach Parise will also be joining the team and have provided even more evidence of that fact since, despite no formal announcement. This week, the team made a flurry of depth signings, adding forwards Andy Andreoff, Cole Bardreau, Otto Koivula, and Dmytro Timashov and defenseman Paul LaDue, while inviting veteran blue liner Erik Gustafsson to training camp. They then capped off the week with Saturday’s high-profile signing of Zdeno Chara. 

This is all well and good on its face, but the reality is that there are only so many roster spots to go around. Interestingly enough, the Islanders should be okay with the salary cap. CapFriendly currently projects the team to be over the cap, but using only $4.48MM of their $6MM in LTIR relief from Johnny Boychuk’s career-ending injury. While this projection does not include the undisclosed terms for Chara and Parise, it is based on a 23-man roster and those veterans are expected to have minimum base salary, incentive-laden contract. However, therein lies the problem. CapFriendly already has New York roster at the maximum 23 players, but that does not include Chara and Parise, nor does it include unsigned restricted free agent Kieffer Bellows. Something has to give.

So who could be on the chopping block? It isn’t a long list. Many of the Islanders’ core players are returning from a run to the semifinals last season and are locked into a roster spot. In fact, the team may have its full group of 12 starting forwards already in place. Anders Lee, Mathew Barzal, Brock Nelson, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Josh Bailey, Oliver Wahlstrom, Palmieri, Beauvillier, and Parise expect to be in top-nine roles, while one of the league’s best fourth lines of Cal Clutterbuck, Matt Martin, and Cizikas will stick together as well. On the blue line, Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock will man the top pair and Scott Mayfield will be back on the second pair. Young righty Noah Dobson and the veteran lefties, Chara and Andy Greene, are at least locks for a roster spot, if not a starting role. In net, there is no question that Semyon Varlamov and Sorokin will be the NHL tandem.

This leaves three roster spots up for grabs and CapFriendly has five names currently projected for the roster: forwards Ross Johnston, Leo Komarov, and Richard Panik and defensemen Sebastian Aho and the recently-signed LaDue. They don’t expect veteran defenseman Thomas Hickey to crack the roster, but the oft-buried blue liner will have a chance to battle for a spot as well. There is also the unsigned Bellows to consider, as well as the potential for Gustafsson’s PTO to be successful. A top prospect like forward Simon Holmstrom or defensemen Robin Salo, Bode Wilde, or Samuel Bolduc may also force the Isles’ hand. While excellent depth is a good problem to have, the issue for the Islanders is that all of these players (minus the prospects) are not waivers-exempt. They have seven or eight good veteran players to evaluate for three roster spots and no guarantee that the four or five that do not make the cut will not be lost on waiver.

Bellows, especially, is a risk. Assuming the 23-year-old is eventually signed, the Islanders will be tempting fate if they try to sneak him through waivers. A 2016 first-round pick, Bellows NHL action has been limited, but the noted sniper does have five goals in his 22 games. A number of teams would be willing to take a shot on his scoring potential. Johnston and Komarov have cleared waivers in the past, but both are now in the final years of their current contracts making them more attractive on waivers. Johnston is a strong defensive forward and physical presence and Komarov is a streaky, but effective two-way presence; both of which have value. Komarov’s $3MM cap hit could make him the most likely to clear waivers though. Panik, who was just acquired by the Islanders this summer, has more recent scoring results than any of the other names competing for a forward spot and has half of his salary retained, making him another dangerous waiver exposure even with two years on his current contract. Of the three available roster spots, no more than two are likely to go to the forward position, so at least two of these forwards will either need to be tested on waivers – and potentially lost for free – or otherwise traded.

The situation on defense is slightly easier to manage. Aho, LaDue, and Hickey have all cleared waivers recently. In fact, LaDue spent all of last season in the AHL and is not much of a risk to be claimed on waivers. There is some more concern with Aho, 25, and Hickey, whose $2.5MM salary is more palatable to other teams in his final year. Both spent all of last season with the Islanders, but for both to do so again it would mean sacrificing one of the aforementioned forwards who are on the chopping block. If Gustafsson does earn a contract with New York from his PTO, that would likely mean that he is earning a roster spot, as the power play specialist would draw interest from a number of teams at a minimum salary, especially with a strong preseason performance.

While it has seemed like the Islanders have been loading up in recent weeks, Lamoriello still has some work to do. Lamoriello may need to explore the trade market for Bellows if he cannot re-sign him or cannot commit to a roster spot for the high-ceiling forward. He may then need to test the trade waters for several of his other players as well, lest he lose them on waivers for nothing. One way or another, as strong as the Islanders’ depth looks right now, it is highly unlikely that all of these players will still be with the organization when the season begins. Which are retained and which are lost could come back to play a big role in the team’s success this season.

East Notes: Eichel, Chara, Hallander

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It was a busy news day in the Eastern Conference. It was highlighted by the New York Islanders signing Zdeno Chara and the Ottawa Senators signing Logan Brown, both to one-year deals. But those weren’t the only items of note from around the East today as things begin to heat up prior to training camps. The Associated Press’s John Wawrow reports that Jack Eichel will indeed report to the Buffalo Sabres for his physical next week. Considering the importance that Eichel’s health status plays in any potential trade from Buffalo, the results of this appointment will likely be of especially high interest to Buffalo and teams interested in acquiring the star center. It could provide some additional clarity about paths forward for Eichel, as well as a potential return date from his neck injury.

Elsewhere from around the East:

  • Assuming Chara actually suits up for game action with the Islanders this year, he’ll be setting an NHL record in the process. According to Sportradar, Chara will have gone the longest amount of time between games with a singular franchise of anyone in the league. His last game with the Islanders was in April of 2001, making it roughly 20 years and six months since he last suited up for the Isles. It smashes the previous record held by Brendan Shanahan, who went 17 years and nine months between games with the New Jersey Devils.
  • After being dealt from and back to the Pittsburgh Penguins organization via trades with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Filip Hallander remains committed to making an NHL career for himself with the team. Participating in this year’s development camp with the team, he notes to Penguins writer James Leo that he’s “here to take a spot.” It’s not something that’s entirely out of the realm of possibility. Neither Sidney Crosby nor Evgeni Malkin will be ready for the start of the season, stretching the team’s center depth extremely thin. The 21-year-old had 24 points in 51 games last year with Luleå in the Swedish Hockey League, and could at least earn a few games out of camp in a bottom-six role while the team heals up.

Zdeno Chara Signs With New York Islanders

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A future Hall of Famer is heading back to where it all began. As first reported by ESPN’s Kevin Weekes and then confirmed by the team, the New York Islanders have signed veteran defenseman Zdeno Chara to a one-year contract. Financial terms have not been disclosed.

Chara was of course drafted by the Islanders all the way back in 1996. He played his first four pro seasons with the club before being dealt to the Ottawa Senators in 2001 in the infamous Alexei Yashin trade. Since then, Chara has established himself as one of the best defensemen of his generation. A Stanley Cup champion, Norris Trophy winner, seven-time all-league defenseman, the NHL’s active leader in career plus/minus and penalty minutes, and an all-time captain, Chara has accomplished more than anyone could have expected when he last with the Islanders. However, he still wants to add another title to his trophy shelf and feels a return to New York could be the best fit.

The long-time Bruins captain, Chara left Boston after the 2019-20 season as the team was looking to move on with a younger core of defensemen and only offered Chara a depth role. The Washington Capitals took him on as an affordable, one-year rental and he provided solid stay-at-home defense all year. Yes, it was a career-low in ice time and a drop-off in most statistical categories, but at 44 years old that is to be expected. The skating and skill are largely gone from his game, but Chara was still a plus player who contributed physically and was not a liability on the back end. Having see up-close what Chara can do, the Islanders have signed him away from the division rival Capitals and will likely use him in a similar fashion. However, given their far more conservative system than Washington’s and the presence of several other dependable defensive blue liners such as Adam Pelech, Scott Mayfield, and fellow veteran Andy Greene, Chara will be under less pressure. This could serve to keep him well-rested and even more effective defensively late in the season and into the playoffs of his 24th NHL campaign.

Chara wanted to stay on the east coast near his family in Boston while still landing with a team that could give him one last shot at the Stanley Cup. It is safe to say that the reigning “East Division” champs have as good a shot as anyone who fits that description. Add in a homecoming to the team who started his illustrious career and the pairing of the Chara and the Islanders seems to be an excellent fit.

New York Islanders Expected To Sign Paul LaDue

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Sep 16: CapFriendly reports that the deal will be a one-year, two-way contract worth $750K at the NHL level, $275K in the AHL and includes a $325K minor league guarantee.

Sep 10: Free agent signings by the New York Islanders are difficult to officially pin down, given how the team refuses to announce them, but at least one more player is expected to end up there. Brad Elliott Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald reports that Paul LaDue will sign with the Islanders, though does not give any contract details.

LaDue, 29, signed a one-way contract with the Washington Capitals for last season, but ended up spending the entire year on the practice squad or in the minor leagues. He didn’t suit up for a single NHL game, the first time that has happened since turning pro in 2016. Originally a sixth-round pick by the Los Angeles Kings in 2012, LaDue played three years for the University of North Dakota, winning a national championship in 2016.

At the NHL level, he’s played in 71 total games, all with the Kings and registered 19 points. The 6’2″ defenseman is a valuable depth piece, even if he has yet to prove he can handle a full-time role. With the Islanders, it’s unclear where LaDue fits in exactly, given how uncertain their depth chart is at this point. The team could very well have other players who have agreed to contracts that will be battling for those last few spots, or perhaps things are setting up for LaDue to secure a roster spot out of camp.

Even if he doesn’t secure that roster spot, LaDue represents solid injury insurance as the team attempts to go on another long playoff run.

Andy Andreoff, Dmytro Timashov Sign With Islanders

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Official confirmation on anything New York Islanders-related is difficult to come by these days, but it appears as though two more players can be added to the unofficial organizational depth chart. Arthur Staple of The Athletic tweets that the team has signed Andy Andreoff and notes that Dmytro Timashov may also be back. CapFriendly reports that the Andreoff deal is a two-way contract worth $750K at the NHL level, $275K in the AHL and includes a $325K minor league guarantee. They add that Timashov’s deal is a two-way contract worth $750K at the NHL level, $160K in the AHL and includes a $205K minor league guarantee. Both are for just one year.

The 30-year-old Andreoff actually has 179 games under his belt to this point in his NHL career, though just 20 of those have come since the end of the 2017-18 season. A former full-time member of the Los Angeles Kings, he’s been forced to spend most of the last few years in the minor leagues. In 2020-21, he played in six games with the Philadelphia Flyers, going scoreless and registering nine penalty minutes.

Timashov, 24, is perhaps more exciting, given his relative youth and offensive upside. The former Toronto Maple Leafs forward spent last season with the Islanders organization on a one-year, two-way deal, but was not extended a qualifying offer this summer. Timashov would have been arbitration-eligible but became an unrestricted free agent when he failed to receive a QO. Though he played in just one game at the NHL level and has just 45 under his belt to this point, the fifth-round pick is still a somewhat intriguing option because of the scoring numbers he has put up at the minor league level.

He had 11 points in 22 games for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers this season but scored 49 in 72 the last time he played a full season in the minor leagues. A Calder Cup winner with the Toronto Marlies, he could provide some interesting bottom-six depth for the Islanders this season.

New York Islanders Expected To Sign Erik Gustafsson To PTO

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The New York Islanders probably won’t announce it, but Chris Johnston of the Toronto Star reports that the team is bringing Erik Gustafsson to training camp on a professional tryout.

Gustafsson, 29, actually ranked 44th among our list of the Top 50 UFAs this offseason, but even then we projected a one-year, low-money deal for the enigmatic defenseman. It’s not often you can get a blueliner that scored 60 points in 2018-19 on a PTO, but that’s exactly how poorly the league thinks of Gustafsson’s defensive contributions. He’s a mess in his own end, but still brings enough offensive upside and puck-moving ability to be an intriguing add for a team like the Islanders.

Perhaps, if the team can shelter him in their outstanding defensive structure, he could return to the player who scored 17 goals and 60 points for the Blackhawks just a few years ago. In 250 NHL games overall, Gustafsson has registered 131 points. He even caught on as a regular with the Montreal Canadiens during their recent Stanley Cup Finals run, suiting up 16 times in the postseason.

A PTO is notably not a full contract, but it’s hard to imagine Gustafsson not catching on somewhere by the time the season begins. That could be in New York with the Islanders, or this could simply be a showcase for him to prove he can still hack it at that level, in order to sign elsewhere. Either way, it is a great opportunity for the player, especially given the uncertainty surrounding the last few spots on the Islanders’ back end. The team currently has just six defensemen signed to one-way contracts, and one of those is Thomas Hickey who will likely be sent to the minor leagues once again. Noah Dobson will be in the NHL on his entry-level deal, but other than that there isn’t a long line of young players pushing for roster spots.

Zach Parise To Sign With New York Islanders

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Sep 13: Though they still haven’t publicly acknowledged the signing, the Islanders introduced Parise at a press conference on Friday and confirmed he had agreed to terms with the team. Arthur Staple of The Athletic believes the deal will “very likely” be for a $750K base salary plus performance bonuses. Those bonuses, should the Islanders remain over the cap in LTIR this season, will be carried over to books for 2022-23.

Sep 1: As expected, Zach Parise will sign with the New York Islanders this offseason. He has already agreed to terms with the team, Parise confirmed to Michael Russo of The Athletic, but the contract has just not been registered yet with the NHL. No contract details have been revealed.

The Islanders finally announced four multi-year contracts earlier today, but Parise wasn’t among those who were formally introduced. Though those deals pushed the Islanders over the salary cap upper limit for the time being, the team will move Johnny Boychuk to long-term injured reserve as his playing career is over. In order to get the full relief of his $6MM cap hit, the Islanders need to be as close to the cap ceiling as possible when they make the LTIR transaction. A deal for Parise could potentially get them there when it is eventually filed.

The 37-year-old forward has spent the last nine years with the Minnesota Wild, but has a relationship with Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello that goes back to his draft in 2003. That’s when the New Jersey Devils–then led by Lamoriello–picked Parise 17th overall out of the University of North Dakota. He would become a star in New Jersey before inking a massive 13-year free agent contract with close friend Ryan Suter to go to Minnesota in 2012.

Those contracts were bought out earlier this summer, and speculation immediately emerged that had Parise going to Long Island. Suter signed a four-year deal with the Dallas Stars, but that kind of term is likely not available for Parise. While Suter is still a legitimate top-four defenseman, the veteran forward had fallen on hard times recently and was even healthy scratched several times by the Wild.

Parise had just seven goals and 18 points in 2020-21 for Minnesota, averaging fewer than 14 minutes a night. That may seem like a player destined for retirement, but it was just 2019-20 the last time Parise was a 25-goal scorer. Perhaps he can return to that kind of production–or at least something still valuable–in New York, where he’ll once again be able to chase a Stanley Cup that has thus far eluded him over a 1,060-game NHL career.

Anders Lee Believes He Has Fully Recovered From ACL Surgery

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  • Islanders forward Anders Lee believes that he has fully recovered from his torn ACL from late last season but he has not yet received full medical clearance, relays Newsday’s Andrew Gross. The captain was limited to just 27 games in 2020-21 due to the injury sustained in mid-March but he still managed to notch 19 points along the way.  He could line up alongside Kyle Palmieri this coming season; Palmieri was initially acquired using the space created by Lee’s LTIR placement but re-signed earlier this summer.

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