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Offseason Notes: Islanders, Point, Bellerive

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While most teams make headlines in the summer for inking major contracts or completing blockbuster trades, the New York Islanders made headlines this summer for all the things they didn’t do. After being rumored as suitors for top free agents such as Nazem Kadri and Johnny Gaudreau as well as a potential trade destination for big-name scorers, the Islanders’ most significant move this summer, at least to this point, has been the acquisition of defenseman Alexander Romanov.

That lack of activity hasn’t sat well with some in their fanbase, but today Lou Lamoriello, the team’s legendary general manager, explained the rationale behind this offseason strategy. Lamoriello, as relayed by ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski, said that despite having “many different options” in terms of free agent targets, the price to pay to upgrade at one position would have possibly downgraded the Islanders at another position. The Islanders have recently made back-to-back runs to the Eastern Conference Final, so Lamoriello’s choice to keep his core largely intact is certainly defensible. That being said, if the Islanders have another disappointing year, the front office’s inability to make major waves this summer could be looked at as a major issue.

Now, for some other notes regarding offseason moves across the world of hockey:

  • As part of his comments to the media after today’s moves, Lamoriello also shed some light on how he views the Islanders’ defense for this coming season. Per Newsday’s Andrew Gross, veteran defensemen Andy Greene and Zdeno Chara are “not currently considerations” for defensive roles next season. Greene and Chara combined for 141 games played for the Islanders last season, and their not being included in next season’s plan is an indication that the Islanders plan to get younger on their blueline in new coach Lane Lambert’s first season. The team’s top-four defensemen look set to be Adam Pelech, Ryan Pulock, Noah Dobson, and Romanov, and the team will likely carry two of Sebastian Aho, Grant Hutton, and Robin Salo to pair with Scott Mayfield on the team’s third pairing.
  • Goaltender Colton Point, once one of the more promising goalie prospects in hockey, signed a one-year deal with the ECHL’s Fort Wayne Komets today, per a team announcement. Point, 24, had a heroic 2017-18 season for Colgate in the NCAA, going 16-12-5 with six shutouts and a .944 save percentage. Point went pro after that season, but has since struggled to make his mark at the AHL level with the Texas Stars. The 2016 fifth-rounder has a grisly .882 save percentage in 29 career AHL contests, and struggled to find his way in the Stars’ organization. His ECHL career numbers are a bit better, as he has a .901 save percentage in 52 career games, and he heads to Fort Wayne looking to stabilize his professional career.
  • Per a team announcement, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms have signed forward Jordy Bellerive to a one-year, one-way (AHL) contract. The 23-year-old Bellerive is an undrafted player who has spent the past three seasons with the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins as a full-time player. Before then, Bellerive was a star forward for the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the WHL. Bellerive heads to Lehigh Valley with the expectation of playing a bottom-six, penalty-killing role for the team, and he’ll also be counted on to bring the exact “hard to play against” style that the Flyers strive to cultivate throughout their organization.

New York Islanders Sign Noah Dobson, Alex Romanov, Kieffer Bellows

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Per a series of team announcements Monday morning, the New York Islanders have finally locked up a trio of restricted free agents in defenseman Noah Dobson (link), defenseman Alexander Romanov (link), and forward Kieffer Bellows (link). Dobson and Romanov have signed three-year deals, while Bellows has signed a one-year deal.

The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz reports Dobson’s deal carries a $4MM AAV, while TSN’s Chris Johnston reports Romanov’s deal has a $2.5MM cap hit. CapFriendly reports Bellows’ contract carries a $1.2MM cap hit, all in base salary.

Dobson, 22, enjoyed a career season in 2021-22, something that couldn’t be said for much of the team. The team’s 12th overall selection in 2018 displayed his full potential, leading the team’s blueline with 51 points in 80 games while averaging over 21 minutes a night. His defensive game has remained solid throughout his three-year career so far, but it was his offensive vision and confidence that spearheaded his breakout this year. He was never drafted to be a defensive stalwart, but not being a liability in his own end of the ice certainly helps his case to continue developing into a superstar defenseman.

Montreal Canadiens defenseman Alexander Romanov (27) avoids a hit by Washington Capitals forward Garnet Hathaway (21) during the third period at the Bell Centre.Romanov, however, was drafted to be that defensive stalwart, and he took a real step towards that last season in Montreal despite playing in a porous system. Acquired this offseason in exchange for the 13th overall pick, Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello gets a great value signing here with a three-year term on that $2.5MM cap hit. Romanov showed that he can be a dependable defensive presence while playing top-four minutes, a role he’ll undoubtedly continue on the Island this season. A stark upgrade over the play of Zdeno Chara and Andy Greene, Romanov could likely play with Dobson on the team’s second pairing, one that could end up being their best one in a few seasons’ time. He set career-highs in 2021-22 with 79 games played, three goals, 10 assists, 13 points, and an average time on ice of 20:24.

Bellows has struggled to crack the lineup on a nightly basis under former head coach Barry Trotz, and he’s hoping a new face behind the bench will get him some more playing time. His offensive numbers finally showed great promise at the NHL level last season, posting 19 points in 45 games despite playing under 12 minutes a night. He’ll compete with veterans like Matt Martin and Zach Parise for spots in the lineup, as he’ll try to work his way into a consistent bottom-six role (with some power play time, hopefully).

All three players will again be restricted free agents at the end of their contracts.

Latest On New York Islanders Offseason

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It was no secret that in order to get better after last season’s disappointment, the New York Islanders needed to find a way to add scoring and get younger on the blueline. They managed to do one of those things, acquiring 22-year-old defenseman Alexander Romanov from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for their 2022 first-round pick. However, the team was unable to, at least so far, address its lackluster offense. The Islanders had been connected to star free agents Johnny Gaudreau, who ultimately signed with the division-rival Columbus Blue Jackets, and Nazem Kadri who recently signed with the Calgary Flames.

Today on NHL Network, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman discussed the Islanders with Bill Pidto, saying that while he believes they were interested in Kadri, they were never able to create the cap space to make it work. Interestingly, the Islanders actually have the fourth most salary cap space available according to CapFriendly, with just under $11.2MM available. However, the team does need to re-sign the recently-acquired Romanov, forward Kieffer Bellows, and breakout defenseman Noah Dobson. Between those three, it could command a large portion of their space. Though it may not take all of it, it would most likely bring them below the $7MM needed to, at the very least, match the offer Kadri accepted in Calgary.

To create that space, Lou Lamoriello could have opted to try to move one, or both of, wingers Josh Bailey and Anthony Beauvillier. Though both are solid contributors on Long Island, moving their $5MM or $4.15MM cap hits, respectively, could have created the space necessary to sign a dynamic player like Kadri. Given the cost for Calgary to trade away Sean Monahan, who had just one year left at $6.375MM, the price for the Islanders to move one of their forwards may have been too steep to make it worthwhile. Another option could have been to move goaltender Semyon Varlamov, who carries a $5MM AAV, but is playing behind star netminder Ilya Sorokin. However, Lamoriello made clear his intention to keep the veteran netminder.

Also of note, Friedman added that he does believe deals with Romanov and Dobson are already done, saying he believes Dobson’s deal “is a big number.” Friedman also believes Romanov’s contract could come somewhere in the $3MM AAV range. Having the deals done, but not announced, is in keeping with Lamoriello’s previous dealings, including last summer’s rather late announcements, most notably of a Kyle Palmieri contract. Although Friedman didn’t mention Bellows as having an agreed-upon deal, it is worth noting the winger was arbitration-eligible, but neither him nor the Islanders filed. This surely doesn’t mean a deal is done, but would be a curious choice if nothing had been agreed upon (or could simply indicate very amicable talks between the two).

Latest On Nazem Kadri

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One of the running jokes of free agency every year is that if a player hasn’t signed for a while, they probably have a deal with the New York Islanders and Lou Lamoriello just hasn’t announced it. That’s what has been fueling rumors for Nazem Kadri, one of this summer’s top options who remains unsigned partway through August.

Frank Seravalli updated the situation on The DFO Rundown for Daily Faceoff today:

My understanding is [Kadri’s camp] have continued to engage with other teams. For all the reports that Kadri has something locked up with the Islanders, I think that is premature to say. I do think the Islanders have been one of the teams that have been in conversation with Kadri, I think they have put an offer on the table.

Other teams have told me they believe [the Islanders offer] is in the $7MM x 7 range for Kadri. At this point obviously it is not signed, and the fact that they continue to talk to other teams tells me at least that they haven’t agreed to terms with the Islanders. May he end up there? It is certainly possible, but they also have to move money there to make it work. 

The Islanders do have more than $11MM in free cap space at the moment (according to CapFriendly’s projections) but still have Noah Dobson, Alexander Romanov, and Kieffer Bellows to factor in as restricted free agents. Dobson especially is expected to take up a huge chunk of that open space should he sign a long-term deal after his breakout 2021-22 campaign. The 22-year-old defenseman had 13 goals and 51 points in 80 games for the Islanders, establishing himself as a premier offensive defenseman in the league, while playing more than 21 minutes a night.

That means fitting Kadri will be difficult, and if Seravalli’s sources are right that the free agent’s camp is still talking to other teams, the Islanders don’t have that plan in place just yet.

Kadri, 31, is coming off a career-best 87-point season with the Colorado Avalanche that eventually resulted in his first Stanley Cup championship. The dynamic center can do just about everything on a hockey rink but still would represent plenty of risk on a seven-year deal. Not only will he turn 32 in October just before the season begins but has a history of supplementary discipline that removed him from important series for both the Toronto Maple Leafs and Avalanche.

Locking him into a big-money, long-term deal would be a bold move for the Islanders, who already have several players with rather hefty cap hits for multiple years and important negotiations right around the corner. Ilya Sorokin, for instance, is only signed through 2023-24 before he is scheduled for unrestricted free agency, while Mathew Barzal will be an RFA again next summer.

Still, it’s hard to know who they are really fighting against at this point, given how capped-out so many contenders are this deep into the summer. Only a handful of teams project to have the space available to fit in a $7MM center, and most of them would likely have no interest in adding a player of Kadri’s age. Remember that even Seravalli’s information could be a negotiating tactic from the Kadri camp, as they try to work out the best deal possible in New York.

Islanders Reportedly Had Interest In Matthew Tkachuk

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  • Matthew Tkachuk ended up traded to the Florida Panthers, but that trade didn’t come without attempts from other teams to secure his services. One of those teams, per Andy Strickland of Bally Sports Midwest, is the New York Islanders. Strickland reports that the Islanders showed “significant interest” in Tkachuk but ultimately could not or did not complete a deal. The Islanders have been highly secretive in recent years when it comes to their offseason plans, something that should be expected of any team run by legendary GM Lou Lamoriello. But if his reported interest in Tkachuk is any indication, the Islanders are going hunting for a big-name addition this summer. Could free agent center Nazem Kadri be in their plans?

Latest On Islanders, Nazem Kadri

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  • Nazem Kadri scored 87 points last season and also won the Stanley Cup. Yet as the calendar is set to turn to August, he remains without a contract for next season. According to Elliotte Friedman on the 32 Thoughts podcast, the New York Islanders “are in it” with regard to Kadri, and Kadri’s former team, the Colorado Avalanche, remain interested but are unlikely to move defenseman Samuel Girard in order to create the necessary cap room, as some have speculated they’d do. Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello is notoriously secretive when it comes to his offseason dealings, so it’s possible that the negotiations with Kadri and the Islanders are farther along than anybody truly knows. But based on Friedman’s reporting, we know that they’re at least actively interested in adding Kadri to a center corps that already boasts Mathew Barzal, Brock Nelson, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, and Casey Cizikas.

New York Islanders Hire John MacLean; Will Not Bring In Brian Wiseman

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The New York Islanders have made an unexpected change to their coaching staff, hiring John MacLean as an assistant. That may raise some eyebrows, after an announcement just a few weeks ago that Lane Lambert’s assistants this season would be Brian Wiseman and Doug Houda. Wiseman, the Islanders say, will not be joining the staff after all.

MacLean spent last season with the San Jose Sharks as part of Bob Boughner’s staff, even stepping in as interim head coach while Boughner dealt with COVID-19 near the beginning of the year. The veteran coach has also spent time with the Arizona Coyotes, Carolina Hurricanes, and New Jersey Devils over his two decades behind the bench.

It’s in New Jersey where MacLean also made his hay during his playing days, as the sixth-overall pick in 1983. He spent parts of 14 seasons with the Devils, playing 934 games and scoring 701 points. That, plus his short time with the New York Rangers, means he’s certainly familiar with the rivalries that he’ll once again be part of on the east coast.

The team did not give any explanation for why Wiseman is not joining the staff.

Latest On Nazem Kadri

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One destination rumored for Kadri has been the New York Islanders, and The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz says one league source confirmed to The Athletic that there are rumblings the Islanders have been making a push for Kadri (subscription required). Bringing Kadri into the fold would make sense for the Islanders, the team needing to improve its underperforming forward group and Kadri a two-way force that spent several seasons under Islanders’ GM Lou Lamoriello when both were with the Toronto Maple Leafs. On the other hand, the center position is pretty well cemented on Long Island, Mathew Barzal, Brock Nelson, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, and Casey Cizikas representing their core. On moving one of those five to the wing, one NHL coach told Kurz that Kadri is a center, not entertaining the idea of moving him to a wing, while an NHL scout wouldn’t consider the idea of moving Barzal off center, but did mention Brock Nelson, a sniper who scored 37 goals this season, as an option for the wing. Of course, all of this is hypothetical, with Kadri still very much a free agent, but the rumblings linking Kadri to the Islanders adds another wrinkle to the ever-developing story.

  • Former star forward, assistant coach, and two-time Stanley Cup Champion Scott Gomez sat down with NJ.com’s Ryan Novozinsky to discuss his current career and his interest in returning to the NHL in some capacity (link). Since stepping away from his job as assistant coach with the Islanders in 2019, Gomez has worked with ELEV802, a company that builds small ice rink surfaces for children. As much as Gomez seems to enjoy his current role, he expressed interest in returning to the NHL, ideally in a team’s player development office, wanting to work with players individually, adding how important those in that role were to him in his development.

Andrew Ladd Unsure About Playing Next Season

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It has been a tough last few seasons for Coyotes winger Andrew Ladd who has struggled to stay healthy and struggled to produce when he has been in the lineup.  While he still has one year left on his contract, Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports reports that the veteran is unsure if he wants to play out that final season; his agent J.P. Barry indicated that a decision will be made later this summer when the time comes to start ramping up training in preparation for the season.

The 36-year-old was moved from the Islanders to the Coyotes last summer as New York was looking to free up some much-needed cap space.  From an on-ice perspective, the move worked out reasonably well for Ladd who stayed in the NHL all season and got into 51 games after seeing action in just four the year before.  Of course, his production (seven goals and five assists) is hardly worthy of the $6.5MM AAV he carried.

Ladd is owed a $3MM signing bonus this summer (which may have already been paid as a lot of bonuses are due at the start of the league year) plus a $1MM base salary which are the numbers that matter most to Arizona, a team that is looking to limit their spending as they go through an extended rebuild.  If that money comes off the books, it’s quite possible that they’d turn around and make another trade to take on another undesirable contract as GM Bill Armstrong has done on several occasions already.

The Islanders will also be keeping tabs on this situation.  As part of the trade that sent Ladd and two second-round picks (used on defensemen Janis Moser and Mattias Havelid), New York also put in a conditional third-round selection in 2023.  Per CapFriendly, that pick will go to the Coyotes if Ladd does not play in any professional games in 2022-23 while under his current contract, or does not retire prior to the conclusion of the 2022-23 regular season.  As a result, this situation will be one to keep an eye on in the coming weeks.

New York Islanders Expected To "Competitively" Pursue Johnny Gaudreau If Available

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  • If and when superstar free agent Johnny Gaudreau hits the free agent market on Wednesday, he will be one of the most sought-after players to ever go to free agency, with no shortage of suitors. One of those suitors, David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports, will be the New York Islanders, who he believes will “competitively” pursue the winger. It’s no secret that the Islanders have been looking for offense and a dynamic winger to play with Mathew Barzal, especially after missing the playoffs following back-to-back trips to the Conference Finals. Bringing in a player like Gaudreau would solve many of those problems of course, but having just under $11.2MM in salary cap space while needing to sign RFA defensemen Noah Dobson and Alexander Romanov, a Gaudreau signing would necessitate another move to shed salary on the Island.

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