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Devils Notes: Fletcher, Greene, Legace, Sanderson, Fitzgerald

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The Devils announced multiple front-office hirings today, leading off with former Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher being named as a senior advisor to GM Tom Fitzgerald.

It’s the first NHL role for Fletcher since he was fired from his post in Philadelphia in March 2023. The 57-year-old has worked with the Devils before, briefly serving as a senior advisor to ex-GM Ray Shero for the first few months of the 2018-19 campaign before he was named GM of the Flyers. Before that, the longtime executive has served as GM of the Wild (2009-2018), assistant GM for the Penguins (2006-2009), assistant GM for the Ducks (2002-2006), and assistant and interim GM for the Panthers (1993-2002).

Fletcher will advise Fitzgerald “on hockey operations matters including player personnel, scouting, and contracts,” the team said. Fletcher was in the front office during Fitzgerald’s time as a player in Florida from 1993 to 1998. The pair also worked together in Pittsburgh for Fletcher’s last two seasons there while Fitzgerald served as their director of player development.

More on the Devils’ hirings today:

  • Former captain Andy Greene is returning to the organization as a hockey operations advisor. The 41-year-old has been without an official title for two years after retiring following the 2021-22 season, but the team said he’s been around the game “attending Devils’ practices, working with the coaching staff and scouting minor-league, college games, and Devils’ prospects.” Greene played over 900 games for the Devils from 2007 to 2020 before being dealt to the Islanders, where he played out the final two and a half seasons of his career. He’ll now work with both Fitzgerald and the hockey operations department at large while “working with the scouting and player personnel departments, coaching staff, and pro and amateur scouting staffs,” per the team.
  • Longtime NHL netminder Manny Legace is also joining New Jersey as their head amateur goaltending scout and development coach, working alongside former rival Martin Brodeur. The 51-year-old previously served as the Blue Jackets’ goaltending coach from 2018 to 2023. He was the backup for the Red Wings when they won the Stanley Cup in 2002 and posted a 187-99-41 record, 2.41 GAA and .912 SV% in 365 career games with Detroit, St. Louis, Los Angeles and Carolina. He’ll “work with all the goaltenders in the Devils system and serve in a scouting capacity for draft-eligible prospects,” the Devils said.
  • Among the Devils’ more minor hires today is Geoff Sanderson, who joins as a pro scout. The 52-year-old played over 1,100 NHL games as part of a 17-year career that spanned seven franchises between 1990 and 2008, but his front office résumé is mostly empty aside from a two-year stint as a development coach with the Islanders in the early 2010s.
  • Lastly, there’s a Fitzgerald family reunion to cover. Ryan Fitzgerald, Tom’s 29-year-old son, is joining as a college scout. The news marks the end of his playing career. Fitzgerald was a fourth-round pick of the Bruins back in 2013 and signed with them coming out of Boston College four years later, but he was never able to crack the NHL roster. He played in parts of eight AHL seasons with Providence, Lehigh Valley and the Devils’ affiliate in Utica, where he had two points in 22 games last season. Injuries limited him to just 39 games combined over the past three seasons.

Andy Greene Signs One-Day Contract With New Jersey Devils, Retires

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The New Jersey Devils have brought back a long-time captain for one more day. Andy Greene has signed a one-day contract with the team to retire as a member of the Devils, after a 16-year NHL career.

Tom Fitzgerald, general manager of the Devils, explained exactly what the veteran defenseman meant to the organization:

Andy was a bedrock for New Jersey during his 14 years and developed into an exceptional leader and what it meant to be a Devil. He was a consummate professional when times were hard and a representation to his teammates in the locker room. It’s only right that he announces his retirement from the National Hockey League as a member of the Devils and we thank him for all that he’s done on and off the ice for the organization.

Greene, 39, was an undrafted free agent signing out of Miami University (Ohio), and managed to play 1,057 games in an impressive career. More than 900 of those came with the Devils, where he developed into a defensive force, and leader in the locker room. From 2015 to 2020, he served as captain of the team, and even his last moments were positive for the organization.

He netted the team a second-round pick from the New York Islanders, where he would reunite with Lou Lamoriello, a pick that would then be used to land the team Ryan Graves.

So it is curtains for the veteran, and an impressive career to look back on. In his 1,000-plus games, he registered 52 goals and 264 points. He had three long playoff runs, reaching the Stanley Cup final in 2012 with the Devils and the Conference Finals in back-to-back seasons with New York.

Snapshots: Krejci, Reimer, Islanders

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Recent rumors of a potential return of David Krejci to the Boston Bruins were shut down by Bruins’ GM Don Sweeney today, reports Joe Haggerty of Boston Hockey Now (link). Sweeney said that Krejci has decided to stay home with his family in the Czech Republic.

The Bruins have been looking to possibly add to their forward depth as the trade deadline approaches, and the former Bruins star center had been rumored to return almost since he announced he was returning to Europe after last season. Krejci had been a cornerstone for the Bruins for much of his career, totaling 215 goals and 515 assists in 962 career games.

  • The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported that interest in San Jose Sharks goaltender James Reimer had been picking up, however he’s not sure if the Sharks will end up wanting to move the goaltender. Reimer has another season at $2.25MM left on his contract and has performed well for the rebuilding Sharks. After a promising start tot he season, the Sharks have fallen off, however they could be in line to turn the corner on their rebuild faster than expected, and keeping Reimer around could help to facilitate that. On the other hand, several teams are in need of goaltending, and Reimer’s extra year at an incredibly fair $2.25MM cap hit could land San Jose a return that is too good not to take.
  • The New York Islanders announced prior to their game against the Philadelphia Flyers this afternoon that forward Cal Clutterbuck and defenseman Andy Greene were day-to-day and are being held out of today’s game for maintenance purposes. While that certainly may be the reason, it is important to note that both players are pending UFAs who are candidates to be traded by the trade deadline tomorrow. Also worth mentioning is that the Islanders are a very tight-lipped organization and could be holding their cards close.

Three New York Islanders Added To COVID Protocol

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Just under two hours ahead of the New York Islanders’ home opener against the Calgary Flames, Anthony Beauvillier, Adam Pelech, and Andy Greene were added to the NHL’s COVID protocol, per Newsday’s Andrew Gross.

It’s an extremely tough situation for the team, which now has six total players in COVID protocol. Josh Bailey, Anders Lee, and Ross Johnston were added over the past week. Their number one defenseman, Ryan Pulock, is on injured reserve.

The Islanders recalled forwards Richard Panik and Andy Andreoff as well as defensemen Grant Hutton and Paul LaDue today from the AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders. Hutton, along with Robin Salo, who the Islanders recalled earlier, could make his NHL debut.

Losing Beauvillier and Pelech, in particular, is tough to swallow for the Islanders, who sit third-last in the Eastern Conference with a 5-6-2 record after their season-opening 13-game road trip. Beauvillier is one of the team’s top point producers with three goals and seven points through 13 games this season. While Pelech has just two assists, he’s counted on for his defense, not his scoring ability. He’s averaged 21:07 per game and with a +4 rating, his minutes will be tough to replace.

Zdeno Chara Signs With New York Islanders

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October 10: Per CapFriendly, Chara’s one-year deal carries the league-minimum cap hit of $750,000. The deal contains an additional $750,000 in performance bonuses.

September 18: 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 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.

New York Islanders Re-Sign Andy Greene

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The NHL’s pre-Expansion Draft roster freeze had ended and it appeared as if the New York Islanders had gotten themselves into quite the pickle. After trading Nick Leddy earlier this week, the Isles were left with just two defensemen who fit the exposure requirements for expansion – 27+ games played this year or 54+ games played over the past two years, plus term remaining on their current contract – and one of those two had to be exposed. However, those two defensemen were Ryan Pulock and Scott Mayfield, who alongside RFA Adam Pelech were expected to be protected from expansion. After all, that was the main catalyst of the Leddy trade.

Well, long after the deadline had passed it has now been confirmed that the Islanders did find a solution to their problem, with the timing suggesting this was perhaps a fallback plan in the event they could not add an exposure-eligible defenseman. The Athletic’s Arthur Staple was the first to report that New York has extended veteran defenseman Andy Greene with a one-year, $1MM contract. The deal carries a minimum $750K salary and a $250K signing bonus. Most importantly, Greene is now under contract and has more than enough games to his credit this past season to serve as the Islanders’ expansion exposure prop.

Greene, who will turn 39 early this season, is still a good player and a great locker room presence. However, re-signing the veteran may not have been GM Lou Lamoriello’s plan, even with a relatively inexpensive deal. Greene saw a 12-year low in ice time last season as his offense dried up, his puck movement suffered, and he was less disruptive on defense. Greene is still a smart, capable defenseman, especially in a third pair role, but at his age and ability his ceiling is low. Meanwhile, the Islanders have young defensemen like Noah Dobson, Sebastian Aho, Bode Wilde, Grant Hutton, Samuel Bolduc, Robin Salo, and more who are pushing for NHL opportunity and ice time. The Isles will have to toe the line between not blocking those young players and not upsetting the locker room by benching or demoting Greene, a veteran leader.

Expansion Primer: New York Islanders

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Over the next few weeks, we will be breaking down each team’s situation as it pertains to the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft. Which players are eligible, who will likely warrant protection, and which ones may be on the block to avoid the risk of losing them for nothing? Each team is required to submit their protection lists by 4:00 PM CDT on July 17th. The full eligibility rules can be found here, while CapFriendly has an expansion tool to make your own lists.

In 2017, the New York Islanders were one of the few lucky teams not to lose a player in the Expansion Draft, as the Vegas Golden Knights selected free agent goaltender Jean-Francois Berube. They paid dearly for that privilege though, trading a first-round pick, second-round pick, and defenseman Jake Bischoff (as well as the contract of Mikhail Grabovski) in order for Vegas to take Berube. The team was also the only one to protect three forwards and five defensemen.

This time around, the Islanders are unlikely to pay a heavy price to keep their unprotected players from being selected in the NHL Expansion Draft and they are also expected to go with a more orthodox protection scheme. Will they lose a good player? Sure. However, two-time reigning GM of the Year winner Lou Lamoriello has left his team in decent shape as expansion approaches.

Eligible Players (Non-UFA)

Forwards:
Josh Bailey, Mathew Barzal, Anthony Beauvillier, Kieffer Bellows, Cal Clutterbuck, Austin Czarnik, Michael Dal Colle, Jordan Eberle, Ross Johnston, Otto Koivula, Leo Komarov, Andrew Ladd, Anders Lee, Matt Martin, Brock Nelson, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Dmytro Timashov

Defense:
Sebastian Aho, Thomas Hickey, Nick Leddy, Scott Mayfield, Adam Pelech, Ryan Pulock, Parker Wotherspoon

Goalies:
Ken Appleby, Semyon Varlamov

Notable Unrestricted Free Agents

F Casey Cizikas, D Braydon Coburn, D Andy Greene, F Kyle Palmieri, F Travis Zajac

Notable Exemptions

D Johnny Boychuk (Inj.), D Samuel Bolduc, D Noah Dobson, D Robin Salo, G Jakub Skarek, G Ilya Sorokin, F Oliver Wahlstrom

Key Decisions

When you miss the playoffs or even exit early, it is easier to look toward the future when it comes to making difficult decisions in regards to the Expansion Draft (see: Philadelphia Flyers). However, when it comes to the Islanders, their current deep playoff run could make that difficult. The team faces several decisions in which they must choose between a top veteran or a younger future piece and must sort that out.

However, there are some no-brainers to start. In goal, the team specifically signed Appleby only to expose him, allowing them to protect starter Varlamov. On defense, the tongue-twisting top pair of Pelech and Pulock are locked in for protection. At forward, young core pieces Barzal and Beauvillier and captain Lee are also guarantees.

After that, things get difficult. The seemingly easy call is to protect their other top-scoring veteran forwards. Bailey, Nelson, Eberle, and Pageau are all key pieces to this season and playoff run and are all signed long-term. However, Bailey and Eberle will both turn 32 next season and carry expensive contracts for several more years, but have shown signs of decline in recent seasons. They will both certainly be contributors for another year or possibly longer, but are they worth losing another forward and missing out on using the cap space elsewhere?

If any of that core group of top-nine forwards is not protected, other candidates include reliable fourth liners Clutterbuck and Martin. However, the player who deserves the most consideration is young Bellows. The 23-year-old forward is a 2016 first-round pick who produced with the USNTDP, in the NCAA, the WHL, and most recently the AHL. His scoring has yet to translate to the NHL, but it seems like a safe bet. With more time and opportunity, Bellows could easily be a top goal-scorer for an NHL team. Do the Islanders risk that team being the Seattle Kraken?

One thing that is certain is that the depth up front will ensure the Islanders use the 7-3 protetion scheme. On defense, behind Pelech and Pulock, it may seem like top-scoring defenseman Leddy should be the final pick and he very well may be. After some down years, Leddy impressed this season and was invaluable to the Islanders’ success. He also plays a key leadership role as an experienced, long-time member of the team.

However, Leddy’s age and his expiring contract could make him a diminishing asset for the team. In his place, they could keep the younger, more affordable, and arguably equally valuable Mayfield. Initially more of a stay-at-home defenseman, Mayfield has rounded out his game in recent years and with that his role has increased. At $1.45MM for two more years, Mayfield is a bargain and would have a greater total impact on the team if Leddy leaves after next season, even if Leddy is the superior performer next season alone. Is that enough to make him the selection? Another outside-the-box candidate would be 22-year-old Aho, who showed potential last season but took a step back this year.

Projected Protection List

F Josh Bailey
F Mathew Barzal
F Anthony Beauvillier
F Jordan Eberle
F Anders Lee
F Brock Nelson
F Jean-Gabriel Pageau

D Nick Leddy
D Adam Pelech
D Ryan Pulock

G Semyon Varlamov

Skater Exposure Requirement Checklist

When Vegas had their expansion draft, a minimum of two forwards and one defenseman had to be exposed that were under contract and played either 40 games in the most recent season or 70 over the past two combined.  Due to the pandemic, those thresholds have been changed to 27 games played in 2020-21 or 54 in 2019/20 and 2020-21 combined.  In creating our expansion list for each team in this series, we will ensure that these criteria are met.

Forwards (3): Cal Clutterbuck, Leo Komarov, Matt Martin

Defensemen (1): Scott Mayfield

The Islanders’ current playoff run could very likely determine their approach to the Expansion Draft. If they feel strongly about their success in winning the East Division or if they are able to advance to the next round, they may feel that they are close enough to winning a Stanley Cup that they keep all of their top-performing veterans. Yet, if they win the Cup, perhaps that focus shifts back to the future and the emphasis becomes long-term assets. Either way, the Islanders will have to expose good players and after giving up a king’s ransom to Vegas in the last round of Expansion and already with a relatively shallow prospect pipeline and missing several draft picks, they are unlikely to make any side deals.

If available, a top veteran like Leddy, Bailey, or Eberle would be an easy pick for Seattle. However, assuming they are protected, Mayfield does stick out as the top option. The only issue there could be that there will be many teams who expose solid defensemen and don’t have any quality forwards available. A young, high-upside forward like Bellows may be hard to pass up. The Kraken will have plenty of options and the Islanders will lose a good player – likely their No. 4 defenseman or top forward prospect – but they will survive.

New York Islanders Acquire Kyle Palmieri, Travis Zajac

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The first major deal of the 2021 NHL Trade Deadline has landed, and while it is a big move, it should not come as much of a shock. The New York Islanders, seeking a replacement for the scoring and leadership lost by captain Anders Lee’s season-ending injury, have added both in a trade with the Devils, acquiring veteran forwards Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac. The trade, as first reported by The Athletic’s Arthur Staple, marks the second season in a row that the Isles have acquired a career-Devil from their cross-town rivals, as Zajac will reunite with long-time teammate Andy Greene in New York. Both Palmieri and Zajac are immediately available to the Islanders due to their nearby locale and are expected to join the team tomorrow.

As one can imagine, the trade return for the Devils is substantial, even in a buyer’s market. In exchange for their two core forwards and 50% retention on both salaries, New Jersey receives the Islanders’ 2021 first-round pick, a conditional 2022 fourth-round pick, and young forwards A.J. Greer and Mason Jobst. The conditions one the second pick is as follows: if New York reaches the Stanley Cup Final this season, the fourth-rounder becomes a third-rounder and the Devils can choose if they would like it to be in the 2022 or 2023 draft.

This trade obviously has the fingerprints of Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello all over it. The veteran executive was the GM of the Devils when Zajac was drafted in 2004. He tried to re-acquire the two-way center last season, but Zajac would not waive his No-Movement Clause. This time around, with his contract set to expire, Zajac is willing to finally move on from the Devils in pursuit of a Stanley Cup, especially when he’ll be joined by some familiar faces. After giving up a second-round pick for Greene last year, Lamoriello did not hesitate to go back to the well in New Jersey and offer up a first for Zajac and Palmieri. He also may have played to the home crowd somewhat, adding a Long Island native in Palmieri. The 78-year-old GM is all in this year, and making the fans happy along the way.

Just what are the Islanders getting in this deal? For starters, they are adding over 1,600 NHL games of experience to the lineup, an element that can’t be understated for a contender. It certainly will help to make up for the loss of Lee in the leadership department. Offensively, neither Palmieri nor Zajac have been at their best this season, but they are still top-five scorers for the Devils with 15 goals and 35 points between them. Palmieri was considered one of the top targets on the market even in a down season and playing with any of the Islander’s three top-notch centers, especially Mathew Barzal, should help his scoring to improve. Zajac is the perfect fit for head coach Barry Trotz’ conservative system as a smart, measured, two-way forward. Where exactly he fits in the lineup on a deep roster remains to be seen. The Islanders will have to figure out what works best with their many possible line combinations, but for now Palmieri and Zajac will bump Oliver Wahlstrom and Kieffer Bellows from the active roster. An underrated part of this trade from the Islanders standpoint is the retained salary. With only half of Palmieri’s and Zajac’s contracts contributing to the cap payroll, the Devils are still left with about $3MM in Long-Term Injured Reserve space, enough room to make another acquisition if they so choose.

As for the Devils, they land a coveted first-round pick – an asset that is expected to be hard to come by for sellers this season. GM Tom Fitzgerald knew that the Islanders had no second-rounder to spare because he had already acquired last season in the Greene deal, so knew a first-rounder would have to be in play if the Islanders wanted Palmieri. Adding Zajac and retaining salary certainly helped the cause, but in the big picture it is well worth it to add another top prospect to the New Jersey rebuild. As for the players in the package, they aren’t flashy names or long-term building blocks, but could be nice depth additions if the Devils decide to hold on to them. Jobst has yet to get going in the pros with 15 points in 50 AHL games, but was a Hobey Baker candidate at Ohio State and scored at will in his college career. Undersized and already 27 years old, Jobst isn’t exactly a prospect and is on an expiring contract, but could be a good depth forward if New Jersey gives him a chance to translate his game to the top level. Greer, 24, was a second-round pick of the Colorado Avalanche in 2015 and already has 37 NHL games and over 200 AHL games to his credit. Greer plays with size and energy but has also shown a scoring touch in the minors, making him a valuable substitute who can contribute in any role. The impending RFA has not proven himself to be an NHL regular just yet, but should have an opportunity with New Jersey down the stretch to prove he is worth a new contract and an extended look.

 

Islanders Officially File Contracts For Mat Barzal, Matt Martin, And Andy Greene

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After coming to terms on an extension with RFA Mathew Barzal on Saturday and reportedly agreeing to new contracts with UFA’s Matt Martin and Andy Greene months ago, the New York Islanders have now officially filed the three contracts with the league, reports CapFriendly.

The terms of Barzal’s new contract are exactly as reported on Saturday. The three-year bridge deal will result in a $7MM AAV, but with increasing base salaries of a $3MM, $7MM, and $10MM before the skilled center becomes a restricted free agent again after the 2022-23 season.

Martin’s contract is also as previously reported: a four-year deal with a $1.5MM AAV. In fact, Martin will make exactly $1.5MM in base salary in three of those four seasons. However, for the 2020-21 season, Martin will earn a minimum base salary of $700K and an 800K signing bonus. Regardless of the structure, it is a nice contract for the veteran grinder, who will likely retire as an Islander at 35 years old when the deal expires.

The agreement with Greene had not previously been reported, but is what one might expect for a 38-year-old defender entering his 15th NHL season. It is a one-year deal for Greene, who some expected to finish his career last season after the career New Jersey Devil was dealt to the Islanders. Instead, he returns to give the Islanders his best for a full season rather than just a stretch run. Greene will earn a minimum base salary of $700K. However, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports that he is eligible to earn up to $2MM in performance bonuses.

As CapFriendly notes, these deals set the Islanders up very well to take full advantage of the Long-Term Injured Reserve savings afforded to them by Johnny Boychuk’s “retirement”. New York would like to be as close to $6MM over the salary cap upper limit in order to fully use the subtraction of Boychuk’s cap hit. With these three contracts, they sit at $5.29MM over the cap with room for another minimum contract to be added to final roster.

That minimum contract could very well belong to Cory Schneider. The veteran goaltender has been linked to the Islanders alongside Martin and Greene for some time and has been in camp on a PTO. Although Schneider is only expected to be the club’s No. 3 goalie, likely a taxi squad member used as the emergency backup, he could begin the year on the official roster as that extra $700K man.

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