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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 Sign Four Players

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The New York Islanders have officially announced multi-year contracts for Anthony Beauvillier, Casey Cizikas, Kyle Palmieri, and Ilya Sorokin. Though they have not released any further information, some details had been previously reported. The deals are expected to be:

  • Beauvillier – 3 years, $4.15MM AAV
  • Cizikas – 6 years, $2.5MM AAV
  • Palmieri – 4 years, $5.0MM AAV
  • Sorokin – 3 years, $4.0MM AAV

Beauvillier, 24, already has five full seasons under his belt in the NHL after being the 28th overall pick in 2015.  During that time he has been one of the team’s most consistent offensive producers, racking up at least 15 goals and 28 points in each of the last four seasons. This year those totals were hit in just 47 games, giving him a strong 26-goal pace over a full 82-game season. While those numbers don’t jump off the page, in an Islanders system that suppresses scoring on both sides, it represents a very important player.

In fact, Beauvillier was fourth on the team in goals this season and one of the players ahead of him, Jordan Eberle, is now a member of the Seattle Kraken. That means there will likely be even more offensive opportunities for Beauvillier moving forward, especially with a new $4.15MM cap hit in place. That number moved him into sixth among forwards on the New York roster until Palmieri trumped it with his $5MM AAV.

For Cizikas, 30, a six-year deal essentially buys out the rest of his career, given the physical, in-your-face style that he brings to the rink every night. That kind of play is exactly why he fits so well in the bottom of the Islanders lineup, but it’s also not likely he could have secured that term elsewhere. The simple fact is that Cizikas can’t really play up in a lineup, but that doesn’t matter in New York where he is an essential part of their four-line structure. He’s relied on for important faceoffs and gets pummeled with defensive zone starts, given one of the hardest deployments in the entire league. All of that leads to poor overall possession numbers and just a handful of points every year, but there’s no doubt that the Islanders value him just as much as anyone else on their team.

Palmieri meanwhile is the newest member of the group, having only made his Islanders debut in April. He played 17 games down the stretch for the team after a midseason trade from the New Jersey Devils, and scored just two goals. It looked like that trade may have been a mistake until the moment the Islanders took the ice in the postseason, where Palmieri showed up and scored seven goals in 19 games. There’s obviously a history between the 30-year-old forward and New York GM Lou Lamoriello, who originally traded for him in New Jersey, and this new deal secures the last big payday of Palmieri’s career.

Overall, he is coming off his worst offensive season in some time, having scored just ten goals and 21 points in 51 games. Those numbers are a far cry from the consistent 25-30 goal man he had been over the previous five seasons, and it’s that production that the Islanders are hoping to return. The thing about Palmieri, like basically every other player on the Islanders roster, is that he is also a capable defensive forward that drives possession at both ends of the rink. He fits perfectly into their structure and with a full training camp could very well become one of the team’s most important players next season.

Speaking of important players, the 26-year-old Sorokin was an interesting case to follow this offseason. After a brilliant rookie season that saw him post a .918 save percentage in 22 appearances, he could have potentially filed for salary arbitration as an RFA. When he didn’t, there was technically a possibility he could sign an offer sheet somewhere else, though that speculation was misguided from the start. A deal with the Islanders was likely signed some time ago, and Sorokin will now be locked up for three years at a reasonable amount. While he has just a handful of NHL starts under his belt, there’s a much larger body of work to rely on when evaluating the 6’3″ netminder.

Selected in the third round in 2014, Sorokin stayed in Russia until 2020, playing season after season in the KHL. In fact, he completed seven full years at the professional level there, starting as a teenager and quickly becoming one of the league’s most dominant goaltenders. There is little doubt that he can be a starting-level option in the NHL, which he proved once again with seven games in the postseason. Sorokin posted a .922 in those playoff appearances, a number he’ll likely add to as this contract progresses.

At $4MM though, he actually still comes in below partner and friend Semyon Varlamov who will continue to take some of the load. The Islanders will be spending $9MM combined on their goaltending tandem, but it should be one of the best in the league.

Even with all of these new deals in place, the Islanders are expected to have more up their sleeves. Zach Parise and Travis Zajac for instance have also been linked to the team, though it’s a complete guess as to when they would potentially announce those deals, if signed.

Chris Johnston of Sportsnet tweeted details on each contract. 

Montreal Canadiens Exploring Forward Market

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The Montreal Canadiens have several forwards scheduled for unrestricted free agency later this month, and it’s not clear how many they will be able to retain. Phillip Danault, perhaps the one with the most leverage in any negotiation, seems destined to hit the open market. Though rumors had emerged linking Danault to the Seattle Kraken, Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports and Eric Engels of Sportsnet have both confirmed that the two sides didn’t even speak about a potential deal.

Still, with Danault, Joel Armia, Corey Perry, Eric Staal and Tomas Tatar all pending free agents, the Canadiens have some work ahead of them to fill up the forward ranks. David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period tweets that the team has been “actively exploring the forward market” and notes that Montreal has even inquired about Anthony Beauvillier of the New York Islanders. Beauvillier is an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent, but is also a huge part of the Islanders forward group and part of the team’s protected list for the expansion draft.

The recently-turned 24-year-old forward scored 15 goals and 28 points in 47 games this season for the Islanders, a pace that would have shattered his previous career highs if the season wasn’t shortened. If he can continue that development, there’s a real chance that Beauvillier can become a true top-six difference-maker. That would of course interest the Canadiens, but whether they can pry the young forward out of New York is a different question.

Montreal only has six forwards (including Jonathan Drouin) under one-way contracts for the 2021-22 season at the moment, meaning they can reshape their group however they see fit this summer. Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki will be back on their entry-level contracts, and new deals seem likely with restricted free agents Artturi Lehkonen and Jesperi Kotkaniemi. But there will be a real opportunity for a free agent or trade target to come in and make an impact next season, especially if the Seattle Kraken end up shocking the world and taking Carey Price’s $10.5MM cap hit off the books, or if Shea Weber is unable to play and spends the year on long-term injured reserve.

After a Stanley Cup Finals appearance, most teams bring back mostly the same group to try and climb the mountain once again. In Montreal, things could look very different in 2021-22.

Free Agent Focus: New York Islanders

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Free agency is now just under a month away and many teams are already looking ahead to when it opens up.  There will be several prominent players set to hit the open market in late July while many teams have key restricted free agents to re-sign as well. The Islanders, similar to last season, face an extenuating salary cap crunch that could force some moves.

Key Restricted Free Agents

F Anthony Beauvillier – It was a solid season for the 24-year-0ld winger, who’s continuing to progress into a legitimate depth option moving forward. Even with this year’s shortened season, Beauvillier’s now scored at least 15 goals for four straight years, including one of his most complete two-way years in 2020-21. Mostly relied upon for his scoring ability, he’s a good young piece for a team that struggles to have consistent offensive success. While the Islanders would love to commit long-term to Beauvillier, keeping costs down this offseason is paramount. Expect a bridge deal, likely no more than three seasons long, in the $3MM range. It allows Beauvillier to cash in at the end of the deal, and it gives the Isles some necessary breathing room.

D Adam Pelech – Underrated no more is Pelech, who even received a handful of Norris Trophy votes this season. Playing over 21 minutes a night for the second straight year, the low-event, shot-suppressing defenseman forms one of the formidable pairings in the league with Ryan Pulock. New York’s second-best defender, Pelech will need a sharp raise this offseason. Yet again, though, the salary cap will limit how long the Islanders can make an investment. Older than Beauvillier, any deal will carry Pelech into unrestricted free agency. The Isles will sign him to as much term as they can while keeping the cost as low as possible.

Other RFAs: F Michael Dal Colle, F Kieffer Bellows, F Dmytro Timashov, F Otto Koivula, F Anatoly Golyshev, F Bobo Carpenter, G Ilya Sorokin

Key Unrestricted Free Agents

F Kyle Palmieri – Despite probably the worst regular season of Palmieri’s career, he likely boosted his stock this offseason considerably with his playoff performance. He had nine points in 19 games with many coming at important moments. While there’s always the possibility of Palmieri taking a short-term deal on the cheap to try and win with the Islanders, it’s likely that he’ll receive enough more compensatory offers on the open market that he’ll be playing elsewhere next season. The Isles have younger, cheaper in-house options to replace his offense, including Oliver Wahlstrom and Kieffer Bellows.

F Casey Cizikas – The Isles’ longtime fourth-line center, this offseason could be one where Cizikas and New York part ways. Now 30 years old, Cizikas has played almost 600 NHL games and is an invaluable leader for the Isles. Yet the former 20-goal scorer remains stuck on the depth chart behind Jean-Gabriel Pageau. If Cizikas wants the opportunity to move elsewhere and play increased minutes, this may be his only shot. It’s also perfectly realistic to expect that Cizikas could take an extremely friendly deal to remain with the team. There’s always been an aspect of loyalty there, and that could come into play here.

Other UFAs: F Travis Zajac, F Cole Bardreau, F Joshua Ho-Sang, F Tanner Fritz, D Braydon Coburn, D Andy Greene, G Cory Schneider

Projected Cap Space

The Islanders are in tough this offseason with just $5.8MM to work with and important pieces to re-sign. While that number will surely increase once defenseman Johnny Boychuk’s contract is moved to LTIR, the Islanders still likely won’t have that much room to maneuver with. It’s entirely possible that we see general manager Lou Lamoriello make some unexpected trades in order to boost the team’s talent level without much added cap expense, but only time will tell.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.  Contract information courtesy of CapFriendly.

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.

Injury Updates: Johansen, Roy, Senators, Beauvillier

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While the Predators are likely disappointed with having to have two of their games postponed as a result of the rough weather in Dallas, it did allow them to avoid having to play those contests without one of their top forwards.  In an appearance on ESPN 102.5 (audio link), GM David Poile indicated that center Ryan Johansen is questionable for their upcoming pair of games in Columbus, signaling that the veteran wouldn’t have been available against the Stars.  The 28-year-old is averaging nearly 18 minutes a game so far this season (fourth-most among Nashville forwards) but is struggling offensively with just four assists although he has been one of the better players at the faceoff dot, winning over 56% of his draws.

Other injury news from around the league:

  • The Kings are welcoming back defenseman Matt Roy to the lineup tonight, relays Zach Dooley of LA Kings Insider. The 25-year-old established himself as a top-four option for Los Angeles last season and was off to a decent start this season with three assists in eight games while averaging 18:35 per game before suffering an upper-body injury late last month.
  • The Senators will welcome back defenseman Erik Brannstrom for tomorrow’s game against Toronto, notes Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch (Twitter link). He suffered an undisclosed injury last week that has caused him to miss the last four games.  As for starting goaltender Matt Murray, he has recovered from his neck strain and will play in one of the two games in their back-to-back stretch.
  • The Islanders activated winger Anthony Beauvillier off IR in advance of their game tonight against Buffalo, notes Newsday’s Andrew Gross. The 23-year-old had missed the last nine games after sustaining a lower-body injury last month.  Leo Komarov, who recently cleared waivers again, was sent to the taxi squad to make room for Beauvillier on the active roster.

Islanders Place Anthony Beauvillier On IR

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The Islanders will be without one of their top-six wingers for at least the next week as the team announced (Twitter link) that they have placed Anthony Beauvillier on injured reserve with a lower-body injury.  Arthur Staple of The Athletic clarifies (Twitter link) that the placement is retroactive to Monday but even so, Beauvillier will miss at least the next four games.  Kieffer Bellows has been recalled from the taxi squad in a corresponding move.

Beauvillier had a career year in 2019-20 with 39 points in 68 games along with 14 more in 22 postseason contests (including nine goals which tied for the team lead) but that hasn’t carried over into this season.  Through five games in 2020-21, the 23-year-old has just a single assist that was recorded back in the season opener while also managing just four shots on goal after averaging nearly two per game last season.

As for Bellows, the 22-year-old has actually played in all but one of New York’s five games so far this season but has been making regular appearances in our taxi squad shuffle posts as he has been moved up and down with regularity.  Although he has shown some offensive upside in the past which helped him get selected 19th overall in the 2016 draft, he has been deployed on the fourth line this season.  However, with Beauvillier out, Bellows may get his chance to play a bigger role for the time being.

New York Islanders Agree To Terms With Anthony Beauvillier

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The New York Islanders have come to an agreement with another restricted free agent and will sign Anthony Beauvillier to a two-year contract. PuckPedia reports (via Arthur Staple of The Athletic) that the deal will carry an average annual value of $2.1MM.

Beauvillier was the final RFA on the board for the Islanders, who now have their full roster under contract and ready to start training camp next month. The team is expected to have quite the competition for roster spots after adding a player like Derick Brassard recently, leaving them with too many forwards to ice each night. Beauvillier won’t be one of those fighting for a spot however after suiting up 81 times last season under head coach Barry Trotz and scoring 18 goals. Though he’s not a dominant offensive presence, Beauvillier fit into Trotz’ defensive scheme nicely and provided some secondary scoring without hurting the team in his own end. In fact, the 22-year old forward only took four minor penalties all season and posted strong possession numbers suggesting he could be even more valuable to the team if given a bigger role.

Selected 28th overall in 2015, Beauvillier has had a nice start to his career and should be considered a building block for the Islanders moving forward. The team wants to compete now and have shown that desire recently with the re-signings of Anders Lee, Brock Nelson and Jordan Eberle, but it will be the continued development of players like Beauvillier and Mathew Barzal that will have the biggest impact on whether the team can become an elite contender in the Eastern Conference.

Given how the team has brought back several of their veteran forwards and added a name like Brassard on a one-year deal, it will be up to Beauvillier to continue to force his way into offensive situations this season. He wasn’t always used heavily on the powerplay in 2018-19 and may have to fight Brassard and perhaps even Joshua Ho-Sang for that opportunity if both are on the roster. At the very least he will be a valuable player at even-strength that can move up and down the lineup to complement some of the other top scorers.

The Islanders had more than $7MM in cap space before signing Beauvillier, meaning they have more than enough room to make another addition if necessary. They will also likely be big players at the trade deadline this season as long as things go well in the first half.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: New York Islanders

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Navigating the salary cap is one of the more important tasks for any GM. Teams that can avert total cap chaos by walking the tightrope of inking players to deals that match their value (or compensate for future value without breaking the bank) remain successful. Those that don’t see struggles and front office changes.

PHR will look at every NHL team and give a thorough look at their cap situation heading into the 2019-20 season. This will focus more on those players who are integral parts of the roster versus those who may find themselves shuttling between the AHL and NHL. All cap figures are courtesy of CapFriendly.

New York Islanders

Current Cap Hit: $74,746,666 (under the $81.5MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

F Oliver Wahlstrom (three years, $925K)
D Sebastian Aho (one year, $925K)
D Noah Dobson (three years, $894K)
F Mathew Barzal (one year, $863K)

Potential Bonuses:

Wahlstrom: $538K
Dobson: $538K
Barzal: $400K
Aho: $100K

Barzal will be an interesting case as the young center saw his numbers drop off after an amazing rookie campaign as the 22-year-old got more attention from top defenders without John Tavares to protect him. While his goals only dropped by four (18) last year, he saw his assist numbers slip from 63 to 44. However, many people feel that Barzal should take that next step and establish himself as top-line center. While the Islanders can only hope that this will happen, it could also prove to be costly for New York as Barzal will be wrapping up the final year of his entry-level contract and could be in line for a major deal as the youngster is likely keeping a close eye on all the unsigned restricted free-agents on the market currently.

The Islanders have quite a bit of talent in the system and several of their top picks from 2018 could be ready to contribute this season. Wahlstrom, the 11th-overall pick, played well in his one season at Boston College, but looked even more impressive in a short showcase with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the AHL. He played five regular season games, scoring two goals, but added another two goals and four points in five playoff games. Dobson, the team’s 12th-overall pick last season, could be ready to take a key spot in the Islanders defense.

While the defense could add Dobson this season, another addition could be Toews who looks to be ready for an increased role with the Islanders. The 25-year-old put up 18 points in 48 games last season and looks ready to contribute.

One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level

G Thomas Greiss ($3.33MM, UFA)
F Matt Martin ($2.5MM, UFA)
D Ryan Pulock ($2MM, RFA)
F Derick Brassard ($1.2MM, UFA)
F Tom Kuhnhackl ($850K, UFA)
D Devon Toews ($700K, RFA)

While Robin Lehner received all the attention for his stellar play in goal, Islanders’ fans were just as pleased with the play of Greiss, who just a couple of years ago was considered to have an untradeable contract. However, no one is complaining after Greiss put up impressive numbers last year. The 33-year-old had a .927 save percentage and a 2.28 GAA in 43 appearances and should be a key piece for New York in his final year, although with several prospects getting closer to being NHL ready, this is likely to be his last year with the Islanders.

The 24-year-old Pulock continued to improve his game, especially offensively. He finished the season with nine goals and 37 assists, which is impressive considering the team’s offense dropped off quite a bit since the 2017-18 season as the defenseman continues to work on his defensive game. He could be prime for another big contract if he can take his game to another level.

Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello is a big believer in a veteran bottom-six and has done well with both Martin and Kuhnhackl as well as Brassard, who the team signed recently and could always get a new contract if they continue to perform well.

Two Years Remaining

F Casey Cizikas ($3.35MM, UFA)
D Adam Pelech ($1.6MM, UFA)
F Michael Dal Colle ($700K, RFA)
F Tanner Fritz ($700K, UFA)

The 28-year-old Cizikas had a breakout season last year. Not only did he finally break the double-digit barrier, he actually reached 20 goals. The hope is that Cizikas can repeat that success as he is expected to continue playing on the team’s impressive fourth line. The team also has hopes that Dal Colle can win a regular spot. The 23-year old got a 27 game trial, scoring three goals and seven points last season.

The defensive minded Pelech has been a solid player for the Islanders and is quite a bargain at $1.6MM. Perhaps the top left-handed defenseman, he has received solid minutes and should continue to get good minutes this season. The team

Three Years Remaining

D Johnny Boychuk ($6MM, UFA)
D Nick Leddy ($5.5MM, UFA)
F Cal Clutterbuck ($3.5MM, UFA)
F Leo Komarov ($3MM, UFA)
D Thomas Hickey ($2.5MM, UFA)
F Ross Johnston ($1MM, UFA)

At age 35, the team will be paying for Boychuk’s late years and there does seem to be a decline in his play as both his ATOI and his points dropped. On the positive, his 74 games played is the most he’s played since he was with the Bruins back in 2013-14. However, he saw his minutes drop by almost two per game and picked up just 19 points last season. That could mean a reduced role for the veteran this season as he could slide outside the top four and move into a bottom-pairing role. The 28-year-old Leddy, however, continues to play well as he broke the 20-minute mark for the fifth-straight season. His offense, however, took a hit as he only tallied 26 points after three straight 40-point seasons, but with a defense-first philosophy, that might not be surprising. The team also has high hopes that Hickey, who missed quite a bit of time due to an upper-body injury, will stay healthy this season. The two-way blueliner will be a key addition for the team, but he will have to earn his playing time, especially if Dobson makes the roster out of training camp.

With Cizikas and Martin, Clutterbuck gives the Islanders a physical and offensive fourth-line that is one of the best in the league and the 31-year-old has been putting up 200-plus hits 10 of the last 11 years and is expected to continue that success. Komarov also has put up big hits (203), giving the team quite a bit of physicality for the next few years.

Four Or More Years Remaining

F Anders Lee ($7MM through 2025-26)
F Brock Nelson ($6MM through 2024-25)
F Jordan Eberle ($5.5MM through 2023-24)
F Andrew Ladd ($5.5MM through 2022-23)
G Semyon Varlamov ($5MM through 2022-23)
F Josh Bailey ($5MM through 2023-24)
D Scott Mayfield ($1.45MM through 2022-23)

Lamoriello was busy this offseason, signing four of these long-term deals this summer. The team was hoping to steal Artemi Panarin from the New York Rangers at the last minute, but when that fell through, the team immediately locked up their captain to a seven-year deal. Lee posted solid numbers, scoring 28 goals and 51 points, while showing off a plus-20 rating on the ice. Nelson, who many believed was the most likely to bolt the Islanders, surprised many by signing a six-year deal at $6MM after career-high 53 points and netted four goals in eight playoff games last year. Eberle was another key signing as the team committed five years and $5.5MM per season to him despite a down year where he had just 37 points, one of the lowest numbers of his career. However, a strong playoff performance might have been enough to prove his worth after he tallied four goals and nine points in eight playoff games.

The team made a shocking move this offseason when they opted not to keep the fan-favorite Lehner and instead signed Russian goaltender Semyon Varlamov away from Colorado. One reason for that was because the team still hopes to convince top Russian goalie prospect Ilya Sorokin to come to the U.S., which might be easier with Lehner out of the way and a veteran countryman in place to ease him into the NHL. However, Varlamov has the potential to be quite successful with the Islanders’ defensive system. He has been quite successful over the years, but has had to deal with many injuries as well.

Bailey may be one of the better deals the teams has. The pass-first winger put up another solid season, putting up 16 goals and 56 points and added four goals in the playoffs and is a key player on the team’s top-six. On the other hand, Ladd may have the contract that looks the worst on the team. The 33-year-old veteran continues to deal with injury issues. This time, the veteran only appeared in 26 games, putting up just three goals for the team. He put up a 23-goal season back in the 2016-17 season, but the team rewarded him with a seven-year, $38.5MM deal, which so far looks like a disaster after he has scored just 15 goals in two seasons and isn’t likely to get the minutes he needs to make that deal look decent.

Buyouts

None

Retained Salary Transactions

None

Salary Cap Recapture

None

Still To Sign

F Anthony Beauvillier

This will be a key year for Beauvillier once he signs. A 2015 first-round pick, the 22-year-old winger struggled in a top-six role last year, putting up 18 goals and 10 assists and he must show that he can take his game to another level. He likely will command some kind of bridge deal to prove his value to the franchise as he hasn’t necessarily shown enough to warrant a long-term deal. However, if he can’t show that he belongs on the top-six, he could find himself falling to the third line soon.

Best Value: Bailey
Worst Value: Ladd

Looking Ahead

The Islanders put all their eggs in one basket this summer. Lamoriello had all the cap space he needed to shape the franchise any way he wanted, but in the end, he brought back almost all of his key unrestricted free agents and has committed to keep his team. The team broke all expectations last season as few expected the team to even make the playoffs, let alone sweep their first-round opponent. Regardless, the belief that under head coach Barry Trotz, the team will continue to get better and battle for a Stanley Cup for the next few years. The team has committed to its core and now have to hope that their farm system can continue to develop their young players and add to the Islanders team for the next few years.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Islanders Re-Sign Michael Dal Colle, Josh Ho-Sang

at CDT | by 2 Comments

The New York Islanders have done some damage to their list of unsigned restricted free agents today, inking two of the three in forwards Michael Dal Colle and Josh Ho-Sang. The announcement was expected after GM Lou Lamoriello mentioned last week that two unnamed RFA’s had come to terms on new contracts. It is a two-year deal for Dal Colle and a one-year deal for Ho-Sang, leaving only Anthony Beauvillier still in need of a new extension. CapFriendly reports that Dal Colle signed for the minimum $700K AAV, but on a one-way deal, while Ho-Sang signed his qualifying offer, a two-way pact worth $874K at the NHL level.

Dal Colle, 23, earns a multi-year deal despite the fact that he is still struggling to prove he is an NHL-caliber player. The 2014 fifth overall pick entered the pro ranks with enormous expectations but has fallen very short to this point. Dal Colle has just 32 NHL games to his credit, along with seven total points. In the AHL, his production has been good, but far from elite, although he was a point-per-game player in limited action this past season. Currently trending to be just a part-time depth player for the Islanders, it is far from what the team expected when he was drafted before the likes of William Nylander, Nikolaj Ehlers, and Dylan Larkin in the first round five years ago.

Ho-Sang, also 23, was drafted in that same first round, 23 picks after Dal Colle in 2014. Unlike Dal Colle, he had been a productive depth player for New York, recording back-to-back seasons of double-digit points in less than 25 games to begin his NHL career. However, he took a step back in 2018-19, spending most of the year in the AHL and recording just two points in ten NHL games. Ho-Sang’s role moving forward thus remains a mystery just like Dal Colle’s, though he has one less year to prove he’s worthy of a continued commitment.

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