John Tavares

Blues Notes: Tarasenko, Schenn, Tavares, Barbashev

September 2, 2017 at 7:51 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg Leave a Comment

The St. Louis Blues have high hopes for the coming season and much of those hopes hinges on the play of star player Vladimir Tarasenko, who has been the team’s top scorer and has put up impressive numbers over the past several years. However, what Tarasenko has not done is show any improvement. In scoring, he’s put up 37, 40 and 39 goals. He put up 36 assists in 2014-15, 34 assists the following year and then 36 assists again last year. His numbers are virtually identical.

At 25 years of age, the question is whether his present numbers are as good as they are going to get. Jeff Gordon of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes that his development will likely hinge on coach Mike Yeo’s coaching success. Now entering his first full year as head coach, the scribe writes that it will be Yeo’s job to push him to that elite level. Much of that will be finding the perfect linemates for him, which the team has failed to do in the past. Jaden Schwartz is a good fit with Tarasenko on the opposite wing, but who will man the center position remains up in the air.

Gordon, in the same piece, writes that newly acquired forward Brayden Schenn has much to prove this coming season. There are many questions surrounding whether he is a true center or just a scorer. The Blues, who acquired Schenn from Philadelphia for their 2017 first-round pick and veteran Jori Lehtera, is expected to be a top-six player, but he has not proven to be a dominant center in the league so far, struggling with faceoffs and his defense. Schenn has scored 45 goals over the past two seasons.
Don’t expect the Blues to go after John Tavares if he becomes available. With Tarasenko tied up until 2022-23, the Blues will not want to offer a $10MM per year contract and have two huge contracts on their cap. Gordon compared the situation to the Chicago Blackhawks and how difficult a time they are having keeping their team afloat with their two superstars on the roster.
Finally Gordon suggests the two players who could take that “next step” are likely to be centers Ivan Barbashev and Zachary Sanford. Barbashev, the team’s second-round pick in 2014. He scored five goals and 12 points in 30 games at the end of last year and also scored 19 goals for the AHL’s Chicago Wolves. The 21-year-old center might be ready for a much bigger role next year. Gordon also feels that Sanford, a second-rounder in 2013, who the Blues acquired in the Kevin Shattenkirk trade, could take the next step. Between the Capitals and the Blues, he scored four goals in 39 games. The 22-year-old also tallied 11 goals for the AHL Hershey Bears.

John Tavares & The Islanders’ Arena Deal

August 29, 2017 at 12:25 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

John Tavares will be one of the most polarizing figures in hockey this season, as fans all around the league wait to see if he will re-sign with the New York Islanders. Tavares has only ever expressed his desire to stay in New York, but has been clear he wants to see what happens with the team’s new arena bid before making a long-term decision. The Islanders moved to Barclays Center in 2015, a decision that has been widely regarded as a failure both in terms of location and interior aesthetics and sight lines. The team has been looking for a new home to move into that would provide some stability, the leading option being Belmont Park in Elmont, NY.

Arthur Staple of Newsday updated us on the Tavares negotiations today, shooting down a rumor that the star center had turned down an offer of $84MM. Tavares and the Islanders have “barely talked numbers” and are just waiting on the arena news before really beginning negotiations. The problem, is that Randi Marshall of Newsday, who has been covering the Belmont Park news from the start, jumped in by saying that proposals won’t even be submitted until September 28th, and a decision isn’t expected for at least four months after that (though that last bit of information is just an educated guess from Marshall).

That wait will be torturous for the Islanders, as it puts them very close to the trade deadline of March 1st. If there is no immediate answer on where the Islanders will play long-term holding onto Tavares through the end of the season is a huge risk. For a team that would need to start a rebuild without their superstar, letting him walk in free agency without recouping any value would be devastating. While there is no reason to get ahead of ourselves, the Belmont Park is one to keep a close eye on in a months time. If there are realistic competing bids for the site—which Marshall believes is a certainty—you’ll start to see more and more trade speculation surround the 26-year old.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Salary Cap Deep Dive: New York Islanders

August 27, 2017 at 2:30 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg Leave a Comment

Navigating the Salary Cap is probably one of the more important tasks for any general manager to have. 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 2017-18 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: $72,015,833 (under the $75MM Upper Limit)

Entry-Level Contracts

F Anthony Beauvillier (Two years remaining, $894K)
D Ryan Pulock (One year remaining, $863K)
F Joshua Ho-Sang (Two years remaining, $863K)
F Mathew Barzal (Three years remaining, $863K)

Potential Bonuses

Pulock: $500K
Barzal: $400K
Beauvullier: $213K
Ho-Sang: $213K

The team had to be pleased with the first-year production from Beauvillier after he put up nine goals and 15 assists in 66 games. Granted, it could have been better, but for the former 2015 first-round pick who wasn’t even expected to make the team out of training camp last year, this was a solid start. He didn’t get off to much of a start early in the season, but by the end of the year, he put together a solid string of games along with linemates Ho-Sang and Lee. He will likely find himself on the team’s third line along with Ho-Sang to start the year.

Pulock, the team’s first-round pick in 2013, was one of the main reasons behind the offseason trade of Travis Hamonic. The talented defenseman was traded away for a first and two second-round picks with the idea of implementing Pulock into the team’s plans. Rumors are they intend to put Pulock onto the team’s power play and showcase his hard slapshot. He only played one game for New York last year and broke his foot after playing just 3:57 of ice time, but he showed off his skill with the AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers, putting up 15 goals and 46 points in just 55 games.

Ho-Sang, the team’s first-round pick in 2014, only played 21 games last year for the Islanders, putting up four goals and six assists in that span. A full 82-game season should be able to demonstrate his long-term value to the franchise. Barzal still must make the team out of training camp, but is considered to be one of the top prospects in the game and should have every opportunity to win one of the center jobs, which is not a position of depth on the team. Barzal did see two games for the Islanders last year, but played most of the year for his junior team.

One Year Remaining, Non-Entry-Level

F John Tavares ($5.5MM, UFA)
G Jaroslav Halak ($4.5MM, UFA)
F Nikolai Kulemin ($4.19MM, UFA)
F Josh Bailey ($3.3MM, UFA)
D Calvin de Haan ($3.3MM, UFA)
F Brock Nelson ($2.5MM, RFA)
F Jason Chimera ($2.25MM, UFA)
D Thomas Hickey ($2.2MM, UFA)
D Dennis Seidenberg ($1.25MM, UFA)
F Shane Prince ($850K, RFA)
F Stephen Gionta ($650K, UFA)
D Scott Mayfield ($625K, RFA)
F Alan Quine ($613K, RFA)

Obviously, the team’s future seems to hinge on where Tavares’ contract situation ends up. The team has high hopes they can re-sign their star forward, who has scored 235 goals for the franchise over eight season and is just about to turn 27 years old. The team that has watched several of their top players walk away in past years need to lock him up or, at the very least, trade him off for some talent in return. Losing Tavares would likely set the team back significantly and could play a role on whether some of the other pending free agents will come back next year.

The team will be forced to decide what they want to do with some of their regulars, including Bailey, de Haan and Hickey. Bailey, a first-round pick from 2008, has been around for nine years and while he consistently averages between 10 and 15 goals, he hit a personal high in assists last season, picking up 43 to put together a big season while playing with Tavares on the first line. With the addition of Eberle who is expected to play with Tavares, the team will likely demote Bailey to the second or even possibly the third line, which could suggest the team may not mind if he moves on in one year.

De Haan has proven to be a solid top-four presence on the blueline, but after signing a one-year deal this offseason, setting up unrestricted free agency next year, the team may decide to move on from him at some point, while Hickey hasn’t worked his way into the team’s top four. So it may be that many of the pending free agents will be allowed to leave to free up cap space, including Kulemin, Chimera and Seidenberg, along with some of the others above. That could free up a lot of cap room.

The team also will likely allow Halak to walk unless the veteran goaltender can produce a bounce-back season. After a couple of respectable seasons for New York, the 32-year-old’s production took a hit as he posted a 2.80 GAA in 27 games and then was demoted to finish the season in the AHL. He is back, but no one is quite sure what to expect for the veteran.

Perhaps the most important free agent (besides Tavares) will end up being from restricted free agent Brock Nelson, who should be asking for a big raise after three 20-goal seasons. Their 2010 first-round pick had 20 goals and 25 assists for the team last year, a career-high.

Two Years Remaining

F Jordan Eberle ($6MM, UFA)
F Anders Lee ($3.75MM, UFA)

Two of their core players will be up in two years. Both expected to be current linemates to Tavares on the team’s first line this year, both could be major free agents in two years. Depending on their continued success and what state the franchise is in, the Islanders will have to make some key decisions on them. Eberle will be 29, but was quite consistent with Edmonton, putting up four straight 20-goal seasons, while Lee, who will also be 29 in two years, broke out with a 34-goal performance last year. Both will likely command big money.

Three Years Remaining

G Thomas Greiss ($3.33MM, UFA)

Starting a three-year, $10MM deal this season, the team hopes to see Greiss take control of the net as the full-time starter this year. However, the 31-year-old goaltender must continue to put up good numbers. His performance last year, a 2.69 GAA and a .913 save percentage was just average. The hope is he can show everyone he can and should be a starter in this league.

Four Or More Years Remaining

D Johnny Boychuk ($6MM through 2021-22)
F Andrew Ladd ($5.5MM through 2022-23)
D Nick Leddy ($5.5MM through 2021-22)
F Cal Clutterbuck ($3.5MM through 2021-22)
F Casey Cizikas ($3.35MM through 2020-21)
D Adam Pelech ($1.6MM through 2020-21)

The team does have a number of long-term contracts and the team has put a lot of responsibility on those players, especially Boychuk who has been the leader of their defense for the last few years. At 34 years old, Boychuk has been a solid player alongside partner Leddy. Both are locked up for five more years. Boychuk’s biggest problem is injuries as he only played in 66 contests last season and has never played a full season in his career. Leddy has been more of an offensive sparkplug for the team and played even better once he was reunited with Boychuk. His 11 goals and 35 assists were career highs last year and at age 26, his contract looks like a good value.

The team signed Ladd to a long-term extension a year ago. The 31-year-old wing is a model of consistency, putting up at least 20 goals in six of the last seven years. Currently slated to take over duties on the second line, the team has high hopes he can continue those numbers.

The two contracts that don’t make as much sense are the long-term deals given to Clutterbuck and Cizikas, both back-six players, yet combined, the Islanders are giving them a little under $7MM combined for the next four (or five for Clutterbuck) years.

Buyouts

G Rick DiPietro (compliance buyout, so no cap hit; $1.5MM payments to be made until 2028-29.)

Retained Salary Transactions

None

Still To Sign

None

Best Value: Lee
Worst Value: Clutterbuck

Looking Ahead

The entire future of this franchise lands on the backs of management to convince Tavares to ink a long-term deal with the franchise. While finding a home for themselves is also a priority, the franchise should be stabilized if the 26-year-old veteran agrees to return next year. They have acquired the necessary scoring to surround him with top talent and have a young group of top forwards who can take that next step and provide that much needed depth. Without Tavares, the Islanders may have to settle for rebuilding once again.

Tavares To Toronto Highly Unlikely

August 19, 2017 at 6:05 pm CDT | by Seth Lawrence 4 Comments

Although it seems to occur every time a high-profile free-agent could hit the market, Toronto media have once again conjured a dream of landing a superstar. John Tavares is experiencing major difficulty in coming to terms with the New York Islanders, primarily because of the uncertainty of their arena situation. The team needs to prove that they are both competitive and can secure a home for the foreseeable future. Enter Toronto, who believes that the contract negotiation difficulty automatically propels them into a top-3 competitor for Tavares’ services. If this story may sound familiar, that’s because it occurred just last off-season when Steven Stamkos was stalling his new deal with Tampa Bay.

Toronto inarguably is in a far superior negotiating position than they were in 2016. They’ve made the playoffs and took the Washington Capitals to their limits, and flaunt a young core who established itself as dominant quite before most believed possible. Given another season of success, the Leafs could be serious contenders for any UFA on the market. That said, a Tavares signing would be absurdly difficult and ultimately impractical for a multitude of reasons. The Leafs’ fanbase is already (rightfully) fretting over the difficulty of keeping Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews, and William Nylander together while staying under the cap ceiling. Each player will command hefty money on long-term deals, and the best case scenario (cap-wise) is that one of the three might have a “down” statistical year.

Even ignoring those future contracts, Toronto already made matters more complicated by signing Patrick Marleau to a 3-year contract worth $6.25 MM AAV. Assuming that the team keeps one or two of James van Riemsdyk, Leo Komarov, and Tyler Bozak (all UFAs in 2018), they will have precious room to devote to Tavares beyond 2018-19. After that point, Matthews and Marner will both be on new deals with heavy cap hits. Craig Button of TSN suggests that the Leafs could offer Tavares a one-year deal, but there is little to no security in such an arrangement. If the Islanders are unable to move Tavares or simply fall short of securing a new contract, Tavares will be likely seek a long-term arrangement. His primary stated concern at present is security, and a one-year contract elsewhere certainly doesn’t achieve said goal.

By signing Marleau, the writing for Toronto fans should have been clear and visible. Still, the Tavares hope persists. It’s not impossible that Tavares could sign a long-term contract in Toronto, but it would take a major roster overhaul to achieve. One of Marner or Nylander would necessarily need to depart, and the amount of money spent on the offense would only increase further. It seems likely that GM Lou Lamoriello will simply build upon the core that has been so successful without gutting the progress made. It would be unrealistic to expect Lamoriello to not at least inquire about Tavares if he indeed hits unrestricted free agency, but it would require a major organizational commitment without any real certainty in the matter. Tavares will receive a long-term contract, whether it is from New York or another franchise, but as of now the Leafs are not in a position to extend such an offer.

Morning Notes: Tavares, World Cup, Krushelnyski

August 17, 2017 at 10:08 am CDT | by Gavin Lee Leave a Comment

The New York Islanders continue to be the center of attention when it comes to 2018 free agency. As we creep closer to training camp and the start of the regular season, many are questioning why superstar center John Tavares hasn’t signed an extension yet. Tavares is set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer but doesn’t seem worried about the lack of a deal. He told Arthur Staple of Newsday that “there’s really no rush” and that he’d take as much time as he needs.

He did admit that he’s keeping an eye on the Islanders’ search for a new home, but that those things are out of his hands. It’s interesting that Tavares so publicly stated his attachment to the arena search, and will drum up a new round of speculation over whether he’ll leave if a permanent home isn’t found within the next 10 months. There’s obviously much more going into his decision, but the Islanders need to soon find some stability on and off the ice.

Rick Westhead of TSN reports on the financial take from last fall’s World Cup of Hockey, announcing that the NHL and NHLPA split a $44MM profit. Though that may sound like a big number, players who participated earned just $86K while others got $10K. Both of those numbers are pre-tax, meaning many of the players earned even less. $86K may seem like a lot to some, but for the top players who gave up much of their training camp and put themselves at risk of injury it doesn’t seem like enough. While both sides want this event to continue, it’ll likely take a bigger paycheck to have it run long-term.
Alex Krushelnyski is back in the AHL, after signing with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms today. The 26-year old played 43 games for the Binghamton Senators last year, recording just seven points. Krushelnyski has been an outstanding scoring threat in the ECHL but has had trouble finding his footing in the upper minor league. He’ll join the Philadelphia Flyers’ affiliate as they look to repeat their 48-23-5 season from a year ago.

New York Islanders Hope Youth Will Propel Them Forward

August 12, 2017 at 3:32 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg Leave a Comment

Regardless of the outcome of the John Tavares contract situation that the Islanders have to deal with over the next season, the Islanders remain a young, up-and-coming team. Many of their top players are 27 years old or younger, including Tavares, Josh Bailey, Anders Lee, Brock Nelson, Nick Leddy amongst others. Even 27-year-old trade acquisition Jordan Eberle fits the bill. With the team starting to hit its prime, the Islanders believe that this is the year to make the playoffs.

However, another bright spot is their incoming infusion of talent. There are several former first-round picks who are ready to make their mark this upcoming season, including center Mathew Barzal, winger Joshua Ho-Sang and defenseman Ryan Pulock. All three were recognized by The Hockey News in their Top 10 Calder Trophy Candidates for next season. The Islanders were the only team to have three prospect recognized, although none of them were among the top five candidates. Barzal was the top-rated Islander at No. 8. The others were honorable mentions.

Barzal, a 2015 first-round pick, returned to play in the Western Hockey League again last season, putting up 79 points in 41 games and finished out the year with two games for the Islanders. The 20 year old has a good chance to seize the second-line center position in training camp, but must show that he can handle the physical pressure of playing in the NHL.

Ho-Sang, a 2014 first-round pick, played 50 games last season for the AHL Bridgeport Sound Tigers, putting up 10 goals and 26 assists, but then was promoted for the Islanders’ final 21 games and he put up four goals and six assists in that span and almost helped them reach the playoffs. The 21-year-old wing is almost a lock to make the rotation next year and could have a big season.

Pulock, a 2o13 first-round pick, has played three full seasons in the AHL so far, but after two average seasons, the blueliner took that next step last year. His 15 goals and 31 assists almost doubled his previous point totals, which gives him a chance to make the defensive rotation next season, possibly even hopping into the team’s top four. He did play 15 games for the Islanders two years ago, but didn’t get called up the following year and only played one game for the Islanders last year.

A Quiet 2017 Off-Season

August 6, 2017 at 2:21 pm CDT | by Zach Leach Leave a Comment

By the time August rolls around each year, it seems like the off-season is dragging on. The July 1st free agent frenzy is long behind us and it’s been weeks since the last major signing. Fans are struggling to get their hockey fill and counting the days until the puck drops on preseason hockey. In 2017, fans have all the more reason to be sick of the off-season. When compared with the summer of 2016, this off-season has simply been boring. It was expected to be as such, but no one could have predicted just how quiet this summer could be.

As of today, August 6th, 2017, there have only been two unrestricted free agents signed to contracts worth more than $6MM per year: Kevin Shattenkirk to the New York Rangers (as predicted) and Alexander Radulov to the Dallas Stars. In contrast, there were four such deals signed on July 1st, 2016 alone. Drop that mark down to contracts worth more than $4MM annually, and you get uninspiring names this year like Evgeni Dadonov, Dmitry Kulikov, Nick Bonino, Karl Alzner, Martin Hanzal, and Steve Mason added to the list; hardly a superstar among them. 2016 saw high-profile players like Milan Lucic, David Backes, Loui Eriksson, Kyle Okposo, and Andrew Ladd all find new homes. Those signings came on the heels of the P.K. Subban – Shea Weber and Taylor Hall – Adam Larsson trades as well. The best swaps 2017 has to offer so far are Travis Hamonic or Marcus Johansson being dealt for draft picks. There have simply been a lack of franchise-altering moves made this summer.

Then you have the timeline of when deals got done. By August last year, the best unsigned free agents were Antoine Vermette, Jiri Hudler, and Jhonas Enroth. The year before, Cody Franson and David Schlemko highlighted the August market. In both cases, NHL teams got their deals done in July, filling the month with exciting signing news. This year? Not so much. Legendary players like Jaromir Jagr, Jarome Iginla, and Shane Doan remain available, alongside other able-bodied contributors like Thomas Vanek, Drew Stafford, and Daniel Winnik. That’s in addition to Franson and Hudler as well. Teams are simply waiting around on this market for reasons unknown. Could it end up as an exciting run of signing in August? Maybe, but don’t count on it.

The weak 2017 free agent market coupled with the challenge of preparing for June’s Expansion Draft has simply resulted in one of quietest off-seasons in recent memory. Several teams still have needs and spots to fill and signings and trades remain possible, but at this point the summer is a lost cause. Time to look forward to next season and even next summer when we *hope* to see the likes of John Tavares, Rick Nash, Evander Kane, James Neal, James van Riemsdyk, Paul Stastny, Mikko Koivu, Cam Atkinson, Jonathan Marchessault, Daniel and Henrik Sedin, Mike Green, Jack Johnson, Calvin de Haan, and Antti Raanta all hit the open market. Hopefully that list is enough excitement to get you through the rest of this one.

Breaking Down John Tavares Standoff With Isles

August 5, 2017 at 5:59 pm CDT | by Holger Stolzenberg Leave a Comment

As reported by PHR’s Gavin Lee, New York Islanders’ star John Tavares was quiet when asked about his extension. The 26-year-old was eligible to sign an extension with the Islanders starting on July 1, but after five weeks still hasn’t done it. Speculation suggests that he is keeping a keen eye on two critical elements, including the team’s success as well as whether the team will find a home. He has said he would like to stay in New York and continue to play for the Islanders, but is keeping his thoughts internally.

However, the New York Posts’ Larry Brooks writes that history suggests that what a player says during negotiations doesn’t mean anything. He cites former New York Rangers’ captain Ryan Callahan in 2014 as having said the same thing, only to be traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning after negotiations broke down over a no-trade clause the Rangers didn’t want to include. The scribe writes, however, that these negotiations have little to do with a no-trade clause or even money. The Islanders are willing to offer it all.

Brooks believes that the Islanders’ struggles, despite picking up Jordan Eberle this offseason, might count against the New York team. Tavares has played eight seasons in the NHL and has only made three trips to the playoffs, and only ies. Maybe, he wants more success. On top of that, the team still is having trouble finding a new home for the franchise. Is Belmont Park the answer? Possibly, but it’s not perfect and nothing is cemented in stone. Maybe he wants to wait until that is resolved. Many people compare Tavares to the Steven Stamkos standoff last year, but Tampa Bay had been to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2015 and to a Game 7 in the conference finals in 2016. They were a successful franchise.

While the eight-year contract they can offer to Tavares (as opposed to seven years for any other team) is critical to the Islanders, Brooks questions that advantage as well. Citing the belief that the Tampa Bay Lightning will make a play for the forward, he writes that Florida’s lack of a state tax would save Tavares quite a bit of cash. He writes that if the Islanders offer him an eight year, $80MM contract ($10MM per year), that would leave him with $41.81MM after taxes, according to Brooks. If Tampa Bay offers him a seven-year, $59.5MM deal ($8.5MM per year), Tavares would get to keep $36.28MM after taxes, which is only $5MM less overall. So that eighth year isn’t as big of a factor when dealing with teams that have no state income tax.

There are a lot of maybes, but there is a good chance the Islanders will be forced to trade Tavares if they want to keep their franchise afloat.

John Tavares Quiet On Contract Negotiations

August 1, 2017 at 2:09 pm CDT | by Gavin Lee 4 Comments

New York Islanders’ superstar forward John Tavares is the center of much speculation regarding his future in the league as he enters the final year of his current contract. The 26-year old will become an unrestricted free agent on July 1st of next year and has been eligible for an extension for more than a month.

Speaking with TSN at a Power Edge Pro event in Burlington, Ontario, Tavares was asked about the ongoing negotiations with his club and where he sees himself down the road:

I think I’ll just keep all that internal. I think we’ve had great open communication. It’s obviously a great place to play, and I’ve really enjoyed my time being an Islander and want that to continue. For me I just want to focus on the upcoming season, being at my best and being able to contribute.

Tavares has never indicated that he has any desire to leave New York, though many have linked the franchise’s struggles finding a new arena and underwhelming success on the ice as reasons he could look elsewhere for his next big contract. The team would sure like to sign him for eight seasons and keep their franchise center in the mix as long as possible.

The longer the negotiations linger the more speculation there will be, but it certainly doesn’t mean the two sides are growing further apart. There is still an entire year to come to an agreement, even if it pushes right to the last minute like Steven Stamkos a year ago. Stamkos even took meetings with other teams before deciding to re-sign with the Tampa Bay Lightning long-term, a similar situation to how the Tavares situation may play out.

Remember, the team who owns his rights can offer him an eighth contract year which would be Tavares’ age-35 season. That year is likely extremely valuable to a young player, and could cause a trade of his rights should the two sides not be able to find common ground. As it happens, Tavares is primed to have a big season after the Islanders acquired Jordan Eberle to add some scoring punch to the wing and should have an improved offensive group with the graduation of Joshua Ho-Sang to a full-time player.

Islanders’ 2017-18 Season Could Spark Roster Turnover

July 30, 2017 at 2:02 pm CDT | by Seth Lawrence Leave a Comment

The New York Islanders have a difficult season ahead of them, not least of which the arena uncertainty which has been plaguing the team for a decade. After a tumultuous season in Brooklyn at the Barclay’s Center, many fans are simply concerned with finding a proper home in the New York area. Additionally, much attention has been paid to the impending unrestricted free agency of John Tavares at the conclusion of the season. There is good reason for the fanbase’s focus to be centered around captain Tavares, as he will likely be the domino that needs to fall first. That said, the Islanders have 11 expiring NHL contracts at the end of the 2017-18 season, and if the team fails to make the playoffs again, even more expansive changes could be on the horizon.

It should be noted that the Islanders weren’t entirely quiet this off-season, as GM Garth Snow made some unorthodox but ultimately effective moves with Vegas to shield younger players and ship out injured Mikhail Grabovski’s contract. Perhaps more importantly, regards to retaining Tavares, was the acquisition of good friend and skillful finisher Jordan Eberle to play on the star center’s wing. Travis Hamonic was able to be moved for a hefty return from Calgary, and although the team was unable to draw in names from free agency, their young forwards look capable of taking a step forward this season. Although Snow has certainly struggled at times in his tenure, this off-season went about as well as could be expected. All that remains is to sign RFA Calvin de Haan.

The panic begins to set in when you compare the Islanders’ roster with that of the rest of the Metropolitan Division. Pittsburgh will again be a contender. Washington got worse but still won the President’s Trophy last season. Columbus almost unquestionably improved their roster on paper. Carolina added depth in all areas of the ice, including Scott Darling in net. The New York Rangers saw a massive upgrade on defense by subtracting Dan Girardi and adding Kevin Shattenkirk. And the less intimidating Philadelphia Flyers and New Jersey Devils each added a monumental talent to their forward groups at the draft in Nolan Patrick and Nico Hischier, respectively. It’s rather arguably the toughest division in the entire league, and the Islanders will have no guarantees of making the playoffs. If they fail to do so, Tavares may only be the beginning of their issues.

Among the unrestricted free agents after the conclusion of the season are Nikolai Kulemin, Josh Bailey, Jason Chimera, Thomas Hickey, Dennis Seidenberg, Jaroslav Halak and the aforementioned Tavares. The restricted free agents on NHL contracts include Brock Nelson, Shane Prince, Alan Quine, Ryan Pulock, Scott Mayfield. Although no name on either list is truly vital, losing 4 or 5 free agents for nothing at the conclusion of the season could be a disastrous error in asset management. Bailey and Hickey in particular may attract solid interest at the trade deadline, but Snow and management will necessarily be determined to make the post-season. If they are still in contention for a spot, it’s hard to see them shipping any roster assets away as long as they are not mathematically eliminated. This situation will only become more dramatic if the Tavares negotiations are still ongoing.

Plainly, the worst case scenario for the Isles would be that Tavares leaves at the conclusion of the year. But it must also be realized that the longer the process drags on, the more consideration might be paid to the feasibility of moving him. The coming season cannot be the entire focus of the franchise. If minimal progress is made by the new year, the team could see a situation where an important cog on the team might leave for absolutely nothing. Worse, his situation may lead to the sacrificing of other assets in the confusion. The Islanders dealt with this last off-season when Frans Nielsen decided to depart for Detroit, stunning Islanders management. Repeating such a mistakewould be absolutely inexcusable, and if unrestricted free agents are unwilling to re-sign or no longer part of the team’s future, they must be moved in the interest of the organization. The same goes for Tavares. Although losing Tavares would be absolutely crippling, it would be fatal to lose him without recouping any assets whatsoever.

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