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Kyle MacLean

Islanders Sign Kyle MacLean To Three-Year Extension

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4:39 PM: According to CapFriendly, MacLean is expected to make $775K at the NHL level for all three years of the deal. The Islanders will have approximately $5.8MM in cap space heading into the summer months.

10:16 AM: The Islanders have agreed to a three-year extension with pending RFA forward Kyle MacLean, per a team announcement. Financial terms were not disclosed.

After spending the first three seasons of his professional career on minor-league contracts with the Isles’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport, the 25-year-old inked his first NHL contract last offseason. An undrafted free agent signing by Bridgeport out of the OHL’s Oshawa Generals in 2020, MacLean earned his first NHL recall on Jan. 17 and remained on the roster for most of the rest of the campaign.

The son of Isles assistant coach John MacLean was serviceable in fourth-line minutes, posting four goals, nine points and a +5 rating in 32 regular-season games while averaging 10:05 per contest. By the time the playoffs rolled around, MacLean had worked his way into an everyday spot in the lineup, skating in all five postseason games in their first-round loss to the Hurricanes while playing nearly 12 minutes per night.

However, some advanced metrics yield cause for concern about his future effectiveness as an NHLer. MacLean struggled in the faceoff dot (42.5 FOW%), had an unsustainably high shooting percentage for a player without much of a goal-scoring history (15.4%), and controlled only 42.4% of shot attempts when on the ice at even strength despite seeing rather even defensive and offensive zone usage. He wasn’t tested on the penalty kill, either.

MacLean wasn’t afraid to lay the body, though, recording 60 hits, and was responsible with the puck when it was on his stick. He’s surely earned himself a spot on the opening night roster, as evidenced by today’s three-year commitment, but he’s likely better used as a 13th forward long-term than an everyday fourth-line center.

Head coach Patrick Roy will certainly have him in the mix for the spot entering training camp, though. A three-year deal puts him at 28 years old upon expiry in 2027, walking him to unrestricted free agency.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Afternoon Notes: Shattenkirk, Dobson, Kopitar, Sharpe

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Boston Bruins defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk has been fined $2,734.38 for unsportsmanlike conduct in last night’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins (Twitter link). It is the maximum allowable fine under the collective bargaining agreement. Shattenkirk earned the fine when he reached over the bench and slashed Bunting on the wrist as he was skating by, after Bunting tripped Linus Ullmark. Shattenkirk wasn’t assessed a penalty during the game and went on to score Boston’s third goal in their eventual 6-4 victory.

This is just the second run-in Shattenkirk has had with the Department of Player Safety in his 950 career games, with his last punishment being a two-game suspension for charging Los Angeles Kings defenseman Kevin Gravel in March of 2017.

Shattenkirk has managed four points across his last five games, heating up at the perfect time. Boston will be glad he avoided suspension, as they chase the top spot in the Atlantic Division with two games left in the season.

Other notes from around the league:

  • The New York Islanders may need to finish their season without top defender Noah Dobson, who is day-to-day with an upper-body injury per head coach Patrick Roy and Newsday’s Andrew Gross (Twitter link). Roy also shared that forward Kyle MacLean felt sick after practice, though he’s still expected to play tomorrow. The Islanders have two games remaining in their season, and could technically still lose their playoff spot – if they drop both games and both the Detroit Red Wings and Washington Capitals win-out. Robert Bortuzzo will step back into the lineup in Dobson’s absence.
  • Los Angeles Kopitar captain Anze Kopitar missed the team’s practice once again, remaining day-to-day with an undisclosed injury that held him out of the team’s Saturday night win over the Anaheim Ducks, per Zach Dooley of LA Kings Insider (Twitter link). Dooley adds that the team doesn’t seem concerned about Kopitar’s availability. That’s certainly good news, with the future Hall of Famer certain to be a main factor in their postseason success, after posting 26 goals and 70 points in 79 games this season. The Kings opted to ice seven defensemen in Kopitar’s absence, returning Jacob Moverare to the lineup. They could continue that approach in their final two games of the season, though Arthur Kaliyev is their extra forward should they want to ice four full lines.
  • The Toronto Marlies have signed defenseman Chas Sharpe to a two-year, minor-league contract set to begin in 2024-25 (Twitter link). Sharpe, 20, joins the team as an undrafted free-agent, having spent the last four seasons with the Mississauga Steelheads. He recorded 19 goals and 53 points in 67 games this season, and served as Mississauga’s captain.

Injury Notes: Mayfield, MacLean, Fleury, Jeannot, Power

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Stefen Rosner of The Hockey News is reporting that New York Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield is out with a lower-body injury. In a follow-up report, Ethan Sears of the New York Post reports that Mayfield will not travel with the team to their upcoming games against the Dallas Stars or Detroit Red Wings.

Slipping further and further back in the standings, New York’s schedule won’t get any easier as their next three games come against teams currently holding a playoff position. Without Mayfield, the Islanders will have to re-shuffle their defensive core, and may even break apart the solid duo of Noah Dobson and Alexander Romanov. Signed to a seven-year, $24.5MM contract this past offseason, Mayfield has left a lot to be desired, with his CorsiFor% and On-Ice Save Percentage in all situations falling below his career averages.

To fill in the spot on the active roster left by Mayfield, the Islanders did recall forward Kyle MacLean but had to maneuver him in a specific way to stay compliant with the salary cap (X Link). As an infrequent member of the team’s bottom six this season, MacLean has suited up in a total of seven games for New York, managing one goal and 14 hits in total.

Other injury notes:

  • Talking to the head coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Jon Cooper, this morning, Eduardo Encina of the Tampa Bay Times reports that defenseman Haydn Fleury is considered day-to-day, while the team will also have to wait for the return of forward Tanner Jeannot. Although Fleury has generally been regarded as a depth option at defense for the Lightning, their injuries this season have led him to nearly 16 minutes of ice time per night over 17 games, a minute higher than his career average.
  • Out since February 10th with an undisclosed injury, Heather Engel of the NHL is reporting that Buffalo Sabres defenseman Owen Power is close to a return, and may even be cleared to play tonight against the Carolina Hurricanes. In the midst of a sophomore slump, Power is projected to finish short of his production last year without factoring in the missed games due to injury. Nevertheless, much of Power’s lack of production can be placed at the feet of his usual defensive partners Erik Johnson and Connor Clifton, both of whom have struggled immensely in their first season in Buffalo.

Islanders Recall Kyle MacLean

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The Islanders have recalled forward Kyle MacLean from AHL Bridgeport, per a team announcement Wednesday.

MacLean is expected to center New York’s fourth line while Casey Cizikas, who sustained a hand injury in Tuesday’s win over the Penguins, does not yet have a timeline for a return. Winger Hudson Fasching was moved to LTIR on Wednesday morning in anticipation of MacLean’s recall, opening up a necessary roster spot and space in their LTIR salary pool.

The 24-year-old skated in Cizikas’ normal spot for six games in January and February while the latter was sidelined with a lower-body injury. They were the first appearances of his NHL career, in which he scored once on three shots on goal while averaging 8:11 per game.

MacLean, the son of Islanders assistant coach John MacLean, struggled in the faceoff dot with a 31.8 win percentage. His possession numbers were mixed – he had a poor 47.8 CF% and -6.4 relative CF% at even strength but managed an even expected rating.

While MacLean occupied the same spot in the lineup as Cizikas, his usage was quite different. Cizikas has started just 16.4% of his shifts in the offensive zone at even strength this year, while MacLean’s oZS% was 63.3.

Five of MacLean’s six appearances came under new head coach Patrick Roy. The outgoing Lane Lambert was fired on Jan. 20, the day after MacLean’s NHL debut against the Blackhawks.

Since returning to Bridgeport in early February, MacLean had three assists and a -1 rating in five games. Now in his fourth season with the Isles’ primary affiliate, MacLean has six goals and 22 points in 43 games on the season, setting the highest points-per-game mark of his professional career.

MacLean is waivers-exempt after signing his entry-level contract with the Islanders last May, so he can be shuffled between leagues at will. He will have arbitration rights this summer if he reaches RFA status upon completion of his one-year, $800K deal.

Islanders To Activate Casey Cizikas, Reassign Kyle MacLean

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The Islanders will activate center Casey Cizikas from long-term injured reserve ahead of tonight’s game against the Lightning, as implied by his full participation in Thursday’s morning skate (via Newsday’s Andrew Gross). Center Kyle MacLean has been returned to AHL Bridgeport to open a roster spot.

Cizikas, 32, is still listed as a game-time decision after being upgraded Wednesday night. However, with Hudson Fasching still out with a lower-body injury, the Islanders don’t have an extra healthy forward on the roster and would need to dress seven defensemen if Cizikas is a late scratch.

As expected, Cizikas will return to his long-time home on the team’s fourth line between Matt Martin and Cal Clutterbuck. Now in his 13th season with the team, Cizikas has five goals and 11 points in 39 contests while averaging 13:30 per game. He remains under contract until 2027 with a $2.5MM cap hit.

Meanwhile, the 24-year-old MacLean returns to Bridgeport on a more permanent basis after being ferried up and down in Cizikas’ absence. The son of Isles assistant coach John MacLean scored his first NHL goal Monday night against the Maple Leafs, his only point during the first six games of his NHL career.

MacLean saw limited action under new head coach Patrick Roy, averaging 8:11 per game. He struggled in the faceoff dot, winning 14 out of 44 draws, and recorded a 47.8% Corsi share at even strength.

The New Jersey native has six goals and 19 points in 38 games with Bridgeport this season, on pace for AHL career-highs. He will be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer upon completion of a one-year, two-way contract worth $800K in the NHL and $82.5K in the AHL.

Islanders Move Casey Cizikas, Robert Bortuzzo To LTIR, Activate Ryan Pulock, Recall Two

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The New York Islanders are facing a multitude of injuries and a tight cap. Because of that, they’ve moved forward Casey Cizikas (lower-body) and defenseman Robert Bortuzzo (lower-body) to long-term injured reserve. Both players have been out of action since early January, already missing the required time with injury. That means both can be activated again whenever they are ready to return, though it’s uncertain what their exact timeline is. These moves were necessary for the team to create enough cap space to activate defenseman Ryan Pulock off of injured reserve. Pulock has been out of action since December 7th, missing the team’s last 24 games with a lower-body injury.

With Pulock activated, the Islanders also had enough cap space to recall minor-league forwards Simon Holmstrom and Kyle MacLean. Holmstrom has been a frequent member of the Islanders lineup this season, appearing in 48 games and scoring 12 goals and 18 points, while MacLean has gone without a point in five NHL games this season.

New York could have instead placed Adam Pelech on LTIR, rather than Bortuzzo or Cizikas. But unlike the latter two, Pelech has only been out since January 25th, meaning he would have to miss at least nine more games before being eligible to be activated. Team reporter Stefen Rosner shares that Pelech may be dealing with a concussion, making his return trickier to gauge than other injuries – though the team is hopeful he’ll be able to return within the next nine games.

These moves bring a beat-up Islanders lineup a bit closer to normal. Holmstrom will slot in for Julien Gauthier, who recently cleared waivers and was assigned to the AHL. MacLean will serve as the understudy to Hudson Fasching, who is facing a lower-body injury with an unknown timeline. And Pulock will likely return to his top role with the club. He’s averaged nearly 23 minutes per game through 25 games this season, scoring six points and recording a -6. The Islanders have provided more minutes to Alexander Romanov and Scott Mayfield in Pulock’s absence.

East Notes: Kubalík, Hamonic, MacLean

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Senators winger Dominik Kubalík could return to the lineup Monday against the Predators, interim head coach Jacques Martin said. The 28-year-old has missed four games with a hip injury, last suiting up on Jan. 20th against the Jets.

It’s been a rough year for the Czech winger, who arrived in Ottawa by way of a trade from the Red Wings in return for Alex DeBrincat last summer. He’s posted nine goals and 12 points in 41 games, down from 20 goals and 45 points in 81 games with Detroit last year. Before the injury, his role had been reduced dramatically, playing under 15 minutes in six straight contests. If he returns tonight, he’s projected to factor in on the third line alongside Shane Pinto and Vladimir Tarasenko.

With a $2.5MM cap hit and an expiring contract, Kubalík could very well be an option to move at the deadline and help recoup some value for the struggling Sens. His underlying metrics are poor this season, though, which could turn off some teams’ hopes for a rebound. His 45.2% Corsi share at even strength is the worst among Senators forwards with at least 10 games played.

Other notes from the Eastern Conference today:

  • Sticking with Ottawa, defenseman Travis Hamonic skated in a non-contact jersey at Monday’s practice and will likely be ready to return from his upper-body injury after the All-Star break, Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch reports. He last played on Jan. 21 against the Flyers, skating just over five minutes before leaving the game. He’s played only once in the last six contests, including his first two healthy scratches of the season on Jan. 18 and Jan. 20. Garrioch’s report rules him out of tonight’s contest against Nashville as well as Wednesday’s game against the Red Wings, meaning he’ll miss five games with the injury when all is said and done. The 33-year-old has struggled this season after returning to Ottawa on a two-year, $2.2MM deal in free agency, posting five points in 40 games, boasting team-worst possession metrics, and playing under 15 minutes per game.
  • The Islanders assigned left wing Kyle MacLean to AHL Bridgeport on Sunday night, per CapFriendly. New York summoned the 24-year-old earlier this month to fill in on the fourth line with Casey Cizikas injured, giving MacLean his first five NHL games in the process. An undrafted free agent signing by the team last May, MacLean went pointless in his five appearances but recorded decent possession metrics in limited usage (only 8:22 per game). He struggled to sub in for Cizikas in the faceoff circle, winning 12 out of 36 draws. The pending RFA returns to Bridgeport over the All-Star break, where he has six goals and 19 points in 36 games.

Islanders Put Casey Cizikas On IR, Recall Kyle MacLean

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The New York Islanders announced today that they have placed forward Casey Cizikas on the injured reserve and recalled forward Kyle MacLean from their AHL affiliate in Bridgeport. The move with Cizikas is retroactive to January 9th, meaning that he can return anytime he is healthy enough to do so. He is currently listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury so he may be out until closer to the all-star break.

Cizikas has been enjoying one of his better offensive seasons this year with five goals and six assists in 39 games. However, his defensive work is his calling card, and it has not been quite as good as in previous seasons. Cizikas has long been one of the top defensive forwards in the NHL, but his overall play at five-on-five and the penalty kill has fallen off this year in comparison to previous seasons.

MacLean is the son of long-time New Jersey Devils forward John MacLean. He will join the Islanders from Bridgeport, where he has spent the past four seasons with the team. In 193 career AHL games, the 24-year-old has 29 goals and 49 assists and is -4. He has yet to dress in an NHL game, meaning that he could make his NHL debut in the coming days. This season with Bridgeport he has six goals and 13 assists in 36 games.

New York Islanders Sign Kyle MacLean, Daylan Kuefler

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The New York Islanders locked in a pair of forwards to deals on Friday, signing Kyle MacLean to a one-year, two-way contract and Daylan Kuefler to a three-year entry-level contract. Financial terms were not disclosed.

MacLean, 24, has played the last three seasons in the Islanders organization on AHL contracts with the Bridgeport Islanders/Sound Tigers. The son of longtime New Jersey Devil and current Islanders assistant coach John MacLean, he recorded a career-high 11 goals, 16 assists, and 27 points in 67 games with Bridgeport in 2022-23.

Born in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, MacLean went undrafted during his time with the OHL’s Oshawa Generals but developed a sound two-way game and was the team’s captain from 2018 to 2020. He’s carried that two-way style into pro hockey, logging key minutes on Bridgeport’s penalty kill.

With an NHL contract signed, MacLean now becomes a call-up option for the Islanders, likely if a bottom-six, penalty-killing winger gets injured. Without very significant offensive production in the minors at this stage in his development, though, a full-time NHL role in the future seems unlikely.

Kuefler, on the other hand, did have his NHL rights tied to the Islanders after they selected him in the sixth round of the 2022 NHL Draft. The 21-year-old had been passed over in the two drafts prior, but after a significant offensive breakout with the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers, the team took a flyer on him.

In 2022-23, Kuefler broke the point-per-game mark for the first time in his WHL career, notching 31 goals and 61 points in 54 games. While his offensive production and delayed development may not suggest much of an NHL future, he’s a relatively well-rounded prospect who could still pan out pending proper development. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound winger will report to AHL Bridgeport next season.

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