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Michael Dal Colle

New York Islanders Confirm Contracts For Schneider, Dal Colle, Bellows

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Oct 12: According to CapFriendly, Bellows’ deal will be a one-year, one-way contract worth $750K. Schnieder meanwhile will be on a one-year, two-way deal that pays $750K in the NHL and a whopping $500K in the AHL.

Sep 21: The New York Islanders have confirmed three more signings, with GM Lou Lamoriello telling reporters including Brian Compton of NHL.com that they reached agreements with Cory Schneider, Michael Dal Colle, and Kieffer Bellows. Schnieder’s deal will be a two-way contract, but no other details have been released.

Now 35, Schneider spent last season as the Islanders’ taxi squad goaltender, playing just a single game for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and none in the NHL. That very well could be his role again this season, if the league decides to create a goaltender taxi squad this season as deputy commissioner Bill Daly suggested to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff recently. There is no chance of him supplanting Semyon Varlamov or Ilya Sorokin as the team’s main options, but Schneider does represent more than 400 games of NHL experience to have just in case injury strikes.

Dal Colle is perhaps the most interesting name announced today, if only because of the fact that he failed to receive a qualifying offer from the team and technically became an unrestricted free agent. The 25-year-old will be in training camp as always, once again fighting for playing time in the NHL. Originally selected fifth overall by the Islanders in 2014, that high draft pedigree wore off years ago. He should now be considered just another depth player that will battle for a bottom-six spot, contributing whenever he gets the chance. In 26 games with the Islanders last season, Dal Colle had just four points, and he has totaled 21 through his 111-game career.

Bellows, 23, still has just 22 games to his name despite being a first-round pick in his own right, selected 19th overall in 2016. The power forward scored three goals in 14 games last season and is not guaranteed a full-time role on this roster. Though he has shown an ability to score at the minor league level, recording 22 goals in 52 games during the 2019-20 season, he’ll have to show more consistent play in the NHL to secure a spot with the Islanders. Eligible for waivers this time around, he may have a leg up on some of his competition simply because the Islanders won’t want to risk him to the rest of the league.

The team also confirmed that Zach Parise’s deal is for just one year, and that all but one player in the organization is vaccinated at this point. Lamoriello expects to loan that player–who was not identified–to Europe this season.

New York Islanders Sign, Waive Michael Dal Colle

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Oct 12: Dal Colle has cleared waivers and can be assigned to the minor leagues.

Oct 11: After hundreds of players have found themselves on waivers the last few weeks the wire was silent today save for one name. Michael Dal Colle has been placed on waivers by the New York Islanders, meaning he has officially signed a contract with the team. Dal Colle was an unrestricted free agent after failing to receive a qualifying offer from the Islanders earlier this offseason, but spent camp with the team and will now likely report to the minor leagues should he clear. CapFriendly reports that Dal Colle receives a one-year, one-way contract worth the league minimum salary of $750K.

Though he’ll never shed the label of a fifth-overall pick, Dal Colle has worked to grind his way up to being a reliable depth option for the Islanders. He played in 26 games for the team last season, recording just four points but posting strong possession numbers in a limited role. This will be his first time on waivers, meaning perhaps a team will make a claim, but the Islanders likely are confident that he can clear and serve in an injury call-up role this time around.

The 6’3″ forward isn’t going to be an impact player, but for an Islanders team that has its sights set on the Stanley Cup, depth like Dal Colle is important to add whenever possible.

Poll: Best Available PTO Candidate

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There were some hints that the PTO market was about to open up. Within the first week of September, the Colorado Avalanche penciled in Artem Anisimov and Jack Johnson and the Pittsburgh Penguins brought in local product Matt Bartkowski. However, with the New Jersey Devils announcing three PTO’s today, including two forwards who played in 45+ games this season in Jimmy Vesey and Mark Jankowski, the floodgates have officially opened on the tryout market. Once the PTO ball starts rolling, it usually only picks up steam. With plenty of talent still available among unsigned unrestricted free agents, this season should be no different. Rather than who will be next to sign, as many names could shortly come off the market (at least temporarily), who would you want your favorite team to bring to camp?

What makes a PTO different than a signing is the lack of commitment. Sure, a low-salary contract that can be buried in the minors is reasonably similar, but even that is a commitment to using up a limited number of roster slots and taking play time from prospects in the AHL. A PTO is merely a training camp invitation to see whether an available player could be a fit for your team. Perhaps it is a veteran who may have gas left in the tank – or may not. Or perhaps it is a young player who has hit a rough patch in his development but just needs a chance to show his upside. It could also be a role player in his prime who just needs a chance to prove he can be useful to the organization.

It’s hard to ignore some of the future Hall of Famers who fit the first description. 44-year-old Zdeno Chara, 41-year-old Patrick Marleau, and 36-year-old Eric Staal each played more games this past season than any other player still available. The question is, can they do it again? Fortunately, a PTO doesn’t require that question to be answered without getting an early look. All three of Chara, Marleau, and Staal have seemingly done more than enough in their respective careers to earn a contract if they want one, but after each had a down year entering a tight, flat-cap market, could they settle for a PTO? Travis Zajac may not be headed for the Hall, but the respected veteran is coming off of a better year than anyone else still unsigned and was expected to command a contract. Could he too end up on a tryout?

Other veterans who might be more likely to take a tryout to extend their careers could include Jason Demers, Bobby Ryan, James Neal, Frans Nielsen, or Devan Dubnyk. Demers and Dubnyk are both arguably the best players still available at their respective position, but that isn’t saying much for an early-September market. It still may not hurt for a team to try to lock up that security on a PTO in case depth is needed. Ryan was playing very well with the Red Wings last season before his season was derailed by injury. At 34, coming back from a long-term ailment could be difficult, but a PTO would allow teams to check on his health. Neal and Nielsen have fallen far from their spots as elite NHLers in the past few years, but could they still have a resurgence left?

Among young players looking for another chance is Alex Galchenyuk, 27, who had the makings of a breakout season brewing after a move to the Toronto Maple Leafs last season and could be ready to build on that momentum. Galchenyuk can be a tough system fit, but a PTO would allow for a team to test his abilities with their personnel. At just 25, Michael Dal Colle may actually be the best young hidden gem among unsigned players. In fact, it is surprising to 2014 top-five pick still available, especially given that he showed signs of improvement in 2019-20 before the Islanders’ depth forced him to take a back seat role last season. Dal Colle could be worth the look, but could a team glean enough in camp without much NHL experience to rely upon as supporting evidence. The same could be said for Frederik Gauthier. One of the biggest forwards in the NHL and good defensive forward, Gauthier’s played sparingly last season within the Coyotes organization and was limited exclusively to fourth line minutes prior in Toronto. Could a brief training camp appearance prove to a team that he is not one-dimensional?

As for those players in their prime who don’t have to prove that they can play in the NHL or can still play in the NHL, it is more about showing that they possess the tools to fill a specific role for a team. Those looking for some stability and minutes on the blue line should show interest in Sami Vatanen, Erik Gustafsson, or Ben Hutton, who have both shown that they can still play. However, are they a better option than what most teams already have on their bottom pair or waiting for opportunity in the AHL? Up front, a team in need of skill could eye Nikita Gusev or Alex Chiasson while those seeking defense have options such as Colton Sceviour and Tobias Rieder. Like the defensemen, all of these forwards surely could play in the NHL this season, but are they superior options to what teams already have? And can a PTO prove otherwise?

There are strengths and weaknesses to all of these players, as well as to what they would be able to prove on a training camp tryout. At the end of the day, at this point in the season value is subjective based on what each team feels could be an area of need in the coming season and who they feel could prove themselves worthy of a contract with just a short PTO. So what say you? Who would you most like to see your favorite team bring in on a PTO?

[mobile users vote here]

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.

Trade Deadline Primer: New York Islanders

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We are now just two weeks away from the NHL Trade Deadline and talks are heating up. Where does each team stand and what moves should they be looking to make?  We continue our look around the league with the New York Islanders.

The New York Islanders, perpetual underdogs, are again delivering an excellent season. Picked by many before the season to miss the playoffs in a loaded East Division, the Islanders have outplayed their competitors for much of the season. A top-five team in goals against average and shots against per game, the Isles have again bought in to head coach Barry Trotz’ conservative, smothering style and are frustrating opponents left and right.

With that said, New York does not have a top-class offense, and that was even before the season-ending injury to captain Anders Lee. The Islanders are just a middle-of-the pack team in terms of scoring and are below average on the power play. As a side effect of the system, they do not put a lot of shots on net and have few odd-man rushes. Simply, they need to make their scoring chances count and without Lee that becomes more difficult. The Islanders have won just five of their past nine games since their leading goal-scorer went down and have slipped into a tie with the Pittsburgh Penguins in second in the division. In terms of points percentage, New York is closer to the Boston Bruins in fourth (who have many more game in hand) than they are to the Washington Capitals in first. The Islanders are unlikely to fall out of the playoff picture completely, but to stay near the top they desperately need to add offense.

Record

22-10-4, .667, T-2nd in East Division

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$0MM in full-season space (LTIR, $6.53MM unused), 0/3 retention slots used, 48/50 contracts used per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2021: NYI 1st, COL 2nd, NYI 3rd, NYI 4th, NYI 5th, NYI 6th, NYI 7th
2022: NYI 1st, NYI 2nd, COL 2nd, NYI 3rd, NYI 4th, NYI 5th, NYI 6th, NYI 7th

Trade Chips

Like many contenders, the Islanders don’t have the strongest pipeline to lean on. However, likely looking to add just one rental forward in a buyer’s market, they shouldn’t have to offer up any of their few elite prospects to get the job done. So fear not Isles fans, Oliver Wahlstrom and Noah Dobson aren’t going anywhere.

Kieffer Bellows is likely the name that will be heard most often as being linked to outgoing Islanders’ packages. A polarizing, but promising prospect, Bellows hasn’t found the success in the NHL that was expected of a first-round pick and World Juniors standout, but he could benefit from playing in a different system. The 22-year-old may very well be selected by the Seattle Kraken in this summer’s Expansion Draft if he is still on the roster and not protected, so the Islanders might be looking to deal him rather than risk losing him for nothing.

The Islanders also have an organization depth chart chock full of young defenseman that they could offer up in a deadline deal. Bode Wilde will be the player most suitors ask about, but the team will try to steer them away from the talented righty. Sebastian Aho and Grant Hutton are NHL-ready assets who don’t necessarily have a full-time spot waiting for them in New York next season, making them expendable, while Robin Salo and Samuel Bolduc are younger options with intriguing upside.

Others to Watch For: F Ross Johnston ($1MM, 2022 UFA), F Michael Dal Colle ($700K, RFA), F Otto Koivula ($787K, RFA), D Parker Wotherspoon ($725K, 2022 RFA), G Jakub Skarek ($764K, 2023 RFA)

Team Needs

1) Top-Six Winger – GM Lou Lamoriello will have his sights set on one thing and one thing only at the deadline: a Lee replacement. While the captain’s locker room leadership and even his two-way effort and IQ likely cannot be found on the market, the Islanders need to find someone who can take up his knack for scoring goals. The team relies on efficiency on offense and are now missing their most reliable scorer. They are solid down the middle and have plenty of other talented wingers, but no one who isn’t already playing in the top-six can reliably fill Lee’s shoes. With up to $7MM in cap space to use with Lee on Long-Term Injured Reserve, nearly any rental winger can fit under the cap. Buffalo’s Taylor Hall, the lone exception, could be had with some retention involved, but New Jersey’s Kyle Palmieri or Nashville’s Mikael Granlund would fit nicely under the cap. If the Islanders can’t manage to land one of those top options, dark horse candidates could include Chicago’s Mattias Janmark, who is scoring goals at a torrid clip this year, Vancouver’s Tanner Pearson, if healthy, or another New Jersey option, Nikita Gusev. 

2) Goaltender – Being the shrewd veteran executive that he is, don’t be surprised to see Lamoriello look at solving an Expansion crisis ahead of the deadline as well. With young Ilya Sorokin exempt from the draft and Cory Schneider headed for free agency, the Islanders do not currently have the necessary goalie to expose to Seattle assuming they protect starter Semyon Varlamov, unless they  extend the 35-year-old Schneider that is. Instead, look for the team to add a keeper with term on his contract or heading for restricted free agency. The team could kill two birds with one stone if they make can find a dependable addition; having a fourth-string for the playoffs and a third-string to replace Schneider next year would be a wise move.

Injury Notes: Kunin, Dal Colle, Fix-Wolansky

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After missing nearly the entire month of March with an upper-body injury, Luke Kunin is finally healthy and has been activated from the Injured Reserve. In his first season with the Nashville Predators, Kunin got off to a slow start with just five points in his first 17 game – almost half of his scoring pace from last season with the Minnesota Wild – and has since been sidelined for the past 13 games. He hopes to return to the lineup and make an impact for a team that desperately needs it. After all, Kunin’s five points is still a top-12 mark among Predators forwards even after missing close to half the season so far. Nashville needs the 23-year-old to be at his best and to help those around him improve as well if they want any hope of climbing into a playoff spot in the Central Division.

  • The New York Islanders have had to make a split decision today in order to accommodate an injury. Earlier this morning, head coach Barry Trotz stated that forward Michael Dal Colle had suffered a lower-body injury and would be unable to suit up for the team’s next two games against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Trotz did not indicate that Dal Colle would need any more time than that though. However, due to a roster crunch, Dal Colle will have to sit longer than that. The Athletic’s Arthur Staple reported this evening that Dal Colle has been placed on injured reserve so that the team could recall a replacement in young Kieffer Bellows. This means Dal Colle will be out of commission for at least ten days, beyond just the original two-game timeline.
  • One player who will really be out long-term is Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Trey Fix-Wolansky. The club has announced that the 2017 draft pick suffered an ACL injury in his right knee in an AHL game earlier this month and has undergone surgery to repair the damage. The estimated timeline for his recovery is six months, but ACL tears have been known to sideline hockey players for longer than expected. Fix-Wolansky, an undersized winger, has shown some impressive offensive upside in his young pro career, but this injury could be a setback in his pursuit of an NHL role.

East Notes: Sabres Injuries, Clutterbuck, Dal Colle, Schneider

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There’s some good news and some bad news on the injury front for the Sabres in advance of their pair of weekend matinees against Philadelphia.  The good news is that there’s a chance that defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen could return with head coach Ralph Krueger telling reporters, including Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News, that there’s a “high possibility” that the blueliner could play on Saturday.  Ristolainen was off to a good start to his season with six points in ten games while logging over 23 minutes per night before a particularly tough bout with COVID-19.

Meanwhile, the bad news is that center Jack Eichel and goaltender Linus Ullmark aren’t expected to be available for either game, relays Jourdan LaBarber on the Sabres’ team website.  Eichel was a late scratch on Thursday after experiencing some discomfort during the pregame warmup and is listed as day-to-day.  As for Ullmark, he left after the first period yesterday with Krueger indicating that they’re hopeful he will only be day-to-day after their weekend games.  One of Dustin Tokarski or Jonas Johansson will need to be recalled from the taxi squad.

Elsewhere in the East Division:

  • Islanders winger Cal Clutterbuck missed practice today due to an unspecified injury with head coach Barry Trotz classifying him as day-to-day, notes Newsday’s Andrew Gross. He left Thursday’s contest against Boston in the first period and did not return.  However, it appears that New York could get some good news on the injury front as Michael Dal Colle practiced today and could be available for one of their games this weekend.  The 24-year-old is currently on IR with a lower-body injury and has missed the last four games.
  • From the same column, Gross notes that Islanders goaltender Cory Schneider has been designated as a non-roster player and is unavailable due to family reasons. That was what prompted Jakub Skarek to be recalled to the taxi squad yesterday to keep the team compliant in having three available goaltenders.  New York now has an extra roster spot available although with an extra forward and defenseman up on most game days, they likely won’t need to use it.

Trade Deadline Primer: New York Islanders

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With the trade deadline now less than two weeks away, we will be taking a closer look at the situation for each team over the coming weeks.  Where do they stand, what do they need to do, and what assets do they have to fill those needs?  Next up is a look at the New York Islanders.

The New York Islanders have posted almost exactly the same numbers that they had at this point a year ago. However, the difference this year that the competition in the Eastern Conference is quite a bit more challenging and leaves the Islanders barely holding onto a playoff spot at the moment. However, perhaps the most challenging issue facing the Islanders was the injury to defenseman Adam Pelech. The blueliner never got much attention when healthy, but the top-pairing defenseman is being sorely missed and with Barry Trotz’ lack of faith in rookie Noah Dobson, the other five defenseman have been assuming extra minutes to fill in for Pelech, suggesting the team needs to add some help at that position in the next few days.

Record

33-18-6, third in the Metropolitan Division

Deadline Status

Buyer

Deadline Cap Space

$23.849MM in a full-season cap hit, 0/3 used salary cap retention slots, 48/50 contracts per CapFriendly

Upcoming Draft Picks

2020: NYI 1st, NYI 2nd, NYI 3rd, NYI 4th, NYI 5th, NYI 6th, NYI 7th
2021: NYI 1st, NYI 2nd, NYI 3rd, NYI 4th, NYI 5th, NYI 6th, NYI 7th

Trade Chips

With the team looking to make an impact in the playoffs, it’s unlikely that general manager Lou Lamoriello would consider moving any of his pending unrestricted free agents, which include forwards Matt Martin, Derick Brassard, Tom Kuhnhackl and goaltender Thomas Greiss. That doesn’t leave too many trade chips for the veteran GM to play with.

The team does have all of its draft picks for the next two years and might be willing to move a first or second-rounder to get a deal done and bring over some needed depth. Another key asset is the team’s cap space. They have more than $28MM in cap space, if they need it, and could use that to take on a significant contract from a cap-starved team for a price.

The team also has a large number of prospects coming up the system with many of them already in the AHL. While it’s unlikely that the team moves a top prospect, Trotz as well as Lamoriello, are well known for preferring veterans, which means they might not mind moving a prospect for a significant piece now and with the challenges of recruiting free agents to Long Island, they may have to include a young piece to acquire a player with term. A player like Kieffer Bellows, who was brought up recently likely to showcase his talents, could be an option if the price is right.

Another option would be finding a partner for embattled forward Joshua Ho-Sang. After demanding a trade and sitting out for two and a half months, the 24-year-old forward has played well since returning to the AHL Bridgeport Sound Tigers, scoring two goals and eight points in 12 games. Teams weren’t interested in H0-Sang when the team placed him on waivers, due to his well-known attitude issues, but a team might be willing to take a chance on him now just to see what he has left.

Five Players To Watch For: F Kieffer Bellows, F Michael Dal Colle, F Joshua Ho-Sang, F Tom Kuhnhackl, F Andrew Ladd

Team Needs

1) Veteran defense: With Pelech out and Dobson struggling in his rookie campaign, the Islanders are in desperate need of some veteran depth on their blueline and are extremely likely to add to that position before the trade deadline. While there are quite a few options available to Lamoriello, there are some obvious options, including a player that he is familiar with in Ottawa defenseman Ron Hainsey. With a group of young blueliners ready to step into their NHL lineup, Ottawa may be ready to move Hainsey.

2) Upgrade To Top-Six: While the team is well known for its defense, the Islanders could use an upgrade to their offense. New York has six solid players there, but adding some offense could allow the team to move some of those players to the third line, which hasn’t been that effective this season with the exception of Brassard. Again Lamoriello is quite familiar with Ilya Kovalchuk, who Montreal is considering moving, which might be a perfect fit with the Islanders. The team may also want to bring in a quality top-six player with term left who can be a significant long-term upgrade as well.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Islanders’ Martin, Kuhnhackl Out Four To Six Weeks

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The New York Islanders have been dealing with injuries up front since the season began and that isn’t going to change any time soon. GM Lou Lamoriello spoke with the media this morning and The Athletic’s Arthur Staple relays the news that both Matt Martin and Tom Kuhnhackl will be out of the lineup with lower-body injuries for the next four to six weeks. The pair, who were both injured in the Islanders’ last game on Friday night, join Jordan Eberle, Leo Komarov, and Andrew Ladd on the shelf. The timeline would see Martin and Kuhnhackl return to action around when Ladd is also expected to be healthy, late November into early December.

Kuhnhackl was injured early in the first period on Friday against the Ottawa Senators when a crunching check left him favoring his right leg as he skated off the ice. There has been no specific designation of what his injury is, but it is certainly related to his left leg. Not long after that, Martin fell awkwardly into the Senators’ open bench door and appeared to injure his leg as well. With the Islanders already icing a lineup of eleven forwards and seven defensemen for the game, losing both Kuhnhackl and Martin would have left them with just nine forwards. Amazingly, given the recovery timeline of the injury he suffered, Martin returned to the game to avoid leaving New York with only three lines. Granted, he only managed 5:17 time on ice, but that was nearly double the lost Kuhnhackl. Perhaps even more impressive is that the Isles still came away with the 4-2 win over Ottawa despite the Senators outnumbering them by three healthy forwards.

Despite the prognosis for Martin and Kuhnhackl, Lamoriello stated that the team would not make a roster move right away. Staple provided updates that Komarov is considered day-to-day and Eberle has resumed skating, so the pair could return to action soon. While the Islanders wait for their now five-man group of veterans to recover, the team will lean on its younger forwards. New York scratched all three of Michael Dal Colle, Ross Johnston, and rookie Oliver Wahlstrom for their last game, but now the trio are all expected to join the starting roster for now. Fortunately, Casey Cizikas also just returned from the injured reserve and is able to help out. It will be entirely different looking bottom six when the Isles take the ice against the Philadelphia Flyers tonight and it could be a group that remains in flux through the next month or longer.

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.

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