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Islanders Extend Goaltender Christopher Gibson

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The New York Islanders are hoping for good news on a much larger extension in the next 24 hours, but in the meantime they have come to terms on a new contract with minor league goaltender Christopher Gibson. TVA’s Renaud Lavoie reports that it is a two-year, two-way extension for Gibson. The contract will pay him $650K at the NHL level and $225K at the AHL level in the coming season and $700K in the NHL and $250K in the AHL in 2019-20.

Gibson, 25, was set to be an unrestricted free agent this off-season, but the Finnish keeper was unlikely to draw much attention. The 2011 second-round pick of the Los Angeles Kings was once a highly-touted prospect. However, after a strong start to his junior career with the Chicoutimi Saguenéens of the QMJHL that boosted his draft stock, Gibson stalled in his development over the next two seasons. The Kings chose not to sign him and he became a free agent acquisition of the Toronto Maple Leafs. After finding some success in the AHL with Toronto, Gibson was dealt along with four other prospects to the Islanders in a 2015 trade for Michael Grabner. Since arriving in New York, Gibson has been unable to get back to that same level in the AHL and has struggled greatly in his few call-ups. In twelve NHL appearances, Gibson has three wins, a .902 save percentage, and a 3.58 goals against average.

As it stands, Gibson is second on the depth chart for the Islanders behind Thomas Greiss. However, it is extremely unlikely that Lou Lamoriello and company wish to head into the regular season with either of those goaltenders in their current spots. Gibson has not yet proved that he is anything other than an average AHL goalie and until he does, he is likely to remain just an emergency option in Bridgeport. The two-way nature and minimum salary of his contract reflect this role. Yet, it alleviates any concerns that New York may have had about having to add multiple new goalies on the free agent market this off-season.

Overseas Notes: Koskinen, Salo, Jooris

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It seems that the New York Islanders could be turning to an old friend when it comes to improving their play in net in 2018-19. The Isles gave up a league-worst 296 goals this season, a 3.61 GAA, behind the pedestrian play of starter Jaroslav Halak and dismal performance of overpaid backup Thomas Greiss. Even solid AHL keeper Christopher Gibson struggled in his eight appearances. With Halak hitting the free agent market and Gibson, a restricted free agent, having an uncertain future – not to mention the undoubted desire by some in the organization to move on from Greiss – the goalie position is in need of an overhaul this off-season. One early rumored piece to the puzzle? Former prospect Mikko Koskinen. In fact, Russian news source Sport Express reports that the two sides have already agreed to a preliminary deal and will make their reunion official on July 1st. Koskinen, 29, was a second-round draft pick by New York back in 2009 and brought with him high expectations when he crossed the Atlantic that same year. However, the hulking 6’7” Finn did not last long, playing in parts of three disappointing seasons in North America, including an .873 save percentage and 4.33 GAA in four starts with the Isles in 2010-11. Koskinen, still very young, returned home and immediately returned to dominating the Finnish Liiga before making the jump to the KHL. Since 2014-15, Koskinen has been the starter for KHL powerhouse SKA St. Petersburg and has been one of the league’s top goaltenders. Last season, Koskinen led the team to a Gagarin Cup title, only to improve his play this year with a stunning 1.57 GAA and .937 save percentage. Now, Koskinen want another shot at the big time and the Isles appear willing to give him a chance to see if his developed game can translate to the NHL. Neither the Islanders nor SKA have confirmed Koskinen’s move at this point, and may not until the deal is made official when free agency opens, but it hardly seems out of the realm of possibility. Not only does New York need a boost in net, but Koskinen is just one of several KHL goaltenders who have expressed an interest in the NHL market this summer, including Olympic standout Pavel Francouz and veteran NHLer Karri Ramo. A short-term contract for Koskinen to compete for the Isles’ starter job would come as little surprise.

  • One player who won’t be leaving Europe for the Islanders is top defensive prospect Robin Salo. Salo, New York’s second-round pick last June, has signed a two-year deal with Finnish club SaiPa, the team announced (link in Finnish). The homegrown product, who has already been applauded for his mature, well-rounded game, appears interested in further seasoning in the Liiga before joining the NHL. The SaiPa press release quoted Salo as saying “”I think I can develop the game here and move forward”, likely meaning when his new contract expires in 2020. Possibly forming an dynamic tandem with top Boston Bruins defensive prospect Urho Vaakanainen, Salo certainly could impress over the next two years. However, back in New York, the Islanders will have to look elsewhere for an immediate boost on the blue line, another sore spot of 2017-18.
  • While the Islanders’ season may be over, Josh Jooris and the Pittsburgh Penguins are still playing. Yet, that hasn’t stopped the rumor mill from turning in regards to Jooris’ potential departure form North America. Throughout the year, Jooris has been connected to teams in Europe, particularly in the Swiss NLA, after he nearly signed in the league last summer. The two-way forward could be looking for a new opportunity as his game continues to regress in the NHL. After a promising rookie year with the Calgary Flames in 2014-15, Jooris’ production has dropped off each year. This season, he bounced back and forth from the AHL and had just six points in 40 NHL games, none of which came in his nine games of action with the Penguins following a deadline deal from the Carolina Hurricanes. Jooris reportedly wants a fresh start and now a team has returned that interest. Coach and GM Chris McSorely of the NLA’s Geneve-Servette HC revealed that at the top of his shortlist of potential free agent imports is none other than Jooris. With seemingly mutual interest and a presumed lack of value for Jooris is in the NHL market, this seems to be a rumor with some legs.

Minor Transactions: 04/03/18

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Just over a week until the NHL playoff begin, and there are still a few spots to be decided. Maybe the most intriguing game on the schedule for tonight is Boston and Tampa Bay, still jockeying for position at the top of the Atlantic Division. Though neither first round series will be easy, the first place team will avoid playing the upstart Toronto Maple Leafs right away.

Charlie McAvoy will make his return for the Bruins tonight, while Steven Stamkos remains sidelined for the Lightning. While your eyes are on that game, we’ll keep track of all the other minor moves around the league.

  • The Montreal Canadiens have sent Rinat Valiev back to the minor leagues, but he won’t be able to help the Laval Rocket reach the postseason this year. Laval is near the bottom of the entire NHL in their first season since relocation, and have mirrored the Canadiens’ inconsistency from the beginning of the year. Valiev, a restricted free agent this summer, should be able to help out that team in 2018-19 as he’s shown an ability to play at a high level in the minor leagues.
  • Christopher Gibson’s emergency recall has been terminated, now that two other New York Islanders goalies are healthy enough to play. Thomas Greiss will start tonight, and will try once again to show that he can be counted on for the next two seasons of his current contract. The 32-year old goaltender hasn’t had a good season, and comes into tonight’s game with an .891 save percentage.
  • With John Gibson sidelined with a minor injury, the Anaheim Ducks have recalled Reto Berra from the minor leagues. Berra has been one of the best goaltenders in the AHL this season, sporting a .925 save percentage with the San Diego Gulls.
  • Daniel Taylor has been recalled by the Ottawa Senators as they deal with goaltending issues of their own. Mike Condon was injured in practice today, meaning Taylor could see some action down the stretch as the backup for Craig Anderson. The Senators play three games in four nights to finish the season including back-to-back contests on Friday and Saturday. If Taylor does play one of those games, it would be his Ottawa debut and only fourth career NHL appearance.
  • Not to be outdone, the Detroit Red Wings have recalled goaltender Tom McCollum under emergency conditions. That means the Grand Rapids Griffins are without either of their starters as they finish out the regular season, already missing Jared Coreau since Petr Mrazek was dealt out of town. McCollum was actually a first-round pick of the Red Wings back in 2008, but has played just three NHL games in his career.
  • The Washington Capitals have recalled both Travis Boyd and Madison Bowey, likely so that they can give a few regulars some rest over the last few games. The Capitals have clinched first place in the Metropolitan Division, and will play whichever team finishes in the first wild card position. That’s currently Philadelphia, but could easily change over the next few days.

Islanders Find Themselves In Precarious Position

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Just a few weeks ago, the New York Islanders seemed to be a solid team on the upswing, who were in a good position to land a playoff spot, and convince soon-t0-be restricted free agent John Tavares to re-sign with their franchise. Oh, and they fixed that whole stadium issue too.

Suddenly, the team has lost five straight and are at the bottom of the Metropolitan Division. Granted, they are just two points out of a playoff spot, but they are one of five teams competing for those final two spots. One has to wonder how Tavares will look at re-signing with the team if the Islanders find themselves out of the playoffs again? In fact, in his Sunday column, Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch writes the team is getting nervous about Tavares future. And since Tavares’ camp doesn’t want to talk about an extension during the season, the Islanders more and more, find themselves in a tough predicament. The scribe writes that as long as the team is within striking distance of a playoff spot, the Islanders and general manager Garth Snow won’t consider trading Tavares. But what if the team continues to slip? Can they really allow Tavares to walk away for nothing?

While the team have some key injury issues on defense, much of the issue falls on New York’s goaltending tandem of Jaroslav Halak and Thomas Greiss, who have truly struggled. In 13 of the last 17 games, the tandem have allowed four or more goals. Their .8913 save percentage is 30th in the league (only behind Arizona), leading The New York Post’s Larry Brooks to point to poor decision making by Snow. Might the team have miscalculated on its defensive strength before they traded Travis Hamonic to Calgary? Why haven’t they upgraded their goalies after they struggled last year? Greiss has really struggled this year with a 3.89 GAA in 20 games this year, while Halak has been the star (sarcasm intended) with a 3.22 GAA in 26 appearances.

Injuries have also plagued the team who lost three more players Friday in their 4-0 loss to Pittsburgh, including wingers Josh Bailey and Andrew Ladd along with defenseman Ryan Pulock. Bailey is out for today’s game. However, offense hasn’t been the problem. The team still is ranked among the best offensive teams, as they are currently tied for third for goals scored at 3.31. It’s the defense that hasn’t fared well. They are last (or first) in goal allowed as they’ve allowed an average of 3.64 goals against and by a wide margin. Arizona is second in goals against at 3.44. Granted two of their better defenders, Johnny Boychuk and Calvin de Haan have been injured. Boychuk has missed five games so far and might still miss a couple more, while De Haan is likely to miss extensive time and will be an unrestricted free agent himself.

Nevertheless, the team decided to stick with Snow last year after not reaching the playoffs and likely won’t make any major decisions until the Tavares dilemma is settled, according to Arthur Staple of Newsday. The scribe writes that while Snow’s job should be unstable, the team probably won’t want to have the look of “starting over” when trying to make their franchise look as good as possible for their 27-year-old superstar. What the team, however, needs to do is to utilize the assets they got from the Hamonic trade and add some defense as quick as possible before their season and next few years falls apart.

Metropolitan Notes: Chytil, Islanders, Rowney

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The Rangers will allow center Filip Chytil to participate in the upcoming World Junior Hockey Championships, reports Larry Brooks of the New York Post.  Chytil, the 21st overall pick back in June, has gotten off to a strong start this season.  He made New York’s lineup out of training camp and since being sent to the minors, he has put up better than a point per game.  Brooks adds that the Rangers are expected to assign him back to AHL Hartford following the tournament instead of loaning him back to HC Zlin of the Czech Extraliga which would have allowed him to close out the season playing closer to home.

More from the Metropolitan:

  • Although the Islanders have split their goaltending appearances equally between Jaroslav Halak and Thomas Greiss through the first 22 games of the season, head coach Doug Weight told reporters, including Newsday’s Laura Albanese, that this will likely change as one gets on a roll: “We’re behind them, we want to support them, we trust them, but it’s big boy hockey and whoever takes it is going to go and run a little more than the other one, for sure.” At the moment, it looks like Greiss could be the one to get the first chance to play more often having won his last four starts, compiling a .918 SV% in that span.
  • Penguins center Carter Rowney was with the third line in practice on Thursday, signaling that he could be ready to return to the lineup after missing the last 14 games with a broken hand. However, he told Jerry DiPaola of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that a decision on his playing status won’t be made until game time on Friday.  One impact of his return will be shifting Jake Guentzel back to the wing after he played down the middle on Wednesday against the Canucks.

Salary Cap Deep Dive: New York Islanders

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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.

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Islanders Sign Goalie Kristers Gudlevskis

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A move that fell way under the radar during the July 1st free agent frenzy was the New York Islanders acquisition of young goaltender Kristers Gudlevskis from the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Isles traded a young player of their own, forward Carter Verhaeghe, to secure the restricted free agent rights to the Latvian keeper.  Now, New York has taken the next step toward bringing Gudlevskis in, by coming to terms on a new contract. The team announced a one-year, two-way deal with their new goalie, which is expected to be worth the $650K minimum at the NHL level.

While Gudlevskis has NHL upside, the contract does make sense for both sides. The Islanders still have both Thomas Greiss and Jaroslav Halak under contract for next season and the last thing they want is to have to juggle three goalie like they did in the past with J-F Berube. Gudlevskis is still only 24 as well, and they want him facing shots regularly with the AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers, where he will likely get the majority of starts over Christopher Gibson, Stephon Williams, or Eamon McAdam.

However, Gudlevskis could have a much greater role than AHL depth as soon as this season. The Islanders have not been shy about the fact that Halak is available in a trade and, should another team lose their starter and be on the lookout for a stopgap, Halak would be a popular choice. This could vault Gudlevskis into the backup role in 2017-18. Even if that doesn’t happen, Halak is in the final year of his deal and will almost surely walk in free agency. Unless the Isles are unhappy with Greiss and are looking to replace him as starter or bring in a “1B”-type backup, Gudlevskis could move into the backup role next year. No one knows exactly when top goalie prospect Ilya Sorokin will cross the Atlantic, so Gudlevskis could be in line for a long-term NHL job. In his three NHL regular season appearances, the young keeper has been phenomenal, posting a .959 save percentage and 1.37 GAA. It’s a small sample size, but Islanders fans hope to see more of the same when Gudlevskis is called upon in the near future.

Islanders Replace Goalie Coach Mike Dunham With Fred Brathwaite

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In a headline that could have occurred ten years ago, the New York Islanders have replaced Mike Dunham with Fred Brathwaite. Dunham, a journeyman goalie who played ten seasons in the NHL, finished his career with the Islanders in 2006-07 and then took over as the team’s goalie coach. Brathwaite had left the NHL just three years earlier after a ten-year career of his own, and has been working as the goalie coach for Canada’s World Junior teams in recent years. Today, the Islanders announced a trade, as they have decided not to bring back Dunham and to instead hire Brathwaite as the team’s new goalie coach.

Last season, the Islanders missed the playoffs and finished 23rd in the NHL in goals against, likely leading to their new change in direction at goalie coach, moving on from Dunham, who had been there for ten years. In Brathwaite, New York adds a goalie coach with similar experience and succes to Dunham, but who also played in the KHL and in Germany. Brathwaite should be a good fit with the Isles, who boast two goalie that are more familiar with being backups than starters in Thomas Greiss and Jaroslav Halak, and have goalie-of-the-future Ilya Sorokin currently playing in the KHL and waiting in the wings to make the jump to the NHL in the near future. Brathwaite also has a connection to head coach Doug Weight, whom he played with in Edmonton in the 1990’s.

For Dunham, this could be the end of the line in his hockey career. He thanked the organization for the opportunity to play and coach and expressed his excitement with spending more time with his family.

At Least Two Teams Interested In Jaroslav Halak

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2:00pm: Craig Custance of ESPN reports that the Edmonton Oilers are one of the teams interested in Halak.

1:30pm: According to several reports on Twitter including Sportsnet’s John Shannon along with Frank Seravalli and Darren Dreger of TSN, the New York Islanders are receiving calls about goaltender Jaroslav Halak. Seravalli claims that at least two teams have already put in offers for the netminder, with a third interested.

Halak has another year left on his deal at $4.5MM and is currently buried in the minors with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the AHL. His numbers there give some credence to the idea that he can still help an NHL team, as he is 14-2-1 with a .933 save percentage. The Islanders meanwhile have committed to Thomas Greiss in net, meaning if they can find a taker they’d likely move Halak at the deadline.

The former Montreal Canadiens goaltender burst onto the scene in 2010 when he took the Habs to the conference final and has been a steady playoff performer through his otherwise limited experience. A career .924 postseason save percentage should have many teams wondering if he can help them down the stretch and guard against a young goaltender buckling under the pressure.

With the Islanders still fighting for a playoff spot, perhaps moving Halak would allow them to take on even more money elsewhere to bolster their offense. They’ve been in and out of the Matt Duchene rumor mill all day, but could move on a smaller deal like Radim Vrbata to help John Tavares carry the offense.

Thomas Greiss Signs Three Year Extension

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Update 6:38pm: Newsday Sports’ Arther Staple reports that the deal is a three-year contract worth $10MM.

The New York Islanders signed goaltender Thomas Greiss to a three-year contract extension today. Islanders beat writer Arthur Staple of Newsday Sports first reported the deal on Twitter. The Islanders have not released any contractual details besides term as of yet.

Greiss was on the final year of his two-year, $1.5MM a year contract. Mired in a goaltender controversy caused by the Islanders holding three goaltenders at the NHL level, Greiss is currently posting a career best .928 SV% and a 2.28 GAA in 25 games. With Jaroslav Halak in the AHL, Greiss looks to be the Islanders’ starting goaltender going forward. Greiss’s numbers dwarf both Halak’s and prospect-goalie Jean-Francois Berube’s.

The extension, however, does not solve the Islanders goaltending conundrum. Halak has another year left on his contract worth $4.5MM a year, and Berube is an RFA after this season. The organization will have to figure out what to do with Halak before the club maintains goaltending stability.

The signing comes as a welcome reprieve to the organization after word leaked today that the Barclays Center—where the Islanders play—may not house the hockey team after 2018-19. Either party may terminate the lease, and it seems that the Barclays Center wants to proceed without the New York Islanders as tenants going forward.

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