With the Vegas Golden Knights winning the Stanley Cup last week, the 2023 offseason is in full swing. All 32 NHL teams are preparing for the Entry Draft in Nashville next week, followed by the subsequent free agency.
Related: Islanders’ Pros & Cons of Taking a Goalie in 2023 NHL Draft
The New York Islanders are entering a pivotal offseason as they hope to return to contention after making the playoffs this season. General manager (GM) Lou Lamoriello has a lot on his plate with the team pressed against the salary cap and hoping to upgrade in a few key areas. But, if he follows these 12 steps, he’ll set the Islanders up to make a run at the Stanley Cup next year.
1. Draft a Forward in the Second Round
The Islanders’ biggest need is a shooter on the wing. They need scorers who can take advantage of open looks on the net and quick passes from Brock Nelson and Mathew Barzal. Likewise, the Islanders must add a young forward to an aging core, making the position a top priority in the upcoming draft.
It’s possible Lamoreillo will wait to draft a forward and select a defenseman in the second round instead. After all, there’s understandable confidence that he’ll find a forward in the later rounds as he did in recent years. In the fifth round of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, he selected William Dufour, and in the fifth round of last year’s draft, he selected Matthew Maggio. Both skaters not only look like draft steals but could make the NHL roster next season. That said, the Islanders must make the position a top priority and select the best forward available as early as they can.
So, which forwards can they target? Who can fill a need on the Islanders and add a skill set to make the offense more dynamic? Ideally, the player they select is Carson Rehkopf, a good shooter who scored 30 goals in only 68 games with the Kitchener Rangers in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). The problem is that Rehkopf will likely be selected by the time the Islanders are on the clock in the second round. The other name to watch is Alex Ciernik, a small but fast skater with a great release on his shot. The Islanders have a handful of intriguing options, but the bottom line is that they must add a forward that can hopefully be a starter in the near future.
2. Leave the Draft With at Least 1 Forward and 1 Defenseman
The Islanders don’t have a lot of draft capital. Because of the Bo Horvat trade at the All-Star Break and the Andrew Ladd trade in the 2021 offseason, they only have five selections in the upcoming draft and only two in the first four rounds. With this in mind, the Islanders must use their picks wisely, and if Lamoriello chooses to select a defenseman early on, he must target forwards in the subsequent rounds.
By the time the draft is over, the Islanders must have prospects that can hopefully upgrade both the forward and defensive unit. Adding a scorer is a top priority, but they also need to find a great skating defenseman to help add speed to the group. Ideally, the Islanders select a forward in the second round, a defenseman in the fourth, and forwards with their final three selections. Last year, two of the team’s first three selections were used on defensemen. But this year, Lamoriello must take the opposite route with the hopes of adding elite forward talent to the farm system.
3. Buy Out Bailey’s Contract
It’s an inevitability at this point for the Islanders. They must buy out Josh Bailey’s contract to open up enough salary cap space to keep the rest of the roster intact. Bailey is under contract next season, but a buyout saves the Islanders $1.5 million that they can use elsewhere.
Bailey not only played poorly, but he was a liability in every facet of the game. He scored only eight goals and 17 assists while struggling to find a role in the offense, and he failed to score a point in his final six starts. By the time the Islanders were making a push for the playoffs, he was a healthy scratch, and he never saw the ice in the First Round. Bailey played in the last game of the regular season, a 4-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens to clinch a playoff spot, and that might have been his last game as an Islander.
It’s a tough way to see the longest-tenured skater on the Islanders go out. Bailey has been through the highs and lows with the Islanders in the last 15 years, enduring plenty of terrible seasons and playing a big role on the Stanley Cup contending teams. He scored one of the more iconic goals in recent team history with his overtime winner in Game 1 of the First Round against the Pittsburgh Penguins, a goal that kickstarted a series sweep. His decline leaves Lamoriello with an unfortunate but necessary decision, a buyout that must happen to keep the contending window open.
4. Re-Sign Engvall & Parise
During his media availability, Lamoriello prioritized bringing back the pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs) for next season. The big four names are Pierre Engvall, Scott Mayfield, Zach Parise, and Semyon Varlamov. Of the four, the two players that Lamoriello must re-sign to keep the Islanders competitive are the forwards Engvall and Parise. Yes, Mayfield plays a pivotal role on the defense, and Varlamov can be a reliable backup. But it’s crucial to maintain a strong forward unit and keep two reliable scorers in the lineup.
Parise won’t test free agency; it’s more a question of whether he wants to return next season or retire. He’s 38 years old and will be 39 by the time the season starts. While he hasn’t lost a step, continuing to play at a high level takes a toll on anyone and certainly does on the veteran forward. The Islanders want him back and will give him a bump in pay with the hope that he can return for one more season and a run at the Cup. Over the past two years, he’s been one of the team’s best scorers, with 36 goals and 33 assists. He totaled 21 goals this season, the third-most on the Islanders behind only Nelson and Anders Lee.
Meanwhile, Engvall is the player that can look to field a big contract in free agency. He’s 27, a versatile forward, and has a great shot, making him a player that any team will look to add with a significant paycheck. He will push the Islanders to their cap limit with a deal that is multiple years and averages in the $4 million per year range. However, he will be worth the contract. After he was acquired at the trade deadline, he formed a strong connection with Kyle Palmieri, scoring five goals and four assists in only 18 games. Engvall’s shooting skill, in particular, is something the Islanders desperately need in a full season.
Ideally, the Islanders find a way to keep both players on the roster next season. The forward unit in place can make a Cup run, and keeping the group intact is a priority. Losing either Engvall or Parise can set the offense back all season, as they would lack a much-needed scoring presence.
5. Extend Sorokin
Ilya Sorokin is a free agent after next season. The Islanders, under no circumstance, will let their elite goaltender test the free-agent market. Instead, Lamoriello will look to extend him this offseason and, ideally, before the start of training camp. Last year, Barzal was entering the final year of his contract, and there was a lot of speculation about whether he would remain on the team long-term. Days before the season started, Lamoriello gave Barzal an eight-year extension. Similarly, the Islanders will look to lock up Sorokin for the foreseeable future.
Sorokin, without question, established himself as an elite goaltender this year. He had a .924 save percentage (SV%) and a 2.34 goals-against average (GAA) on 1838 shots with 36.0 goals saved above average (GSAA) and finished the year as a Vezina Trophy finalist. He’s in his prime, turning 28 by the start of next season, and his remarkable play in the net singlehandedly keeps the Islanders competitive. Even when the team struggles, he can put together a lights-out performance to earn a victory, something not many goaltenders in the league are capable of doing.
There’s no doubt that Sorokin deserves a top-of-the-market contract. The question is what the upcoming contract might look like. Sergei Bobrovsky makes $10 million per year with the Florida Panthers, and Andrei Vasilievskiy earns $9.5 million per year with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Islanders don’t want to overpay for a goaltender, but Sorokin will have to be an exception. He’ll field a contract in a similar range and force Lamoriello to trade away some veteran players next offseason to keep the team under the cap.
6. Find Sorokin’s Backup
The other question surrounding Sorokin is who will be his backup both in the short and long term? Varlamov is 34 years old and unlikely to re-sign. The Islanders can give him a one-year team-friendly deal, but it’s more likely he will sign elsewhere to play a bigger role with more money.
The Islanders need a goaltender to back up Sorokin, granted in only a minimal role. Sorokin started 62 games this year and will average 60 games a season moving forward if he is healthy and playing at a high level. That said, on occasion, he needs a night off, and the Islanders need a goaltender that can maintain stability in the net.
The immediate option is a free-agent goaltender signing on a team-friendly deal. Alex Nedeljkovic, Collin Delia, and Anthony Stolarz all struggled this season and don’t seem like ideal backups, but if asked to play only 20 games, they can play at a high level. The options from the American Hockey League (AHL) team, the Bridgeport Islanders, are Jakub Skarek and Tristan Lennox, who signed an entry-level contract in March. Skarek and Lennox are still developing, but in a reduced role, they both have the ability to step up. Otherwise, the Islanders will have to find a goaltender in the draft, an option that can hopefully work out as a long-term investment.
There’s no easy answer for the Islanders. If they don’t re-sign Varlamov, they must find a backup, and they will be betting on a goaltender that is coming off a rough season to rebound next year. However, it’s a bet they can make with Sorokin as their starter.
7. Sign Wahlstrom to a “Bridge Deal”
Four years into his career, Oliver Wahlstrom remains an unknown. He’s shown flashes, but injuries have limited him and kept him off the ice. In four seasons, he’s played only 161 games and has scored only 32 goals and 29 assists. While Wahlstrom has only given the Islanders a small sample size, he’s one of the team’s best young skaters and, at 23 years old, has his best years ahead of him.
As a restricted free agent (RFA), he must be re-signed to add a spark on the wing to the middle of the forward unit. He won’t receive a long-term deal but will likely receive a “bridge deal,” which will be three years and allow him to cash in on a big contract in his prime. Likewise, a short-term deal gives Lamoriello more time to evaluate him to see if he can be a pivotal part of the offense moving forward.
What kind of short-term deal would Wahlstrom receive? Last year, Lamoriello gave out two three-year contracts to defensemen Noah Dobson and Alexander Romanov, who was acquired during the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. Romanov was an unknown, playing his first two seasons for the Montreal Canadiens, but he had a better track record than Wahlstrom, playing in 133 games in only two seasons. His contract, which is $2.5 million per year, is a good starting point for the Islanders when it comes to a Wahlstrom deal.
Walstrom is a player the Islanders must be patient with. They know he has a high ceiling, and with time, he can become an elite skater, but they must give him time to acclimate to the NHL. The hope is that under a three-year deal, he can step up and establish himself as an offensive playmaker that can set up scoring chances and find the back of the net himself.
8. Try To Make a Splash (Entertain a Nylander Trade)
The Islanders have a roster built to compete. That said, an elite top-six forward would put this team over the top and make them one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference. Lamoriello isn’t known for making splash trades and prioritizes re-signing free agents over making a big move. However, if the right offer is on the table, he’ll take advantage as he’s done with the Jean-Gabriel Pageau trade, the Palmieri trade, and the Horvat trade.
A player that the Islanders could target this offseason is William Nylander. The Toronto Maple Leafs want to keep their core together for one more run at the Cup, but with Nylander heading to free agency after next season, they might look to move him this summer. The asking price would be a lot for a player of his caliber, but it would be worth it for the Islanders if they could add him to their offense.
Nylander would make the offense one of the best in the NHL. He’d not only create scoring chances on the wing, but he’d find the back of the net himself with his great shot. His versatility is an attribute the Islanders would hope to add to their offense, as they lacked it this season, and it cost them in the playoffs. Additionally, Nylander also complements Horvat and Nelson’s skillsets, making him an ideal player to add to the wing.
However, Lamoriello can still make a splash without targeting Nylander. The Islanders could look to make a blockbuster deal with the Senators for Alex DeBrincat, another elite player entering the prime of his career. It’s unlikely that Debrincat, who has requested specific teams he’d like to play for, would want to play for the Islanders. But if a favorable extension is in place, he might consider joining the team. Likewise, Lamoriello can look to land Kevin Hayes from the Philadelphia Flyers, a team looking to rebuild from the ground up. The bottom line is that if an elite player becomes available, they must take advantage and put together a strong offer in hopes of elevating the offense.
9. Consider a One-For-One Trade
In a similar vein to a splash deal, the Islanders can flip a starting caliber player to another team in a one-for-one trade that can become a win-win trade. In the NHL, teams will occasionally make a trade involving two NHL-ready players, and Lamoriello can make this type of trade this offseason.
The players that the Islanders will look to move are Pageau, Cal Clutterbuck, and Matt Martin. All three skaters have value and could be traded for a player that helps fill a specific need. Pageau could get dealt to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for Justin Faulk, who would upgrade the defense, especially on the offensive end of the ice. Clutterbuck or Martin could be part of a package that brings Adam Henrique back to the New York area, where he started his career.
The Islanders have a surplus of centers and checking forwards. As a result, they can look to move on from one of their veteran skaters in a trade to either upgrade a position in need or open up salary cap space to make a big signing.
10. Add a Scoring Defenseman
The playoffs are always a reminder that a scoring defenseman can propel a team to the Stanley Cup. The Golden Knights had Alex Pietrangelo leading the way but also Shea Theodore, Zach Whitecloud, and Brayden McNabb stepping up at the point to add a scoring presence. The Colorado Avalanche had Cale Makar and Devon Toews put them over the top in the 2022 title run. The Lightning reached the Final three years in a row and won the title in 2020 and 2021, with Victor Hedman creating scoring chances at the blue line. The point is that a scoring defenseman is a difference-maker in the playoffs.
The Islanders lacked a scoring presence at the point this year, and it showed in the playoffs; they were defeated by the Carolina Hurricanes in a six-game series in the First Round. The Hurricanes had a two-way presence from their defense while the Islanders lacked it, and it was the difference in a hard-fought series.
There aren’t a lot of options for the Islanders to add a defenseman in free agency, especially if they are pressed against the cap. However, if they have the room, they can add Mathew Dumba or John Klingberg, two defensemen that can add a scoring presence from the blue line. Likewise, they can consider making a trade for Calgary Flames defenseman Noah Hanifin. If the Islanders can’t bring in a veteran defenseman, they must look to add one from the prospect pool to add young talent to the unit as well. This brings us to the next step in the offseason.
11. Add Youth to an Aging Core
The Islanders have one of the older rosters in the NHL. They had an average age of 29.3 this season, and nine of their skaters were 30 years old or older. Adding young talent is a necessity if the Islanders look to remain competitive.
The Hudson Fasching deal is a step in the right direction. After a breakout season, he signed a two-year contract and, at 27, looks to be a viable option on the fourth line in the near future. Fasching isn’t a playmaker, but his checking and defensive skills make him a valuable player to have in the forward unit.
That said, the Islanders have to do more to add youth to the lineup. The hope is that Dufour will be ready for the NHL by the start of next season. Simon Holmstrom had a rookie season to forget, scoring only six goals and three assists in 50 games. But after struggling for the entire season, the hope is that he can step up and become a reliable starter next season. On the defense, Robin Salo or Samuel Bolduc can put together an impressive training camp and make the roster. Both Salo and Bolduc would not only add youth to the defense but a fast skating presence as well which would round out the unit.
The Islanders don’t have a great prospect pool. However, there are a handful of skaters that can make the NHL roster and add a youthful presence to round the team out for a Cup-contending season.
12. Allow Horvat To Form a Strong Connection With Barzal
Once training camp starts, all eyes will be on Barzal and Horvat. They must form a strong connection and give the Islanders an elite top line. Both skaters are under contract for the next eight seasons and are expected to carry the offense, and starting next season, they will have to lead the offense.
Horvat struggled after getting dealt from the Vancouver Canucks. He scored 31 goals before the trade but only seven goals in 30 games with the Islanders, and in the playoffs, he only found the back of the net once. Barzal, meanwhile, had a strong start to the season, scoring 14 goals and 37 assists in 58 games, though he missed the second half of the season with a lower-body injury. However, the two skaters played alongside each other for a handful of games, and in that stretch, they showed promising signs of what they could do together.
Barzal is an elite skater who opens up the ice and creates shooting lanes for his linemates. Horvat, meanwhile, is a goal scorer who looks for an open shot in the center of the offensive zone and finds the back of the net with a quick release. In the seven games that the two skaters played on the same line, they combined for five goals and seven assists. Next season, they must complement each other’s skills to form a dynamic duo, one that can carry the Islanders to the playoff and possibly to the Stanley Cup as well.
Other Steps for the Islanders’ Ideal Offseason
Lamoriello must entertain trading his second-round selection in the upcoming draft. Whether it’s to acquire an NHL-caliber player or to allow the team to add more draft capital, the Islanders must find a way to come away from the draft with a good haul one way or another. In last year’s draft, Lamoriello flipped the 13th overall pick for Romanov, and while he won’t find a player at that level with a second-round pick, he can use the pick as part of a blockbuster deal.
The Islanders also have to find ways to improve the power play, which was a liability this season. They only scored 15.77 percent of their opportunities and, in the playoffs, only scored one goal on the man advantage in the 5-1 Game 3 victory. The hope is that a healthy Barzal upgrades the unit, but the team has to find an identity and have direction on the power play, which they lacked all season.
Another step will happen behind the bench, specifically with Lane Lambert entering his second season as the head coach. The question is how he will build off his first season, one where he had plenty of highs and lows. Likewise, how will the team respond to him in his second year? The hope is that his influence not only helped out the team this season but makes them stronger next year and one of the best in the Eastern Conference.
The final big step is to stay on course. The Islanders have a good team and will be competitive next year. They need to make a few minor adjustments, but the team should be in a playoff position. The big thing for Lamoriello is to not hit the panic button and overreact to a rough stretch. Fortunately, it’s been one of his best attributes as a GM, and it’s one that keeps the Islanders steady.
