The New York Islanders head into the 2024-25 season with a familiar roster. Considering how general manager (GM) Lou Lamoriello operates, the same looks to be true next season as well. On the surface, it seems like some skaters have stable roles in the lineup.
Related: 4 Pending Free Agents the Islanders Can Target in Trades This Season
That said, a few players are expendable and by the time the season is over, they will either be in different roles or not on the team altogether. The Islanders have a veteran-heavy group and with that in mind, some players will become expendable as the season goes on.
Kyle Palmieri
It’s hard to think of Kyle Palmieri in this regard until the contract is considered. He’s a free agent after the season and with the Islanders in a tight salary cap position, it’s unlikely they will re-sign him. It’s why the Islanders must start thinking about how things will look without him around, and who might become a reliable scorer on the wing for the second line.
This is also why the Islanders will look for alternatives on the second line throughout the season. Sure, they lack a shooting presence who can compensate for Palmieri’s ability but Pierre Engvall is an option as a playmaker. Likewise, they can have Anders Lee play on the wing and instead of finding the back of the net as a shooter, he’ll do so as a finisher.
Even with the above options (Engvall and Lee) being a significant step down from Palmieri, the Islanders can pivot to them if needed. Brock Nelson centers the second line and makes the skaters around him better and it gives the Islanders the luxury to shuffle around the lines to find an eventual replacement.
Scott Mayfield
Scott Mayfield is an obvious choice for an expendable player because the Islanders have been down this road with him before. Last season was proof of it. He battled injuries and was a liability on the ice, forcing them to acquire Mike Reilly and Robert Bortuzzo while asking 23-year-old Samuel Bolduc to play 34 games. By the end of the season, Mayfield was a non-factor and out of the lineup.
If he struggles again in this make-or-break season, expect head coach Patrick Roy to look for anyone else to play that third-pair defense role. Bolduc is the first skater who comes to mind but the Islanders might look at their American Hockey League (AHL) team for some reinforcements if Mayfield remains a weak link. For the prospects, it provides a rare opportunity to break through and make it to the NHL.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau
It’s no secret that Jean-Gabriel Pageau has declined in recent seasons. He’s still a viable third-line center but not playing at the same level as he used to, especially on the offensive end of the ice. His 11 goals last season were the lowest total since his 2018-19 season and as a pass-first player, he only distributed 22 assists, making him one of the primary reasons that the bottom six was awful offensively.
The Islanders have a path to replace Pageau if he turns into a liability. Casey Cizikas can slide into the third-line center role and Kyle MacLean, who split time at center last season, can center the fourth line. It’s not ideal but it allows the Islanders to put Pageau on the trade block or possibly buy out his contract, which expires at the end of the 2025-26 season.
Anders Lee
The demotion last season was a sign of things to come. Lee was once a top-line scorer, with 102 goals in a three-season span and 20 consistently. Now, he’s slated to play alongside Pageau and a rotation of young wingers on the third line. Lee is one of those skaters who is one-dimensional as he finishes scoring chances near the crease. If he can’t do that, he quickly becomes a liability and the Islanders might search for other options to help the offense.
Other Islanders Who Might Be Expendable
Semyon Varlamov proved he’s capable of taking over as a starter if needed yet he could become expendable this season. Sure, the Islanders have a goaltending duo. However, if Ilya Sorokin looks like the elite version of himself and takes on the primary starting role without losing a step, and the pipeline finds a promising goaltender (all eyes are on Henrik Tikkanen for that), they might move on from the veteran backup they gave a four-year contract to in the 2023 offseason.
With an aging group, the Islanders will look to find replacements for a handful of players on their roster. If it doesn’t happen this season, it will happen down the road. The prospect pool isn’t great but the young skaters will eventually become better options than some of the older skaters on the current roster.
