With training camp around the corner, it’s easy to look back at the offseason and say the New York Islanders had an uneventful, good, even typical one, but not a great one. However, it was different. It was a change of pace that was refreshing for fans used to seeing the same script every summer.
Related: New York Islanders 2024-25 Lineup Projections
The Islanders added two new faces to the organization, a rarity for general manager (GM) Lou Lamoriello. Yet, the roster more or less looks the same. While Lamoriello pivoted, he didn’t change things enough, and the team is in a similar spot as they were last season.
Lamoriello Signs Duclair
The Islanders made a big move for the first time in the Lamoriello era. Sure, they didn’t acquire a star or a player who can take over a game, but they brought in significant talent, signing Anthony Duclair to a four-year deal. This should allow the 28-year-old, who has bounced around, to settle down and become a key part of the roster.
Duclair was a much-needed addition for the Islanders. The team needed a left-winger who could create scoring chances and find the back of the net on the top line, and Duclair can do that. With Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal forming special chemistry together, they needed a skater who could feed off that skill, and Duclair will be a dynamic addition to round out that line.
He doesn’t put the team over the top, and the Islanders are still a tier below the elite rosters in the Eastern Conference. He will help the Islanders make the playoffs but not defeat teams like the Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, or Boston Bruins. That said, he’s a big upgrade and will make the offense stronger.
Islanders Bring Back Reilly & Wahlstrom
It’s a given that Lamoriello will try to re-sign his players, and he did it again this offseason. The Mike Reilly deal is a good one, as he was a pleasant surprise last season. The Islanders gave him a one-year contract, and he’ll play a key role in rounding out the defense this season.
However, the Oliver Wahlstrom deal doesn’t make sense. At this point, he needs a fresh start elsewhere. He’s struggled to find a steady role with the Islanders, and even as a young skater, he won’t be a reliable contributor. Yet, Lamoriello refuses to give up on him and re-signed a forward who only played 32 games, scored two goals and four assists, to another one-year deal.
Lamoriello’s need to keep the group together will doom the Islanders in the long run. Sure, each move makes sense individually, but the Islanders need some turnover. They won’t get it with Lamoriello running the team, and that’s why the Islanders look the same year in and year out.
Lamoriello Had Another Good Draft
We cannot dispute that Lamoriello has drafted well for the Islanders. This is particularly noticeable in the later rounds, where he has uncovered gems like Matthew Maggio and William Dufour. The 2024 NHL Entry Draft was no exception.
The Islanders kept their first-round pick and selected the best player available, landing Cole Eiserman – a forward with a great shot and star potential. The Eiserman pick alone made the draft a good one, and Lamoriello wasn’t finished, then selecting Jesse Pulkkinen, a defenseman with speed and two-way play, and Kamil Bednarick, a center who can adapt to the NHL game.
The Islanders have one of the worst prospect pools in the NHL. That said, Lamoriello’s ability to find prospects who have a good chance to make the NHL roster has turned the organizational depth around in recent years. The 2024 draft class included.
Some Veterans Are Gone
The Islanders didn’t bring back Cal Clutterbuck and Matt Martin. Lamoriello loves to re-sign his veterans, and a lot of the roster reflects that. But even he knew it was time to move on from both skaters, who are now in their 30s.
The Islanders will miss the forechecking presence that Clutterbuck and Martin provided. However, the fourth line looks like it will be good without them, as Kyle MacLean, Hudson Fasching, and Simon Holmstrom should fill the void while adding a scoring presence. Moving on from both veterans was the right thing to do, and Lamoriello made the right move here.
Other Notes on the Islanders Offseason
The Islanders didn’t make a big trade, but they have room to make one at some point this season. At the moment, they are pressed against the cap, but Lamoriello could make a splash at the deadline. Elite skaters like Jakob Chychrun and Nikolaj Ehlers might be available, and Lamoriello could take advantage.
Lamoriello also added Maxim Tsyplakov this offseason, and he is a wild card. He’s a scorer who could be a key part of the top six, but it’s his first season in the NHL, and he’ll likely struggle for the most part. It’s hard to say if he will make or break the forward unit, but his upside could put the Islanders into that elite tier.
The Islanders’ offseason wasn’t the most notable one around the league. At the same time, it wasn’t a typical Lamoriello offseason, either, one where he keeps the group together and doesn’t bring in outside talent. He pivoted this summer, and that’s why the Islanders have some optimism heading into the new season. Still, he didn’t make enough significant changes, and that will keep the team a notch below Cup contention.
