The New York Islanders and Jordan Eberle have agreed to terms on a five-year contract extension. This deal will keep Eberle with the team through the 2023-24 season and according to Pierre LeBrun, will account for $5.5 million of the team’s salary cap each season. The deal also includes a full no-trade clause in the first two seasons and a modified no-trade clause in the final three.
Eberle just completed his second season with the Islanders. He had a down as far as points are concerned, scoring only 19 goals and 37 points, the fewest he’s scored since his rookie season in 2010-11, not including the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season that saw him score 16 goals and 37 points in just 48 games.
Still, Eberle would bounce back in the postseason and scored an impressive four goals and nine points in eight playoff games with the Islanders. He’d also have a nice bounce-back season in 2017-18, his first year with the Islanders, scoring 25 goals and 59 points.
Islanders Looking to Compete During Eberle’s Career
In general, this is a very good deal for the Islanders who are signing one of the most consistent wingers in the NHL to a contract with a very respectable term and dollar value. On the open market, Eberle could have found himself a deal worth upwards of six years and $6 million per season given his track record.
With the Islanders proving last season that they’re here to compete despite the departure of former captain John Tavares, it seems clear that Eberle is hopeful he can win a Stanley Cup in New York rather than testing the waters elsewhere.
As mentioned, Eberle is one of the most consistent forwards in the entire NHL. Excluding the lockout-shortened season, Eberle had a stretch of six consecutive seasons with at least 20 goals between his rookie season and this past season, both times he fell just short at the 18-goal and 19-goal mark respectively.
He’s scored 209 goals and 478 points in 666 career NHL games.
At 29 years old, he’s still got some time left in his prime to continue building on his legacy. Though he’s been in the league for nine seasons, he’s only qualified for the postseason twice. The first coming in his final season in Edmonton, a performance that saw him record a measly two assists in 13 games, and the aforementioned 2019 postseason run.
It’s not easy being in the NHL for so long and barely getting to experience playoff contention. For Eberle, this contract could ensure he gets to play beyond the regular season for the remainder of his Islanders’ tenure as they appear to be a team on the rise rather than a rebuilding squad that everybody pegged them as.
Offseason Transactions Just Getting Started
The offseason is just getting started but Friday has already provided two significant transactions with this Eberle extension as well as the Washington Capitals trading Matt Niskanen to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Radko Gudas.
The trades, signings and hires should come fast as the draft approaches and free agency trails not too far behind. Stay tuned as the real season is just getting underway and a lot of change should follow suit.
