As word trickled out yesterday that owners and players are nearing an agreement on returning to play for the 2020-21 season, Islanders team president and general manager Lou Lamoriello continued to work behind the scenes at setting up his roster for what will surely be another abbreviated campaign.
With a January 1 start date fading, attention has now turned to January 15, with roughly 56 games on the docket. Training camps would begin approximately two weeks prior, immediately after the new year. Safety and travel protocols and precisely what arenas would look like still have to be hammered out, but the safe bet is the season will begin, at least, sans fans.
For Lamoriello, the work he needs to complete to have his team ready is known by all, but that doesn’t make the task any less daunting.
1 - Sign Mathew Barzal: The Islanders’ most dynamic offensive player and cornerstone franchise player needs a new deal, his prior one expiring at the conclusion of the loss to the Tampa Lightning in the Eastern Conference Final. As a restricted free agent, there is not much fear Barzal goes elsewhere, but whenever the possibility exists, even in a minute percentage, it’s enough to make fans queasy.
The 23-year-old former first-round pick has accumulated 207 points in 234 career games and is on his way to becoming a more complete all-around center, thanks to Barry Trotz and his reliance on defensive responsibility in all facets of his game plan. It is evidenced by the fact Barzal has gone from 85 points to 60 over three seasons (albeit 68 games in year three), yet maintains a dangerous offensive presence.
The safe thinking is Barzal signs a two-year deal at around $7.5 million AAV, then strikes it rich in year three, when the salary cap returns to its normal level with a substantial increase.
2 - Sign Matt Martin: Martin means so much to the team and organization, both on and off the ice. Many of his contributions cannot be measured simply by what you ‘see,’ although his bubble experience proved that, under the right circumstances, he can play and be relatively productive.
The chemistry and camaraderie he has established with linemates Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck is on display each time the threesome takes the ice together, but this could be their last hurrah; it remains undetermined if Cizikas, an unrestricted free agent this summer, returns next year, given the additional contracts Lamoriello needs to get done (Beauvillier, Dal Colle, Pelech, and Sorokin).
3 - Sign Andy Greene: Greene was a revelation, coming over to the Islanders in a trade with the New Jersey Devils. He had an outstanding bubble tournament and proved his wealth of experience. He made for a calming influence on young defenseman Noah Dobson, who will be counted on even more this year with the departure of Devon Toews.
Both Martin and Greene appear to have agreements already in place and are simply waiting on Lamoriello to execute step one above to make their contracts official. Of course, that applies to Cory Schneider as well, who will certainly be ticketed for Bridgeport and be a reliable, veteran backup should anything befall Semyon Varlamov or Ilya Sorokin.
After that, who knows? Can Lamoriello bury Andrew Ladd’s contract in addition to moving Johnny Boychuk to LTIR, thus freeing up another $5.5 million to potentially add some scoring punch? The pickings are certainly slim at this point.
Sure, I wonder why Mike Hoffman isn’t signed yet, as do many other fans from what I’ve read on social media. But, I find it bizarre to assume Hoffman will accept a one-year deal to play for the Islanders, potentially leaving a more lucrative, and secure, long-term pact on the table from another team with more cap space.
Have stranger things happened? Sure. I mean, strange things seem to have followed the Islanders’ franchise over the past 30 years or so. So, nothing can be considered off the table at this point.
Sign Barzal, announce the Martin, Greene, and Schneider deals, and then we’ll consider where we stand.
For now, we await the league to finally come to their senses, stop toying with the NHLPA, and announce a return to play.
Follow Andy Graziano on Twitter: @AndyGraz_WFAN
Follow WFAN on Social Media
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Twitch