Lou Lamoriello has always portrayed trading as the art of the possible.
The Islanders had limited flexibility on the first day of free agency, so coach Patrick Roy did what he could, signing winger Anthony Duclair to a team-friendly contract and retaining bluelineman Mike Riley while also leaving himself open to potential additions in the future.
“I think my connection with Pat was a big reason why I came to the Island,” Duclair said after signing a four-year contract worth a reported $14 million to play for Roy, who coached him with the QMJHL’s Quebec Remparts more than a decade ago. “He called me this morning and told me he wanted me. When a coach calls you and says he wants you on his team, it’s hard to say no, especially if it’s Pat.”
According to The Athletic, the Islanders spent $1.25 million to retain Riley for another year in addition to Duclair, who counts $3.5 million per year against the cap.
The combination of these moves reduces the Islanders to about $900,000 in cap space before their restricted free agents have to re-sign, raising the question of how they will have the space to make the team a full roster.
But in the meantime, Duclair’s signing is a big addition, as the former Rangers draft pick is expected to slot in on the top line with Bo Holbert and Mat Barzal, a position the Islanders struggled to fill all of last season.
“I think my job is to bring speed and offensive power,” Duclair said. “I don’t know who I’ll be playing with, but looking at the roster, I think we have a lot of good players up front and a lot of skill, and I’m looking forward to building on that for the team.”
Duke, who turns 29 in August, scored 24 points with the Sharks and Lightning last season despite limited power-play time.
That was just the punch the Islanders needed to add to a lineup that has long struggled with scoring, and Duclair appeared to be an option for the Islanders at the trade deadline in March before being dealt to San Jose.
As for Riley, keeping the defenseman on a short-term deal always seemed like the path of least resistance for the Islanders, both to reward a player who earned his job after being acquired on waivers last season while also allowing the team to maintain flexibility in the future.
Riley should play a similar role to last season on the left side of the third pairing on the blue line.
At the end of the first day of free agency, the Islanders had penciled in a roster of 12 forwards, seven defensemen and two goalies, and they had extended qualifying offers to restricted free agents Simon Holmstrom, Oliver Wahlstrom and Ruslan Iskhakov. (Matt Martin and Cal Clutterbuck both remain unsigned, but the cap squeeze makes it tough for the Islanders to find a way to retain the two veterans.)
Unless the Islanders plan to start the season with a 22-man roster, they will need to move money around, and Shane Pinto’s situation in Ottawa offers the Islanders a rare opportunity to bolster their roster while doing just that.
According to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun, Pinto’s agent, Louis Gross, is seeking an offer sheet as the player becomes a restricted free agent.
Senators general manager Steve Staios said Monday that Pinto is not seeking a trade, but a trade would clearly be the next step if the centre wants to leave the Canadian capital.
The Islanders could offer one of their own center in return (possibly former Senators Jean-Gabriel Pager, though this would be a bit awkward, as Duclair said Pager called to welcome him to Long Island) in addition to draft capital, making them a natural choice for the 23-year-old from Franklin Square, who missed half of last season with a gambling-related suspension.
All of these moves would make the Islanders younger, less cash-rich and more powerful on offense.
There aren’t many opportunities to kill three birds with one stone.
Pinto seems like a player that could land directly in the Islanders’ hands.
