Friday's preseason game against the Devils was the last game for the promising player.
Islanders coach Patrick Roy fielded an attention-grabbing lineup for the first four games that included a mix of NHL players and prospects who will start the season in AHL Bridgeport, before the Islanders' final two games of the preseason. He said he plans to use the full lineup.
“Tonight will be the last game to evaluate the players,” Roy said. “Tomorrow will be the moment Lou is born.” [Lamoriello] So let's sit back and see where we are. ”
So after being on the ice for nine straight days before camp started, this 5-1 win over the Devils ahead of the team's first offseason was the breaking point.
Roy said he's still trying to piece together lineups, but Friday was the last chance for many players to prove they still belong in camp.
Unless netminder Ilya Sorokin starts the season on long-term injured reserve, the Islanders only have enough cap space to field 22 players.
That means Hudson Fassing, Oliver Wahlstrom, Matt Martin and Samuel Bolduc will be competing for the two spots between those four.
Where Martin, who is in camp with a tryout option, lands after Saturday is probably the biggest question for Lamoriello and Roy to answer. It seems very likely that Friday will be Martin's last game in an Islanders uniform, after playing 823 regular season games with the team.
“As I said before camp, I have a lot of respect for him and he's a player that we care about a lot,” Roy said. “I think he understood his role when he came. I think Lou and he talked a lot. I think he was clear about what he was coming here for, and I think he understood his role with us. Lou will decide whether to start the season or not.”
Technically, the Islanders can extend Martin's PTO until the March 7 trade deadline if they wish.
Although he is not on the roster, Martin would still be able to practice and join the team in that scenario, unless he is signed elsewhere.
It wouldn't be a surprising outcome if there was no room on the active roster for Martin at the beginning of the season, but he has indicated he is open to such options.
“I certainly think it's all worth considering,” Martin said. “…For me, I've just had pretty open communication with the staff here over the years, and I'm sure that's going to continue. We'll see what happens here. You will see.”
Fasching is plagued by lower body injuries every day.
Maxim Tsyplakov sat out the final 12:18 of the third period on Friday for precautionary reasons, with the team citing a lower-body issue.
