LAS VEGAS — A summer in which the Islanders started off reasonably well on the surface, but when you dig in, the luster disappears.
Days before free agency begins on Monday, the Islanders have $5.65 million in salary-cap space while operating with a 19-man shadow roster.
But nearly all of that money came from the extra $4.5 million in space given to each team as the cap increased from $83.5 million to $88 million.
Also not considered is the need to re-sign restricted free agent Simon Holmstrom, with additional decisions pending on restricted free agents Ruslan Iskhakov and Oliver Wahlstrom, and unrestricted free agents Matt Martin, Cal Clutterbuck, Sebastian Aho, Mike Reilly and Robert Bortuzzo.
In theory, the Islanders have some space. In reality, they have very little.
The team’s focus is believed to be on adding scoring power, and head coach Patrick Roy will be a big selling point for free agents looking for experience playing under a hot-blooded Hall of Fame goaltender.
But in terms of any significant moves, very little is going to happen unless some money comes off the books.
That could happen in a number of ways, including moving Brock Nelson or Kyle Palmieri, who are in the final years of their contracts, or asking Ryan Pulock to waive his no-trade clause and move to his hometown of Manitoba, which has been the subject of much speculation in Winnipeg — prospect Rutger McGroarty was at the center of rumors this week, along with winger Nikolaj Ehlers — but the most obvious one seems to be Jean-Gabriel Paget.
The league’s buyout deadline officially began Thursday, but there was no news regarding Pageau.
The buyout there will save the Islanders $2.75 million on the cap this year and a total of $2.5 million over the next four years.
If they were looking to move Pageau, a trade would certainly be preferable to an acquisition, assuming the Islanders could move his entire salary and receive assets in return.
But given that the Red Wings had to forfeit a second-round pick earlier this week to deal defenseman Jake Wollman (who played the most minutes for Detroit last season and will make $3.4 million, more than Padge’s $5 million) to San Jose, Padge’s value league-wide may not match his value to the Islanders.
That’s a potential complication here, possibly even more so than Padge’s 16-team trade veto clause.
Lou Lamoriello made it clear on the day of the breakup that while he was open to a deal, he wasn’t going to take action just to change the situation.
Even with the depth of center depth and need for salary increases, it would be shocking to see the Islanders shell out assets to move Pageau.
He’s a perfect fit for the team’s identity, playing at 200 feet and contributing on both special teams while also adding some strength to the bottom six.
Last season wasn’t his best, but it’s still hard to imagine the Islanders being desperate to let him go.
Still, something has to be sacrificed here, whether it’s signing Paget or another move.
If not, it doesn’t really matter what the Islanders want to do on Monday, because there’s no way they’re going to get it done.
