The offseason has all but passed as the calendar flips from August to September. NHL training camps are about to get underway and in a few weeks, the 2023-24 NHL season will begin.
Related: Islanders 12 Steps to a Perfect Offseason
The New York Islanders had an uneventful offseason largely because of general manager (GM) Lou Lamoriello’s work. He kept the roster intact from last season and didn’t make any big moves one way or another. Overall, his offseason had some highs and lows that will shape what type of season the Islanders will have. While many will be quick to criticize the quiet summer, he did provide some highlights.
Lamoriello Had a Respectable Draft
The Islanders entered the 2023 NHL Entry Draft in dire need to improve the forward group. The defensive unit is one of the best in the NHL and after drafting three defensemen in the 2022 Draft, Lamoriello needed to add forwards, specifically scorers that could provide an upgrade to the farm system and the NHL roster. With the Islanders’ first three selections, he managed to do just that.
Danny Nelson, who fell to the 49th pick in the draft, was the Islanders’ prize selection from the draft. He has a power-forward build and is a two-way player but notably has a great shot and scoring instants that can make him a top-six forward at the NHL level. Jesse Nurmi and Justin Gill have their pros and cons and a lower ceiling than Nelson, but both skaters have avenues to contribute to the team in the near future as well.
In recent drafts, Lamoriello found gems in the later round, specifically, William Dufour, who looks to join the NHL roster at some point this season, and Matthew Maggio who signed his entry-level contract this summer. While the Islanders didn’t have a draft selection in the first round and only three in the first five rounds, Lamoriello still managed to bring in a respectable haul.
Islanders’ Head-Scratching Free Agency
Lamoriello entered the offseason hoping to re-sign his pending unrestricted free agents (UFAs) and made it the top priority. Within hours of free agency beginning he re-signed Scott Mayfield, Pierre Engvall, and Semyon Varlamov for multiple years. The decision to re-sign the three veterans wasn’t an issue but the term attached to each of them is concerning.
Mayfield signed a seven-year deal. The defenseman will be 38 years old when the contract expires. Varlamov signed a four-year deal and will be 39 when his contract expires. Engvall is 27 and in his prime but a seven-year contract is still questionable for a middle-six forward who won’t be playing at the same level in his mid-30s. The Islanders have a veteran-heavy roster and need to add youth while shedding the expensive contracts attached to some of the older skaters. These deals didn’t help the cause and made the outlook of the team worse.
To be fair to Lamoriello, he signed Hudson Fasching, Samuel Bolduc, and Oliver Wahlstrom to short-term team-friendly deals. All three contracts keep valuable skaters on the roster while also leaving the Islanders under the salary cap. Otherwise, the contracts Lamoriello handed out this offseason were questionable to put it lightly.
To make matters worse, the Islanders didn’t bring in any new players in free agency. Instead, for what seems like an annual tradition under Lamoriello, they are running it back. The Islanders made the playoffs last season in the final week of action, barely making it as a wild card. This season, they will return with the same team but one year older, slower, and on the decline. It’s the thing that draws criticism towards Lamoriello and if the team falls off, could be ultimately what costs him his job.
Sorokin’s Extension Secures Goaltending Unit
The best move Lamoriello made this offseason was extending Ilya Sorokin. The new contract is an eight-year deal at $8.2 million per year and considering he is one of the best goaltenders in the NHL, the deal is a bargain.
Last season, he made his mark as one of the best, finishing as a Vezina Trophy finalist. His .924 save percentage (SV%) and 2.34 goals-against average (GAA) on 1,838 shots with 36.0 goals saved above average (GSAA) propelled the team to the playoffs as he often put the Islanders on his back. As someone who can reliably start 60 regular season games, he can and will carry the Islanders once again this season.
Even after a lackluster offseason, the extension provides optimism for this season. Sorokin raises the team’s floor and if he continues to play at a high level, he’ll make the Islanders a playoff-caliber team. Additionally, for the next eight seasons, he’ll be one of the building blocks that the Islanders can build a contender around. Lamoriello answered the question of what the goaltending unit will look like for the foreseeable future, now he needs to address the needs elsewhere to make them a Cup contender.
Lamoriello Doesn’t Make a Big Trade
Once Alex DeBrincat was put on the trade block, a trade to the Detroit Red Wings, his hometown team, seemed inevitable. However, the Islanders had the pieces in place to not only add an elite top-six scorer but also youth to the lineup in the process. Ultimately, DeBrincat was traded to the Red Wings and the lack of a move from Lamoriello leaves a void in what could have been a great offseason.
Lamoriello isn’t known for making big deals, especially in the offseason. That said, when a good offer is on the table he’ll take advantage. It’s how he acquired Jean-Gabriel Pageau at the 2020 Trade Deadline, Kyle Palmieri at the 2021 Trade Deadline, and Bo Horvat during the 2023 All-Star Break. This offseason, a blockbuster trade would have taken a team that reached the playoffs last season and put them over the top. Instead, he was quiet and the Islanders will head into the season with a good roster but not one that can compete for the Stanley Cup.
Islanders Move on From Bailey
The Islanders had to move on from Josh Bailey. The veteran forward had regressed to the point where he was a healthy scratch at the end of last season and in the games he played, he was a liability on the ice. A buyout of his contract felt like the only option for a skater that nobody had an urge to acquire. However, that wasn’t the case as Lamoriello found a trade partner for him.
The 33-year-old skater was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks along with a 2026 Draft selection in the second round. With the Blackhawks taking on his contract, before ultimately buying it out, the Islanders had cap space to operate this offseason. Specifically, Lamoriello managed to make a handful of signings with the extra $5 million to work with.
An added bonus is that the Islanders helped improve their roster by subtracting a skater who wasn’t going to contribute this season. Yes, the team is running it back for the most part but letting go of one of their worst skaters from last season sets them up for a big season ahead.
Where the Islanders Have Room to Improve
There’s still time for Lamoriello to make a trade. While it’s unlikely to happen this offseason, a deal in the middle of this season can take the team to the next level. The player to watch is William Nylander but a minor addition can also significantly upgrade the team and set them up for a Cup run.
Similarly, the Islanders can improve the forward unit this season with one of their top prospects joining the NHL roster. Dufour is the skater to watch as he has a great shot and a scoring presence on the wing that the Islanders need. However, if Matthew Maggio is ahead of schedule, he’s the versatile forward who can help improve the offense.
The Islanders had a quiet offseason that felt disappointing. That said, Lamoriello made a handful of good moves that will make them a competitive team this season. The next step is making a move that sets the Islanders up to compete with the best in the Eastern Conference and make a run at the Stanley Cup.