New York Islanders on The Hockey News

Islanders Fail To Create Cap Space At NHL Draft, Tough Decisions On Horizon

By Stefen Rosner,

21 days ago

The New York Islanders didn't use any of their 2024 NHL Draft picks to solve their salary cap problem.

That doesn't mean the Islanders, who wake up Sunday morning with around $5.8 million in available cap space, can't create additional cap space before the start of free agency.

Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello still has the first buyout window, which closes at 5 PM ET later today.

Buying out Jean-Gabriel Pageau or Anders Lee doesn't save too much, also keeping them on the books for an additional two years after their contracts were set to expire.

As for going the trade route, whether it's Pageau (M-NTC), Lee (M-NTC), Ryan Pulock (NTC), or Adam Pelech (NTC), they would have to potentially waive their causes, which would be unlikely since who doesn't love Long Island?

But there is one player who doesn't have trade protection, and moving his deal could create enough cap space to acquire a potential game-changer.

That player is fourth-line center Casey Cizikas.

He makes $2.5 million annually through 2027.

The Islanders' fourth line is likely going to look much different in 2024-25, with Matt Martin and Cal Clutterbuck potentially not returning as they'll hit the market.

When center Kyle MacLean came from Bridgeport to replace an injured Cizikas, it ended up being a longer-term stay, given his strong play.

Ultimately, when Cizikas returned, he played up on the top line, with MacLean fitting in nicely centering the fourth line.

Cizikas remained up with Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal in the playoffs, a line that struggled to be effective, while MacLean was their best player, elevating every line he was on.

With MacLean signing a three-year extension at an incredible team-friendly $775,000 cap hit earlier this offseason, trading Cizikas is certainly an option.

Going back to Pagaeu for one second, if he were to be the center moved, it would mean that the Islanders would be rostering all lefty centers, which is not ideal.

Ok, back to Cizikas.

There's one team that makes a tremendous amount of sense for him, and that's the Anaheim Ducks.

Former teammates Ross Johnston and Ryan Strome are there, as well as Brent Thompson, who coached Cizikas when he was behind the bench for the Bridgeport Islanders.

Head coach Greg Cronin, who ran the Islanders penalty kill for former head coach Jack Capuano and Dough Weight (2014-2018), which Cizikas was a part of, would love to have the energy, passion, and work ethic that Cizikas would provide, especially for a team in the midst of a rebuild.

Not to mention, the Ducks currently sit around $10 million away from getting to the cap floor, which is $65 million.

The Islanders could throw in Oliver Wahlstrom , who will be getting a qualifying offer later today, but Lamoriello certainly made it seem like if they could move him to give him a chance elsewhere, they'd consider as long as they didn't have to give him away for anything.

Trading Cizikas and Wahlstrom to the Ducks could bring back two mid-round picks.

Another player who could be paired with Cizikas is 24-year-old defenseman Samuel Bolduc, who didn't get much of an opportunity when Patrick Roy walked through the doors back in late January.

Trading long-time players is always a tough pill to swallow.

Cizikas means the world in the locker room and has always been an honest person in our interactions, something that you definitely value as a reporter.

But, as we are seeing with the New York Rangers right now with Jacob Trouba and the Tampa Bay Lightning with Steven Stamkos and Mikhail Sergachev, sometimes tough decisions have to happen.

It's a business, and endings aren't always of the fairytale variety.

In theory, the Islanders could then use the newfound cap space in free agency to, and this isn't a joke, bid for Stamkos, who may cost around $4 million annually.

They could bid for Tyler Bertuzzi, Jake DeBrusk, and Anthony Duclair, among others.

On the trade market, using next year's draft picks, since they just bolstered their prospect pool, they can trade them to acquire players like Nikolaj Ehlers, Pavel Buchnevich, Frank Vatrano, and Taylor Hall, who are all entering the final years of their deal.

If the Islanders want to turn themselves from playoff question marks to true Stanley Cup contenders, they need a true top line.

That doesn't mean they need three All-Stars on the same line.

They just need the right fit.

While it won't be a popular quote, Lamoriello said following day two of the 2024 NHL Draft, when I asked how important was to get a player for Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal, that the right player could be right under their noses.

Wherever he is, the Islanders need to find him as quickly as possible, and if moving Cizikas gives them a stronger chance to accomplish that, it needs to be discussed as the start of NHL Free Agency begins on Monday.

Islanders Fail To Create Cap Space At NHL Draft, Tough Decisions On Horizon

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