Islanders could go bargain hunting as Identity Line decision looms in NHL free agency

After the draft and the buyout period came and went, the Islanders are going to July 1 without an obvious path to making a splash.

It’s always possible that Lou Lamoriello could pull a rabbit out of the hat, and reports out of Winnipeg have connected the Islanders to scoring wing Nikolaj Ehlers and top prospect Rutger McGroarty — two players who fit what the Islanders need to a T and are thought to be available in a potential trade — but as for free agency itself, the Isles simply don’t have the cap space necessary to do much.

Unless some sort of trade can be made, the biggest question Monday is whether the Islanders re-sign franchise stalwarts Matt Martin and Cal Clutterbuck or let them walk and bring in a fourth line that is not the Identity Line.

Such a move is unlikely to have a dramatic effect on how the Islanders are projected to finish in 2024-25, but would bring shock waves to a dressing room where the pair are two of the players most emblematic of the Islanders’ core.

Both said at breakup day that they wanted to continue playing next season. Both knew it was a possibility that it would not be on Long Island.

“There’s nothing I can say right now,” Lou Lamoriello said on the draft floor Saturday. “Right now, they’re free agents. There’s nothing that’s been done. I’ve had my conversations with them, they’ve had theirs with me. The three of us, independently the two [of them], we know exactly what the situation is. We’ll just have to wait and see.”

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There are some in-house options if the Islanders choose to remake the fourth line, namely Hudson Fasching, who was miscast in a middle-six role last season.

But that would likely be a spot where the Islanders would look to spend what limited money they have available — $5.65 million, not counting the cost of re-signing restricted free agents Simon Holmstrom, Ruslan Iskhakov and Oliver Wahlstrom, all of whom were qualified on Sunday.

If the Isles are going to go budget shopping on Monday, there are options. Kevin Stenlund, Nick Cousins, Steven Lorentz and Ryan Lomberg — all fresh off a Stanley Cup run with the Panthers in which they played effective fourth-line roles — are interesting options who the Isles could trust to be effective in the playoffs.

William Carrier, an original Golden Knight, dealt with injuries last season but would be a strong bottom-six player and penalty-killer if healthy.

Someone in the mold of Craig Smith or James van Riemsdyk could be worth a look on a one-year deal, though the latter would be unlikely to work in a fourth-line role.

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There are a couple potential options who would slot in further up the lineup as well, namely Jeff Skinner and Max Pacioretty.

Skinner, who was bought out by the Sabres ahead of free agency, can still produce goal-scoring and would make sense playing alongside Mat Barzal and Bo Horvat.

Ditto for Pacioretty, if the Islanders were willing to risk making a bet on a return to effectiveness after injuries derailed his last two seasons.

It wouldn’t be a shock, however, if even bargain-bin options such as those were slightly out of the Islanders’ price range unless they find a way to shed salary.

There is also the matter of the blue line, with Mike Reilly, Robert Bortuzzo and Sebastian Aho set to be unrestricted free agents.

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After Reilly came in off waivers and did a splendid job on the third pair, it would be a surprise if the Islanders did not at least try to re-sign him in the same role.

The other two, however, would be justified in looking elsewhere for more playing time.

If Reilly doesn’t work out, then the market is bare for left-sided D-men in the Islanders’ presumed price range. Someone like Brendan Smith, Nate Schmidt or Ian Cole on a short-term deal would, perhaps, make sense.

Erik Brannstrom, who was not qualified by Ottawa, would be an intriguing option as well.

Needless to say, none of these names would boost season-ticket sales.

But if the Islanders want to make the sort of swing that would fire up the fan base, then free agency doesn’t look like the route to doing so.

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