The Islanders, Samuel Bolduc & Opportunity

With NHL free agency less than three weeks away, the New York Islanders are in an interesting position with their defense.

Ryan Pulock, Adam Pelech, and Scott Mayfield have all been locked up long-term, and Alexander Romanov and Noah Dobson, a pair of 24-year-old defensemen, are eligible to sign extensions on July 1.

Related: How Hronek's Contract Extension With Canucks Impacts Islanders' Dobson, Romanov

Defensemen Mike Reilly and Sebastian Aho are pending unrestricted free agents, with Reilly being the more likely of the two to be back.

But what about the future of 23-year-old Samuel Bolduc ?

Related: Islanders Samuel Bolduc By The Numbers, What They Tell Us

Bolduc is about to enter the final year of a two-year contract with RFA status awaiting next summer.

The expectation after breaking into the NHL with a 17-game stint and a few playoff games in 2022-23 was that Bolduc could have earned a starting job on the blue line for 2023-24, but that didn't happen.

After playing 30 games under Lambert before his firing, Bolduc barely played under Patrick Roy, despite the new bench boss saying the plan was to have a rotation.

After playing on Jan. 27 against the Florida Panthers, Bolduc's third game under Roy and final game before the 2024 NHL All-Star Break, Bolduc didn't play again until Game 82, on Apr. 17, when the Islanders rested their starters after clinching a playoff spot a few days prior.

He did record a goal and an assist in that regular-season finale against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Reilly became an integral part of the club's much-improved transition game, so it made sense why Roy continued to go to him.

To be fair to Roy and the Islanders, Bolduc was sent to Bridgeport on a conditioning stint—not needing waivers—which allowed him to play a handful of games rather than just sit in the press box and get rusty.

The question is, what role do the Islanders envision Bolduc playing in 2024-25?

New York certainly has options.

If they feel Bolduc is ready to be a starter on the blue line, they don't need to go out there and spend money on another left-side defenseman.

Bringing back Reilly as the seventh defenseman at a minimal cap hit- likely around $1 million annually- would be a smart move that the organization should feel comfortable with.

In 59 games with New York, Reilly totaled six goals and 18 assists while averaging 17:15 a game.

Related: Mike Reilly An Opportunistic Add For Islanders

To put that into perspective, Bolduc only clocked in 13:08 on average each game.

If Reilly is brought back, he could beat Bolduc out for the starting job yet again, which ultimately depends on Bolduc and the work he does this summer.

There's also the possibility that the Islanders try to upgrade their left side on the open market.

There are several interesting names that will be available, such as Brady Skjei, Shayne Gostisbehere, and Brenden Dillon.

Skjei is the most well-rounded and is the top name on the market in this category, but the other two are intriguing names.

Related: Islanders Should Keep An Eye On The Contract Chaos In Carolina

Gostisbehere had a great year on offense, with 10 goals, 46 assists, and 56 points. Dillon has long been touted as a defense stalwart, consistently getting big minutes across four different teams.

Ideally, Reilly is a more affordable Gostisbehere but he's definitely someone the Islanders had been linked to in the past.

Signing any combination of Reilly, Aho or the available names would likely leave Bolduc in the seventh defenseman's spot yet again.

Bolduc, a former second-round pick in 2019, does have value, as the 6'4, 220-pound blue liner has proven that he can skate, he can make that long-stretch breakout pass, and be physical in corners.

But what's held Bolduc back from taking the next steps—necessary steps—is his confidence, which has been hampered by far too many hesitations in key moments.

That's part of learning what it takes to be an NHLer.

With left-side defense prospects Isaiah George and Calle Odelius joining Bridgeport this season, that puts even more pressure on Bolduc to elevate his game.

We talk a lot about assets and the Islanders lacking them.

If New York ultimately decides to bring in another defenseman, and Bolduc is serving as the seventh defenseman, does it make sense for them to dangle him on the trade market?

Could he be used in a deal to acquire a top-six forward like Nikolaj Ehlers ?

Related: Sources: Islanders Have Inquired About Winnipeg Jets Forward Nikolaj Ehlers

Bolduc only makes $800,000 annually, and his next deal is likely to be around the same price (arbitration-eligible), so it's a low-risk, high-reward move for other teams.

Out of every position, defensemen, historically, take the longest to develop at the NHL level.

So, it's certainly a risk for the Islanders to move on from Bolduc, but if he won't get the chance to play and likely won't clear waivers if sent to Bridgeport to just play games like we saw this past season, a trade may be in the Islanders' best interest.

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