2023-24 New York Islanders: Too Long, Too Much Money

The idea of signing players to a long-term contract is to secure them to a franchise because of their uncommon talent or to get them a valuable salary that would likely rise if signed in a future off-season. Mayfield and Engvall, along with much of the other recent signings, do not fill either of those ideas. Both of their contracts are fair-value at best with way too long of term.

An even bigger issue with the long-term extensions as a whole is the complacency these players feel once they have secured the contract. This cannot be argued by getting into these players’ exact mindsets, but the scoresheet can tell the argument. Jean Gabriel Pageau scored 24 goals in 60 games with the Ottawa Senators before getting traded and signing with the Islanders on a six-year, $5 million AAV contract. He has not scored 20 goals in a season since. Engvall scored 17 goals in 76 games split between the Islanders and Toronto Maple Leafs last season before scoring just 10 goals in 74 games this season, including an empty netter.

Anders Lee scored 40 goals in the 2017-18 season, followed by 28 goals and 51 points the season prior. Then he signed a seven-year, $7 million AAV contract where he has yet to touch 30 goals. This argument could be made for much of the Islanders’ current core with some exceptions, but it is obvious, at least among many of the roleplayers, that there is a lack of drive for the team. This is not to say they do not care, they obviously do, but the drive, anger, and passion that the 2020 and 2021 teams had are no longer present.

Aging Core

There is another issue with the Islanders’ current core, and it is that most of the players are on the back nines of their careers. For forwards, Lee is turning 34 this summer, Horvat is 29, Pageau is 31, Brock Nelson is 32, Kyle Palmieri is 33, and Casey Cizikas is 33. The defense is not much better, with Mayfield, Ryan Pulock, and Adam Pelech all set to be in their early 30s at the beginning of next season, and they all have spent absorbent amounts of time on the long-term injured reserve in recent seasons. It is okay to be losing with a young core, but to be losing with an aging core that is almost entirely signed long-term is a recipe for mediocrity.

Wavering Management

The overbroad theme of this Islanders team is a lack of direction. The team believed they had a good group last season, but fell short due to Mat Barzal’s season-ending injury. This season, they had an underdog mindset, and in some ways, it showed. They found a way to get the third seed in the Metropolitan Division, even though they finished with more losses than wins. However, their series against Carolina showed why they are far away from being a contender for the Stanley Cup.

At the trade deadline, the team had the room, and assets, to make a big splash. Top players were being shopped, like Jake Guentzel and Tyler Toffoli. As well, other smaller pieces like Anthony Duclair and Matt Dumba could have been added for cheap. However, management made zero moves, one of just two teams to do so (Los Angeles Kings). The only difference between the Islanders and the Kings is the Islanders are one of the oldest teams in the league, while the Kings are only now entering their contention window, so riding out their current core was not a crazy decision.

The Islanders needed to make a move, even if deemed insignificant, to show they were to be considered a buyer, a team who believed in themselves and wanted to make moves to improve. It is obvious from the recent contracts given out that management is not looking to four or five seasons from now, but they are prioritizing current success. So, why should draft picks be maintained if they believe in this group, especially in a year with such a poor draft class? This is not to say they should have overpaid and given away their top draft selections, but moving on from a second or third-round pick should have been a no-brainer, even if management believed it to be an overpay.

Duclair was traded for a third-round draft pick and a decent prospect in Jack Thompson. Duclair had eight goals in 17 regular season games with the Tampa Bay Lightning. There is no doubt those eight goals would have been a great addition to the Islanders’ middle six, and they could have easily outbid the price with their 2024 second-round pick and a decent prospect like William Dufour, Isaiah George, or Jesse Nurmi. Of course, it is possible that the San Jose Sharks were in love with Thompson as a prospect, and had their eyes solely set on bringing him in, but there were so many options across the league, and the team clearly made a poor decision to stand pat.

After the Round 1 loss, it is easy to get down on the team and believe they will not amount to anything for a while. And while there are many reasons to feel that way, there is also a reason to hold optimism. Under head coach Patrick Roy , the Islanders played to a near 100-point pace for an 82-game season. Ilya Sorokin also played the worst hockey of his career, including his time in Russia. As well, the salary cap is expected to rise this season, allowing for room to add to the team. And, much of the defense spent almost the entire season on the injured list, meaning if they can get healthy for next season, they will only improve. Now is a hard time for the Islanders fanbase and players, but it is important to maintain faith, and believe an offseason of honest reflection could get the team back to the playoffs next season but with an even better roster.