New York Islanders fans don’t have a dog in the fight during these 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. However, there is one team fans should be keeping an eye on as the postseason progresses, and that’s the Philadelphia Flyers.

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With the season in the rearview mirror, Free Friday is shifting into offseason mode—with a weekly New York Islanders mailbag where your questions take center stage.

And don’t get it twisted: just because the games have stopped doesn’t mean things are slowing down here.

From exclusive interviews and insider intel to in-depth columns and behind-the-scenes access, The Elmonters isn’t going anywhere—keeping that Islanders pulse alive all summer long.

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Here’s our second offseason mailbag:

Thoughts on the backup goaltender? Is there a chance Varly is healthy enough to come back full-time? It is said he looked good in his 2 starts in Bridgeport. (@VoiceIslanderFn)

Rosner: A year ago, I would have told you “no chance” Varlamov would ever play again. But, man, I’ve watched him since he first got back on the ice to where he ended in Bridgeport, and he looks like himself again. We’ll need a bigger sample size to know where he truly stands. He’s definitely healthy enough, physically, to play. The question is: can he get back up to NHL speed a year and a half from now, at 38?

I wrote more about this yesterday. Below is my piece on the Islanders' goaltending situation and some options for not just the backup spot, but the vet for Hamilton — a reliable third-string goaltender if Ilya Sorokin or his backup goes down.

Assuming 1-2 contracts get moved out (11,81) and a weaker free agent pool, do you think Darche looks to add a forward via free agency or give a prospect a look? (@)

Rosner: Let’s say that Darche does move both Anthony Duclair and Ondrej Palat — would think it’s just Duclair out of these two — but for this exercise, let’s say they do.

There are glaring hole(s), one less hole if Eklund makes the squad:

X—Horvat—Holmstrom

Ritchie—Barzal—Palmieri

Eklund (?)—Pageau—Schenn

MacLean—Cizikas—Heineman

Now, that top-line player, that top-line winger, isn’t available on the open market. Alex Tuch would be the only player close, but not only is he over 30, I also think the Syracuse native ultimately gets a deal done to return to the Buffalo Sabres.

The Islanders would have to sign a bottom-six player and hope they turn out to be a top-six player — Duclair, Jonathan Drouin — but that’s a recipe that ultimately hasn’t worked.

So, while the Islanders wait for Cole Eiserman to hopefully develop into that player — he’s got a lot of work to do — they’d have to go the trade route to acquire the talent they are looking for, a role that every team wants.

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How is Darche going to make the necessary changes (age, speed, backup goalie, etc) with the current contract situation? (@JLeblast)

Rosner: I do think there are some tough contracts in there, but I wouldn’t say they are salary-cap hell as they have been in seasons past. Before doing anything, the Islanders have $10.7M, but then, due to bonus overages to Matthew Schaefer, that number drops to $7.2 million. Then, because of league-minimum adjustments, you can knock off another $86,667, bringing their more realistic offseason cap space to $7.133M. Yes, with league min rising, that also means the amount of money of a player’s contract that can be buried goes up by the same amount, but it’s hard to determine whether Pierre Engvall ($3M AAV, $1.25M can be buried) will be healthy when the season begins. His status is in limbo. The Islanders also must sign a backup goaltender. If they believe that Varlamov is indeed ready, they likely would need to run a three-goalie system under the grizzled veteran, who can prove reliable. Maybe they get a goalie to sign a two-way deal. Darche understands the cap better than anyone coming over from Tampa, so it will be up to him to figure out and use his tricks to shed some cap and improve the team on the trade front.

What is the percent chance Eklund makes the opening night roster? Percent chance George makes opening night roster (they would have to trade Pelech)? (@TheNLKing)

Rosner: When it comes to Eklund, I thought he could have jumped right into the NHL as soon as he came over from the SHL. But I get why the Islanders had him in Bridgeport. He’s NHL-ready, and after getting a taste of the NHL game in Game No. 82, I’m sure he’s going to work at getting bigger this summer in preparation for that. While Cal Ritchie didn’t make the team out of training camp — that was more so due to an injury — the Islanders did want to give him some games in the AHL before calling him up, which they did. Eklund got his AHL games in at the end of the season, so I don’t think he needs that adjustment period, especially since he was playing pro in Sweden, not in the OHL like Ritchie. If there’s a move on the backend, I do think it would be Adam Pelech on the move. Ryan Pulock and Scott Mayfield have full no-trade clauses. Matthew Schaefer isn’t going anywhere. Alexander Romanov, who missed the first season of an eight-year deal worth $6.25M AAV due to needing shoulder surgery, isn’t getting moved. Pelech has a 16-team modified no-trade clause and is coming off a strong season, with his value never going to be higher. When it comes to Isaiah George, who is NHL-ready, maybe he would take the open spot with Romanov moving to LD2. Maybe George flips to his off-side if Tony DeAngelo doesn’t come back. Or maybe he’s the seventh defenseman, even though he should be playing every day.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think I saw that the Islanders led the NHL this past season with 15 6-on-5 goals. Can you please discuss the team’s relative success in this situation vs. a conventional power play? (@Ekimaizuklemrac)

Rosner: Yep, that stat is correct. They ended the season tied with the Anaheim Ducks for first in the NHL with 15 6-on-5 goals. I think the biggest issue has been the lack of time and space on the power play. Yes, getting into the zone always seemed problematic, but the Islanders were passing too much and shooting too little.

With 6-on-5 situations, the ice is a bit more crowded, with less time and space than 5-on-4. I feel like — I haven’t gone back and watched — but many of those goals were garbage goals right in front, a style that the Islanders don’t use on their power play.

Maybe, they should…

Aside from the now frequently noted issue with high danger chances, what were some other fatal flaws to Patrick Roy‘s tenure? (@jeffscottcomedy)

Rosner: I think he tried too hard, and that’s not a dig. I respect how much he cared. He wanted success here, but I think at times, he moved on too quickly, especially when it came to his forward lines. He tried around 70 different line combinations, per MoneyPuck.com, and that’s only taking into consideration lines that played 10 or more minutes together — a few of those were tried under Pete DeBoer. I think he’d tell you that he handled some players incorrectly — Duclair, Maxim Tsyplakov. Again, I think it comes back to his mentality of how much he wanted to win, and I think at times, that got in the way.

I see some fans are pushing the idea of trading Barzal. I don't see it happening unless you're getting a high-end player in return, similar to the Huberdeau-Tkachuk trade. Do you believe it’s possibly in the cards? (@MetsIsles123)

Rosner: Mathew Barzal has a modified 22-team no-trade clause. The other 10 teams are believed to be teams that have a ton of cap tied into their top-six, something that you see often when players aren’t given full no-trade clauses. Realistically, for a player like Auston Matthews or Brady Tkachuk, yeah, Barzal would likely have the value needed to make a move like this. But if you are the Islanders, you are acquiring the elite goal scorer to play with Barzal. I don’t see it coming with this team. You look back at that trade, too, and Tkachuk had told Calgary he didn’t want to ultimately be there, which is why the trade even happened. While I can’t speak for Matthews or Tkachuk, we know that Barzal loves being an Islander.

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One of the items on Mathieu Darche’s summer to-do list is to address the New York Islanders’ goaltending depth.

Vezina finalist Ilya Sorokin is the only sure thing heading into the summer, with backup David Rittich a pending unrestricted free agent, while Semyon Varlamov is working his way back from two knee replacements.

Veteran goaltender Marcus Hogberg, who was a pending unrestricted free agent serving as the club’s No. 3 netminder, has elected to return to Sweden, signing a three-year deal with Linköping HC.

Despite trading away goaltender prospect Marcus Gidlof (2024, Rd. 5) in the Brayden Schenn deal with the St. Louis Blues, the Islanders still hold the rights to Dmitri Gamzin (2024, Rd. 2), who is arguably the best goaltender in the KHL (22-10-6, 1.49 GAA, .938 SV%, 8 SO).

However, as we saw with Sorokin many moons ago, Gamzin decided to sign a three-year extension to remain with CSKA Moscow, Sorokin’s former team. It’s a move that makes sense for the young goaltender, given that there’s no starting opportunity with the Islanders right now. Whether it’s the right answer or not, it sounds like he doesn’t have much interest in being a backup.

I was told that toward the end of the season, the Islanders and Rittich’s camp had preliminary contract discussions, but have yet to hear more, leaving his future with the organization a bit in doubt, especially with the lack of trust the Islanders showed in the veteran backstop late in the season.

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For the second time in his NHL career, New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin is a Vezina finalist.

The 31-year-old was leaned on heavily — nothing out of the ordinary — and had a phenomenal season behind a consistently shaky defense.

He finished the season with a 29-24-2 record, with a 2.68 GAA, a .906 SV%, and a league-leading seven shutouts.

• Among goalies with 50+ appearances:

  • 6th in save percentage

  • 7th in goals-against average

• Among all NHL goalies:

  • 1st in road wins (18)

  • 8th in saves (1,386)

  • 9th in shots against (1,530)

  • Tied for 9th in wins (29) and games played (55)

  • 10th in minutes played (3,226)

• Led all NHL goalies in:

  • High-danger saves (452)

  • High-danger save percentage (.864)

• Went 15-5-0 when facing more than 30 shots

• Opened the season with a franchise-record 13-0-0 streak in games facing 30+ shots

• His 15 wins in those games led the NHL

• Made 44 saves in a shutout on Jan. 6 — most by any NHL goalie in a shutout this season

• That game marked his 26th career shutout, breaking the Islanders’ all-time franchise shutout record that had stood for nearly 50 years

• His 7 shutouts also tied for the most by an Islander in a single season

While these accomplishments are tremendous, Tampa Bay Lightning’s Andrei Vasilevskiy is likely the winner, given that he won 39 games and also made the postseason, unlike Sorokin.

The Islanders’ veteran goaltender didn’t have much faith that he’d win the award when we spoke with him on locker room cleanout week:

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There was a correction made to the original story that went out this morning. Those corrections have been made. Apologies, and thank you for your continued support!

New York Islanders’ defense prospect Kashawn Aitcheson, in the midst of his playoff run with the Barrie Colts, was awarded the Max Kaminsky Trophy OHL Defenceman of the Year award.

The 19-year-old set a new franchise record with 28 goals by a defenseman, six of which served as game-winners, adding 42 assists to reach the 70-point mark in 56 regular-season games.

Of those 28 goals, 15 came on the power play to lead the OHL blue line.

“This group of guys has made it so special from the coaching staff right on down,” Aitcheson said. “It’s been a great year of learning, getting better, and all the laughs and fun that have come with it as well.”

Aitcheson, regardless of how the playoffs end, will leave as the franchise leader in goals (63) and points (171) among defensemen — a clear sign that by the end, he wasn’t just playing in the OHL, he was dictating it.

Aitcheson, who signed his entry-level deal back in March, wasn’t able to join Bridgeport on his own.

Aitcheson and Barrie play game 5 against the Ottawa 67’s tomorrow night. The Toronto native has recorded 16 points (five goals, 11 assists) in 12 postseason games.

While we watch Aitcheson finishing up his junior career, the stat line clearly stands out. But stat lines don’t translate, not to that level at least, especially for defensemen.

The good news is that Aitcheson brings more than the stat sheet.

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With the season in the rearview mirror, Free Friday is shifting into offseason mode—with a weekly New York Islanders mailbag where your questions take center stage.

And don’t get it twisted: just because the games have stopped doesn’t mean things are slowing down here.

From exclusive interviews and insider intel to in-depth columns and behind-the-scenes access, The Elmonters isn’t going anywhere—keeping that Islanders pulse alive all summer long.

Subscribe now

Here’s our second offseason mailbag:

Thoughts on the backup goaltender? Is there a chance Varly is healthy enough to come back full-time? It is said he looked good in his 2 starts in Bridgeport. (@VoiceIslanderFn)

Rosner: A year ago, I would have told you “no chance” Varlamov would ever play again. But, man, I’ve watched him since he first got back on the ice to where he ended in Bridgeport, and he looks like himself again. We’ll need a bigger sample size to know where he truly stands. He’s definitely healthy enough, physically, to play. The question is: can he get back up to NHL speed a year and a half from now, at 38?

I wrote more about this yesterday. Below is my piece on the Islanders' goaltending situation and some options for not just the backup spot, but the vet for Hamilton — a reliable third-string goaltender if Ilya Sorokin or his backup goes down.

Assuming 1-2 contracts get moved out (11,81) and a weaker free agent pool, do you think Darche looks to add a forward via free agency or give a prospect a look? (@)

Rosner: Let’s say that Darche does move both Anthony Duclair and Ondrej Palat — would think it’s just Duclair out of these two — but for this exercise, let’s say they do.

There are glaring hole(s), one less hole if Eklund makes the squad:

X—Horvat—Holmstrom

Ritchie—Barzal—Palmieri

Eklund (?)—Pageau—Schenn

MacLean—Cizikas—Gatcomb

Now, that top-line player, that top-line winger, isn’t available on the open market. Alex Tuch would be the only player close, but not only is he over 30, I also think the Syracuse native ultimately gets a deal done to return to the Buffalo Sabres.

The Islanders would have to sign a bottom-six player and hope they turn out to be a top-six player — Duclair, Jonathan Drouin — but that’s a recipe that ultimately hasn’t worked.

So, while the Islanders wait for Cole Eiserman to hopefully develop into that player — he’s got a lot of work to do — they’d have to go the trade route to acquire the talent they are looking for, a role that every team wants.

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How is Darche going to make the necessary changes (age, speed, backup goalie, etc) with the current contract situation? (@JLeblast)

Rosner: I do think there are some tough contracts in there, but I wouldn’t say they are salary-cap hell as they have been in seasons past. Before doing anything, the Islanders have $10.7M, but then, due to bonus overages to Matthew Schaefer, that number drops to $7.2 million. Then, because of league-minimum adjustments, you can knock off another $86,667, bringing their more realistic offseason cap space to $7.133M. Yes, with league min rising, that also means the amount of money of a player’s contract that can be buried goes up by the same amount, but it’s hard to determine whether Pierre Engvall ($3M AAV, $1.25M can be buried) will be healthy when the season begins. His status is in limbo. The Islanders also must sign a backup goaltender. If they believe that Varlamov is indeed ready, they likely would need to run a three-goalie system under the grizzled veteran, who can prove reliable. Maybe they get a goalie to sign a two-way deal. Darche understands the cap better than anyone coming over from Tampa, so it will be up to him to figure out and use his tricks to shed some cap and improve the team on the trade front.

What is the percent chance Eklund makes the opening night roster? Percent chance George makes opening night roster (they would have to trade Pelech)? (@TheNLKing)

Rosner: When it comes to Eklund, I thought he could have jumped right into the NHL as soon as he came over from the SHL. But I get why the Islanders had him in Bridgeport. He’s NHL-ready, and after getting a taste of the NHL game in Game No. 82, I’m sure he’s going to work at getting bigger this summer in preparation for that. While Cal Ritchie didn’t make the team out of training camp — that was more so due to an injury — the Islanders did want to give him some games in the AHL before calling him up, which they did. Eklund got his AHL games in at the end of the season, so I don’t think he needs that adjustment period, especially since he was playing pro in Sweden, not in the OHL like Ritchie. If there’s a move on the backend, I do think it would be Adam Pelech on the move. Ryan Pulock and Scott Mayfield have full no-trade clauses. Matthew Schaefer isn’t going anywhere. Alexander Romanov, who missed the first season of an eight-year deal worth $6.25M AAV due to needing shoulder surgery, isn’t getting moved. Pelech has a 16-team modified no-trade clause and is coming off a strong season, with his value never going to be higher. When it comes to Isaiah George, who is NHL-ready, maybe he would take the open spot with Romanov moving to LD2. Maybe George flips to his off-side if Tony DeAngelo doesn’t come back. Or maybe he’s the seventh defenseman, even though he should be playing every day.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think I saw that the Islanders led the NHL this past season with 15 6-on-5 goals. Can you please discuss the team’s relative success in this situation vs. a conventional power play? (@Ekimaizuklemrac)

Rosner: Yep, that stat is correct. They ended the season tied with the Anaheim Ducks for first in the NHL with 15 6-on-5 goals. I think the biggest issue has been the lack of time and space on the power play. Yes, getting into the zone always seemed problematic, but the Islanders were passing too much and shooting too little.

With 6-on-5 situations, the ice is a bit more crowded, with less time and space than 5-on-4. I feel like — I haven’t gone back and watched — but many of those goals were garbage goals right in front, a style that the Islanders don’t use on their power play.

Maybe, they should…

Aside from the now frequently noted issue with high danger chances, what were some other fatal flaws to Patrick Roy‘s tenure? (@jeffscottcomedy)

Rosner: I think he tried too hard, and that’s not a dig. I respect how much he cared. He wanted success here, but I think at times, he moved on too quickly, especially when it came to his forward lines. He tried around 70 different line combinations, per MoneyPuck.com, and that’s only taking into consideration lines that played 10 or more minutes together — a few of those were tried under Pete DeBoer. I think he’d tell you that he handled some players incorrectly — Duclair, Maxim Tsyplakov. Again, I think it comes back to his mentality of how much he wanted to win, and I think at times, that got in the way.

I see some fans are pushing the idea of trading Barzal. I don't see it happening unless you're getting a high-end player in return, similar to the Huberdeau-Tkachuk trade. Do you believe it’s possibly in the cards? (@MetsIsles123)

Rosner: Mathew Barzal has a modified 22-team no-trade clause. The other 10 teams are believed to be teams that have a ton of cap tied into their top-six, something that you see often when players aren’t given full no-trade clauses. Realistically, for a player like Auston Matthews or Brady Tkachuk, yeah, Barzal would likely have the value needed to make a move like this. But if you are the Islanders, you are acquiring the elite goal scorer to play with Barzal. I don’t see it coming with this team. You look back at that trade, too, and Tkachuk had told Calgary he didn’t want to ultimately be there, which is why the trade even happened. While I can’t speak for Matthews or Tkachuk, we know that Barzal loves being an Islander.

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SIGN YOUR CHILD UP FOR THE MATT MARTIN HOCKEY ACADEMY CAMP:

Throughout Monday, I was gathering information on which New York Islanders would be representing their countries at the 2026 World Championships in Switzerland, which begin May 15.

First, it was Mathew Barzal committing to Canada.

Then came Simon Holmstrom and Emil Heineman suiting up for Sweden.

Naturally, the next question was when — not if — we’d hear about Matthew Schaefer.

The morning after the season ended, Schaefer kept things open-ended:

“Yeah, I haven’t really talked about that much yet,” Schaefer said. “But it’s definitely a possibility… I’m still focused on the game last night, so yeah, there’ll be more talks about things like that.”

By Monday night, the answer came.

Schaefer will not be playing for Canada, sources told The Elmonters.

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Over the last two NHL Drafts, the New York Islanders have done a strong job restocking what had become a depleted prospect pool.

While the 2025-26 season didn’t go the way they wanted, the organization got a glimpse of just how promising that future can be.

Matthew Schaefer, selected first overall in 2025, went from top prospect to star in a hurry.

Cal Ritchie, acquired in the Brock Nelson trade, handled the grind of his first NHL season and looked better by the end than he did at the start.

Fans also got their first look at Victor Eklund, the No. 16 pick in 2025, during his NHL debut, which came in Game 82. Whether he makes the opening-night roster or starts in Hamilton, he looks like a player who should factor into the near future.

And there are still more names coming.

That brings us to forward Cole Eiserman, selected 20th overall in 2024, and defenseman Kashawn Aitcheson, taken 17th overall in 2025.

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When Patrick Roy was relieved of his head coaching duties with four games to go, questions quickly arose about his coaching staff.

However, with the team still trying to claw back into a playoff spot, new head coach Pete DeBoer elected to retain Roy’s staff for the time being.

Once the season ended, though, change felt inevitable.

We got our first on Friday night, when the Islanders confirmed that Benoit Desrosiers had been relieved of his assistant coaching duties.

Desrosiers’ departure feels less about performance and more about DeBoer beginning to shape the staff in his own vision. Given how closely tied Desrosiers was to Roy — having worked under him with the Quebec Remparts — it always seemed unlikely he’d be a long-term holdover once Roy was let go.

But that doesn’t take away from the impact he had during his time on Long Island.

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With the season now in the rearview, Free Friday is shifting into offseason mode—with a weekly New York Islanders mailbag where your questions take center stage.

And don’t get it twisted: just because the games have stopped doesn’t mean things are slowing down here.

From exclusive interviews and insider intel to in-depth columns and behind-the-scenes access, The Elmonters isn’t going anywhere—keeping that Islanders pulse alive all summer long.

Subscribe now

Enjoy the first of many Islanders offseason mailbags:

With DeBoer saying he sees Barzal and Ritchie as centers, do you see one of the centers getting traded, and who? @Dschmuck72

Rosner: Center ice is indeed crowded. You’ve heard the cliché: You can never have too many centers, and it’s easier to go from center to wing than wing to center. I actually don’t see any center being moved. Contrary to popular belief, Barzal (22-team no-trade clause) isn’t going anywhere. Jean-Gabriel Pageau signed a three-year extension on March 6. The one center who has no trade protection is Casey Cizikas, who has one season left ($2.5M AAV), but I don’t think there’s a market for him. He’s more valuable to the Islanders than to another team.

Now, just because Barzal and Ritchie said they’re centers doesn’t mean that’s where they line up come opening night. I do think you will see Brayden Schenn move to the wing full-time, as that’s where he’s best at this point in his career. Both Barzal (39.8%) and Ritchie (36.8%) also made it clear how much they have to work on faceoffs this summer, which is another reason the “center” spot is anything but certain. Yes, centers don’t have to take the faceoff, but that method only works if another center—or some other player who is elite in the dot—is on their line.

Do you expect any buyouts? @Ryan_Selover

Rosner: This is certainly something to watch, Ryan. The first buyout window opens 48 hours after the Stanley Cup Final concludes or on June 15, whichever is later. It closes on June 30 at 5 p.m. ET. A second buyout window can open in July for teams with eligible salary arbitration cases. The Islanders certainly have buyout candidates, but you have to consider the years on a buyout, whether it makes sense to go that route, and whether the player can be moved without giving up any assets.

When it comes to Anthony Duclair, I don’t think a buyout makes sense. He has two seasons left ($3.5M AAV), but his full no-trade clause turns into a 16-team no-trade clause on July 1. There are flaws in his game, but he’s fast and can score, and I’m sure he’d be open to a change of scenery.

It also doesn’t make sense to buy out the remaining four years of Pierre Engvall’s deal ($3M AAV), especially when $1.15M can be buried in the minors. I don’t believe Scott Mayfield, who has four seasons left ($3.5M AAV), is being bought out either.

Ondrej Palat is the interesting one. While Darche showed loyalty to the grizzled veteran when he acquired him from the New Jersey Devils, Palat struggled in the Islanders’ lineup, eventually being scratched in a must-win game that the Islanders lost. He has one more season left ($6M AAV), and there is no way to move on from him without attaching a pick, as New Jersey did. A buyout makes sense here if he’s not going to be playing on the club’s fourth line this fall.

Do you believe there will be major changes to the current roster? (Changes in the top 6 F or top D pairings). Or will there be minor bottom/depth pairing changes? @bryshark11

Rosner: It’s hard to make major changes when the majority of players are locked in long-term. Of course, the goal is to add a goal-scoring forward—the goal for seemingly every team, especially every franchise that didn’t qualify for the playoffs. The Islanders do lack right-sided depth on their blue line, whether pending UFA Tony DeAngelo comes back or not. Unless Darche can make a big splash and land a big fish on the trade market, I would guess the changes will come to the bottom six and potentially the Islanders’ blue line.

Which prospects do you believe have a chance to make the team next year @lostsin44

Rosner: The only prospect I see making the team this fall is Victor Eklund, whom the Islanders selected 16th overall in 2025. He looked really strong after coming over from the SHL before shining in his NHL debut. With Bridgeport’s season now over, he’ll have to bulk up, but I said it when he was playing in the SHL this season and again when he got to North America: I think he can jump into an everyday NHL role right now. There’s no reason he can’t be in the top nine, let alone the top six.

I do have a dark horse to make the team, and that’s depth forward Daylan Kuefler (2022, Rd. 6), who, after battling health problems the last two seasons, really shone this season in Bridgeport in a spark-plug role, which is always needed at the NHL level. He is a pending RFA with arbitration rights.

I got one for you. It seems to me that finding an RHD who can move the puck to pair with Romanov should be high on the off-season list. Do you agree & do you have any ideas? Not talking about DeAngelo, who I can see on the 3rd pair with George (Pelech Trade Coming?) @TheNLKing

Rosner: I’m not going to sit here and say that the Islanders won’t offer Darren Raddysh a contract, given Darche’s connection with the current Tampa Bay Lightning blueliner. However, he is the top defenseman on the market after a breakout season, and if Tampa doesn’t retain him, I could see the Toronto Maple Leafs winning the sweepstakes, given their desperate need for a defender, especially with Morgan Rielly likely being moved, with three more seasons left on his deal ($7.5M AAV).

I do believe DeAngelo will be back in blue and orange for the next few seasons, and I know that he and Alexander Romanov didn’t have great chemistry early this season before Romanov’s injury. But I do think it’s worth another shot. Romanov was not signed to an eight-year extension ($6.2M AAV) last summer to be a bottom-pairing defenseman.

Now, with how high the organization is on Isaiah George and how good of a season a healthy Adam Pelech had, if a trade is made, I could see No. 3 on his way out. He has three seasons left on his deal at $5.75M AAV, with a 16-team modified no-trade clause. Selling him now, when his value is as high as it’s likely to be, and letting George be an everyday defenseman—someone who can skate and move the puck—may be the big move in the cards. Does Pelech bring you back a forward? That’s the question, because if so, that would help the Islanders immensely.

Any sneaky FA adds you could see Darche making to the forward group? @RJNYY0

Rosner: One name that sticks out, if the Islanders are trying to get grittier, is Columbus Blue Jackets pending UFA Mason Marchment. He just concluded a four-year deal ($4.5M AAV). I know he got into it with the Islanders for taking out Schaefer, leading to Mathew Barzal giving him a slash on the laces that got him ejected, but Marchment did play for DeBoer in Dallas.

Another name is Calgary Flames forward Ryan Lomberg, who just finished the second season of a two-year deal ($2M AAV).

LATEST NEWS

END OF AN ERA IN BRIDGEPORT

BRIDGEPORT, CT — One of the biggest standouts from Bridgeport’s 2-0 loss to the Hershey Bears in Game 1 of the first round of their Calder Cup Playoffs was Cole Eiserman.

But, not for the reason you might expect.

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BRIDGEPORT, CT —The Bridgeport Islanders are in the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs.

After a 2-0 Game 1 loss to the Hershey Bears, they got a firsthand lesson in just how hard it is to win this time of year.

It’s one they likely needed.

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BRIDGEPORT, CT — It would have been understandable if New York Islanders rookie forward Cal Ritchie chose to begin his offseason recovery after wrapping up his first NHL campaign.

The 21-year-old had just endured the grind of a full season, managing a few bumps and bruises along the way while putting together an impressive first season on Long Island.

In 65 games, Ritchie recorded 30 points (13 goals, 17 assists). Over the final 24 games following the Olympic break, he tallied 15 points (six goals, nine assists)—fourth-most on the Islanders during that stretch.

But instead of shutting it down, Ritchie felt good about where his game was—and saw an opportunity.

Joining Bridgeport for the Calder Cup Playoffs was a no-brainer.

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BRIDGEPORT, CT — When we spoke with Rocky Thompson during his introductory press conference after being named Bridgeport Islanders head coach, he dropped a line for the ages.

“We aren’t going to be the punching bags anymore.”

That’s what Bridgeport had become, but with the prospect pool taking tremendous strides over the last two seasons and many of those top names coming over to the organization over the next two years, quickly changing the culture was paramount.

However, it’s easier said than done. But credit to Thompson, because he’d done it in his first season, the AHL affiliate’s final season in Bridgeport, getting them back into the postseason for the first time since 2021-22.

Here’s my chat with Thompson about how he turned Bridgeport around, plus some insight on the organization’s rising stars:

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BRIDGEPORT, CT — New York Islanders’ 2024 first-round pick (No. 20) Cole Eiserman could have returned to Boston University for his junior season.

Instead, he elected to turn pro following his sophomore campaign, joining the Bridgeport Islanders on an ATO with his three-year entry-level deal not kicking in until the 2026-27 season.

In 12 regular-season games with Bridgeport, Eiserman was impactful, scoring two goals and adding seven assists for nine points to help the AHL Islanders clinch a spot in the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs.

They host the Hershey Bears in the opening round, with Game 1 on Tuesday night at 7 PM ET.

On Monday, following Bridgeport’s final skate before the playoffs begin, I caught up with Eiserman to find out what made him decide to turn pro, what it's been like to join Bridgeport during their playoff push, and much more.

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A big part of the New York Islanders’ push to qualify for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs was to give No. 1 overall pick Matthew Schaefer and fellow rookie Cal Ritchie meaningful NHL experience in year one.

That ultimately didn’t happen, with the Islanders collapsing late in the season.

The team, collectively, struggled—but those two rookies didn’t, and the experience they gained late in the year is incredibly important moving forward.

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The biggest question entering the offseason is what the New York Islanders plan to do with Anders Lee.

The soon-to-be 36-year-old, who has served as the captain since the start of the 2018-19 season, is a pending free agent after completing the final season of his seven-year deal worth $7 million annually.

Both sides want to reach an extension; that much seems true.

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The easiest thing to do after a late-season collapse is look at your most talented player and ask if he’s the problem.

We’ve seen it before with Mitch Marner and the Toronto Maple Leafs.

That’s where the conversation has gone with New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal.

And honestly, it’s lazy.

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New York Islanders rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer is a special kid. I think we all know that at this point.

When we spoke to his teammates on locker room cleanout day, anytime Schaefer got mentioned, his teammates would immediately smile — some even laughed — before describing Schaef’s impact on and off the ice.

“I think just right from game one, really, having a D-man on the ice like that for 25, 30 minutes a night, changed the whole complexity of how we play the game. A guy that can break the puck out, get up the ice in the O-zone... My whole career, I’ve been jealous of (Cal Makar) Colorado and Quinn Hughes in Vancouver. To finally have our guy, it’s huge. Just hearing his laugh in the room…” — Mathew Barzal.

“I could sit here all day. You guys see it. He is a special kid. Before you get into what he did on the ice, I think what he brings to this locker room and the energy, he cares about every single guy in here. Doesn’t matter how many times in the morning you see him; he gives you a hug. He’s a special, special human being. Obviously to have him here, we’re lucky. His personality, without even getting into what he did on the ice this year, is like a whole other story of incredible. He’s a pleasure to watch, a pleasure to be a part of that. As a part of this team, I think the future with him is so bright. I’m looking forward to seeing what else he has in store.” — Ryan Pulock

“I'm sure you get the same answer from everyone, but hockey-wise, we all know all the talent he has. But just as a person, all the energy that he brought to this team, the passion, he brought in a smile every day, he worked his butt off every day to dedicate it for the logo, for the Islanders. He's a true, really good teammate, a true Islander, and you can see he takes pride every time he wears the jersey. We're lucky to have him, and I'm lucky to have him as a teammate. He makes this group better.” — Jean-Gabriel Pageau

“It’s pretty cool to play with a special talent like that. Not everybody in the league gets to do it in their career. To be honest, I didn’t really follow last year’s draft. I didn’t know any of the guys. I might’ve known the Russian guys better than the American guys. So i didn’t know what we were gonna get coming in but superstar talent. He’s got a huge personality, which I think is great for the organization and the game itself. Special player, and I hope I get to watch it unfold one more time.” — Tony DeAngelo

Following the Islanders’ last morning skate of the season, I asked Schaefer if he could pick one word to describe his first NHL season:

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“Amazing. Yeah, amazing,” Schaefer said. “Picking one word is tough because learning is another one. I’ve learned so much, made so many memories. There’s so much I’ve learned on the ice, but off the ice, meeting new people, going to dinner spots, and just enjoying time with the guys. But, yeah, it’s been awesome. I talked to my dad about this all the time, but it was just such a great experience for me. A lot of things worked out. The living situation with the Martins, I think, really helped me a lot. And then just having the teammates I have, the coaching staff, management, and everyone on the staff. When you come into a team that is just amazing from top to bottom. It’s so fun to be a part of.”

Does Schaefer feel like a Long Islander?

“I still have to explore, but I’m an Islander.”

If you haven’t seen his locker room cleanout day interview, here it is:

LATEST NEWS

When we spoke with general manager Mathieu Darche on Wednesday, following the conclusion of the New York Islanders’ season, he told us that goaltender Semyon Varlamov was being loaned to Bridgeport on a conditioning stint.

Varlamov, 37, last played in the NHL on Nov. 29, 2024, before undergoing procedures on both knees. He has one season remaining on his $2.75 million deal.

I asked Darche if Varlamov could be a viable backup option to Ilya Sorokin for the 2026–27 season.

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