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The New York Islanders were officially eliminated from playoff contention over the weekend following a shootout loss to the Philadelphia Flyers.
It's a disappointing result for the Islanders, with the team still struggling to really find a direction. While they were undoubtedly looking for a third straight playoff berth, they've managed just a 35-33-12 record. Their 82 points this season currently have them sitting 12th in the Eastern Conference.
The Islanders have essentially been in no man's land for a few years. They're not good enough to contend, but they also aren't really focused on building for the future. Even at the trade deadline, the Islanders opted to hold onto several key pieces, rather than going through a larger sell-off. A key part of this comes down to the team's general manager Lou Lamoriello.
Lamoriello has seemed to frequently overestimate his own team. As a result, it seems like the goal has been geared towards competing now, despite not truly being strong enough to do so. So, while the Islanders may benefit from trading key pieces to recoup future assets, it doesn't seem like the most likely path this offseason under Lamoriello.
Of course, if the Islanders move on from Lamoriello as general manager, we could see bigger changes. But at least for the scenario in which Lamoriello returns, below are three predictions for the Islanders' 2025 offseason.
Islanders re-sign Kyle Palmieri, Tony DeAngelo and RFAs
While the Islanders' roster isn't good enough as it stands, the team first needs to take care of business internally.
Two notable unrestricted free agents heading into the offseason are Kyle Palmieri and Tony DeAngelo. The team opted not to move Palmieri and were reportedly working on an extension instead. Considering the Islanders didn't use Palmieri as a trade chip, it's likely the team thought they'd be able to bring him back next season.
Meanwhile, DeAngelo joined the team midseason and added much-needed offense from the blue line. In 33 games with the Islanders, DeAngelo has posted 19 points while averaging over 23 minutes per game. Re-signing DeAngelo wouldn't be overly pricey, and considering he was a decent fit, a short extension seems likely.
Meanwhile, the team also has key restricted free agents. On the blue line, both Alexander Romanov and Noah Dobson will be in need of extensions. Then up front, all of Simon Holmstrom, Maxim Tsyplakov, and Marc Gatcomb would be due for new contracts.
Of the RFAs, Romanov and Holmstrom are poised for an extension. Meanwhile, Gatcomb ended up being a good depth fit, and a Tsyplakov extension wouldn't be expensive.
The only real decision is on Dobson, who had his name come up in trade rumblings this season. At the same time, though, Dobson is still just 25 years old and has been the most consistent source of blue line offense for several years. Even after a disappointing season, any trade is unlikely to really set the team up better long term.
No significant trades
At this point, the Islanders don't have a ton of realistic trade pieces,at least under Lamoriello.
A good portion of the roster is already under long-term contract. Veterans like Mathew Barzal, Bo Horvat, Ryan Pulock, Adam Pelech, and Ilya Sorokin all have term remaining on their respective deals. Meanwhile, other teams won't have interest in acquiring Scott Mayfield, Pierre Engvall, and Anthony Duclair, who all also have term left on their contracts as well.
Then with their restricted free agents, as already noted, most are likely to be extended.
With that all being said, Lamoriello has shown hesitancy in trading roster players. This year, while Brock Nelson was traded, the team opted to hold onto other veterans. Anders Lee, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, and Casey Cizikas could all be trade chips, but it seems much more likely that as long as Lamoriello is in charge, those players will start the 2025-26 season with the Islanders.
Perhaps if the Islanders end up outside the playoff race again next year, this could be re-evaluated. But at least in terms of the offseason, don't expect the Islanders to trade major pieces off their roster.
On the flip side, though, Lamoriello should be able to recognize his team's position. The Islanders aren't overly close to contending and need to continue building for the future. The team can't look to trade top prospects like Cole Eiserman or Calum Ritchie and shouldn't be looking to move major draft picks either.
As a result, the Islanders shouldn't be expected to be overly active in the trade market.
Islanders add offense in free agency
While New York likely won't make major additions or subtractions via trade, they could look to upgrade via free agency.
As noted, the Islanders are likely to spend their cap space on current free agents. At the same time, especially after losing Nelson, the team will be in need of offense.
Considering Lamoriello is likely to want to get the team competitive quickly, free agency is the best course of action. Even with limited cap space last year, the team did sign Duclair to a four-year deal. While Duclair's first year with the Islanders wasn't smooth, the signing was a worthwhile gamble at the time.
The team could realistically use an upgrade either at center or on the wing. Obviously, adding a top-six center could help to offset the loss of Nelson. But if the team was able to upgrade on the wing, Barzal could always be shifted back down the middle.
Perhaps the Islanders' biggest issue in the last half-decade has been a lack of scoring. As of now, the team ranks 25th in the NHL in goals per game. So we can expect Lamoriello to be active in seeking an upgrade; it'll just be a matter of how big they're able to go.
