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The New York Islanders missed the playoffs after a dismal 82-point season. That ended Lou Lamoriello's seven-year run as the team's general manager and president of hockey operations. They already have the first-overall pick in the NHL Entry Draft, but need to add scoring beyond just one prospect. The Islanders can hit a grand slam in free agency if they sign Mitch Marner away from the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Maple Leafs' competitive window started when they signed Islanders captain John Tavares to a seven-year, $77 million contract in July 2018. They never made it past the second round, but had some spectacular regular seasons, especially from Marner. After a lot of playoff failures, Marner is likely to leave. The Islanders will have the cap space to add him this offseason and should take a swing.
Before Tavares left, the Maple Leafs signed Islanders enforcer Matt Martin. He spent two years in Toronto, fostering a great relationship with Marner. Martin came back to the Islanders the same offseason that Tavares left, but has kept a relationship with Marner. Who better to sell the Islanders' experience than a player who spent 14 seasons with the team?
On the ice, Marner is exactly what the Islanders need. They need an elite winger, and have for some time, and Marner has been that throughout his career. He had his first 100-point campaign this season and has been a point-per-game player in the playoffs, amid all of the commentary.
The Islanders already have two high-priced forwards in Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal. Signing Marner would give them a three-headed monster at the top to finally break their offensive ceiling. There are a lot of questions about New York's defense, but drafting Matthew Schaefer can help with that. How much would Marner cost, and what else could the Islanders do?
The Islanders can't just bring in Mitch Marner to fix their problems
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Marner could fix a lot of issues for the Islanders. Kyle Palmieri and Anders Lee are getting older, Oliver Wahlstrom is gone after a disastrous career, and Simon Holmstrom is still growing. But the wing is not the only position that the Islanders need help with. Schaefer would fill a massive hole on their defense, but professional players are needed as well.
The Islanders have Alexander Romanov and Noah Dobson as restricted free agents this offseason. If new GM Mathieu Darche makes some changes on the back end, they could free up enough money to bring in a free agent on the blue line. Ryan Lindgren, Vladislav Gavrikov, and Ivan Provorov would be the best options.
Marner should be their top target, however, as players of his caliber do not hit free agency often in the NHL. Just because things did not work out in Toronto does not mean that Marner is a plague that would kill their championship chances. There are bad games on Marner's playoff resume, but the Islanders just need someone to score goals for them outside of Horvat.
According to CapWages, the Islanders will have over $23 million in salary cap space this offseason. Marner's contract projection is $14.1 million, so there will still be plenty of room for Darche to improve the roster. He said at his introductory press conference that this team is ready to make the playoffs, but last year proved the exact opposite. Actions speak louder than words, and adding talent to this roster is beyond necessary.
The Islanders have the cap space, the hungry GM, and the coach fighting for his job, which should all add up to an active free agency period. Could Mitch Marner find his way to Long Island?
