The New York Islanders have plenty of decisions to make this summer. The offense is a main point of speculation, as they struggled to score consistently.
Anders LeeThe New York Islanders enter this off-season with several issues to be addressed.
It's unknown if GM Lou Lamoriello will be back. They must re-sign or replace UFAs such as backup goalie Semyon Varlamov and aging winger Zach Parise. A decision must be made whether they'll stick with rookie coach Lane Lambert for next season.
Boosting their anemic scoring punch, however, is the main factor. ESPN.com's Kristen Shilton believes the Islanders must address the lack of consistent scoring that plagued them throughout this season.
Only three Islanders (Brock Nelson, Anders Lee and Parise) tallied 20 or more goals for the team this season. They entered the playoffs with the second-lowest goals per game (2.95), and their 2.50 average following their first-round elimination ranked 13th out of the 16 post-season clubs.
Mid-season acquisition Bo Horvat finished with 38 goals this season, but only seven of those came in his 30 games with the Islanders. Meanwhile, puck-moving defenseman Noah Dobson failed to build on last season's career-best 51-point performance. He struggled during their first-round series with the Carolina Hurricanes.
The expensive new contracts for Horvat and center Mathew Barzal that kick in next season have taken up a big chunk of their 2023-24 cap space. CapFriendly shows them with $6.9 million in projected space with 18 roster players under contract.
That limited cap room has the New York Post's Ethan Sears wondering if the Islanders might consider moving a center such as Nelson or Jean-Gabriel Pageau or keep Horvat and Barzal on the top line. Meanwhile, The Athletic's Kevin Kurz speculated Josh Bailey has likely played his last game with the Isles. He has a year left on his contract with a $5-million cap hit.