A handful of college players became NHL free agents on Tuesday. Could we see the New York Islanders take a flyer on a local kid?

On Tuesday, a handful of college prospects became NHL free agents as their teams failed to ink them to their entry-level deals. 

New York Islanders draft choices Christian Krygier and Jake Pivonka do not have NHL deals but are Islanders property with AHL deals in place. 

John Farinacci, Harvard's captain who was drafted back in the third round in 2019, signed with the Boston Bruins on Tuesday morning. 

With the Islanders currently at 44 contracts -- with the ability to hold 50 -- could we see general manager Lou Lamoriello bring in a college kid?

And could that player be Robert Mastrosimone, a 22-year-old left winger who grew up in East Islip as a big Islanders fan? 

After being selected 54th overall by the Detroit Red Wings at the 2019 NHL Draft after dominating with the USHL's Chicago Steel, Mastrosimone went on to play three seasons at Boston University, racking up 21 goals in 83 games. 

Mastrosimone transferred to Arizona State University, the home of the Sun Devils and Coyotes, where he scored 11 goals with 31 assists in just 38 games. 

But when it came time for Detroit to sign their prospect to his entry-level deal by Tuesday's deadline, they decided not to. 

Per Arizona Coyotes beat reporter Craig Morgan's interview with ASU's head coach Greg Powers back in March, Mastrosimone always had an interest in testing free agency.

While Mastrosimone could return to ASU for another season, his goal is to sign a pro contract. 

"Mastrosimone is a player who plays with a high motor, looking to give 100% on just about every shift," our prospect analyst Tony Ferrari shared.  

"His shot is good, but he hasn't found a way to fully weaponize it at the college level, which has forced him to develop as a playmaker. His passing looks to have become a strength at Arizona State, deferring to teammates rather than taking low-danger shots. He isn't the most physical player, which is likely why he has struggled to get inside and get his shot off from dangerous areas. If he can flip that switch, he can be a depth scorer after some AHL development.

Ferrari continued: "The biggest question is whether his work ethic is going to be enough to make him a solid energy player lower in the lineup."

With Mastrisimone already 22, his entry-level deal would be two years instead of three, as he would start in Bridgeport this upcoming season if a signing came to fruition. 

Bridgeport did lose veteran Chris Terry and 2022-23 AHL goal-scoring leader Andy Andreoff this offseason. 

For a player who has played for two strong programs, this would be such a low-risk, high-reward move for the Blue and Orange. 

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