If the Islanders want Kyle MacLean to keep playing at the NHL level, things could get interesting.
If the Islanders want Kyle MacLean to keep playing at the NHL level, things could get interesting.
EAST MEADOW, NY -- New York Islanders forward Casey Cizikas is eligible to be activated out of long-term injured reserve.
Cizikas, who suffered a lower-body injury against the Vancouver Canucks on Jan. 9, was recently transferred to LTIR to create enough salary-cap space for the activation of defenseman Ryan Pulock.
The transfer from IR to LTIR was retroactive to the date of the injury.
After missing Monday night's 3-2 win against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Cizikas has missed the minimum 10 games and can return against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night.
The 32-year-old forward has been in a non-contact jersey since Sunday's practice, so it's not quite clear if he is 100 percent ready.
Regarding cap space, activating Cizikas and his $2.5 million cap hit would have the Islanders over the cap by $183,452.
Currently, the Islanders have no roster spots available, but they could kill two birds with one stone and send centerman Kyle MacLean to Bridgeport of the American Hockey League.
Sending MacLean and his $800,000 cap hit down would allow the Islanders to be cap-compliant, with $170,000 in space.
MacLean is waiver-exempt, as he was sent to Bridgeport over the All-Star break to get some games in before being recalled on Sunday.
The 24-year-old centerman scored his first NHL goal on Monday night via a filthy breakaway move:
MacLean has shown well through his first six NHL games and seems to be a reliable depth option going forward.
The rookie going down is the obvious answer, but let's get a little creative, shall we?
Could the Islanders go a different route, given that MacLean has played well?
Theoretically, the Islanders could move MacLean to the wing and play him either in Matt Martin's spot on the fourth line or Oliver Wahlstrom's spot on the third line.
It's unlikely that the Islanders would waive Martin, but it's a move that would allow MacLean -- a potential future fourth-liner -- to play, giving the Islanders $249,000 in cap space.
The Islanders could waive or trade pending unrestricted free agent defenseman Sebastian Aho, freeing up $825,000, making New York roster compliant and cap compliant ($127,032).
The Islanders could also waive forward Hudson Fasching and his $775,000 cap hit, giving New York $108,000 in cap space and that needed roster spot.
Fasching signed a two-year extension after last season, so it would be unlikely that he gets claimed. He is currently day-to-day with a lower-body injury.
The last idea, which is rather unlikely but worth mentioning, is that the Islanders could look to move centerman Jean-Gabriel Pageau and his $5 million cap hit -- given how slim the center market is -- and play MacLean as the third-line center or elevate Cizikas and play MacLean in the fourth-line center position.
Pageau does have a term on the books through 2025-26, but he is a player who would undoubtedly garner interest from the playoff and Stanley Cup contenders.
It isn't very likely, given that Pagaeu's game fits what Roy is implementing, but it's worth mentioning.
The whole point of these potential moves is so MacLean can play.
Per Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello and head coach Patrick Roy, it seems clear that Wahlstrom will get a good look right now.
So that leaves MacLean either playing on the fourth line or being a healthy scratch.
And if MacLean is going to be a scratch, he might as well go to Bridgeport, play regularly, and stay fresh for if and when the Islanders need a bottom-six fill-in again.
Rosters expand after the March 8 NHL Trade Deadline, and if the Islanders do have additional cap space, MacLean is the likely call-up.
All salary cap numbers are courtesy of CapFriendly.com.
You can watch Rosner talk Islanders hockey on Hockey Night in New York with co-host Sean Cuthbert live Sunday nights at 8 PM ET during the season on Twitch, YouTube, Twitter & Facebook.