Saturday at 5 PM ET marked the deadline for restricted free agents to sign their qualifying offers. The New York Islanders had two players who chose not to sign.
Saturday at 5 PM ET marked the deadline for restricted free agents to sign their qualifying offers. The New York Islanders had two players who chose not to sign.
Saturday at 5 PM ET marked the deadline for restricted free agents to sign their qualifying offers.
On June 30, the New York Islanders elected to qualify forward Oliver Wahlstrom and goaltender Jakub Skarek. Both have elected not to sign their qualifying offers.
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This means both have until Dec. 1 to sign contracts with the Islanders, or they must sit out the remainder of the 2023-24 season.
Why would the two not sign their qualifying offers?
Wahlstrom's qualifying offer is $874,125, a tad lower than his cap hit for the 2022-23 campaign, at $894,167.
For comparison purposes, former Islander Kieffer Bellows signed a one-year deal with New York worth $1.2 million last summer.
Wahlstrom could get between $1-$1.2 million if he forgoes his qualifying offer.
The Portland, Maine native scored seven goals and nine assists in 35 games before suffering a season-ending knee injury in late December.
Skarek's situation is slightly different, with his qualifying offer ($787,500) a tad higher than his 2022-23 cap hit ($754,167).
By not accepting his qualifying offer, there's a strong chance Skarek heads somewhere else, whether via trade or potentially heading back overseas, given the log-jam in goal with Ilya Sorokin and Semyon Varlamov locked in.
Skarek posted a 3.37 GAA with an .892 SV% with two shutouts in 38 games with the Bridgeport Islanders this past season.
Besides reading his work, you can listen and watch Stefen Rosner talk New York Islanders hockey on Hockey Night in New York with co-host Sean Cuthbert Sunday nights at 8 PM ET during the season.