Stefen Rosner on 'Running It Back' Saturday at 5 PM ET marked the deadline for restricted free agents to sign their qualifying offers. On June 30, the New York Islanders [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/features/new-york-islanders-prospect-matthew-maggio-william-dufour-samuel-bolduc]elected to qualify forward Oliver Wahlstrom [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/features/oliver-wahlstrom-new-york-islanders-knee-injury-season-ending-training-camp] and goaltender Jakub Skarek [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/features/jakub-skarek-new-york-islanders-restricted-free-agent-goaltending]. Both have elected not to sign their qualifying offers. READ MORE: Kowalsky Dives Into 3 Islanders Prospects [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/features/new-york-islanders-prospect-matthew-maggio-william-dufour-samuel-bolduc] 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 [https://twitter.com/stefen_rosner] talk New York Islanders hockey on Hockey Night in New York [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYN7JIgdHnM&t=956s] with co-host Sean Cuthbert [https://twitter.com/seanyhockey] Sunday nights at 8 PM ET during the season.
