Islanders' top priority in free agency: Get defenseman Alexander Romanov signed
Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov sets before a face-off against the Calgary Flames in the second period of an NHL game at UBS Arena on March 22. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Mathieu Darche's first foray into NHL free agency as the Islanders’ general manager/executive vice president doesn’t officially begin until Tuesday, but it’s gotten off to a slow start, as an impasse in contract negotiations led him to trade pending restricted free agent defenseman Noah Dobson to the Canadiens.
The Canadiens showed no hesitation in doling out an eight-year, $76 million deal to Dobson, who should have been more of a consistent top-pair defenseman than he was last season.
So as much as there will be scrutiny on whether the rookie GM strengthens the Islanders through free agency — the market opens Tuesday at noon — his top priority is really not having a Dobson repeat with pending restricted free agent defenseman Alexander Romanov, who has arbitration rights.
The Islanders simply cannot afford to lose a second 25-year-old defenseman who should be a constant on the top pair.
Romanov, a physical whirlwind who is a whiz at the lost art of hip checking, is coming off a three-year, $7.5 million deal and likely will draw more than $2.5 million annually on his next contract.
The Islanders, with $20.9 million in space under the $95.5 million salary cap with 17 players signed, could be at risk of having Romanov attract an offer sheet from another team.
Romanov’s return is a must for the Islanders because, among the other signed defensemen, Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock have been injury-plagued, Scott Mayfield was a frequent healthy scratch last season under coach Patrick Roy and Adam Boqvist, claimed off waivers from the Panthers last season, has been more of a depth option who has yet to play more than 52 games.
Darche did sign Boqvist, 24, to a one-year, $850,000 deal on May 30, the same day he kept pending unrestricted free agent Kyle Palmieri of Smithtown in the fold with a two-year, $9.5 million extension.
Tony DeAngelo, brought in last season after a stint in the Russian KHL, also is a pending UFA. Like Boqvist, Mayfield and Pulock (and Dobson), DeAngelo is a righthanded shot.
Darche’s other in-house free agents include forward Hudson Fasching and defenseman Mike Reilly, both UFAs, and RFA defenseman Scott Perunovich and RFA forwards Simon Holmstrom, Maxim Tsyplakov, Marc Gatcomb and Emil Heineman.
Only Heineman, acquired from the Canadiens as part of the Dobson deal, does not have arbitration rights.
To be fair, the Islanders could ill afford to lose Holmstrom, the 23rd overall pick in 2019, or be forced to match an offer sheet for the Swedish wing, who had a breakout season with 20 goals and 25 assists as he finally has developed consistent confidence in his shot.
Still, even if Darche re-signs his key free agents, the Islanders have a roster that needs outside help after finishing 35-35-12 and missing the playoffs by nine points in Roy’s first full season.
Their 224 goals ranked 28th in the 32-team NHL and their 260 goals allowed were the 12th most in the league.
Last summer’s top free-agent signing, wing Anthony Duclair (four years, $14 million), was expected to complement Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal on the top line. Instead, a groin injury hindered him essentially all season, which he ended by taking a leave of absence after Roy called him out for subpar play.
It couldn’t hurt Darche to seek a top-six scoring wing via free agency (or trade), given that the Islanders are deep down the middle even after trading Brock Nelson to the Avalanche in March. Horvat, Jean-Gabriel Pageau (unless he’s traded), Casey Cizikas and Kyle MacLean are still on the roster, Barzal could move back to the middle and Calum Ritchie is expected to step in as a big piece of the return for Nelson.
And with Dobson dealt and No. 1 pick Matthew Schaefer still only 17 until September, Darche would do well to import a defenseman even as he must work on a new contract with Romanov.
Darche tried hard to make a second trade at this weekend’s NHL Draft in Los Angeles but could not find a willing trade partner.
Yet.
He’s still working the phones hard, trading trade ideas with opposing GMs. He’s also remaining in constant contact with the representation for his free agents.
Come Tuesday, Darche can add calls to the representation of all free agents to his to-do list.
Islanders potential targets
Brock Boeser, RW (Canucks) — Reuniting Bo Horvat with the slick-skating sniper who reached 40 goals two seasons ago makes sense, though it would come at a hefty price, likely between $8.5 million and $9 million annually.
Nikolaj Ehlers, LW (Jets) — Like Boeser, signing Ehlers, a natural goal-scorer with a lightning shot who has topped 60 points in each of the last two seasons, might allow Mathew Barzal to return to center. A contract would cost more than $8 million annually.
Vladislav Gavrikov, D (Kings) — The lefty can be a physical, shutdown option on the top pair who put up decent offensive numbers last season (five goals, 25 assists). If the Isles didn’t want to pay Noah Dobson $9.5 million, would they want to pay Gavrikov $8 million?
Mikael Granlund, C (Stars) — Strong on-ice vision and steady play have allowed Granlund to top 60 points in three of the last four seasons. Not a bad option as a second-line center for about $5 million annually.
Nick Perbix, D (Lightning) — Perbix is a righthanded shot who could solidify the third pairing, likely for less than $3 million annually. Perhaps new Isles GM Mathieu Darche, the former Lightning assistant GM, has a soft spot for him.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
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