Islanders 2023 Free Agents, Draft Targets, Offseason Guide After NHL Playoff Loss
The New York Islanders have been eliminated from the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs after a Game 6 on Friday that sealed a first-round loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, and now it's time for the franchise to begin planning for the 2023-24 season.
After acquiring Bo Horvat from the Vancouver Canucks at the 2022-23 trade deadline, the Islanders were expected to be one of the most competitive teams in the Eastern Conference.
Unfortunately, they put together a disappointing fourth-place finish in the Metropolitan Division before falling to the Hurricanes in the postseason. Now general manager Lou Lamoriello will attempt to retool his squad around Mathew Barzal and Ilya Sorokin ahead of the 2023-24 campaign.
Let's take a look at New York's free agents, some draft targets and what to expect this summer.
Free Agents
Unrestricted free agents: Pierre Engvall, Hudson Fasching, Zach Parise, Scott Mayfield, Parker Wotherspoon, Semyon Varlamov, Richard Panik
Restricted free agents: Samuel Bolduc, Oliver Wahlstrom
Two of the most significant free agents New York may aim to re-sign this summer are Zach Parise and Scott Mayfield.
Parise spent the last two seasons of his career in Long Island after nine seasons with the Minnesota Wild, and he had a solid 2022-23 campaign, notching 21 goals and 13 assists for 34 points in 82 games.
That said, if the Islanders bring Parise back, it likely will be on a one-year deal as he'll be entering his age-39 season and is undoubtedly nearing retirement.
Mayfield, meanwhile, is 30 years old and has a solid chunk of his career ahead of him. He has spent his entire nine-year career with the Islanders, serving as a piece of the core on defense.
The St. Louis native notched six goals and 18 assists in 82 regular-season games in 2022-23. He had a salary worth $2 million this season and should receive more money in his next deal.
2023 Draft Targets
The Islanders don't have a first-round pick in the 2023 draft after trading it to the Vancouver Canucks in the Horvat deal, but they do five total selections come June 28-29.
New York will make its first selection in the second round. Here are the franchise's entire list of picks this year:
- One second-round pick
- One fourth-round pick
- One fifth-round pick
- One sixth-round pick
- One seventh-round pick
The Islanders won't get their hands on the likes of Connor Bedard or Adam Fantilli, but they should be able to select a prospect with plenty of upside come Day 2 of the draft.
After ranking 22nd in the NHL with 2.95 goals per games and allowing the fifth-fewest goals in the league in 2022-23, it's clear New York could use some more depth up front.
So, Lamoriello's focus should be on drafting a forward with the team's second-round pick this year.
Free-Agent Targets
With the Islanders needing a boost on offense, the franchise should be examining the forward market closely in free agency.
New York is solid down the middle with Horvat, Brock Nelson, Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Casey Cizikas, so it could stand to add some depth on the wings. Some of the top available wingers available include Patrick Kane, Vladimir Tarasenko, Jason Zucker and Tyler Bertuzzi.
Signing either Kane or Tarasenko would be hard for the Islanders because of the expected lucrative deals both players are expected to receive, so it's more reasonable for the franchise to target players such as Zucker and Bertuzzi.
Zucker had a solid 2022-23 campaign with the Pittsburgh Penguins, notching 27 goals and 21 assists for 48 points in 78 games. The 31-year-old has been a consistent 25-plus-point scorer over his career, and his offensive skill set would be a huge asset for the Isles.
Bertuzzi didn't have the best 2022-23 campaign with the Detroit Red Wings and Boston Bruins because of injuries, but he still managed to record eight goals and 22 assists for 30 points in 50 games.
The 28-year-old also notched 30 goals during the 2021-22 season and it's reasonable to believe he could get back to that mark next season after a resurgent second half to the 2022-23 campaign with the Bruins.
Neither Zucker nor Bertuzzi will come at the cost of Kane or Tarasenko, making them more reasonable targets for New York.