Speaking with the General Manager of the New York Islanders Lou Lamoriello, Andrew Gross of Newsday reports that veteran forwards Cal Clutterbuck and Matt Martin are expected to hit unrestricted free agency on Monday. Each player has spent more than a decade with the Islanders’ organization but the team appears headed for a different direction this summer.
Additionally, on the restricted free agent front, Gross relays that New York is prepared to qualify Oliver Wahlstrom but will also look to trade him this summer. As the 11th overall pick of the 2018 NHL Draft, Wahlstrom may still hold some value as a change-of-scenery candidate; however, the prospects of that don’t look promising after numerous disappointing seasons with the Islanders. Over five years at the professional level, Wahlstrom has suited up in 193 games for New York but has only mustered 34 goals and 67 points over that stretch.
Even if Clutterbuck and Martin make it to the free agent market on July 1st, there isn’t a guarantee that either will leave the Islanders organization. Lamoriello has a habit of keeping his contract negotiations very close to the vest throughout his career and may wait to see how things play out after the first day. However, if New York does not retain either player, they are almost guaranteed a fourth-line role wherever they end up.
Other Metro notes:
- With the New Jersey Devils already expected to make a hard run at free-agent defenseman Brett Pesce over the next couple of days, there is another defenseman that the team will be monitoring. Regardless of the team’s negotiations with Pesce, Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reports the team is also prepared to extend an offer to Brenden Dillon. By moving out defenseman John Marino earlier today in a trade with the Utah Hockey Club, the Devils will have the roster spots and cap flexibility to bring both defensemen into the organization.
- Sammi Silber of The Hockey News reports that the Washington Capitals previously had zero intentions of moving forward Beck Malenstyn this summer but the Buffalo Sabres gave them an offer they couldn’t refuse. After scoring six goals and 21 points in 81 games for the Capitals this season in a middle-six role, the organization moved Malenstyn for the 43rd overall pick of the 2024 NHL Draft. Washington used the pick to select defenseman Cole Hutson out of the US National Team Development Program after scoring 15 goals and 51 points in 51 games.
- Back in New Jersey, the Devils will open up an additional spot on defense in the next few days as the organization is not expected to extend a contract offer to defenseman Brendan Smith (X Link). Smith has spent the last two years in the Garden State and recently concluded one of the more productive seasons of his career as he scored five goals and 15 points in 63 games while averaging 16:06 of ice time per night.
