Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello Added A Star player to the Lineup As they signed Brock Nelson And Bo Horva.

The New York Islanders are not in the greatest position to add talent to a struggling squad if they want to return to the playoffs in 2024-25, presuming they do not win more games than those ahead of them in the standings and surpass them in points. That might always happen, but it does put them in an interesting position for next season.

The Isles are one of a few teams with enough talent to compete for a wild card spot, but not enough to seriously consider them for a deep playoff run. But if general manager Lou Lamoriello added a star player to the lineup on a prolonged contract, things would alter dramatically.

But here’s the problem: the Islanders now have so little cap space that it’s impossible for them to sign a potential star pending free agent in their own division – as the topic of this piece suggests – unless Lamoriello was interested in moving around a few guys.

The Islanders could have enough space to sign one big-name free agent.
Lamoriello should also recognize his team’s strong core, which includes Brock Nelson, Bo Horvat, Kyle Palmieri, Ilya Sorokin, Mathew Barzal, Noah Dobson, Ryan Pulock, and Adam Pelech. So, why not trade someone like the elderly Casey Cizikis, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, or Anders Lee and sign a quality free agent who can help this club score?

Doing so would give Lamoriello more money to spend in free agency, but it’s also worth noting that Pageau (16-team) and Lee (15-team starting in 2024-25) both have no-trade clauses, which would have to be waived in some cases.

However, clubs looking to compete and could use some physical players like Cizikis, Pageau, and Lee would be willing to make a move if they have the capacity, especially if the Isles keep some of their wages.

That might potentially open the door for the Isles to sign the first two free agents available from their Metropolitan Division rivals. If there is little player movement, don’t worry; there are “consolation players” on this list as well.