Roster Tier 2.0: Revisiting the Status of the Islanders’ Roster

The New York Islanders’ summer rolls onward with the NHL Draft just 16 days away. On April 24, I evaluated the Islanders’ roster and tiered it by who is safe and who is not, based on how a new regime might see things.

That piece came out just days after the franchise announced the decision to move on from Lou Lamoriello. A little over six weeks later, it’s time to revisit that list and how it’s changed.

Back then, the Islanders had the presumed 10th overall pick, and reports were that they were actively trying to land Ken Holland to replace Lamoriello. Now, the Islanders won the first overall pick in the Draft Lottery. They also pivoted when Holland said no and hired the exciting, energetic first-time General Manager, Mathieu Darche.

It’s safe to say things have changed. Darche spoke to media outlets and disclosed his vision for the team. With that and the perceived plan to draft Matthew Schaefer with the first pick, it’s time to dive right in.

Tier #1: The Core

F Mathew Barzal, F Bo Horvat, D Noah Dobson, G Ilya Sorokin

This section stays almost entirely the same, with one notable addition in Noah Dobson. Since arriving, Darche made no bones about how he feels about Dobson: He loves the player.

Add in that Dobson’s already shown he can handle top-pair duties on the right side, and it’s easy to get visions of Dobson and Schaefer becoming one of the premier pairings in the NHL. Schaefer aside, Dobson and Adam Pelech have shown an ability to play together at an elite level.

Tier #2: Extremely Likely to Return/Safe

F Simon Holmstrom, F Maxim Tsyplakov, F Anders Lee, F Marc Gatcomb, F Kyle Palmieri, F Kyle MacLean, D Adam Pelech, D Adam Boqvist, G Marcus Hogberg

Another tier that’s grown some since last time. Adam Pelech moves all the way up from a main name on the chopping block to perceived safety. Not only has Darche lumped Pelech’s name into the core discussion, but his play remains at a high level.

Add in the fact that he’s skating with Schaefer over the summer, and the duo played for the same Erie Otters team, and it just makes way too much sense to keep Pelech and have him shepherd over this new era of defensemen on the Island.

Nothing’s changed with the main RFA forwards. Unless something big comes along, Simon Holmstrom and Maxim Tsyplakov will be back in blue and orange. Both produced well; Holmstrom scored 20 goals, and Tsyplakov put up 35 points as an NHL rookie. Both brought a lot of value on both ends of the ice. It’ll simply come down to the contract talks.

Marc Gatcomb and Kyle MacLean worked very well as a duo. Gatcomb scored eight goals over his 39 games and made the most of his January recall. He’s an RFA, but a cheap minimum deal should do the trick. Meanwhile, MacLean stumbled hard out of the gate but recovered down the stretch.

Anders Lee slides up the depth chart for the organization from a potential cap casualty to virtual safety. He’s been the most visible Islander since Darche arrived. He was the only player at Darche’s unveiling. Darche’s vibe thus far has been small, gradual change over massive changes. That means keeping his team’s beloved captain and potentially working out an extension.

Kyle Palmieri and Adam Boqvist signed new deals, so they’re completely safe. Marcus Hogberg will be back in his role as the third-string goaltender, unless Semyon Varlamov is not healthy. Then, he’ll serve as a backup.

Tier #3: Likely to Return

F Anthony Duclair, F Pierre Engvall, D Scott Perunovich, G Semyon Varlamov

Another tier where things haven’t changed too much. Darche confirmed Anthony Duclair remains in the fold and is expected to be at training camp. Nobody’s trading for Duclair, and the Islanders won’t be moving on at this point. The hope for New York is that his health is better, and he can get himself into a groove this upcoming season.

Pierre Engvall moved himself off the chopping block with strong play down the stretch. Darche then told reporters that he does not expect to make any buyouts at this point.

Semyon Varlamov’s position here is solely health-based. If he’s healthy, he will be back.

Tier #4: Potential to be Traded/Coin Flips

F Jean-Gabriel Pageau, F Casey Cizikas, F Hudson Fasching, D Alexander Romanov, D Ryan Pulock, D Scott Mayfield, D Scott Perunovich, D Tony DeAngelo, D Mike Reilly

This is the biggest tier. It’s also not as cut-and-dry as it may look. For instance, the Islanders will not be trading both Casey Cizikas and Jean-Gabriel Pageau. They could trade one in a market deprived of centers for a premium return. It’s also quite possible the Islanders opt to keep both and have the potential to cash in on Pageau at the deadline if the team is out of a playoff position.

Ditto that first statement, but apply it to Scott Mayfield and Ryan Pulock. They’re both significantly safer than they were a month ago. Darche values both highly, and isn’t going to dump there just to do so. Mayfield fell out of favor with Head Coach Patrick Roy, so there’s potential for a trade there. With a low cap hit for what he brings, Mayfield would bring a decent haul.

Meanwhile, Darche named Ryan Pulock and Pageau in his core. Some of it is poker, but it shows how highly he values the leadership they bring. Pulock’s contract is onerous, and one that could be moved. However, Pulock holds a full no-trade clause, a potential hurdle to any possible deal.

As an RFA, Scott Perunovich’s fate is up in the air. At this point, it’s expected he will be qualified, and a deal will eventually get worked out, where he can serve as a solid depth defenseman for the organization.

UFAs Tony DeAngelo and Mike Reilly have a chance to be back, but as of now, it’s unlikely. Reilly has a notably higher chance of returning than DeAngelo, solely due to a perceived gap in contract value. Ditto for Hudson Fasching, a solid enough depth forward who could be squeezed out by the emergence of Marc Gatcomb.

The Alexander Romanov Discussion:

This all leads to the one name in the previous tier that I did not discuss. Alexander Romanov.

Romanov is an unquestionable warrior who leaves everything he has on the ice every time he laces up his skates. However, his position could be squeezed out.

Not only is he a highly valuable trade piece, but with Schaefer’s pending arrival and Pelech’s perceived safety, he’s suddenly firmly on the chopping block.

As noise continues to grow about the Islanders wanting to land James Hagens in addition to Schaefer, he could be the piece that helps get that done. If the Islanders know they have Schaefer on the way, why lock up Romanov long-term if he isn’t a perfect systemic fit?

Whether used for a deal to land the pick to draft Hagens or a pure scoring forward, Romanov’s safety is far less assured than it was a month ago. But he’s not for sale. Romanov’s only going to be moved if it’s a slam-dunk deal for Darche and the Islanders.