New York Islanders and D Nick Leddy agree to seven-year contract extension

By Vinnie Criscenzo | Feb 24, 2015

Feb 19, 2015; Uniondale, NY, USA; New York Islanders defenseman Nick Leddy (2) celebrates his goal with center Brock Nelson (29) during the third period against the Nashville Predators at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. New York Islanders won 5-2. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports /

The New York Islanders have signed defenseman Nick Leddy to a 7-year, $38.5 million contract extension.

It’s been a very eventful year for defenseman Nick Leddy.

Just before the 2014-15 NHL season was set to begin, Nick Leddy was traded by the Chicago Blackhawks along with Kent Simpson to the New York Islanders for Ville Pokka, Anders Nilsson and T.J. Brennan. He’s been a revelation for the Islanders, as he leads all Islander defensemen with 8 goals and is second in points among defensemen behind Johnny Boychuk with 25. Leddy averages over 20 minutes of ice time per game and is a plus-12 as he’s helped the Isles become one of the premier teams in the Eastern Conference this season.

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Now, the Islanders have rewarded him by signing him to a 7-year, $38.5 million contract extension that will keep him in New York through 2022. His new deal will carry a cap hit of $5.5 million per year, which is a very significant raise from his previous $2.7 million cap hit. Leddy is a former first-round pick of the Minnesota Wild back in 2009.

Islanders general manager Garth Snow is very happy to lock up the young blue-liner.

"Nick has proven to be an elite defenseman in this league at a young age. He’s the type of player on the ice, in the locker room and in the community that we’re thrilled to add as a cornerstone of our defensive core."

The new deal actually makes Leddy have the same cap hit as captain John Tavares, which is kind of scary to think about. I think that says more about what a darling of a contract Tavares has more than Leddy being overpaid.

Locking up Nick Leddy gives the Islanders a strong, young defensive core that will be together at least for the next few years. the 23-year old Leddy joins 24-year old Travis Hamonic, who is signed through 2020, and 23-year old Calvin de Haan, who is signed through 2017. They will most likely resign de Haan do a long-term deal once his current contract expires, as well as this year’s pending RFA’s Matt Donavan and Thomas Hickey.

The big question comes with what the Islanders will choose to do with Johnny Boychuk. Boychuk currently has a cap hit of $3.366 million and will likely be looking for a bit of a raise. However, with Leddy getting this extension, as well as the need to sign their pending RFA’s which include the likes of Brock Nelson, Anders Lee and Thomas Hickey, the Islanders may not have the cap space to keep Boychuk in Long Island.

H/T NBC Sports Pro Hockey Talk

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