5 moves the Islanders can make to get back to the playoffs

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NEW YORK, NY – DECEMBER 23: Anders Lee #27 of the New York Islanders celebrates his first period goal with teammate Mathew Barzal #13 aganst the Winnipeg Jets at Barclays Center on December 23, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/NHLI via Getty Images) /

3. Take care of the assets

If the Islanders succeed in convincing Tavares to stay, Lamoriello must be prepared to engage in extremely cautious asset management.

Defensive shortcomings aside, New York has some of the greatest offensive depth in the NHL. But locking up that prowess into the not-so-distant future is another can of worms altogether.

The club has the cap space to make some serious moves during the offseason. But if a complete rebuild is to be evaded, then one can expect the team’s administrators to continue to grow the organization with several of its current forces at the helm — some of whom have been mentioned earlier in this article.

Lee is easily one of the most underrated players in the league, having quietly scored 40 goals and 62 points last season. Eberle has benefitted enormously from a culture change, and Barzal is, without question, set to become one of the many faces of the franchise. Anthony Beauvillier can be a joy to watch, while Calvin De Haan would benefit any franchise that is in need of a fairly experienced and intelligent defender. A quick glance at the Islanders’ CapFriendly page reveals that the aforementioned individuals are all on deals that are set to expire within the next few years.

It’s near impossible to imagine a situation wherein all of these players are extended. Nevertheless, some ought to remain if the club is set to make a serious run for Lord Stanley’s Trophy.

We’re looking at you, Mr. Lamoriello. Who stays and who goes?

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