UFA 7/1/26 New York At the Cap Ceiling/Dache-Lee

New York Islander Fan Central | 7/01/2026 09:20:00 AM |
It's a concept many of our fans do not grasp, it's been a long time since Garth Snow found Matt Moulson, got players off waivers like Grabner who gave them forty goals.
Before Barclay's, Wang/Malkin/Ledecky this franchise lived at the cap floor, and they had a lot of marginal players. Today they have many of the the same problems at the cap ceiling, and this is with Schaefer getting less then one million (he got his deserved 3.5 million bonus) which is going to change very soon as he will likely become a fifteen/twenty million dollar contract. Players have the leverage, and most have a NTC/NMC. Old fashion hockey trades are largely gone, today it's to clear space. Some teams have 30+ million in cap room today, New York has six million in space. That means Anders Lee's tenure is likely over with UFA here on a roster with too many older/slower/character players without Lee's scoring. They don't have tough hitting players or fighters. Gatcomb/Shabanov not being qualified was the correct move, many others on this roster were re-signed or traded for who eat up the cap space. Romanov's contract was a mistake that becomes a NTC today and blocks George/Aitcheson from an NHL regular spot. Schenn was not even a center here very often, his contract replaces Lee with Palat. DeAngelo went from 1.75 million to 4.50, that's a very big increase. And the players want the tax free states, and to play in a filled building. That's not Belmont on the Queens border no matter what happens on the ice. Holmstrom/Ritchie/Heineman made the least and gave the team the best value for their contracts. If Engvall, Palmieri are activated they count against the cap and make Lee not replaceable.
So we wait/see what Darche does in a very poor UFA market where this franchise cannot afford to give up any more first round picks, while the gm loaded up with more LD who he said can be put into trades if necessary over time. Two goals or fewer in 1/2 the games, where does the offense improve to offset a good defense, and a franchise goalie as his peak?