5 Pending UFA Defensemen Islanders Could Target This Summer
If you watched a lick of New York Islanders hockey this past season, breaking the puck out cleanly and consistently was a significant issue that held the group back in the regular season and in their first-round series loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.
“I think that’s always a focus for us,” Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech said. “Six of us on the back end, or seven or eight, whoever’s in, that’s always the focus right, breaking the puck out as quickly, efficiently as we can.
“It’s such an important part of the game. That’s part of the game where we need to get better, and we can.”
When the Islanders were making trips to the semi-finals in 2020 and 2021, one of the standouts besides the lockdown defense under head coach Barry Trotz was the effective ability at breaking out.
At this point, it’s also fair to say that the Islanders never recovered from losing defensemen Nick Leddy and Devon Toews in back-to-back offseasons (2020,21)
Noah Dobson, who just finished his fourth NHL season, failed to be the puck-moving defenseman the Islanders seemed to be banking on, as the youngster is still going through growing pains, as well as a battle with confidence.
Before we dive into five defensemen that should be on the Islanders’ radar, let’s discuss a few things, starting with pending unrestricted free agent Scott Mayfield.
The 30-year-old has been on a bargain deal for the last five seasons, with a salary-cap hit of $7.25 million, a $1.45 million annual average value (AAV). Whether it is with the Islanders or somewhere else, he deserves a multi-million dollar raise.
It is possible that Mayfield agrees to accept a discount (less than the open market, not less than the previous deal) to stay on Long Island, as Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello has done a good job of keeping his backend members.
If Mayfield stays, the Islanders will not need to acquire a right-side defenseman because they will focus on the left, where Sebastian Aho and Samuel Bolduc make sense choices for the sixth defenseman who will start in 2023–24.
However, if Mayfield walks in free agency, the Islanders desperately need to scoop up a right-handed defenseman.
According to CapFriendly, the Islanders currently have $5.337 million in cap space, which does not include Oliver Wahlstrom, a restricted free agent (~$1 M), and a backup netminder (~$2-2.5 M), Semyon Varlamov or another. It also doesn’t include the potential re-signings of Pierre Engvall (~$4 M) and Zach Parise (~$750k).
If the Islanders want to upgrade, depending on the size of the upgrade, contracts have to be moved, starting with Josh Bailey’s $5 million cap hit.
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Although we are still waiting for someone to be crowned a Stanley Cup Champion and NHL Free Agency doesn’t begin until July 1, here are five pending unrestricted free-agent defensemen the Islanders should have on their radar:
Dmitry Orlov
The soon-to-be 32-year-old Dmitry Orlov was a wanted man at the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline. The Boston Bruins won the sweepstakes, but after a failed playoff run and a crowded backend, it’s unlikely that Orlov will be returning.
Orlov defines what the Islanders are looking for, as he does it all. He’s mobile, can dish the puck but is also sound defensive, and despite being “undersized” at five-foot-eleven, he doesn’t hesitate to play the body.
In 66 games in 2022-23, 43 games in Washington and 23 in Boston, Orlov set a career-high in assists (23) and points (36) while tying a career-high in hits (137).
In the Bruins’ first-round series loss to the Florida Panthers, Orlov finished with eight assists in seven games.
Orlov’s expiring contract carried an AAV of $5.1 million and, per The Daily Faceoff projections, he could get a five-year deal for around $6.25 million in free agency.
Shayne Gostisbehere
The Islanders got to see 30-year-old Shayne Gostisbehere up close and personal in the playoffs.
The nifty skater used a few seasons in Arizona to rejuvenate his career, and for the price of a 2026 third-round pick, the Hurricanes brought in his skills to solidify their backend.
Although he struggled offensively, with no goals in 15 playoff games after three in 23 following the trade, he played a role in Carolina’s advancement to the Eastern Conference semi-finals and had a strong season with 13 goals and 28 assists.
That lack of success will impact his next contract, with The Daily Faceoff projecting Gostisbehere to get four years at $4.8 million AAV, a slight dip from his expiring $4.5 million AAV.
Gostisbehere, a defenseman who can play both sides but is a lefty, may not be the strongest of defenders but has Leddy-like speed and transitioning skills that help not just the Islanders’ five-on-five game but the power play as well.
He has voiced a desire to stay with Carolina, and the Hurricanes do have the cap space to bring him back.
Because of Gostisbehere’s versatility, he can be an option for the Islanders regardless of Mayfield’s future.
John Klingberg
For the second straight offseason, John Klingberg is heading to free agency.
After signing a one-year deal with the Anaheim Ducks last summer at $7 million, that franchise failed to take the next step, and he was moved to the Minnesota Wild at the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline for Andrej Sustr, Nikita Nesterenko and a fourth-round pick in 2025 at the 3 PM buzzer.
In 67 total games, 50 in Anaheim and 17 in Minnesota, the Swede potted 10 goals for the first time in four seasons but recorded just 33 points, his lowest mark in three seasons.
Klingberg scored a goal with three assists in four playoff games with the Wild.
Something Klingberg does well is creating shot lanes, whether it be at five-on-five or the power play, as he can walk the blue line with ease.
Klingberg did score 10 goals for the first time in four seasons but recorded 33 points, his lowest offensive output in three years.
This is a player who cracked the 40-point plateau in each of his first five NHL seasons, with a career-high 67 in 2017-18.
Because of his fall from grace, he likely won’t be as expensive as he’s been in years past, with The Daily Faceoff projecting a three-year deal at a $4.6 million AAV this summer.
Klingberg could slot in to play with either Romanov or a Bolduc-type youngster, and although he hasn’t been dominant on the power play in a few years, he certainly could not hurt.
Vladislav Gavrikov
Although the 27-year-old Vladislav Gavrikov may not be the offensive backend weapon the Islanders are longing for, he is a dominant replacement for a player like Mayfield.
Albeit a left-handed shot, Gavrikov is dominant in his own zone, using his six-foot-three build to box out defenseman (something the Islanders need to get stronger at) as well as block shots and lay the body.
That made Gavrikov valuable at the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline, leading to his trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets to the Los Angeles Kings.
It was a weird year for Gavrikov, who set new career-highs in goals with six, takeaways with 27, and the second-lowest giveaway count of his career with 19 in 72 games, averaging in 21:58 TOI.
However, his hits were down last season from 136-113, but the more considerable drop-off was his blocks, from 124-74.
In six playoff games with LA. Gavrikov recorded one assist, two blocks, and 16 hits, turning the puck over six times with just three takeaways in an average 21:38 TOI.
The Daily Faceoff projects his next deal to be a five-year contract worth $4.9 million, a hefty pay raise from his expiring $2.8 million cap hit, something the Kings cannot afford.
Evidently, Dobson needs a defensive-minded partner, and Gavrikov can certainly fill that role.
Carson Soucy
Although just three goals and 13 assists in 78 games, 28-year-old Carson Soucy is a big-body defenseman, standing at six-foot-five and weighing 208 pounds.
He set a career-high 143 hits and a career-high in takeaways with 29.
He’s a perfect type of player alongside Dobson or an Aho, being a physical left-shot defenseman.
At the end of January, Jeff Marek reported that contract talks with the Seattle Kraken, who took Soucy in the expansion draft, have not gone well, and there’s been limited reports since.
His expiring deal is worth $2.75 million, with The Daily Faceoff projecting a three-year deal at $2.5 million for Soucy this summer.
