The New York Islanders enter a busy 2022 offseason with a handful of needs to fix their roster. General manager Lou Lamoriello and the front office already made headlines by firing Barry Trotz and promoting assistant coach Lane Lambert to the head coaching position. Now, the focus shifts to the ice for a team looking to bounce back after missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Related: Lamoriello Betting on His Past Success for Islanders’ Future
The Islanders could look to the Toronto Maple Leafs as a trade partner who also finished the season in a disappointing fashion. The Maple Leafs, for the fifth season in a row, were eliminated in the First Round. After losing another Game 7, this time to the Tampa Bay Lightning, the front office will want to make that one move to get them over the hump and snap their Stanley Cup drought that dates back to 1967.
Islanders’ Left-Side Defense Needs
Toronto recently re-signed veteran defenseman Mark Giordano to a two-year, $1.6 million contract. He was acquired at the trade deadline from the Seattle Kraken and helped provide a veteran presence on defense. While the 38-year-old fives the team more flexibility in free agency – the contract doesn’t take much cap space – the move also signals that some of the other left-side defensemen could be on the move this offseason.
#Leafs GM Kyle Dubas statement on the signing of Mark Giordano “We are thrilled that Mark has elected to re-sign with the Maple Leafs. Mark came in at the deadline and provided a veteran, stabilizing presence to our back end while vastly improving our defensive play. 1/2
The Maple Leafs will likely look to trade Jake Muzzin, who is a talented defenseman coming off a rough, injury-plagued season where he only played 47 games. Ideally, the 32-year-old would be traded, but he will have to waive his no-trade clause first. Morgan Rielly is also expendable but with a modified no-movement clause, teams like the Islanders have to hope he is willing to play for them….
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