Update: Barzal signs
Darren Dreger: The New York Islanders have signed forward Mathew Barzal to a three-year contract with a cap hit of $7 million. Salary breakdown.
2020-21: $4 million
2021-22: $7million
2022-23: $10 million.
Puck Pedia: Barzal will be owed an $8.4 million qualifying offer when the deal expires. He’ll be an RFA with arbitration rights.
Puck Pedia: “With Barzal signed ($7M Cap Hit), #Isles are $3.09M Projected over Cap w/ 21 Active on Roster + Boychuk ($6M).
Most likely way to set LTIR pool is sign Martin ($1.5M?) & add 1 more ~ $1M to Roster =$5.6M over Cap, which would be LTIR pool for year.”
Before signing this morning
TSN: Darren Dreger says the New York Islanders and restricted free agent Matt Barzal continue to work on a contract.
“Both sides grinding away, is my understanding. Trying to hammer out something, more likely to be a bridge deal than anything else. The good news is Barzal is local, he continues to skate, he is working out and as soon as they get a deal done he will be able to jump onto the ice and into the lineup for the New York Islanders. Unlikely that it happens tonight, but you never know.”
Arthur Staple of The Athletic: Mathew Barzal has almost missed a week of training camp already as he remains unsigned. The New York Islanders will need to be cap compliant by Tuesday but can go as high as $89.6 before then.
Nothing has come out from either side as to why a deal hasn’t been reached by now. They could be fighting over term and/or money.
A two- or three-year deal in the $6 to $7 million per season range could be the most likely result.
Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello is also trying to move out another salary, so maybe they are trying to do a long-term deal. Maybe in the six- to eight-year range at closer to $10 million a season.
Moving Thomas Hickey and Leo Komarov would make sense. Hickey carries a $2.5 million salary cap hit but is owed $3.75 in salary this year and next. Komarov has two years left on his deal at a $3 million cap hit and $3.5 million in salary.
Doubtful anyone would take Andrew Ladd’s three remaining years at $5.5 million per. Johnny Boychuk will end up going on their LTIR and may make more sense to keep as opposed to trading.