On the New York Islanders and Jaroslav Halak …
Arthur Staple: There is a less than zero percent chance that a team makes a claim on Jaroslav Halak. He has another year left on his contract with a $4.5 million cap hit. Likely to be sent to the AHL if he clears waivers.
Jimmy Hascup of the USA Today: Halak may have played the most games for the Islanders, but he didn’t play like a No. 1 goalie. They’ve also been carrying three goalies – Halak, Thomas Greiss and J.F. Berube. The Islanders did not want to send Berube to the AHL as he’d have to clear waivers.
The Islanders have tried to trade Halak dating back to October after his agent, Allan Walsh, took to twitter complaining about how the Islanders are handling the three goalies.
Arthur Staple of Newsday: GM Garth Snow on Halak.
“I still think he’s a quality goaltender. He’s played some big games for us,” general manager Garth Snow said of Halak, whom he put on waivers Friday. “Last year he got hit with the injury bug a bit, but his first year, he was an All- Star. We’re looking for him to get back to that level of play.”
Halak makes $4.75 million in salary this year, $5 million next year.
Snow wouldn’t speculate on what could happen after this season
Chris Nichols of FanRag Sports: Bob McKenzie on SiriusXM NHL Network yesterday talking about the New York Islanders putting Jaroslav Halak on waivers and what might be next for him.
“I don’t think anybody is going to take him,” said McKenzie. “He’s got a year left on his contract after this year at $4.5 million. So I just don’t see anybody taking on that kind of deal. Maybe there’s a trade that could be facilitated at some point, but I’m sure that the Islanders have already gone down that road. But sometimes after the fact, as we get closer between now and the deadline, maybe somebody will find a reason why they want Halak – but the contract becomes a major impediment.
“Timing is everything, and at various times this year Halak has been a pretty good goalie for the New York Islanders. Some of the stretches they’ve had where they’ve won games, he was a big part of the reason why they won those games. But now, I guess they’re at the end of the line in terms of the three-goalie system, and at the moment they decided to no longer go with the three-goalie system, Halak is not playing his best hockey and is coming off a real tough game. Berube has been playing better, so what you see is kind of what you get.”