On the New York Islanders …
Brian Compton: New York Islanders GM Garth Snow said they will reach out to John Tavares next summer to start the process of getting a contract extension done.
Arthur Staple of Newsday: Islanders GM Garth Snow appears to be finished with the free agent market for the offseason. Out are forwards Kyle Okposo, Frans Nielsen and Matt Martin and in are forwards Andrew Ladd, Jason Chimera and P.A. Parenteau.
The Islanders have about $5 million in salary cap space with RFAs Ryan Strome, Alan Quine and Scott Mayfield left to re-sign.
Mikhail Grabovski‘s future with the Islanders is uncertain. He’s had concussion issues the past two seasons, and could find himself a healthy scratch or possibly even being sent to the AHL.
Nikolay Kulemin and Josh Bailey could have some roster worries as well this season.
If the Isles had re-signed Okposo, Nielsen, and Martin, they wouldn’t have had any new faces for next year.
Staple thought Snow would have went the trade route to improve their forwards. They did look at Taylor Hall, but the only defenseman the Oilers wanted was Travis Hamonic. Hamonic had already told Snow that he wanted to stay, and there was no way Snow would move Hamonic after what they went through last season. Snow likely offered up a package of younger defenseman to the Oilers, but Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli wanted Hamonic.
Joe McDonald of ESPN: The Islanders could look to trade 31-year old goaltender Jaroslav Halak who has two years left at $4.5 million. It would give the Islanders some needed cap space, even if they only get a draft pick in return for him.
On the Minnesota Wild …
Chris Nichols of Today’s Slapshot: Minnesota Wild GM Chuck Fletcher on SiriusXM NHL on contract negotiations with RFA Matt Dumba.
“He’s a big part of our future. Negotiations are going fine. I expect they’ll be able to come up with a deal here sometime in the next few weeks.”