Next Years Ideal Look (Explanations)

Team: 2018-19 New York Islanders

Initial Creation Date: Dec. 17, 2017

Published: Dec. 17, 2017

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

Bumped the salary cap to $80M, right in between next years $78-82M projection.

Isles win the Belmont bid, lock up Tavares almost instantly after.

I was a complete Bailey hater the first 8 years of his career, but this new found chemistry alongside JT and Anders the past 2 years is undeniable and would be silly to mess up right now and for the future. I can see him getting a Cam Atkinson type deal, but maybe a year or 2 shorter. I'd ideally give him a 5 year contract but I know he'll end up getting close to a 7 year deal so I stayed in the middle.

Staying with the offense:
Cizikas moves up to the permanent 3rd line center role, not as offensively gifted as Nelson but he'll play a big role in limiting opposing teams 1st lines night in and night out as one of our better defensive forwards.
This opens up a 4th line opening, where I can see Garth either signing a veteran like Vermette or giving an AHL guy a shot out of the gates (Tanner Fritz), either way I cant see big money put into this position.
I also think it's time to bring up one or two of these prospects we love oh so much, ideally Otto Koivula (Liiga Rookie of the year last year, 18 points in 32 games this year). He's a big guy primed to start out with 4th line minutes and working his way up, he's been compared to Anders Lee so there's definitely a scoring touch there. He's a Bottom 6 guy with 2nd line potential that would be on an ELC.

Onto the Defense:
No, do not bring back Calvin de Haan, he's gonna demand big money that would just be a waste. He's not a $5M+ defenseman and he hasn't been since he got into the league. It'd be stupid to shell out big money to a guy that doesn't deserve it. Let him walk in Free Agency or somehow trade his rights if any teams that willing to try and lock him up.
Pulock had a shaky start to the year, but recently has shown he's a legit top 4 defenseman. I think it's too early to lock him up long term, so a bridge deal would be ideal with a long term contract coming if he proves himself after.
I think one of Aho or Toews makes it onto the team out of camp, but not both. I'm going with Aho here because he's younger and probably has better potential but it's a real toss up, I love both guys.
Let Hickey walk, doesn't really have a place on this team anymore, use money to acquire a Right Hand shot in Free Agency. I hope at some point around the draft the Isles trade for a left handed guy to shore up the defense. Would love a guy lie Hjalmarsson depending on if Arizona's selling.

Lastly the Goalie Situation:
I want Soderstrom here as bad as the next Isles fan, but I really have a feeling he's gonna spend a year in the AHL to get acclimated along with his streaky start to the year this year in Sweden. So in that case I looked for short/long term solution in net. My thought being Grubauer, not sure how Washington is going to able to keep him with their cap and multiple prospects looking to break through he could be expendable. Just a thought though.

1.

2.

3.