Devon Toews was traded to the Colorado Avalanche on Oct. 12 for a second-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft and in the 2022 NHL Draft. Toews, who averaged 20:30 of ice time per game during the postseason, became a restricted free agent after the season.
Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello said he's confident Toews can be replaced by defenseman Noah Dobson, a first-round pick (No. 12) in the 2018 NHL Draft. He also said re-signing defenseman
Andy Greene
is "a very strong option." Greene, who was acquired in a trade from the New Jersey Devils on Feb. 16, is an unrestricted free agent.
"We would have made this move certainly if the ice time that Devon received, we didn't have the ability to put a player into that, and Noah Dobson will certainly, we feel is ready to take the next step," Lamoriello said.
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New York will also have a different look in goal after Thomas Greiss signed with the Detroit Red Wings as an unrestricted free agent. He's expected to be replaced by
Ilya Sorokin
, one of the better goalies in the Kontinental Hockey League for the past five seasons.
Lamoriello said he's also considering signing goalie
Cory Schneider
, who had his contract bought out by New Jersey on Oct. 8. Lamoriello was Devils GM when they acquired Schneider in a trade from the Vancouver Canucks in 2013.
"There's a good sort of chance of that transpiring," Lamoriello said. "As you know, I had Cory in New Jersey and I think that he's trying to resurrect his career, and with our coaching staff, I've had several conversations with Cory, so I think that rumor will come to fruition."
Forwards
Matt Martin
and
Derick Brassard
are unrestricted free agents, though there have been reports the Islanders are trying to sign them. Center Mathew Barzal and defenseman Ryan Pulock are restricted free agents; Pulock has a salary arbitration hearing scheduled for Nov. 6.
Here is what the Islanders look like today: