As the New York Islanders enter the offseason, questions about their roster begin to emerge. Most of the team is locked up for the foreseeable future, but the team is starting to age and roster turnover is likely. One of the main places the roster can change is through free agency. The Islanders have four major pending unrestricted free agents this offseason, all making up a myriad of positions. With July 1 fast approaching, they have important decisions to make for the future of the roster.

Semyon Varlamov

The first of the four unrestricted free agents the Islanders have is Semyon Varlamov. Varlamov, 35, was part of the Isles’ goalie tandem for four seasons, earning a 59-51-14 record, 2.54 goals against average (GAA) and .917 save percentage in that span. Last season he saw a reduced role as Ilya Sorokin enjoyed a strong campaign, appearing in 23 games with an 11-9-2 record, 2.70 GAA and .913 save percentage.

With Sorokin becoming the franchise goalie, Varlamov will likely be in a reduced role should he return. As a result, he might need to take a pay cut from his $5 million cap hit from his last contract. If he’s willing to take a salary reduction and take the backup role, bringing him back makes sense. However, if he desires to start again, he might leave for a different team’s net.

Pierre Engvall

The Islanders other add from this past trade deadline is also a pending UFA. Pierre Engvall, 27, joined the Islanders in a trade from the Maple Leafs and took a role in the team’s middle six. He provided some needed speed to that front, scoring five goals and four assists for 9 points in 18 games. While he wasn’t a game breaker on most nights, he played a stable game that added some youth to a lineup that needed it.

His last contract was a one year deal worth $2.25 million, a fair price for a middle six talent. Islanders’ general manager Lou Lamoriello has experience with him and knows what he brings to the table, but he will need to find a fair price to bring him back. However, with Zach Parise nearing age 39 and Josh Bailey possibly on the way out, it makes too much sense to bring him back on the right terms.

Scott Mayfield

The most controversial of the Islanders’ free agents is Scott Mayfield. He has offensive upside and enjoyed a career year on that front. In 82 games, he notched 6 goals and 18 assists for 24 points, including a plus-minus rating of +8. However, the eye test proves a bit differently, as there were times he’d look lost in the defensive end. While he can show flashes of brilliance, Mayfield at his worst makes him a questionable choice to bring back.

The UFA market has several right-handed defensemen available. Names on the board include John Klingberg, Matt Dumba, Damon Severson, and Kevin Shattenkirk. While it is questionable if these options are upgrades, you can’t get much worse by bringing in any of these options. As a result, while Mayfield is far from the main issue and signed for a rather cheap $1.45 million, the Islanders can do better at his position and should upgrade if they have the chance.

Zach Parise

The last of the four UFAs is Zach Parise, who enjoyed a strong campaign. Last season he reached the 20 goal mark in his age 38 season following three years below it, and his persistent work ethic made him a fan favorite. All told, after 82 games, he notched 21 goals and 13 helpers for 34 points, a strong season for a bottom six player. However, with Parise the issue is in age.

Parise has gone on record saying he will contemplate his future this offseason, and his decision will be between the Islanders or retirement. If he wants to play another year, his work ethic will help them remain competitive while helping the youth in the future. However, it is also a gamble as older players can see their skill deteriorate rather quickly closer to age 40. With this in mind, if Parise takes another one year, $750,000 contract like his last one, bringing him back helps the organization, but that decision is entirely based on what his future holds.

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• Source: https://thegamehaus.com/nhl/addressing-the-islanders-2023-free-agents/2023/06/02/