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New York Islanders Daily Links: Free Agency

By Matt O'Leary
Nov 25, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; New York Islanders center Frans Nielsen (51) carries the puck during the first period against the Philadelphia Flyers at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 25, 2015; Brooklyn, NY, USA; New York Islanders center Frans Nielsen (51) carries the puck during the first period against the Philadelphia Flyers at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports /
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A look around the web at today’s New York Islanders news. Make Eyes On Isles your go to stop for all Islanders news.

Right now the biggest story in Islanders land is Frans Nielsen. Will the Islanders bring him back, and if so for how much. Yesterday we found out that he would yield close to $6 million a year in his next contract. Will the Islanders be willing to go that high?

Brian Erni (SNY) writes that the Islanders are pessimistic about retaining Frans Nielsen. Supposedly the offer is $5.5 million through his age 36 season, he’s 32 now. The Islanders don’t feel confident about getting Nielsen to sign.

Frans is 32 years old, and although a valuable piece to this Islanders team he doesn’t have top line production. His skating ability is something his game relies heavily on, and as he gets up there in age something that will diminish.

The Islanders have a lot to upgrade this summer. Losing Matt Martin and Kyle Okposo is going to hurt. The Islanders can’t get in a bidding war over Frans Nielsen. I like his game, I like his shootout skills, but that money ($6 million) has to be going somewhere else in my opinion. Unless Nielsen would accept less money.

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Arthur Staple is a little more confident that Frans Nielsen will be back. He says that Garth moves slowly but he expects Frans Nielsen to let the Islanders pitch him a deal one more time before he meets with other teams. Nielsen the career Islander may want a chance to finish his career with the team that drafted him. (Newsday)

Mitch and I, looked at who would the Islanders be better off dealing. He made the case that Travis Hamonic could still be dealt, as I made the case for Johnny Boychuk to be dealt. You can read the Travis Hamonic perspective here and the Johnny Boychuk perspective here. (Eyes On Isles)

Next: Is Johnny Boychuk Worth Trading?

Today’s Slapshot says that the Islanders may have found a winger for John Tavares in the draft. Kieffer Bellows has a lot of potential as he was a 50 goal scorer this past year. (Today’s Slapshot)

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