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New York Islanders: RFA Target Kyle Connor Drawing Offer Sheet Interest

By Matt O'Leary
OTTAWA, ON - FEBRUARY 9: Kyle Connor #81 of the Winnipeg Jets looks on in a game against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on February 9, 2019 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images)
OTTAWA, ON - FEBRUARY 9: Kyle Connor #81 of the Winnipeg Jets looks on in a game against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on February 9, 2019 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images) /
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The Winnipeg Jets haven’t signed Patrik Laine or Kyle Connor. Are the New York Islanders one of the teams interested in an offer sheet?

The New York Islanders can kiss the dream of an offer sheet for Mitch Marner goodbye. He reached an agreement with the Toronto Maple Leafs on a six-year deal just under $11 million AAV.

Even though Marner is off the board, they could offer sheet another elite goal scorer. According to Sportsnet, there are at least three teams interested in Offer Sheeting Kyle Connor.

At age 22, he has two 30 goal seasons under his belt with 65 goals in the last two seasons. Connor is a lefty shooting LW who would be a perfect addition to the wing of Mathew Barzal, giving the Islanders that final piece to the top-six.

The Isles absolutely should be one of those three teams interested in offer sheeting the former first-round pick from 2015.

What kind of offer sheet would make sense for Connor? Well, it should probably be somewhere between Clayton Keller’s $7.15 million AAV and Marner’s AAV just south of $11 million. Perhaps a six-year offer sheet with a $8.5 million cap hit.

That would mean the Isles would have to give up two first-round picks, a second, and a third-round pick. I’d do that so quickly Kevin Cheveldayoff wouldn’t know what to do with himself. If the Jets were to match that offer sheet, that would leave them with only $6.95 million in cap space to work with in order to fit Patrik Laine in.

Laine certainly wouldn’t take a $6 million cap hit with Connor getting over $8 million a year. So this would be a win-win for the Islanders.

If they match then you can attempt to pry Patrik Laine over here either by offer sheet or trade. There’s no way they’d be able to fit both if one of them gets offer sheeted.

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Just this week, we talked about a rumor about the Islanders and a team out west. I genuinely hope this rumor has legs, and Lou Lamoriello pulls this off. The opinion on the Isles would do a complete 180 with one of Connor or Laine in the top-six and I’m here for it.

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