New York Islanders Roundtable: Projected Defensemen to Start 2021-22 Season

With so much healthy competition this year at the strength of the New York Islanders, the blue line, we take a look at how this plays out not just this season but in three years’ time.

Yes, you read that right – 2021-22 season. The New York Islanders went from the basement of defensive hockey to the pinnacle, and in so doing the blue line has become an incredibly strong, competitive unit fighting for roster spots.

But it’s important to remember that Lou Lamoriello and team are not only making decisions for this season but also future seasons, so we circled up as Eyes On Isles writers and looked at how not just this year will play out, but how this year’s competition will take form in three seasons’ time.

Before jumping in, there are some important contractual variables to consider:

• Johnny Boychuk is signed through 2021-22 with a modified no-trade clause with a $6M cap hit.
• Nick Leddy is signed through 2021-22 with a $5.5M cap hit.
• Ryan Pulock and Devon Toews are both RFA after this season and in line for big raises ($2M and $700k cap hits, respectively).
• Adam Pelech is an RFA after the 2020-21 season ($1.6M cap hit).
• Thomas Hickey is signed through 2021-22 ($2.5M cap hit).
• Scott Mayfield is signed through 2022-23 ($1.45M cap hit).
• Most notable prospects Noah Dobson and Bode Wilde are on their cap-friendly ELC through 2021-22 (RFA after that season) and Sebastian Aho, Parker Wotherspoon, Mitchell Vande Sompel are on ELCs through just this season (RFA after that).

So with the contractual formalities, here is how each of us expects (or hope) the blue line will look in two years from today.

The Roundtable Projections

Michel Anderson

Pelech – Pulock
Toews – Dobson
Goligoski- Wilde
Aho

• Leddy gets traded to Montreal for a top-six forward.
• Boychuk is traded on July 2 to clear cap space. Isles pay his signing bonus in 20-21 season.
• Isles pick up Alex Goligoski for a single year in free agency ($1 million to 1.5 million cap hit).
• Bode Wilde comes up and learns how to be a pro next to Greene who was undrafted and plucked by Lou out of the NCAA.

Brian Wagner

Pelech – Dobson
Toews – Mayfield
Leddy – Wilde
Hickey

• With nearly $40M dedicated to Anders Lee, Brock Nelson, Jordan Eberle, Andrew Ladd, Josh Bailey, Cal Clutterbuck, Casey Cizikas and Leo Komarov and new deals for Mathew Barzal, Devon Toews and Ryan Pulock I don’t see Lou giving Pulock the huge deal that comparative defensemen are getting.
• Dobson takes Pulock’s role after this season and pairs with the most reliable defender in Pelech.
• After another season or two Boychuk’s body will tell him to retire.
• Leddy and Hickey will be bridge players until their contracts end after the 21-22 season while prospects are groomed for 2022-23 (e.g. Aho, Bolduc, Krygier).
• Aho is too ready to be buried in the AHL – someone will trade for him.

Matt O’Leary

Pelech – Pulock
Toews – Mayfield
Leddy – Dobson
Hickey

• Johnny Boychuk will retire after the 2020-2021 season.
• Bode Wilde will still be in Bridgeport.
• Sebastian Aho will be traded.

Matt Hawkins

Pelech – Pulock
Toews – Dobson
Aho – Mayfield
Hickey

• Leddy is traded.
• Boychuk retires.
• Aho and Mayfield make a great pair with a defenseman that jumps in on the rush and can get back, and one that stays at home.
• Pelech and Pulock continue to grow and become an elite d-pair.
• Hickey is a reliable 7th d-man.

Mike Stone

Pelech – Pulock
Toews – Mayfield
Hickey – Boychuk
Dobson

• Isles have an amazing defensive core and it seems to makes sense to keep it intact. This is what teams strive for on defense. It showcases a ton of talent and also a variety of different skill sets and strengths.
• The major changes to the roster between now and then, ideally, will be offensive. Leddy is the most likely to be traded, which could give us resources to use on a winger. That leaves seven of our current top-eight.
• Dobson wouldn’t be the seventh man out in my ideal world. I just don’t know who to pair him with until I see him play more.

Who do you agree with? We know the Eyes On Isles faithful are never afraid to share their opinions, so let’s hear ’em!