Islanders possible compliance buyout candidates in the event they get one

Andrew Ladd

Contract
Term remaining: 3 years
Cap hit: $5.5 million
Value remaining: $12 million ($9 million SB/$3 million Salary)
Age: 35

Andrew Ladd is the obvious choice here. His contract has been an issue for the Islanders before the ink dried on his signature back in 2016.

In the 2016 free agency signing period, former Islanders GM Garth Snow signed Ladd to a seven-year $38.5 million contract. He was brought in to be a top-six winger and effectively replace the departing Kyle Okposo.

It was clear, rather quickly, that Ladd was no longer a top-six winger in the NHL. Ladd struggled right out of the gate for the Isles. While he started next to John Tavares at the start of the season he was quickly moved off his line, never to return. That year Ladd scored 23 goals and 31 points. Clearly, he was not top-six material.

Turns out he was carrying a back injury through the season. That injury was a sign of things to come. Since joining the Isles in 2016-17, Ladd has played 181 games of a possible 314.

Through those 181 games, he’s scored 39 goals and 72 points. Again, that’s not top-six production. For someone who’s chewing up $5.5 million of the Islanders cap that’s a problem. He’s just not worth the money and the Islanders are still committed to him for another three seasons after this.

With a compliance buyout, the Islanders could clear out a contract that’s chewing up seven percent of their cap in Andrew Ladd. It should also give them a healthy gap to sign their pending three RFA’s next year.

The Isles can’t buyout Ladd’s deal using a standard buyout. The Isles only would save $1 million in total if they used a normal buyout on Ladd. And he has no worth on the trade market. A compliance buyout is the only way they can get out from under his deal.

Johnny Boychuk

Contract
Term remaining: 2 years
Cap Hit: $6 million
Value remaining: $8 million ($5.5 million SB/$2.5 million Salary)
Age: 36

I like Johnny Boychuk so considering this sucks.

But Boychuk (and Brock Nelson) carry the second-largest cap hit on the Islanders roster at $6 million. And Boychuk is under contract for another two seasons. If the Islanders need to clear the most room possible they could look at Boychuk as a compliance buyout candidate.

Unlike Ladd, Boychuk has been a relatively productive player. And he’s certainly been worth the money.

We all knew that when the Islanders signed him to a seven-year $42 million deal in 2015 there would come a day when Boychuk wasn’t contributing like a $6 million blueliner. But if he could play like one before that day came we’d all be fine with the contract.

Boychuk did that. He was exactly as advertised. Paired with Nick Leddy, the two gave the Islanders a legitimate top defensive pair until 2018-19 when Barry Trotz came in.

Now in 2019-20, Boychuk may not be producing like a $6 million blueliner, but he’s still an effective bottom-pairing defenseman for the Islanders and could be one for at least another season.

If the Islanders need to move his deal, they’d be better off finding a team that could use the cap hit.

While Boychuk carries a $6 million AAV, his total salary for each of his remaining two years is $4 million. He’s due two $2.75 million signing bonuses and he gets a $1.25 million base salary in both seasons.

If the Isles can move him on July 2, after signing bonuses are paid, the team picking him up would only have to pay him a total of $5.25 million over both years while his contract would count for $6 million on the books in each year.

(Hi Eugene Melnyk!)

Leo Komarov

Contract
Term remaining: 2 years
Cap hit: $3 million
Value remaining: $4.5 million ($1 million SB/$3.5 million Salary)
Age: 33

With a bottom-heavy team, Leo Komarov becomes expendable for the New York Islanders. Lou clearly likes Komarov. That’s why he brought him in from Toronto on that four-year $12 million contract with a seven-team no-trade list. Again, Lou clearly likes Leo Komarov.

But what is Leo actually giving the Isles? Honestly. He has 40 points over two seasons and has been a healthy scratch for a good portion of the 2019-20 season.

Leo just isn’t going to be that 30 point player he was for the Maple Leafs when Lou was running the show in Toronto.

Sure, he’s a good guy to have in the room and brings all that intangible stuff we often hear about. But is it worth another $4.5 million dollars over the next two seasons? I don’t think so.

There has to be a way to get those intangibles that Leo Komarov brings to the table for less against the cap. There just has to.

Leo Komarov just isn’t giving the Islanders enough to justify his contract and if Lou can move Johnny Boychuk to a team that needs his cap hit and if he can find a place for Andrew Ladd, then Komarov becomes the obvious third choice in a buyout.