Islanders rebuild could leave these 3 veterans without a role

The New York Islanders are heading toward a rebuild. This became clear after the letting go of one of the most public and viral Presidents in the NHL, Lou Lamoriello. It is a new day on Long Island. 

That being said, the team going in a different direction can only speculate that there will be some main pieces of this team that will no longer be part of the reset. These three players are as good as gone over the summer. These moves will hopefully pave the way for a new era of Islanders hockey. 

Matt Martin

After 14 seasons on Long Island, it is time to say goodbye to Matt Martin. The 35-year-old enforcer will be without a deal this summer, and the consensus is that he will move on. 

The hard-hitting, gritty forward has made a name for himself over the last decade and a half, not by his skill but by doing all the other things. He holds the franchise record with 3,489 hits, nearly 1,000 more than the runner-up, Cal Clutterbuck, with 2,572 hits.

At 35 years old, in the twilight of his career, his role in this rebuilding stage does not exist. The team will try to go younger and focus on skill-based players to bring the Islanders out of the bottom of the Metropolitan Division.

Kyle Palmeri

This one can go either way. Kyle Palmeri's $5 million AAV has expired, and it may or may not be the last one he signs with the Islanders. The 34-year-old, despite having 24 goals and 24 assists in all 82 games this past season, may not have a spot on the upcoming rebuild. 

And that may be his decision, not the Islanders' vacant President of Hockey Operations. Without a Stanley Cup to his name and the Islanders entering a new phase of painful, disappointing hockey, he may not want to wait until this franchise comes out the other side of this.  

After not being traded at the trade deadline, the belief was that Lou Lamoriello would extend Palmieri. But with Lamoriello out of the picture, whoever takes over as GM doesn't have the same loyalty to the Long Island native and vice versa.

Palmeri may want to pursue his talents at a contender. He can still make an impact and could transition into a third-line role. 

Mike Reilly

Rounding out this list is Mike Reilly. His two-year contract with Florida for $3 million AAV before the 2022-23 season expired, and his recent one-year deal before this past season is now over, leaving Reilly as an unrestricted free agent this summer. 

This season was a rough one for him, with only 18 games played due to injury, and thankfully, he will be making a full recovery. He could find a role in the new rebuild, but he may not want to be apart of it.