The New York Islanders have extended qualifying offers to Oliver Wahlstrom , Simon Holmstrom, Ruslan Iskhakov, Dennis Cholowski, and Tyce Thompson. They did not extend a qualifying offer to Reece Newkirk, making him an unrestricted free agent.
Wahlstrom, 24, is a former first-round pick who has been speculated to be on the move this offseason. He had two goals and six points this season after returning from a torn ACL. If he is moved, it will not be for free as the Islanders retain his rights. Holmstrom, 23, was a lineup regular this season, scoring 15 goals and 25 points in 75 games. He was impressive in the bottom six and is likely to come to terms with the Islanders on a multi-year contract.
Iskhakov, 23, was an AHL All-Star, scoring 18 goals and 50 nts in 69 games for the Bridgeport Islanders. He had an assist in one NHL regular season game, and he went pointless in his lone NHL playoff game. Cholowski played two NHL games with the Islanders in the 2022-23 season, and Thompson has 11 career NHL games, all with the New Jersey Devils.
With these qualifying offers, the Islanders guarantee the ability to retain each of these young players. While none are expected to play an impactful role in the NHL next season, they each hold value to the Islanders, evident in general manager Lou Lamoriello’s decision to retain them.
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