Islanders lock up key defenseman after Noah Dobson trade

Sportsnet insider Elliotte Friedman reported the same minutes later. “NYI and Alexander Romanov are working on an 8 x $6.25M extension,” Friedman reported. The Islanders then confirmed the move.

Romanov came to the Islanders from the Canadiens on draft day in 2022. They sent the 13th overall pick to the Habs for the defenseman, which Montreal then traded for Kirby Dach. In 221 games with New York, Romanov has 64 points. He is more known as a defensive defenseman, although some analytics don’t love his defense.

According to CapWages, the Islanders have $16.4 million in space after the Romanov contract. They still have to sign restricted free agents Simon Holmstrom, Maxim Tsyplakov, Heineman, and Scott Perunovich. Getting those deals done could still leave them with enough room to make a splash in free agency.

There are also a plethora of trade candidates on the Islanders’ roster that could lead to an active offseason. JG Pageau, Anders Lee, and Casey Cizikas all have tradeable contracts this offseason. Their value may be higher at the trade deadline, but if moving them out facilitates a big free-agency swing, Mathieu Darche should consider it.

The Islanders needed to keep Romanov after trading Dobson. The rest of their defensive core is aging out of their prime, specifically Ryan Pulock and Adam Pelech. He is now their highest-paid defenseman and will be on Long Island until 2033, when he will be 33 years old.

What other moves could the Islanders make?