Islanders Spend Free Agency Day Replacing Major Roles

Let me start by saying I think a lot of people went into today with expectations set insanely high, and that if you asked Garth Snow if walking away from Day 1 of Free Agency with Andrew Ladd and Jason Chimera was a job well done he’d easily say yes, and he wouldn’t be wrong in doing so.

The reality is, there were two ways of approaching the opening hours of the NHL’s free agency period, it was either the day the Islanders took that next step towards contending[what everyone wanted to happen] or it was the day in which they would be losing some of their bigger names and took 2 steps back[what actually happened].

With both Kyle Okposo and Matt Martin‘s expected exit having been apparent for some weeks now, it was clear that the roster at 11:59 Friday morning wouldn’t be the same come 12:00pm. Okposo and Martin have been major pieces of this team’s core for over half a decade now and each played a crucial roles in the makeup of its Forwards. Okposo has been the only thing close to a guarantee on Tavares’ wing since Matt Moulson while Martin rounds out the Best Fourth Line Ever™ on Cizikas’ wing; their departures already pin the Isles two steps back well before 12:00 hit.

Arguably the biggest story of the day was Frans Nielsen seemingly turning his back on a contract at the final hour and I can’t say I blame him. Though he reportedly took less money and term to play in Detroit, after spending nearly a decade with his first and only team, I understand the need for a change. You can’t drill the hockey’s a business mantra into a player’s head and then turnaround and get upset when they make a personal decision like this. Yes, it put’s the Isles back, as Garth planned for 12:00 to come and Frans to re-up on his deal, but you have to bite the loss and roll on. So now throw in the fact that what seemed like a done deal in re-signing the longest tenured Islander ended with him signing in Detroit.. Garth is now 3 steps back and it’s only 12:01.

In comes Andrew Ladd, the winger we’ve always wanted next to JT. He can score from pretty much anywhere on the ice, will always run up his numbers, and brings in a ton of [the forever questioned] intangibles. Ladd is a guy who’s been there and done that. He’s captained teams and he’s won cup(s), the type of experience the Isles need with a now very young lockerroom, but with that experience comes miles, and signing a 30 year old to a 7 year deal is never not going to come with a question mark attached to the tail end of it. At 7 years, $5.5M a year Ladd is a good replacement for Okposo, though we’ll all be arguing well into April over whether or not it’s an upgrade[it is].

Okposo, out. Ladd, in. Two steps back..

Jason Chimera is a name that not once crossed my mind these last few days. Where Ladd to the Islanders seemed to be a rumor with some weight to it, Chimera setting his sites on Long Island wasn’t a move I think many expected to see.

As the obvious replacement for Matt Martin, Chimera brings a little more offense and a little less physicality to the game. He’s old but fast, and from what sources are telling me [I texted Nate] he plays hahd, so Capuano is going to love him. I would expect the 37 year old to slide right into Martin’s role on the 4th line next to Cizikas and Clutterbuck, which means one of the leagues most offensively talented 4th lines just got a little more offensively talented…er. With 40 points last year, inking him to a two year deal for $2.25 per is steal if he can prove to be a little more than just a stop-gap on the 4th line.

Martin, out. Chimera, in. One step back..

And Garth knows this. He knows that today wasn’t about improving, it was about replacing the holes created. Okposo out, Ladd in. Martin out, Chimera in. The only hiccup was Frans doing the unexpected and dipping for Detroit, and Garth know’s he’s one back now. That being said I wouldn’t be surprised to see another Free Agency signing or for him to put on his big boy pants and entertain the idea of moving some talent for talent. Garth had a good day but and I don’t think he’s done just yet.

PS – Taking this time to thank [stoolie] Matty Marts, Kyle Okposo, and Frans Nielsen for their time spent building this team into what it is today. Three great players and better guys. Now hit me with some Bone Thugz.