NHL Rumors: New York Islanders, and Some CBA Topics for GMs

Defensemen the New York Islanders might consider

Stefen Rosner of The Hockey News: The left side of the New York Islanders blue line got a little thinner with the injuries to Adam Pelech and Mike Reilly. Mathew Barzal ($9.5 million) and Anthony Duclair ($3.5 million) are on the LTIR, so they have some money to work with for now.

“I think you’re always doing that. But obviously, when you have a couple of players that go down the way they did, you certainly are paying attention to whatever can be and cannot be done,” Lamoriello said.

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Potential targets

Erik Gustafsson – Detroit Red Wings – He’s been a healthy scratch four times this season and carries a $2 million cap hit.

Erik Brannstrom – Vancouver Canucks – The Islanders had eyed him when he was with the Senators. On a one-year deal at $900,000.

Brendan Smith – Dallas Stars – He’s only played in five games this season and is on a one-year deal at a $1 million cap hit.

The Islanders don’t have much leverage but the above players should only cost a mid or late-round pick.

Some CBA topics the GMs may be talking about soon

TSN: CBA talks between NHL and NHLPA are expected to get underway in the New Year. The GMs are going to be meeting soon and Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly is going to present the GM a summary of their feedback from the past few months.

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“Some of these seem more like tweaks, like maybe tweaking salary arbitration, walkaway rights and salary arb. Revising the compensation chart for offer sheets, but the one that certainly catches my eye, one of the GMs recommending revisiting term limits on contracts. You may remember this was the hill that the league was willing to die on in the 2012 lockout when they wanted to limit contracts to less than eight years. They ended up at eight years with the PA. I will say this, and I think Dregs and CJ agree, I don’t feel right now that neither side, the PA or the league, want to have a big war in this round of CBA talks. I really think they want this to be a smooth negotiation.”