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In surprising roster news, the Islanders announced a significant move.
Pierre Engvall, who has six years remaining on his contract worth $18 million, was placed on waivers as the Islanders trimmed their roster down to 22 players.
If he clears waivers, which seems probable, the 28-year-old Engvall will begin the season with AHL Bridgeport.
Last season, Engvall recorded 10 goals and 18 assists over the course of 74 games.
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The Islanders have placed Pierre Engvall on waivers. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
The ideal scenario for the Islanders would be to find a team willing to trade for Engvall — teams like the Ducks or Blue Jackets could easily accommodate his salary. However, his 16-team no-trade clause, along with the remaining duration of his contract, makes such a trade seem unlikely.
This situation implies that another team might insist that the Islanders include a draft pick in any deal for Engvall, potentially complicating any trade negotiations.
“To put it simply, he’s a top-six or top-nine forward, and Maxim Tsyplakov earned his position in that lineup. Consequently, we must make the best decisions to form the most competitive lineup,” general manager Lou Lamoriello stated to reporters following Sunday’s open practice, as reported by The Hockey News
As the season commences, Dennis Cholowski will be included on the roster, which is limited to 22 players due to the Islanders being constrained by the salary cap.
Should the Islanders succeed in offloading Engvall’s salary, there would be an opportunity to accommodate a 23rd player.
Currently, they can only allocate $1.15 million of his $3 million salary to the AHL.
Additionally, the intention is for Matt Martin, who is on a professional tryout (PTO), to maintain his contract and train with the Islanders.
At the beginning of training camp, Engvall was not even regarded as a candidate for a roster position.
Islanders forward Pierre Engvall (l.) maneuvers the puck against the Rangers during a preseason match on October 4, 2024. AP
Although he was a healthy scratch for both Lane Lambert and Patrick Roy, Engvall spent a significant portion of the season playing on the second line, alternating between effective plays and extended periods of inconsistency.
At the start of training camp, he was placed on the third line alongside Anders Lee and Jean-Gabriel Pageau—a combination that had previously shown success in the playoffs. Roy expressed a desire to keep this trio intact.
However, after Engvall was not included in a key preseason game against the Flyers on Monday, it became apparent that
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