The story of elevating someone through the public's perception of them is a Hollywood staple; whether it's in the form of famed musical My Fair Lady or the Freddy Prince Jr vehicle She's All That. This week the New York Islanders are finally changing their perception of the storied franchise out of Nassau County when they signed recently acquired Bo Horvat to an 8 year / $8.5M AAV deal before playing a single game for the Isles. Say what you will, but since 1994, they've been New York's other team. Much like their color coordinated brethren, the New York Mets, they've been in the New York Rangers shadow for far too long. Is it the most important signing in Islanders' history? Let's look to the past first.
Last off-season, the New York Islanders had cap space and it was widely expected for them to be players in the UFA market. After all, the Nassau County hockey franchise have only been players with one big ticket free agent (listed below) and it's time to show that new owner Jon Ledecky was ready to take this team to the next level. Instead, the Islanders never got to speak to Nashville's Filip Forsberg, who re-signed, and didn't get far with Calgary's Johnny Gaudreau before he'd sign with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Rumors swirled but were "unconfirmed" about the Islanders and Colorado center Nazem Kadri until eventually he'd spur the Isles for the Calgary Flames. For anyone expecting a BIG free to land in Elmont, it left them with egg on their face. Were the Islanders not a big ticket franchise for free agents? Big Apple Hockey's, Anthony LaRocco, cited a poll that had the Islanders tied with the New York Rangers as the 3rd most attractive destination for free agents. However, when would they show the NHL they're a legit FA player?
The biggest UFA signing in Islanders history was former Winnipeg Jets captain and two-time Chicago Blackhawk Andrew Ladd. Coming off a 25-21-46 campaign in 2016, the Islanders thought they were getting a player with grit and intangibles to play with star John Tavares. Then-GM Garth Snow signed the forward from British Columbia to a 7 year / $38.5M contract. Ladd had a career high 62 points the season before and was a Stanley Cup Champion with the Carolina Hurricanes (2006) and Chicago Blackhawks (2010). The 30-year-old forward looked to be in his prime and ready to bring his talents to the Islanders. His first season went well after a slow start, two goals through his first two months, but finished with 23 goals. However, Ladd's eight assists were a FAR CRY from the player that averaged 27.6 assists / season. Ladd's four years as an Islander were a disappointment to say the least. He'd finish with 39 goals and 33 assists for 72 points. He was actually an Islander for FIVE seasons, the last one where he didn't play a game for the Stanley Cup contender. To say the Islanders didn't get their money's worth is an understatement. Keep in mind, the Isles also cast aside their own forward, Kyle Okposo, to sign Ladd. While Okposo struggled for a bit in Buffalo (215 points with Sabres), the current Sabres captain is still producing while Andrew Ladd will cost the Islanders a 3rd round pick to get rid of him in 2022.
The only other contracts to compare to Horvat's contracts in Isles history are Alexei Yashin and Michael Peca. The centers were RFA's in 2000 and the Islanders made trades to acquire each. While fans will point out that the Islanders gave up the pick that would become Jason Spezza, along with budding defenseman Zdeno Chara, few cite the lack of production the Sabres got from trading their captain to Uniondale. Back to the contracts, upon acquiring these two players, owner Charles Wang immediately made a splash by signing each player to the biggest deals in Islanders history. Yashin's contract was 10 years and $87.5M. Yashin was productive in his first season (32-43-75) in NY, but fell short of those numbers for the remainder of his Islanders career. Eventually, GM Mike Milbury bought the then 33-year-old forward out in 2007. Yikes.
The Islanders did hand out a doozy of a contract to goalie Rick DiPietro to show the franchise's stability in goal. Wang signed the former top overall pick to a 15-year / $67.5M dea. The contract would pay him through 2021. These contract were EVERYWHERE around this era of the NHL. NHL assistant commissioner Bill Daly said, "Time will tell whether this is a good decision or a bad one for the Islanders." This contract came after DP's breakout 05-06 campaign where he was 30-24-5 with a .900 save % and a 3.01 GAA. DiPietro would play 125 games the next two years with improved numbers, 2.71 GAA .911 save %, but injuries (including one at the All Star Game) derailed his career and he'd only play 50 games for the Islanders between 2009-2013. In 2013, the Islanders used a compliance buyout from the new CBA to rid themselves of this deal.
I posited on Big Apple Hockey that the Horvat signing FINALLY legitimizes the New York Islanders as a BIG MARKET team. Say what you will about their past, but the Isles operated more like a small market team, trading for players and getting them to sign extensions. After all, Lubomir Visnovsky and Evgeny Nabokov refused to come to Long Island, but found it suitable once they got there. Similar to a committed gym rat in the new year; once you're there, you make the most of it. However, Horvat listed the Islanders as a destination and GM Lou Lamoriello acted quickly to improve his team. In a way, this is a mid-season UFA signing and Horvat would have been the top UFA on the market, Ledecky gets what he wants and the bargain Lou got him for, give HIM what he wanted. Time will tell how this works out, but the Islanders have arrived as a free agent destination.
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