3 New York Islanders Not Expected Back Next Season

The New York Islanders are heading home after a hard fought first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Islanders made several changes throughout the 2022-23 season, however it wasn't enough when it mattered most. Look for the changes to continue into this upcoming offseason with these three players not expected back next season:

Josh Bailey

Given the Islanders cap issues as they only have around $6 million to use this summer, expect to see Josh Bailey moved as he has one season left on his deal at $5 million. Trade talks are going to heat up tremendously at the NHL Entry Draft and Bailey is a prime candidate to get dealt. He finished the 2022-23 season with 25 points in 64 games so New York is likely going to need to include a trade sweetener to facilitate the move.

Scott Mayfield

One of the most sought after defensemen on the trade market before the deadline, the Islanders decided to hold onto Scott Mayfield for their playoff run and rightfully so. He was a beast for them down the stretch and now heads into free agency this summer. Mayfield will be one of the most overpaid players this offseason and it won't be from the cash strapped Islanders.

Semyon Varlamov

With Ilya Sorokin not going anywhere any time soon, look for the Islanders to move on from Semyon Varlamov and let him walk this summer. The Russian veteran netminder is a unrestricted free agent and could fetch himself some decent money on the open market. There's a number of teams looking for a 1-B or reliable backup and Varlamov fits the bill perfectly. The Pittsburgh Penguins and Ottawa Senators are two teams to watch here.

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