The New York Islanders’ focus in the coming week is on the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, especially since they have the top pick. They could take Matthew Schaefer, Michael Misa, or surprise everyone with their selection, or make another trade on draft day to add another top 10 pick to make things interesting.
Related: Islanders Can Trade for a Second Top 10 Pick in 2025 NHL Draft, But Should They?
Then comes free agency, and it comes at the Islanders and their first-time general manager (GM) Mathieu Darche fast. The draft is June 27 and free agency begins on July 1. Darche has a lot on his plate with Alexander Romanov, Noah Dobson, and Simon Holmstrom restricted free agents (RFAs) who must be re-signed. Plus, there’s some cap space to make a move if he wants but it will require a trade or two to make it happen.
The players everyone wants are Mitch Marner, reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner Sam Bennett, and Brad Marchand who is suddenly playing his best hockey (at least he did during the Florida Panthers Stanley Cup run). However, there’s a great group of pending free agents who are overlooked, with Brock Boeser leading that group. The Islanders are one of the teams that should target him as a value signing this summer.
Boeser’s Scoring
His shot and overall scoring ability are what will get Boeser paid this offseason. His 40-goal season in 2023-24 appears like an outlier but he’s scored 20 or more goals in six of the last eight seasons with the Vancouver Canucks. On top of that, Boeser scored seven goals in 12 games during the 2024 playoff run for the Canucks.
Teams will look for scoring this offseason and especially for skaters who can find the back of the net in the playoffs. Boeser is one of the skaters who proved he can provide that to the offense. While he’s not a star player who does it all, any team that wants to make a playoff run needs a scorer like him.
The Islanders could play Boeser on the top line and have a reliable scoring presence on the wing. Head coach Patrick Roy would have plenty of options as he could have Mathew Barzal on Boeser’s line or he could reunite the winger with Bo Horvat, who is a scorer first but can also find open skaters on the wings when needed.
The Trickle-Down Effect of Boeser in the Lineup
Boeser plays the right wing, which is the same position as Kyle Palmieri and Barzal, who are both on the top six. This means the Islanders must move someone to the center position if they sign Boeser. The answer is Barzal, as moving him would give the Islanders more depth in their forward unit.
With Barzal centering one line and Horvat centering another, the Islanders could move Jean-Gabriel Pageau to the third line and Casey Cizikas back to the fourth line. Both Pageau and Cizikas moved up in the lineup in the second half of the past season because of the Brock Nelson trade, and they were both uncomfortable in those roles.
Signing Boeser would allow everyone to play where they feel comfortable. It would also make the forward unit collectively a better group. Whether Boeser’s plays on Barzal’s line or Horvat’s, the ripple effect would the Islanders a top six that can score and a bottom six that can defend and forecheck.
Boeser Bridges The Gap
Darche wants to build a Cup contender through the farm system. He’ll have a head start thanks to the top pick but otherwise, it will take time to repair a broken prospect pool. There are only a few prospects in the system, and the American Hockey League (AHL) team in Bridgeport has a losing culture that is detrimental to development. It will take at least two seasons, if not more, to establish a strong pipeline.
In the meantime, Darche wants the Islanders to push for a playoff spot. They have a veteran-heavy group and a core good enough to make the Islanders competitive. The problem is they have a low ceiling, and the only way to change that is by adding elite talent that’s capable of taking over games. Darche hopes that talents come through the development program.
It’s why Boeser can bridge the gap between a team that’s good now and a team that’s a Cup contender in a few seasons. Signing him would have the Islanders in the playoff mix every season, with a deep playoff run as a possibility while Darche builds up the farm system. Once the prospects are ready for the NHL, Boeser is one of the skaters who could ease them into the lineup, especially the forwards. 2024 first-rounder Cole Eiserman could work on his shot with one of the best shooters in the league.
The Issues With Signing Boeser
The contract is the biggest obstacle for the Islanders, and a handful of teams for that matter. Boeser will likely look for a seven-year deal in the $8 million average annual value range. If the Islanders sign him, it would likely require them to trade Dobson, Romanov, or a veteran with a significant cap hit to make it work.
The other issue is Boeser’s limitations. He’s a scorer who can find open skaters as well from the wing but he doesn’t add a physical presence to the lineup and he won’t be great in the defensive end either. Yet, he’d be paid like a star who can do it all. It’s something the Islanders must be cautious about.
Do you think the Islanders should sign Boeser? Let us know in the comments section below!
