Boqvist was a healthy scratch in the Blue Jackets' season opening loss to the Flyers. Boqvist will draw into the Blue Jackets lineup vs. the Rangers, replacing Zach Werenski, who went on IR with a thigh injury. Boqvist had five goals and 19 assists in 46 games with Columbus a season ago.
Sorokin was outstanding in 2022-23, going 31-22-7 with a 2.34 GAA, .924 SV% and six shutouts. He finished second in the Veznia Trophy voting and ninth in the Hart Trophy. On Saturday, he will open up his season against a Sabres team that lost in their season opener. Sorokin was 1-0-1 while stopping 64 of the 69 shots (.928 SV%) he faced in two games vs. Buffalo last year. He was also stellar on home ice, going 20-10-3 with a 1.91 GAA and .925 SV%.
The Islanders' waived Ross Johnston Tuesday which allowed them the salary expansion to recalled Simon Holmstrom from his loan from Bridgeport (AHL) ahead of their season opener. The 22-year-old right-winger was originally drafted by the Islanders in the first round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft (23rd overall) and appeared in 50 games in his rookie season in 2022-23, picking up six goals, three assists and 39 SOG.
Romanov was originally expected to miss a portion of training camp as he recovered from offseason shoulder surgery but is now "100 percent" to start training camp. The 23-year-old defencemen is coming off his first season in Long Island after recording two goals, 20 assists, 43 PIMs, and a +13 plus/minus through 76 games played. The bruising defensemen is expected to be a key piece of the Islanders' third defensive pair this season.
George was drafted by the Islanders in the fourth round of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft (98th overall) and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with New York. The 19-year-old defenseman is expected to return to the London Knights for the 2023-24 season where he had seven goals, 22 points, 14 PIMs and a +23 plus/minus through 54 games played in 2022-23.
Lou Lamoriello announced Monday that Alexander Romanov may not be ready for the start of camp after undergoing offseason shoulder surgery. The 23-year-old defencemen is coming off his first season in Long Island after recording two goals, 20 assists, 43 PIMs, and a +13 plus/minus through 76 games played. The islanders will be hoping to have him back for the start of the regular season at the latest.
DeAngelo cleared waivers a week ago after scoring 11 goals, 31 assists, 174 SOG, 73 PIMs and a -27 plus/minus with Philadelphia in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, $1,675,000 contract with Carolina. The 27-year-old defensemen returns to the Hurricane's where he spent one incredibly productive season in 2021-22 (10G/51Pts in 64 GP). In the last two seasons, DeAngelo is 27th among defensemen in points (93 in 134 GP) across the entire NHL making this a very well priced signing for the Hurricanes.
Skarek was 15-16-3 with a .892 SV% and 3.37 GAA in 2022-23 with Bridgeport (AHL) and has signed a two-year, two-way contract extension with the Islanders. The 23-year-old goaltender was selected by the Islanders in the third-round of the 2018 Draft (72nd overall) and has yet to make his NHL debut after four seasons in the AHL.
Gauthier had nine goals, five assists, six PIMs and a -6 plus/minus through 57 games with both Ottawa and the New York Rangers in 2022-23 and has signed a two-year, $1.575 million contract ($787,500 AAV) with the New York Islanders. The 25-year-old was Carolina's 2016 first-round pick (21st overall) and has picked up 14 goals and 18 assists across 153 games played in his career.
Varlamov was 11-9-2 with a 2.70 GAA and .913 SV% backing up the New York Islanders in 2022-23 and has signed a four-year contract extension worth $11.0 million ($2.75M AAV). The 35-year-old netminder has amassed a career record of 272-22-64 with a 2.65 GAA and .916 SV% throughout his 15 year NHL career.
Mayfield had six goals, 18 assists, 119 SOG, 83 PIMs and a +8 plus/minus through 82 games with the New York Islanders in 2022-23 and has signed a seven-year contract extension worth $24.5 million ($3.5M AAV). The 30-year-old defenseman has 25 goals, 111 points and 395 PIMs across 428 career NHL games and nine seasons all with the Islanders.
Sorokin finished second in Vezina Trophy voting in 2022-23 with his 31-22-7 record, 2.34 GAA and .924 SV% and has signed an eight-year contract worth $66.0 million ($8.25M AAV) with the Islanders. The 27-year-old goaltender is entering his fourth season in New York and holds an impressive career 2.34 GAA, 924 SV% and 70-46-18 record.
Engvall had 17 goals, 13 assists, 131 SOG, 31 PIMs and a +8 plus/minus through 76 games played in 2022-23 with both Toronto and the New York Islanders and has signed a seven-year contract extension worth $21.0 million ($3.0M AAV) with New York. The 27-year-old left-winger was acquired by the Islanders for. 2024 third-round pick at the Trade deadline in 2022-23.
Reilly had an assist, 12 SOG, and two PIMs across 10 games with Boston in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, $1.0 million contract with the Florida Panthers. The 30-year-old veteran defensemen will be joining his fifth NHL team and has 12 goals and 98 points across 339 career NHL games.
Reilly had an assist, 12 SOG, and two PIMs across 10 games with the Bruins in 2022-23 and has been placed on unconditional waivers with purposes of a buyout. The 29-year-old was expected to carry a cap hit of $3 million heading into 2023-24 but will now only cost the Bruins $333,334 after the buyout. Reilly had spent the last three seasons in Boston and has 98 career points (12G/86A) through 339 NHL games.
Perunovich spent much of his 2022-23 nursing an injury but still collected two goals and 20 points across 22 games with the Springfield Thunderbirds (AHL). The 24-year-old defenseman was impressive representing the United States as the World Championships, putting up eight points (1G/7A) across 10 games played.
Bolduc made his NHL debut in 2022-23 with the New York Islanders picking up two goals, three points, 20 SOG, two PIMs and a +5 plus/minus through 17 games and has signed a two-year contract extension ($800,000 AAV). The 22-year-old defensemen was New York's 2019 second round pick (57th overall).
Liukas was a fifth-round pick in the 2021 NHL draft and signs after his second full season in the Liiga. The 20-year-old winger scored 14 goals and nine assists (23 points) in 58 games with HPK Hameenlinna in 2023. He also represented Finland at the 2023 World Juniors, posting just two assists in six games.
