While the Buffalo Sabres, Philadelphia Flyers, and Florida Panthers were busy re-modeling their whole team, the New York Islanders stuck to their initial game plans and only made the moves that were necessary. With a roster which is for the most part ready to go for next season, pardoning any unpredictable trades or injuries, the Islanders made only one move on this Free Agency Frenzy.
This move was the acquisition of veteran center Marty Reasoner. Reasoner had a career year last year with the Florida Panthers posting 14 goals, and 32 points. Reasoner is a gritty veteran center. His main strengths are face-offs, being a two-way player, penalty killer, and apparently a very good team mate. Subtract two-way player, and add fighter and you have a copy of Zenon Konopka, except that Reasoner can also score goals.
To sum this signing up, Reasoner has been signed as the replacement of Zenon Konopka as a 4th line center who will be counted on to win important faceoffs, and provide veteran leadership for the young guys in the Islander locker room.
Expect the Islanders to only make one more move during this off season, and that would be to, as Garth Snow said, trade for a top-4 defenseman to replace the hole left by Radek Martinek and Jack Hillen who were both released by the organization.
