Anthony Duclair was finally placed on long-term injured reserve Saturday, and the Islanders used their extra salary cap space to make a flurry of moves.
With Duclair’s $3.5 million salary no longer on the books, the Islanders made two call-ups, one signing and sent one player down — ceding salary accrual, but making their current roster deeper and better in the process.
In no particular order:
The Islanders placed Anthony Duclair on LTIR on Saturday. Getty Images- Pierre Engvall, a surprise cut at the end of training camp, was called back up.
- So too was Hudson Fasching, who failed to make the team out of camp after an injury meant sitting during a crucial few days of competition.
- Matt Martin, who was practicing with the team on a tryout contract, was signed to a one-year deal.
- Liam Foudy, who had played two games as a call-up, was sent back down to AHL Bridgeport.
General manager Lou Lamoriello said that the timing of the move — which formalizes that Duclair will not return until at least Nov. 14 in Vancouver — had to do with injuries the Islanders had picked up over the last 24-48 hours, with an unspecified number of players being game-time decisions on Saturday against the Panthers.
Engvall and Martin both came into the lineup, playing on either side of Kyle MacLean on the fourth line. Coach Patrick Roy, who did not address reporters pregame in a breach of NHL rules, did not sound impressed with either of them.
“Having Marty back in the lineup — leadership, experience, I mean he brings that physicality. I think Lou thinks it’s important for us,” Roy said after the 6-3 defeat to the Panthers. “And Pierre, we know what he did in the past two years. I guess Lou thought it was a good moment for him to come back and play.”
Now, the Islanders have 14 forwards on the roster, all of whom have considerable experience with the club, giving Roy more usable options as he sorts through life without Duclair.
Fasching, it transpired, was sent down because of the injury he dealt with during camp — not yet being at 100 percent when rosters were cut down. As for Engvall, Lamoriello said putting him in the AHL was about sending a message.
Pierre Engvall was called back up to the Islanders’ roster. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST“We certainly weren’t happy with Pierre, to be perfectly honest,” Lamoriello said.
But, he added, “We know that he can help us in that lineup. He is an NHL player without question.”
As for Martin, who made a triumphant and improbable Islander return on Saturday after toiling on a tryout contract following a summer in which even that looked unlikely, the hope is that he can add some physicality and veteran leadership.
“It’s a challenging process, I guess, you could say, at times,” Martin said. “If an opportunity was gonna present itself, I wanted to be ready. Thankfully, it did.”
The Islanders signed Matt Martin on Saturday. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters ConAlexander Romanov missed Saturday’s game with an upper-body injury, which Lamoriello said was not a concussion.
Lamoriello also said that Romanov is day-to-day and expected to return Tuesday against Anaheim. Dennis Cholowski spelled Romanov in the lineup on Saturday.
Martin’s deal is for the league minimum salary and a one-way contract, Lamoriello said.
