Islanders Re-Sign Josh Bailey

Josh Bailey avoided arbitration and signs a 5-year, $16.5 million deal with the Islanders.  Bailey's Annual cap hit will be $3.3m per.

Tony Stabile points out, "Through the 15-16 season, Isles have JT. Bailey, KO, Grabs, Clutterbuck, Frans, Hamonic and Martin locked up for less than $25 million."

Arthur Staple, "Isles now have 12 players signed for 2014-15. Only 4 of them (Nielsen, McDonald, Viz, Carkner) will be older than 27 when 14-15 begins."

 

This is another example of the Islanders plan and system and how it is working from an organizational standpoint.  Players acquired via trade (Visnovsky) or waivers (Nabokov, Strait) are even buying into it.  The next step is attracting high ticket free agents that will buy into the cost structure that the team is using very well in the face of ridiculous deals being handed out by other organizations.

 

B.D. Gallof adds, "All you have to do is look at the horrid contracts handed out. eg: Clowe to see why Isles happy to pay 3.2 per on Josh Bailey.  All Isles core players are contracted during prime/peak yrs at lower than current NHL costs & wild $$ contracts."

In the last 1.5 seasons, Bailey's move to wing and play with Kyle Okposo has really helped both players break out.  While Okposo seemed to improve even more with Moulson and Nielsen later in the season, Bailey was also really good on the top line with Tavares and Boyes.  Once high draft picks and key corner stones of the rebuild, Bailey and Okposo had only 3 and 4 pts. respectively in the Isles 6 game playoff, but there worth was proven beyond the stat sheet on the top two lines.  They were both key components of momentum changing plays in several games vs. the Penguins.  Lets hope that they, and the rest of the team take  a smattering of improving elements and evolve them into the consistency of a winner.

 

Bailey was 11 and 8 for 19 pts. and a +7 in 38 games (Lockout) for the Islanders.

Josh Bailey tells Newsday: "We took a good step last year. It's clearly something I want to be part of. I want to see this through."

 

 

Isles Notes:

 

Hickey is still unsigned, but remains in the Managements plan to be re-signed as an RFA.

Kevin Schultz points out, "Jon Landry signing in Minnesota makes five former Isles up there. Konopka, Rupp, Nino and Spurgeon are the other four."  I thought the same thing.  Coincidence?

 

NYI Booster Club, Hey @NYIslanders Fans, join the Official NYI booster club today!!

B.D. Gallof, "The HOCK.ly #isles Edition is released! NY Islanders Edition"