Contract of Veteran NY Islanders Forward is Not Ideal

The New York Islanders have a noticeably bad contract on the books for many years still.

Mar 21, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; View of a New York Islanders logo on a jersey worn by a member of the team during warm-up before the game against the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Islanders have had a fairly quiet offseason, but this is still a team that has some high expectations for next year. However, as the team looks toward the future, there are some contracts on the books that are far from ideal. 

Coming into the summer, the Islanders knew that they were going to be limited to a degree in terms of how aggressive they could get in free agency. New York didn’t have a ton of cap space entering free agency, and the team was focused on improving that situation for the future. 

With the salary cap going up and some veterans seeing their contracts expire after next season, the hope is that they will have around $40 million in cap space next summer. 

That would certainly be a strong number if it happens, and puts the Islanders in a good position to succeed. However, while the cap situation is improving, there are still a few notable ones on the books that are poor. 

One of the most glaring is that of forward Pierre Engvall. The veteran forward signed a seven-year, $21 million deal under the previous regime, and with multiple years left on the deal and no defined role, there are rightfully some concerns. 

Engvall Contract Is Not Ideal

Apr 8, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; New York Islanders left wing Pierre Engvall (18) skates with the puck against the Nashville Predators during the second period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

When looking at the potential roster for the Islanders next season and what the lineups could look like, there is a very strong chance that Pierre Engvall could be one of the odd men out. 

New head coach Peter DeBoer will certainly be giving this forward group a chance to prove themselves, and camp is going to be key for a player like Engvall. 

Last season, the veteran forward was out for the entire year due to injury, and the numbers weren’t great the year before that either. During the 2024-25 campaign, it became apparent that this contract was going to be a bit of a problem for the Islanders. 

That season, he totaled 15 points with eight goals and seven assists in 62 games played. This contract that Lou Lamoriello gave out a couple of years ago has not aged well, and even with the salary cap going up this summer, the $3 million that he is earning is still high for a player who is a borderline NHL player right now. 

However, the hope will be that he is able to be healthy and put together a strong training camp. If that ends up being the case, he could work his way onto the roster.