A 5 p.m. deadline could change the Islanders’ plans in a hurry, and it might be the opening Patrik Laine needs.
When free agency began, the former Montreal Canadiens forward had already been in contact with New York, but the Islanders were only willing to bring him in on a professional tryout. The reason was straightforward: too many forwards, not enough cap space, and no room to make Laine a guaranteed offer.
That picture may be shifting now. Alex Jefferies’ arbitration filing has opened a second contract buyout window for the Islanders, giving general manager Mathieu Darche another chance to free up money on the roster. The window opened Monday at 5 p.m. and runs until Wednesday at 5 p.m.
Two names stand out as the most obvious buyout possibilities: Pierre Engvall and Ondrej Palat.
Palat is the more notable case. The Czech winger is set to earn $6 million next season, but he managed only five points in 29 games after arriving in a January trade from the New Jersey Devils. That kind of production is hard to square with that salary.
If the Islanders bought out the final year of Palat’s deal, they would save $3.3 million in 2026-27. That would create enough flexibility for Darche to make Laine an actual contract offer rather than limiting him to a tryout.
Laine would also give the Islanders something different on special teams. His shot is still his biggest calling card, and New York could use another scoring threat on the power play.
The decision comes down to whether the Islanders think Laine can bring more over a full season than Palat. There is risk attached either way, especially with Laine having appeared in only five games in 2025-26. But the buyout window has created a chance that wasn’t there when the two sides first talked.
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The twist is less about whether Montreal is listening and more about what Dach represents in those talks. His injuries, uneven play and uncertain availability have all fed into a murky valuation, and any move would almost certainly need more than just one player going the other way. The Canadiens would likely have to add more to the package, and for now the whole thing remains speculative, which is why the debate around Dach feels so much bigger than a simple trade rumor. [Read more 🡒]