Aside from the ongoing negotiations with Mathew Barzal that seem to be heading in the right direction, Lou Lamoriello says he has the team he wants to incorporate at the start of the shortened 2020-21 season.
The Islanders general manager announced Thursday during his preseason media availability that Matt Martin and Andy Greene, the team’s unrestricted free agents, have agreed to their respective terms. In addition, Lamoriello confirmed that former Devils keeper Cory Schneider has also signed a contract with the Islands.
While he had nothing new to report on the ongoing talks with Barzal and his camp, Lamoriello said the 23-year-old star center is in New York and quarantined in accordance with the COVID-19 protocol of the League.
“Our intention and intention is to be there [at the start of training camp], and I hope that happens, “he said in a Zoom call.
Apparently, Lamoriello has made it a priority to free up cover space this offseason to be able to sign Barzal, send Devon Toews to Colorado and unofficially retire Johnny Boychuk. He closed Ryan Pulock to a two-year deal and acquired Dmytro Timashov, a restricted free agent yet to be signed, from Red Wings earlier this month.
When asked if he planned to bring additional players to a test, Lamoriello indicated that the roster would remain unchanged by Sunday at training camp.
“I think right now we’re going to stay with the group we have,” he said. “Things can always change. There will be many things that will happen throughout the season. But that will be the group, right now. “
One of the players who will not join the Islanders on the training ground this season is Joshua Ho-Sang, whose tenure with the organization continues to make twists and turns. It was reported, and confirmed by The Post, that Ho-Sang would not receive an invitation to the training camp despite avoiding arbitration in late October and signing a two-way deal.
The Islanders offered Ho-Sang a qualifying offer in early October, but the former No. 28 pick from 2014 presented Lamoriello’s surprise refereeing.
When it came time to evaluate the current roster for the training camp, Lamoriello said he didn’t believe Ho-Sang would even break the four- to six-person taxi squad that all teams will have this season.
“We made the decision that we would take four goalkeepers, 12 defenders and 21 forwards, that is, seven lines, knowing once we received the transition rules that it would be a list plus a taxi crew of a maximum of four, a minimum of six, “Lamoriello said.” When we went over the whole group about who we felt we had the best chance of doing this four to six, he wasn’t one of them. “
After defenders Adam Pelech (wrist) and Casey Cizikas (separate retina) underwent successful surgery at the conclusion of last season, Lamoriello confirmed Thursday that the two are “100% healthy” and will fully practice the workouts.