{"id":26863,"date":"2025-06-30T10:21:07","date_gmt":"2025-06-30T10:21:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/26863\/"},"modified":"2025-06-30T10:21:07","modified_gmt":"2025-06-30T10:21:07","slug":"east-notes-islanders-rfas-penguins-lauko","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/26863\/","title":{"rendered":"East Notes: Islanders RFAs, Penguins, Lauko"},"content":{"rendered":"

After a busy stretch that included trading Noah Dobson<\/strong><\/a> and drafting Matthew\u202f Schaefer<\/strong><\/a> first overall, the Islanders and GM Mathieu Darche have shifted their focus to free agency by extending qualifying offers to all of their pending restricted free agents, per Stefen Rosner of NHL.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The list of current pending RFAs for the Islanders includes forwards Simon Holmstrom<\/strong><\/a>, Emil Heineman<\/strong><\/a>, Maxim Tsyplakov<\/strong><\/a>, and Marc Gatcomb<\/strong><\/a>, as well as defenders Alexander Romanov<\/strong><\/a> and Scott Perunovich<\/a><\/strong>. Of note, Rosner expects Gatcomb to be back with the Islanders, whether by accepting his qualifying offer or signing a different deal.<\/p>\n

All four forwards showcased some success last season. Homstrom, 24, posted 20 goals and 45 points last season. Holmstrom was the Islanders\u2019 2019 first-round selection (23rd overall) and has skated in 75 games each of the previous two seasons. Gatcomb showcased a solid scoring touch, netting eight goals in 39 NHL games (a projected 17-goal pace over 82), while Heineman chipped in 10 goals and 18 points across 62 contests, and Tsyplakov tallied 10 goals and 35 points in 77 games. And with only five defenders under contract, excluding non\u2011rostered players, re-signing Romanov and\/or Perunovich could provide valuable depth on the blue line.<\/p>\n

Elsewhere in the Eastern Conference:<\/p>\n