New York Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech has agreed to a new four-year contract, the team announced Monday. Compensation is $1.6 million average annual value, according to Arthur Staple of Newsday.
This is one of the classic moves in the Garth Snow cap/roster playbook: lock in an unproven young player for term at a relatively cheap rate, on a deal that takes the player just short of unrestricted free agency. Pelech will be an RFA again when this deal expires in 2021.)
Coming off his entry level contract as a restricted free agent this summer, Pelech’s new rate is below league average.