By trading for and then signing Jean-Gabriel Pageau to a six-year deal with a $5 million AAV, the New York Islanders cap hit jumped to $78.223 million on the season. That left them with $3.276 million in cap space.
That's not a huge issue right now. The issue is next season when the Islanders still have to sign RFA's Mathew Barzal, Ryan Pulock, and Devon Toews. It was already going to be difficult to get all three signed without Pageau's deal, adding the third line centers contract to the mix further complicated the algebra Lou Lamoriello was going to need to execute to make it all work.