Islanders president and general manager Lou Lamoriello did not sugarcoat the difference between what a player or organization wants and the financial realities of the NHL.
Re-signing impending unrestricted free agents Casey Cizikas and Kyle Palmieri may be difficult even with mutual interest in both returning to the Islanders.
"This is a very special core group," Lamoriello said on Tuesday during his end-of-season conference call with the media. "We will do everything we can to keep, certainly, the core together. It will be impossible because of the expansion year and also because of free agency. And, also, some of our young players who we think might be ready for NHL time.