Is it too late to take back the Nick Leddy trade?
I jest, of course, but Lou Lamoriello’s first big move to clear needed cap space still looks like the most difficult to fill. In a span of a few days, the Islanders GM cleared out the big cap hits of Leddy, Andrew Ladd (salary dump) and Jordan Eberle (Expansion Draft) in preparation for big raises to come for multiple restricted free agents and hoped-for re-signings of unrestricted free agents Casey Cizikas and Kyle Palmieri.
It’s believed the moves also created room to go big-game hunting on the UFA market, which if successful, might squeeze one of their other preferred re-signings.