Ever since the rebuild began -- so, after initial pushes for veteran free agents like Ryan Smyth and Bill Guerin proved unfruitful -- New York Islanders general manager Garth Snow has been conservative if not downright miserly with his non-elite unrestricted free agents as they age.
For every Doug Weight (the player, not the coach/exec) and Lubomir Visnovsky signed to modest, short-term extensions there is a P.A. Parenteau, Matt Moulson or Mark Streit, a Brad Boyes, James Wisniewski or Andy Sutton.