This post was published 13 years 3 months 7 days ago which may make its content inapplicable to the current Islanders roster and/or team news. This site is not responsible for any misunderstanding.Today the New York Islanders have extended qualifying offers to five restricted free agents: Matt Moulson, Rob Schremp, Dustin Kohn, Dylan Reese, and Nathan Lawson.
If you are noticing some players missing off of that list, you’re not mistaken – as several players remain, unsigned. If you have not figured it out just yet, they are: Sean Bergenheim and Jeff Tambellini.
It’s no secret that those two players who have not been tendered qualifying offers, have how do you say – struggled, under head coach Scott Gordon, so they may have played their respective last games in Islanders orange and blue.
What is a qualifying offer you ask?
Per the Islanders website:
Qualifying offers are tendered to players who are no longer on their entry-level deals but do not qualify as un-restricted free agents, making them restricted free agents. Teams must extend qualifying offers to restricted free agents to retain their negotiating rights and have the right of first refusal.
As of Thursday, July 1, those players who have received qualifying offers will have until Thursday, July 15 to accept. The deadline for players to elect to go to salary arbitration is Monday, July 5. If a player rejects the qualifying offer, but does not elect to go to salary arbitration, the Islanders will still retain their rights until and agreement is made or they become eligible for unrestricted free-agency.
The NHL club can also elect to take a player to salary arbitration and the deadline for club arbitration is Tuesday, July 6.
Salary arbitration hearing take place starting on Tuesday, July 20 with the final date set for Wednesday, August 4.
While we are talkin’ contract – there are several Islanders who will reach unrestricted free agency July 1st: Martin Biron, Freddy Meyer, Jon Sim, Richard Park, and Tim Jackman. Many of which, may also find themselves in a different uniform come next week.
Stay Tuned folks, this is where the off season gets really fun!
