The Islanders didn’t extend qualifying offers to any of their three NHL-level restricted free agents by Monday’s deadline, indicating it’s unlikely that any of Marc Gatcomb, Max Shabanov or Adam Boqvist will be back in the fold.
While an industry source told The Post that the door isn’t closed on Gatcomb to be re-signed as an unrestricted free agent, the lack of qualifying offer does seem to imply he isn’t in the Islanders’ plans.
General manager Mathieu Darche said over the weekend that the team wouldn’t qualify Boqvist, who struggled to crack the lineup last season.
Not bringing back Shabanov, who was signed last summer from Russia, isn’t much of a shock either given he was often healthy-scratched last season.
Gatomb, though, was in the lineup for much of the season and contributed well on the fourth line.
The former undrafted free agent broke into the NHL with the Islanders two seasons ago and fought his way to a regular role with physical, straight-line play.
Alex Jeffries, Joey Larson and Henrik Tikkanen, all minor leaguers, were qualified and will become restricted free agents.
Also among the AHL contingent, Matt Maggio, Eetu Liukas, Tristan Lennox and Ruslan Iskhakov were not extended qualifying offers.
