New York Islanders Sign Former First Rounder and Three Others as Lamoriello Targets Depth
It was a quiet offseason on Long Island, but hockey news cycles have centered around the Islanders for the last week, with the team re-signing Noah Dobson, Alexander Romanov, and Kieffer Bellows.
Lamoriello stayed busy today, as the team announced the signings of former first-round pick Dennis Cholowski, Hudson Fasching, Arnaud Durandeau, and Paul LaDue. Cholowski, Durandeau and LaDue each signed two-year, two-way contracts, and Fasching a one-year, two-way deal. The assumption is that each of these deals carries an annual NHL cap-hit near-league minimum.
Cholowski, 24, was Detroit's 2016 first-round pick who most recently played a short stint with the Washington Capitals after he was traded by the Seattle Kraken, who selected Cholowski from Detroit in the expansion draft. He's managed 30 points in 115 NHL games.
Hudson Fasching, 27, was a fourth round pick of the Los Angeles Kings who would be traded to Buffalo before ever setting foot in the NHL. Hilariously enough, that full trade looks like:
To Buffalo:
F Nicolas Deslauriers
F Hudson Fasching
To Los Angeles:
D Brayden McNabb
F Jonathan Parker
Two 2nd Round draft picks
One of those 2nd round picks turned into Erik Cernak, who was later traded for G Ben Bishop. Sabres Management in a nutshell.
Fasching has only appeared in 38 NHL games in his career, managing a mere three points. Good thing Lou didn't make all those moves right? I mean, it landed him this guy. That's something, right Islanders fans?
LaDue (29) and Durandeau (23) have combined for 70 NHL games, all of which were played by the former, and the latter having played most recently for the Islanders' AHL affiliate in Bridgeport. LaDue has earned 18 points in his career, which has seen its fair share of NHL/AHL whiplash.
The Islanders have had a busy week, but something tells me Islanders' fans want more. I certainly would if my team missed the playoffs after back-to-back conference finals appearances and had the lineup that the Isles do. They are a good team, they have a lot of the pieces needed to win, but they are still missing that top-line stud to join Mat Barzal and Anders Lee. Does Lamoriello have it in him to go out and get that guy?
| POLL | ||
AOÛT 23 | 103 ANSWERS New York Islanders Sign Former First Rounder and Three Others as Lamoriello Targets Depth Will Lamoriello secure a top winger in 2022-23? | ||
| Yes | 47 | 45.6 % |
| No | 56 | 54.4 % |
| LIST OF POLLS | ||
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YESTERDAY
APRIL 24, 2026
| ||||
| G | A | PTS | ||
| Mikael Granlund | 1 | 3 | 4 | |
| Lawson Crouse | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Leo Carlsson | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Kirby Dach | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Jackson Lacombe | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Connor McDavid | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Alexandre Texier | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Mackenzie Weegar | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Zachary Bolduc | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Evan Bouchard | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Leon Draisaitl | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Clayton Keller | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Nic Dowd | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jack Eichel | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Dylan Guenther | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Brandon Hagel | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Lane Hutson | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Kasperi Kapanen | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Alexander Killorn | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Mason McTavish | 1 | - | 1 | |
| COMPLETE STATS | ||||
| 2025-2026 NHL STANDINGS | ||||||
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Sabres | 82 | 50 | 23 | 9 | 109 | |
| Lightning | 82 | 50 | 26 | 6 | 106 | |
| Canadiens | 82 | 48 | 24 | 10 | 106 | |
| Bruins | 82 | 45 | 27 | 10 | 100 | |
| Senators | 82 | 44 | 27 | 11 | 99 | |
| Red Wings | 82 | 41 | 31 | 10 | 92 | |
| Panthers | 82 | 40 | 38 | 4 | 84 | |
| Maple Leafs | 82 | 32 | 36 | 14 | 78 | |
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Hurricanes | 82 | 53 | 22 | 7 | 113 | |
| Penguins | 82 | 41 | 25 | 16 | 98 | |
| Flyers | 82 | 43 | 27 | 12 | 98 | |
| Capitals | 82 | 43 | 30 | 9 | 95 | |
| Blue Jackets | 82 | 40 | 30 | 12 | 92 | |
| Islanders | 82 | 43 | 34 | 5 | 91 | |
| Devils | 82 | 42 | 37 | 3 | 87 | |
| Rangers | 82 | 34 | 39 | 9 | 77 | |
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Avalanche | 82 | 55 | 16 | 11 | 121 | |
| Stars | 82 | 50 | 20 | 12 | 112 | |
| Wild | 82 | 46 | 24 | 12 | 104 | |
| Mammoth | 82 | 43 | 33 | 6 | 92 | |
| Blues | 82 | 37 | 33 | 12 | 86 | |
| Predators | 82 | 38 | 34 | 10 | 86 | |
| Jets | 82 | 35 | 35 | 12 | 82 | |
| Blackhawks | 82 | 29 | 39 | 14 | 72 | |
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Golden Knights | 82 | 39 | 26 | 17 | 95 | |
| Oilers | 82 | 41 | 30 | 11 | 93 | |
| Ducks | 82 | 43 | 33 | 6 | 92 | |
| Kings | 82 | 35 | 27 | 20 | 90 | |
| Sharks | 82 | 39 | 35 | 8 | 86 | |
| Kraken | 82 | 34 | 37 | 11 | 79 | |
| Flames | 82 | 34 | 39 | 9 | 77 | |
| Canucks | 82 | 25 | 49 | 8 | 58 | |
COMPLETE STANDINGS | ||||||