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Should the Isles Give Ritchie and Eiserman a Shot?
Oshawa’s first playoff series begins on March 28th, and if eliminated, Ritchie could join the Islanders and play out the season in Bridgeport without burning the first year of his contract.
Or
The Isles could call him up. He still has two games left before hitting the nine-game ELC threshold. If he proves to be an upgrade over MacLean, Gatcomb, and Fasching, then he should keep playing. This experience would be invaluable for his development.
A conservative approach would be to have Ritchie, at the latest (depending on Oshawa’s elimination), play for Bridgeport on April 12th and 13th, then suit up for the Isles’ final two regular-season games on April 15th and 17th.
This is exactly what Colorado did with Cale Makar. Now, let’s be clear—Ritchie is not at that level. Makar was already the best defenseman on the team when he arrived.
Playoff games count toward the nine-game limit. If Ritchie exceeds that threshold, he would burn the first season of his ELC and become an RFA a year sooner—but without arbitration rights. However, there are questions about whether he would still be exempt from the potential expansion draft. And let’s not ignore that possibility—Atlanta and Houston could be joining the league sooner than expected.
If they were not exempt, the Isles wouldn’t have many players that would need protection—likely Horvat, Barzal, Holmstrom, maybe Tsyplakov, and maybe a forward acquired via trade or free agency.
The same logic applies to Cole Eiserman if he decides to turn pro after just one season at BU. The first round of the NCAA Tournament is March 27-28, meaning he could potentially make his Islanders debut on April 1, with exactly nine games left in the season. He would only burn the first year of his ELC if he plays in the playoffs.
If Ritchie, even in just two NHL games, clearly shows he’s a stronger option than the current bottom-six forwards, the Isles should go for it. Eiserman, with his full nine-game audition, would have even more time to prove himself. Bringing in these two young players could give the team a real boost.
If Barzal returns in April and both Ritchie and Eiserman prove they belong, the forward group could look like this heading into the playoffs:
- Holmstrom – Horvat – Palmieri
- Lee – Barzal – Eiserman
- Duclair – Pageau – Ritchie
- Engvall – Cizikas – Tsyplakov
*Fasching – MacLean – Gatcomb
Looking ahead, this move wouldn’t be a cap concern. By the time these players reach RFA status, the salary cap will be around $113 million, and the contracts of Pageau, Cizikas, and Lee will be off the books. After this offseason—where the Isles need to re-sign Holmstrom, Tsyplakov, Romanov, and Dobson—there won’t be any major prospects that need new deals.
Holmstrom is a perfect example of how this can work. His Year +1 ELC earned him $850K, which is $10,000 less than his original ELC deal. If Ritchie and Eiserman light it up and play their way into bridge deals, who’s really complaining?
As for concerns about the cap and international economic tensions, the NHL and NHLPA have already agreed on the cap for the next three seasons. That’s the biggest piece of the puzzle, and at this point, it looks like a done deal. While there are concerns about the Canadian dollar, negotiations are expected to start in April, and with Bettman pushing to announce a new deal before the Stanley Cup Final, this shouldn’t be an issue.
Ultimately, if Ritchie and Eiserman prove they are better than the bottom half of the roster after a two-game NHL stint (plus AHL time for Ritchie) and nine games for Eiserman, then the Isles should make the move. This could be a perfect opportunity to inject some young talent into the lineup at the most important time of the year.
