One Dirty Hit Could Cost the Islanders a $50 Million Defenseman

Alexander Romanov played 15 games last season. Then Mikko Rantanen crushed him from behind. Five minute major, game misconduct, and Romanov was done for the year with a shoulder that needed surgery and five to six months of recovery.

Now the 26-year-old Russian might not play another shift for the Islanders.

According to NHL.com’s Stefen Rosner, teams are calling about Romanov. The same way they called about Mathew Barzal. Rosner wrote Saturday that some general managers see a chance to buy low on a quality defenseman stuck on a long-term deal after an injury-shortened season.

Here’s the thing about that deal. Romanov signed an eight-year, $50 million extension in June 2025. He’s got seven years left. The no-trade clause doesn’t kick in until July 1, 2027. That gives GM Mathieu Darche a window to move him if the right offer comes along.

The timing matters. Rosner also reported that defenseman Carson Soucy plans to test free agency rather than re-sign on Long Island. So the Isles are looking at a blue line that already has seven defensemen under contract after Tony DeAngelo signed a two-year extension last week. That group includes Romanov, DeAngelo, Ryan Pulock, Adam Pelech, Scott Mayfield, Matthew Schaefer and Isaiah George.

And Schaefer just had an electric rookie season. It’s reasonable to pencil him into the top four next year alongside Pulock, Pelech and Mayfield. That leaves Romanov on the outside looking at a third-pairing role with a $6.25 million cap hit.

That’s steep for a third-pairing guy. When healthy, Romanov can play top-four minutes. But through 15 games last season he managed one assist. For his career he has 84 points in 369 regular-season games and one goal plus one assist in 13 playoff games split between the Islanders and the Canadiens, who drafted him in 2018.

The hit from Rantanen was controversial. The league didn’t suspend him. Just the five-minute major and the misconduct. Romanov never made it back. It’s possible that was his last game in an Islanders uniform.

Darche is at least listening. The question is whether anyone offers enough to make a move before that no-trade clause locks Romanov in next summer.