New York Islanders Sign Defenseman Dennis Seidenberg
New York Islanders Bolster Their Blue Line by Signing Free Agent Defenseman Dennis Seidenberg to a 1-Year Deal After Impressive Showing at the World Cup of Hockey
With slim pickings on the NHL free agency front, the New York Islanders are looking to bolster their defense. Dennis Seidenberg is expected to sign with the New York Islanders after the World Cup, according to TSN’s Darren Dreger.
It’s a one-year, $1 million dollar deal, per Dreger. Seidenberg is currently playing in a meaningful role for Team Europe, and his play has helped propel Europe to the finals against the heavily favored Canadians.
The 35-year-old defenseman was bought out by the Boston Bruins over the summer. He had two years remaining on his contract, with a cap hit of $4 million.
Seidenberg was a key part of the Bruins’ Stanley Cup champion team in 2011, but several injuries limited him to just 61 games last season, and his average ice time fell below 20 minutes for the first time since he was with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2007-08.
Islanders Have Strong Defensive Depth
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He’ll likely be in a bottom-pairing role with the Isles, below Nick Leddy, Travis Hamonic, Johnny Boychuk, and Calvin de Haan. He may even be the extra defenseman sitting most nights, with the likes of Thomas Hickey, Ryan Pulock, Adam Pelech, and Scott Mayfield competing for a spot in the lineup.
Dreger also pointed out on Twitter that there were 7 teams interested in acquiring the aging defenseman. The deal is a good one for both sides as the contract fills Seidenberg’s desire to play on a guaranteed NHL contract.
Deal Is Good For Both Sides
From the Islanders point of view, this is a low-risk deal for a defenseman that has proved he still has something left in the tank after a strong World Cup of Hockey performance. From Seidenberg’s perspective, he gets to play for a playoff team that has the talent to contend for a Stanley Cup. But you have to wonder if there was another team offering him a better more guaranteed role.
Bottom pairing minutes is what Seidenberg is capable of at this point in his career. But the depth the Islanders have leads to questions on whether or not Seids will see the ice on a consistent basis. Maybe this fact is a good thing though since his body hasn’t been able to hold up after the long NHL season.
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