#Breaking down roster issues facing Islanders next season

The Islanders’ longest playoff run in 27 years ended Thursday night, but the team had a strong season, coming just two wins away from qualifying for the Stanley Cup finals.

There are six players who could be headed for free agency this offseason and the signing of highly-touted goaltending prospect Ilya Sorokin may complicate the situation in net. The Post’s Mollie Walker looks at what questions the Islanders are facing this offseason:

Goaltending

After the Islanders let Robin Lehner walk following the 2018-19 season, they signed Semyon Varlamov as a free agent to a four-year, $20 million deal in July 2019. Thomas Greiss, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent next season, has somewhat been bumped by Varlamov as the No. 1 goalie this postseason after seeing rather equal time during the regular season. To make matters even tighter for Greiss, the Islanders signed Sorokin in early July only to burn a year off his entry-level contract and sign him to an immediate one-year extension for the 2020-21 season worth $2 million.

Greiss carried a 2019-20 cap hit of $3.3 million. The Islanders have been anxiously waiting for Sorokin to come over to North America and after Varlamov won a handful of games for them this playoff run, Greiss may find himself on the outs.

Unrestricted Free Agents

Aside from Greiss, Andy Greene is the only part of the defense who will be an unrestricted free agent. Greene just finished out the five-year, $25 million deal he signed with the Devils in July 2014. When the Islanders traded for him in February, it reunited Greene with GM Lou Lamoriello, who took a shot on the undrafted defenseman in 2006. The Islanders have made it clear how highly they think of Greene and his veteran presence on their back end, but after bringing in a cap hit of $5 million, there likely will have to be a cut taken in order for him to remain on the team.

Usual fourth-line winger Matt Martin is finishing out the four-year, $10 million contract he signed with the Maple Leafs in 2016. As part of the Islanders’ fourth line, or Identity Line, next to Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck, Martin had a career playoff run with five goals and one assist. But the Islanders collectively paid $9.5 million dollars for their fourth line, and though a productive part of the team, that’s rather high. Martin’s cap hit was $2.5 million.

Former Ranger Derick Brassard is another pending unrestricted free agent after he signed a one-year deal with the Islanders in August 2019. Before the regular season was abruptly ended, Brassard scored 32 points in 66 games, including 10 goals. But he found himself as a healthy scratch a handful of times this postseason as he struggled offensively, putting up just two goals and six assists in 18 games. Carrying a cap hit of $1.2 million it’s questionable if there would be a bigger deal on the table.

Restricted Free Agents

Defenseman Ryan Pulock and Mathew Barzal are the only two restricted free agents. Pulock, 25, did a tremendous job on the top defensive-pairing with Adam Pelech and played a big part in the defensive core. Pulock signed a two-year contract in July 2018 after he finished second on the team in defensemen scoring and tied for first in goals. Pulock had a cap hit of $2 million for the 2019-20 season.

Lamoriello made it clear in March that Barzal would have an offer sheet matched by the Islanders if it ever got to that point. He even said it wasn’t the Islanders’ intention to let it get to that stage of negotiations. Barzal has proved his upside could be monumental, and that could mean a solid pay day for the 23-year-old center, especially after his cap hit sat at just $863,333 from his entry-level contract.