The Islanders have added F Andy Andreoff and D Paul LaDue, both to 2-way contracts. They will likely be solid additions to Bridgeports roster (AHL) for this upcoming season.
Andreoff is a gritty forward who brings a physical presence to the ice, but for the Isles, that spot has been filled by Matt Martin and Ross Johnston. Andreoff was a former 3rd-round pick by the LA Kings back in 2011. He played four seasons in LA before signing in Philadelphia for two seasons.
Andreoff’s best season was 2015-16 for the Kings, producing a statline of 8G, 2A, 10P in 60 games. He isn’t much of a point producer which is mainly why I doubt that he will play for the NHL Islanders this season. He should be a nice addition to the Bridgeport team.
Paul LaDue is an American born defenseman and former USHL all-star who has played games across four seasons for the LA Kings, playing in 69 career games for the team. He had signed a contract with the Washington Capitals on October 10, 2020, but never played a game for the team.
Although at first, we thought he was Lou’s solution to filling Nick Leddy’s roster spot, it looks much more likely that Erik Gustafsson (who was signed to a PTO) will be filling that spot. I would say that LaDue will play this upcoming season with Bridgeport.
Erik Gustafsson is just two seasons removed from a 60-point season. I think if he makes the team, he will be a solid enough replacement for Leddy.
The Islanders have re-signed F Otto Koivula, F Cole Bardreau, and F Dmytro Timashov to 2-way contracts. All three have had stints with the Islanders as well as the AHL Islanders. Koivula and Bardreau had longer and more memorable stints than Timashov did this past season, only playing in 1 game. I don’t see any of the three making the team or playing more than 5 games in the NHL this season, but solid signings to have depth on the AHL team and depth within the organization. I had higher expectations for Timashov last season, but he only ended up playing in one game.
Overall, some great depth signings for the Islanders as well as the Bridgeport Islanders.