Alex Pietrangelo is one of the best defensemen in hockey and the Islanders have one of the best defensive units in hockey. Could there be a fit?

The 30-year-old, perennial Norris Trophy candidate will become a free agent on Friday, Oct. 9 and the St. Louis Blues have stopped negotiations with their captain.

With Pietrangelo about to enter the open market, teams are preparing to persuade one of the best players in the National Hockey League (NHL) to join their side. Every general manager in the NHL could use his services, but who will pay the price to sign the perennial Norris Trophy candidate?

Pietrangelo and the Blues

The Blues won the Stanley Cup last season and positivity was at an all-time high in St. Louis. But before the NHL season started, the Blues acquired Justin Faulk from the Carolina Hurricanes and promptly signed him to a seven-year, $45.5 million extension. Fans were shocked. The questions started circulating about Pietrangelo’s future with the Blues.

It immediately became clear that Faulk was most likely the replacement for Pietrangelo. And Blues fans that just saw their captain lift the Stanley Cup were very unhappy.

Not to mention, Faulk struggled mightily in his first season with his new team.

“Inconsistent,” Faulk said when asked to describe his year in St. Louis. “I had shifts or games that were good, and I didn’t always follow that up. I wasn’t as aggressive as I needed to be. I probably sat back a little too much and let the game come to me.

“I tried maybe a little too hard to fit in and do my thing and not hurt the team and let things go, as opposed to just kind of stepping up and taking control and being a guy who can push the pace a little bit more like I have done before.”

Now, after unsuccessfully attempting to negotiate a contract extension with Pietrangelo, it looks like the Blues will allow him to hit the open market.

Could Alex Pietrangelo Sign with the Islanders?

The Islanders are one of the best defensive in hockey and they have some holes on the blueline. Ryan Pulock and Devon Toews, two top-four defensemen for New York, are restricted free agents. Andy Greene is an unrestricted free agent. Nick Leddy and Johnny Boychuk are trade candidates, as is Scott Mayfield, albeit an unlikely one.

That leave Adam Pelech as the only certainty on the Islanders backend. Lou Lamoriello has mentioned anything can happen this offseason, so could Pietrangelo take his talents to Long Island?

First, it is important to note that Pietrangelo is a very good player. Pietrangelo was a captain in St. Louis, playing the most in the NHL last season. He tallied 16 goals and 36 assists and finished third in Norris Trophy voting. And he is only getting better from here.

However, he will command a contract that the Islanders simply cannot afford, eliminating any potential fit. The Philadelphia Flyers, Edmonton Oilers, Vegas Golden Knights, Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, New Jersey Devils and Winnipeg Jets are more likely destinations.

If you want to see more likely free agent targets for the Islanders, click here!

David Lazar