Islanders waive Ross Johnston, reassign Simon Holmstrom ahead of NHL roster deadline
Islanders left wing Ross Johnston sets before a face-off against the Rangers during the third period of an NHL preseason game at UBS Arena on Sept. 30. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
The Islanders placed Ross Johnston on waivers on Monday and reassigned Simon Holmstrom to their AHL affiliate in Bridgeport to get under the $83.5 million salary cap and trim their roster by one to the 23-player maximum by the 5 p.m. deadline.
If Johnston clears on Tuesday as expected, he likely will be sent to Bridgeport while his fellow left wing is recalled. Holmstrom was the only waiver-exempt forward on the roster and continued to skate on the Islanders’ top line along with Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal during Monday’s practice.
Holmstrom, 22, is on a one-year, $863,333 deal while Johnston, 29, is in the second season of a four-year, $4.4 million deal. The Islanders will have approximately $500,000 in cap space if Johnston is sent to Bridgeport and Holmstrom is recalled.
“I think he’s played well,” coach Lane Lambert said of Holmstrom on Monday. “He’s a pretty good fit [on Horvat’s line].”
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
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