Eberle’s re-signing is positive sign for Islanders’ outlook

Jordan Eberle re-upping with the Islanders for five more seasons is a sign of a few things;  One of course is that Lou Lamoriello is working his magic once again.  The pending UFA would have been a hot commodity on the open market but somehow Lou negotiated him down to a $5.5M AAV over five years, less than what he was receiving on his first long term deal with the Edmonton Oilers.

The second and more important sign is that clearly Jordan Eberle and the rest of these Islanders believe in themselves and think they’re ready to take the next step.  The below quote pretty much represents what Eberle believes, and he also stated in the same interview that this team was very tight-knit.

#Isles Jordan Eberle: "I’m not a young buck anymore. I’m 29. Definitely winning becomes more of a priority…In my mind, I like the direction the Islanders are going….I think we have as good a chance as any team, in my mind."

— Andrew Gross (@AGrossNewsday) June 14, 2019

For a team that was once the laughing stock of the NHL (multiple times) it says a lot when a player actually takes a hometown discount to stay with them.  It shows people already in the organization that there’s a true belief of future success, and shows people outside the organization that it’s a great place to play and live.

Jordan Eberle essentially restored the faith of the Islanders fans with this contract.  Obviously there’s a bit of hyperbole but when was the last time a star in the league took less money to stay with them?  Hell, John Tavares could have made more money contractually with the Islanders but chose to leave.

This organization is heading in the right direction and it all starts at the top.  It’s been said over and over but Lou Lamoriello, Barry Trotz and the rest of the Islanders’ ownership and front office prove that with the right people in place this team can contend for years.  With shovels hopefully being put in the ground soon for Belmont there’s a lot to look forward to in the future.

The whole Jordan Eberle conference call can be found below;

https://twitter.com/NYIslanders/status/1139609262651523072