Before we delve into why this 2013/14 season is so important for Matt Moulson, let’s take a brief look back on how he got to this point.
In the summer of 2009, in the same year John Tavares was drafted, Matt Moulson found a home on Long Island. He signed a one-year deal with the Islanders and made the team out of camp as Tavares’ line mate. His first year exceeded original expectations. He scored his first hat trick, naturally, in his first season with the Islanders, and wound up posting 30 goals and 48 points in all 82 games. His 30 goals led the islanders in goal scoring for the 2009 season, and he was one of three Islanders who participated in all 82 games. Moulson signed another series of contracts afterwards, keeping him on Long Island.
In his second and third years with the Islanders, he posted 53 points – 31 goals and 22 assists (2010/11), and 69 points – 36 goals and 33 assists (2011/12). Having posted 3 consecutive 30-goal seasons made the NHL take notice. This was also the third straight season Moulson broke the 30-goal mark, making him the first Islander to do this since Ziggy Palffy. Finishing in second in many offensive statistical categories, right behind newly named captain John Tavares of course, had him as an important part of the team’s offense. The 36 goals Moulson posted in 2011/12 earned him a number 10 spot in the NHL for goal scoring.
In a lockout-shortened 2012/13 season, his 15 goals was still a great number over 48 games. He led the Islanders in assists with 29 for a combined 44 points. Moulson recorded 13 multi point games and placed seventh in the NHL, and second on the team, with 8 power play goals. Moulson also has an incredible streak of consecutive games played. After missing a game on March 9th, his consecutive games played tally ended at 284 games, which is third longest in Islanders history.
Moulson made his Stanley Cup Playoffs debut last season, scoring 3 points in 6 games against the Penguins. Unfortunately, the Isles were eliminated in the first round.
The points keep on coming though as the chemistry between Tavares and Moulson has steadily improved throughout both players’ careers. Since the duo of Moulson and Tavares has been formed, they have been looked at as one of the best young duos in the league, and come the 2014 off-season, it will be time for Moulson to sign a new contract and assumingly cash-in.
The taste of the playoffs he got last year will inspire Moulson to become a better player. But that isn’t necessarily what makes for a lucrative contract. It cannot be understated that this is a contract year for him, and we know when players are in contract years, numbers mysteriously seem to inflate. With Tavares, a Hart Trophy finalist last year, centering Matt Moulson, you can look for the Sask native to post an upward of 30 goals as we have been accustomed to seeing, possibly close to 40 if he participates in all 82 games per usual. He also figures importantly on the powerplay, regularly finishing in the top spot, or else right below JT in PP points and goals specifically.
Moulson is one of the main pieces of the core of the Islanders, and GM Gath Snow is going to want to keep him on Long Island. At the end of the 2013-2014 season, the Islanders will have $14,528,024 in cap space. Snow has recently shown us he is good at signing long term, low budget contracts by singing Travis Hamonic to a 7-year, 27 million dollar contract and Josh Bailey to a 5-year 16.5 million dollar contract. Hamonic and Bailey represent two players who are also a main piece to the core of the growing Islanders. Stockpiling these younger players who show potential, does pose somewhat of a risk for the Isles, but in Moulson’s case he has a string of several good seasons to warrant a pay day.
Moulson is in a similar situation as the recently extended Chris Kunitz (three years, $3.85 million per year), who happens to play alongside another great center, if not the best, in the NHL in Sydney Crosby. You might see Moulson get a similar contract as Kunitz signing him to a three or four year deal, close to $4 million a year keeping the core of the Islanders together to compete in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. That said, provided this upcoming season matches his others in terms of output, he would most likely garner offers from other clubs that exceed what the Islanders might be willing to part with. With Tavares currently making $5.5million, there is no way the Isles would ante-up even close to that kind of money. But that’s not to say he might not get an inflated offer elsewhere.
No one can question that Moulson has provided a lot of quality for little money for the Islanders. He certainly fits in well with the team, and has developed chemistry with one of the game’s top players. That chemistry is worth its weight in spades. But the question is how much the Isles are willing to pay for spades.
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