The Charlottetown Islanders have a couple of wildcards for next season.
Defenceman Saku Vesterinen has an option to stay home and play in Finland while forward Brad Morrissey remains a priority for the team. The Seacow Pond native has committed to the University of Maine, but the Isles remain hopeful they will be able to get him to play for them.
Head coach and general manager Jim Hulton said neither situation is expected to be ironed out before the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League draft Saturday in Shawinigan, Que.
“We have some uncertainty around the Morrissey situation,” Hulton acknowledged. “He’s a guy we’ve penciled into our top six, so we have to have a plan B if that doesn't materialize.”
The right-winger had 51 points in 32 games during the regular season and another eight points in five games as the Notre Dame Hounds won the Telus Cup nation midget championship.
The team hopes to meet with Morrissey and his family after he returns home following his school year in Wilcox, Sask.
The Islanders are open to Vesterinen returning, but the uncertainty means they have to explore potential replacements. The import draft usually happens in late June or early July.
“We’ll have to armed and ready,” Hulton said.
The team is not limiting itself to looking for a defenceman from the import draft.
“If Saku doesn't come back, is there a free agent that can fill gap and does that, in turn, allow us to draft a forward in the import draft?”
The team is exploring the free agent market, but don’t expect it to go as deep down that road this season as it did in 2017-18 when half a dozen players were acquired, including Sullivan Sparkes, Liam Peyton, Cayse Ton, Taylor Egan and Brendon Clavelle.
While many people expect Hunter Drew to return to the Isles and fill one of the three overage slots for the squad, Hulton said the rugged defenceman, who had 39 points and 159 penalty minutes last season, is garnering interest from NHL teams. If drafted or signed, he could jump to the AHL.
The team’s potential overage players also includes Keith Getson, Daniel Hardie and Sam King up front and Taylor Egan on the back end.
The Islanders remain high on a number of prospects from last year’s draft, including defencemen Antoine Leblanc, Greg Kehoe and Zachary Arsenault, forwards Drew Johnston and Zachary Beauregard as well as goalie Nolan Boyd.
“Morrissey is the big fish that’s still out there,” Hulton said.
