It’s been a tough year for Lubomir Visnovsky on Long Island -- he’s been in and out of the lineup lately after missing time with a back injury -- but the 38-year-old would like to continue playing in the NHL next season, and welcomes a return to the Isles.
“Visnovsky wants to continue his NHL career next season,” agent Neil Sheehy told PHT via email. “Lubomir likes being in New York and we will have to see what opportunity he is given the rest of the way and whether or not New York wishes to sign him.”
Sheehy was responding to questions if Visnovsky, a Slovak, would consider returning home following after season. Visnovsky will be 39 in August and, after playing with Slovan Bratislava during the lockout, expressed a desire to remain in Slovakia rather than return to the NHL and join the Islanders (due to “family and personal reasons.”)
Now, the tables have turned to a certain degree. It’s unclear if the Isles want to continue the relationship with Visnovsky; Sheehy said there have been no extension talks and GM Garth Snow has other pressing issues on his blueline as Johnny Boychuk, Nick Leddy and Thomas Hickey all require new contracts.
(New York also has a wealth of young defensive prospects on the horizon in Griffin Reinhart, Ryan Pulock and Scott Mayfield.)
That said, Visnovsky could draw interest elsewhere. Though he’s been plagued by injury over the last two years, he’s still a capable offensive defenseman that would be one of the better point-producers on what projects to be a thin UFA d-man market. Visnovsky has four goals and 13 points in 36 games this season, and is just four years removed from scoring a career-high 68 points with the Ducks, when he finished fourth in Norris Trophy voting.