Defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky will finally report to the New York Islanders this week, according to his agent Neil Sheehy as told to Arthur Staple of Newsday.
Lubomir Visnovsky to report to Islanders on Wednesday, according to agent
The Lubomir Visnovsky saga appears to be coming to a close as he is expected to join the New York Islanders on Wednesday.
Ezra Shaw
Visnovsky is expected to join the team on Wednesday when he flies in from Bratislava.
The 36-year-old defenseman reportedly had a family member dealing with a health issue that required him to remain in his native home. According to the team and Sheehy, that issue is expected to be resolved this week.
Of course, it must be noted that Visnovsky has been less-than-enthused to join the Islanders, in spite of statements from his representation saying otherwise.
After being acquired by the team from the Anaheim Ducks for a second-round pick, Visnovsky filed for the trade to be voided because of a potential no-trade clause he thought he had in his contract. After an arbitrator ruled that the clause was no longer valid, the NHL lockout began and Visnovsky signed a deal with HC Slovan Bratislava of Russia's Kontinental Hockey League.
Once the lockout was lifted, Visnovsky stated he wanted to finish out the year with Bratislava. The NHL and KHL made it clear that wouldn’t be a possibility due to their memo of understanding regarding the league’s agreement to respect each other’s contracts.
Then, the family issue surfaced and Visnovsky was suspended until he reported to the team.
Visnovsky is entering the final year of a five-year, $28 million contract that carries an annual average value of $5.6 million. He will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
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