Things could get interesting for the New York Islanders as training camp approaches.

That's because Ryan Strome remains a restricted free agent, and, as Arthur Staple of Newsday points out, the club has a rule stating players not signed by the start of camp are out for the year.

Still, the situation seems somewhat optimistic, for the time being.

Strome, the fifth overall pick at the 2011 NHL Draft, spent some time down in the AHL last season after recording career highs in goals (17), assists (33), and total points (50) during 2014-15. Not coincidentally, that season was the only one in which Strome was on the Islanders' roster for its entirety, bucking his career trend of splitting time between the NHL and the minors.

For his career, Strome has recorded 32 goals and 64 assists in 189 appearances, good for a points-per-game average 0.51 in between 15 to 16 minutes of ice time a night.

Clearly he has more to prove before being afforded a long-term deal, but his usage hasn't helped the matter. As Staple notes, there's no real concern that a deal won't be reached, likely because it's in the best interest of both parties to reach an agreement and avoid sending Strome home for the year.

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