If the Islanders wish to add a big name who can fill a hole of a 30-goal scorer before the season begins, there is still one option left: Vladimir Tarasenko. 

The 31-year-old winger, who finished the 2022-23 season as a Rangers deadline rental, is one of the few high-profile unrestricted free agents left on the market — having reset his free agency by firing his agent, Paul Theofanous, when the initial offers he received were not up to his standard. 

Pat Brisson and J.P. Barry of Creative Artists Agency, both of whom have at least one client on the Islanders already, are now representing Tarasenko.

More importantly, The Post’s Larry Brooks reported last week that if dealing for Alex DeBrincat did not work out, and if Isles GM Lou Lamoriello can clear some salary-cap space, they would be in for Tarasenko. 

DeBrincat is now a Detroit Red Wing, so that pursuit is over.

The cap situation, though, represents a major obstacle. 

As currently constructed, the Islanders are in essence zeroed out, in need of clearing space just to bring back Oliver Wahlstrom and Zach Parise, if the latter decides to return.

Adding Tarasenko — who The Post reported was unhappy with offers ranging from $5.5 million-$6 million at the onset of free agency — would require maneuvering that is not at all simple in a flat-cap league. 

Jean-Gabriel Pageau remains the most logical candidate to be on the move if such a thing were to come to fruition.

Moving the 30-year-old would take $5 million off the Islanders’ books without creating a major hole, since Mathew Barzal could be moved back to center.

Pageau also has value as a two-way center and effective penalty-killer who can anchor a shutdown line. 

A pair of complicating factors, however, are Pageau’s 16-team no-trade list and the reality of the situation around the NHL.

As of Saturday, just 13 teams had more than $5 million in cap space per CapFriendly — and that is without accounting for unsigned restricted free agents.

The list of teams that are both logical suitors for Pageau and could take on his entire salary is not long, and it’s not known how much overlap there is with his no-trade list. 

Then there is the reality that moving Pageau alone will not cover Tarasenko’s eventual salary.

The Islanders could perhaps make up the gap by waiving Ross Johnston and including Wahlstrom’s rights in a deal — if Parise does not return, that would leave them with approximately $6.4 million to offer.

Simon Holmstrom, who is waivers exempt, could start the season in Bridgeport if boosting that number north of $7 million becomes necessary. 

It is worth noting, though, that this would constitute a long list of actions in order to accommodate a 31-year-old player with an injury history.

And the Islanders already have a lot of contracts on their books that will be problematic in five years. 

Lamoriello sounded ready and willing to make a hockey trade when he last spoke publicly over two weeks ago, and it’s clear the Islanders need to add scoring of some kind.

The cap situation dictates that a trade is a far simpler way to do that than adding a free agent, unless a Pageau move opens things up. 

Realistically, waiting for a hockey deal may require waiting until the trade deadline — which would allow the Islanders to accumulate more cap space between now and March 1.

It’s also in line with how Lamoriello has added in the past, dealing for Bo Horvat and Pierre Engvall last season and for Pageau in 2020. 

Tarasenko would fill a deadline need months ahead of time. But first, the Islanders need to find a way to afford him.