The 2023-24 NHL season is only a few days away. The New York Islanders wrapped up their preseason play and are hoping that this will be the team that can win the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1983. The roster is similar to the one that barely made the playoffs last season but is more experienced and older, for better or worse.
Related: Islanders Horvat Can Become a Dynamic Playmaker This Season
It’s a daunting task for the Islanders to win it all. Along with an aging core, they play in the Metropolitan Division, arguably the toughest in the NHL, and needless to say, they’ll have their hands full. A lot must go right and there are a few keys for the Islanders to make a Cup run.
1. Horvat Bounces Back as a Scorer
Bo Horvat was a dominant scorer with the Vancouver Canucks, scoring 31 goals in only 49 games. He’d find open ice in the offensive zone and take advantage with his quick and accurate shot. Unfortunately, the production disappeared when he was acquired by the Islanders as he scored only seven goals in 30 games and was a non-factor in the playoffs.
After a full training camp and time to acclimate to the new setting, Horvat must return to form. Last season, he had a lot to adjust to, playing for a new team, in a new system, and with multiple different linemates. Now, he’ll lead the top line and with playmakers on his wings, he’s expected to have a big season.
The Islanders are deprived of shooters and brought in Horvat with the intention of filling that void. Horvat stepped up in all facets of the game, except as a scorer, which is what the team needed. If the Islanders’ offense is going to have a big season, they’ll need their best shooter to have a big season.
2. Barzal & Horvat Form a Dominant Top-Line
Horvat and Mathew Barzal showed flashes of what they could do together on the same line. In the seven games that they played on the same line last season, the two skaters combined for five goals and seven assists. In the Feb. 18 loss to the Boston Bruins, Barzal went down with an injury and, thus, the Islanders saw what the two skaters could do in a full or even a half a season.
Barzal is the playmaker who naturally plays the center position but has proven to be an effective passer on the wing as well. Horvat, meanwhile, is the scorer who thrives with skaters that can provide him with open looks on the net. The two skaters complement each other well but they could be more than just players that work well alongside one another. Horvat, who can become a playmaker, can provide Barzal with open shots on the net, and if he’s willing to shoot the puck on the goal, he can make the line tough to predict and even tougher to stop.
The Islanders haven’t had a true top line in a while. They’ve had forward depth and reliable lines but not one that can carry the offense and the team as a whole. The connection that Barzal and Horvat form can do just that and turn the Islanders’ offense into one of the best in the league.
3. Brock Nelson Continues To Produce
The question regarding the Islanders’ most productive forward in recent years is if age will finally catch up to him. It’s an odd question regarding Brock Nelson since he’s hitting his stride in his 30s. In the 2021-22 season, when he turned 30, he scored 37 goals and 22 assists, and last season, he scored 36 goals and 39 assists as part of an All-Star caliber season. That said, this can be the season the Islanders see a drop off from Nelson, especially if he loses a step as a skater and a shooter.
Otherwise, the Islanders have a center they can count on to be a constant presence in the offense. Nelson isn’t only a great player but also a well-rounded forward, something the Islanders are lacking. He can both find the back of the net with his shooting skills and create scoring chances with his passing instincts. Nelson makes the rest of his linemates better, something only elite skaters are capable of doing.
Another big season from Nelson will have the offense clicking. More importantly, a season where he scores 30 goals and adds 30 assists to the offense will keep the Islanders competitive. If the Horvat-led line steps up and Nelson remains the elite forward that he has turned into, the Islanders’ top-six will be a potent one.
4. Sorokin Has a Vezina-Caliber Season
Ilya Sorokin was close to winning the Vezina Trophy and could have won the award last season. He had a .924 save percentage (SV%) and 2.34 goals-against average (GAA) on 1,838 shots with six shutouts and 36 goals saved above average (GSAA) as he propelled the Islanders to the playoffs. He came up short in the Vezina race as Linus Ullmark won the award, but he won big in the offseason as he signed an eight-year extension.
Last season was when Sorokin established himself as one of the elite goaltenders in the NHL. Additionally, he proved he could bail out the Islanders with lights-out performances. The forward unit would look hapless at times and the defense would have its off nights. However, if Sorokin was on his mark, the Islanders would end up on the winning end at the end of the game.
This season, he not only has to lead the Islanders but take his play up a notch. A Vezina-caliber season at the very least, will put the Islanders back in the playoffs. However, a season where Sorokin manages to be even better, and the undisputed best goaltender in the league, will see the team finishing near the top of the Eastern Conference.
5. Islanders’ Forward Unit Becomes More Versatile
This is the biggest issue with the Islanders, especially their forward unit. There are too many “one-trick” ponies in the lineup in a league where versatility is key. When teams dare the Islanders to adapt and win in various ways, they struggle to do so.
Anders Lee is a great finisher who can find the back of the net if the puck is in the dirty areas but he isn’t a great passer and isn’t effective outside of the slot. Kyle Palmieri and Pierre Engvall are great shooters but won’t fight for the puck near the boards or create scoring chances. JG Pageau is starting to decline into a pass-first center who handles the puck but won’t fire it on the net. The fourth line adds a checking presence to the forward unit but not much else.
The Islanders’ lack of versatility was exposed last season in the first round against the Carolina Hurricanes. The opposition figured them out and blanked the offense, which scored only 15 goals in the six-game series. This season, the Islanders must pivot, starting with some of the top-six forwards that have made the offense what it is.
6. Wahlstrom Breaks Out
Oliver Wahlstrom is the X-factor in the forward unit. Playing in only 161 games in four seasons, there’s a lot of unknown surrounding the young wing skater, specifically, regarding his ceiling. Wahlstrom is betting on himself to have a breakout season after he signed a one-year contract this offseason and he needs to impress to prove he belongs on the roster long term.
His shot makes him a viable candidate to round out the top line. Playing on the wing of Horvat and opposite Barzal, he’ll have plenty of opportunities to find the back of the net. The role would also allow him to step up as a passer and create scoring chances for Horvat in the center of the offensive zone. However, Wahlstrom will likely spend most of this season on the Pageau line, which will allow him to thrive as a shooter but not to the same extent as he would in a top-six role.
This makes the power play a key to Wahlstrom’s success as he’ll see ample time on the wing and with the open ice, he must take advantage. The power play was a weak link last season and Wahlstrom finding a rhythm on the unit can turn it into a strength.
Last season, Wahlstrom scored seven goals in only 35 games before his season was cut short by a lower-body injury. Seven goals isn’t a lot compared to the other skaters on the Islanders but he was finding the back of the net while averaging only 12:10 ice time. This season, there’s a strong possibility Wahlstrom becomes a 20-goal scorer and that would secure his spot in the forward unit for the long run.
7. A New & Improved Identity Line
The fourth line is entering a transition season. Cal Clutterbuck and Matt Martin are in their 30s and both playing in contract seasons. The two forwards have been a staple of the Islanders but as they continue to decline, they look like they will be on their way out.
The Islanders must see changes on the fourth line. Specifically, they must be faster, younger, and most importantly, more skilled on the offensive end of the ice. In the last two seasons, the team has seen a drop in scoring from this line and in the 2023 first round, the line ultimately became a liability for them. Against the Hurricanes, Clutterbuck, Martin, and Casey Cizikas combined for 48 of the team’s 94 penalty minutes, giving the opposition plenty of opportunities to find the back of the net on the power play and make the series one-sided.
The question is who can play on the fourth line? The two skaters that come to mind are Hudson Fasching and Julien Gauthier. Fasching was a pleasant surprise last season, emerging as one of the best defensive forwards on the team and his efforts paid off this summer as he signed a two-year contract. He checks off the boxes to play the fourth-line role but he’ll likely remain on the Pageau line, which is where he played the majority of the past season.
Gauthier was acquired this offseason and as a bigger-bodied forward, he can add a checking presence to the forward unit. Clutterbuck and Martin will start out the season on the fourth line but over time, it’s possible that both veteran skaters start to see fewer starts.
8. Islanders Find Scoring At The Point
The Islanders have one of the best defensive units in the NHL but while great, they lack a two-way presence necessary to thrive in the NHL. Specifically, the defensemen can create turnovers in the neutral and defensive zone but they struggle to move the puck into the offensive zone and lack a playmaking presence at the point. It’s not the primary reason the offense and power play were both below league average last season but it is one of the causes and something that must be addressed.
All eyes are on Noah Dobson to help add offense from the point. He’s been the leading scorer on the defense with 26 goals and 74 assists in the past two seasons and his willingness to shoot the puck into the traffic near the net separates him from the rest of the defensemen on the team. That said, the rest of the unit must also step up.
Ryan Pulock and Alexander Romanov both have great slapshots but rarely use them, combining for only seven goals last season. Adam Pelech is a great passer who can find skaters open near the net but he only had 15 assists last season. Sebastian Aho is a great skater and a puck handler who can turn defense into instant offense and he must not only tap into those skillsets but add a shot to his play as well to become a dynamic two-way player.
The Islanders have a defense that doesn’t create on the offensive end of the ice despite possessing skaters more than capable of doing so. This season, the unit stepping up and opening up the offense will be paramount in the team playing well.
9. Pelech & Pulock Are Healthy All Season
The Islanders have a roster dependent on remaining healthy. With a team built on depth, a few injuries can leave them in shambles and allow opponents to defeat them easily. Needless to say, the Islanders hope that they can go a full season without being bitten by the injury bug. So, why are Pelech and Pulock the two skaters who must remain healthy? The simple answer is that the defense unravels when either of them is out of the lineup.
In the 2021-22 season, Pulock missed multiple weeks with an injury and the team as a whole fell apart. In his absence, the Islanders went 10-11-4 and the slump was the primary reason the team missed the playoffs. Last season, Pelech missed over a month of play after suffering an injury in the Dec. 6 loss to the St. Louis Blues. The team went 7-9-5 with him sidelined and fell from the top of the Eastern Conference to out of a playoff position.
The Pelech-Pulock duo has been one of the strengths of the Islanders in recent seasons. While they don’t make splash plays or appear on the highlight reels often, they are the unsung heroes of the defense and the team altogether. Having both of them in the lineup for a full season keeps the Islanders competitive and, at times, allows them to be a dominant team in the conference.
10. Dobson, Romanov & Young Defensemen Continue to Improve
Last season, there were plenty of highs and lows for the young defensemen. Dobson continued to impress on the offensive end but would miss assignments or misplay the opponent on the defensive end to allow for an easy scoring chance. Romanov added the hard-hitting presence that the defense needed but would often overpursue a skater and allow the opposition to find an open shot on the odd-man rush. The common theme with the young defensemen is that they must cut down on minor mistakes. If they do that, the Islanders can have the best defense in the NHL.
The unit would not only be great defensively but it would have skaters capable of keeping up with the fast skaters around the league. The NHL is more skilled and playing at a faster pace means great defenses have to keep up with them. For the Islanders, the younger defensemen have the speed necessary to prevent the best offenses from beating them. An added bonus of the young skaters continuing to improve is that they would turn defense into instant offense and allow the team to have more of a two-way presence.
In a league that is faster and more skilled than ever before, the Islanders have been the resistance, a slower team that imposes their will to win games. That said, their defense is built, most notably, from a speed and discipline standpoint, to eliminate the great offenses in the modern game. If the younger players round out the unit, the Islanders can be one of the teams to beat in the Eastern Conference.
Other Keys To The Cup
There’s a lot of pressure for head coach Lane Lambert to step up in his second season behind the bench. After Barry Trotz was fired in the 2022 offseason, there were a lot of questions about what the Islanders would look like. At the beginning of the season, there was a noticeable shift in how the team played. They looked faster and played a more offensive-minded style of hockey. However, as the season progressed, Lambert drifted back to a defense-first style which allowed the Islanders to sneak into the playoffs.
Lambert is expected to bring back the fast-paced game and more importantly, allow the Islanders to look like a balanced team on the ice. Along with the system, Lambert must have a steady hand on the roster. He must know when a player should be benched and similarly, when a skater, especially a young one with a lot of upside, should be given a greater role. Likewise, one of the issues last season was that the forward lines were constantly changed and it prevented a lot of skaters from forming strong chemistry with one another, and consistency will be key this time around.
Lambert will run the team from behind the bench and general manager Lou Lamoriello will continue to run the front office. He must know when to make a splash and this season, if the Islanders are playing well, he must pull the trigger and make a blockbuster trade to allow the team to compete for the Cup. Whether it’s William Nylander or Elias Lindholm, Lamoriello must make a move that can put a win-now team over the top.
It’s an uphill battle for the Islanders to win the Cup. They have an older roster and one that looks similar to the team that barely made the playoffs a season ago. However, if the stars align, they could be the team that hoist the Stanley Cup by season’s end.
