The New York Islanders have looked lost in their recent games. They entered their March 16 game on a three-game losing streak and down 2-0 heading into the final period, it looked like they were bound to lose again. Then they got a jolt from an unlikely source.
Related: How Bouchard & Dobson Fell Out of Favor With Oilers & Islanders Fanbases
First came the Marc Gatcomb goal, his fourth of the season. Then, Maxim Tsyplakov scored on a rush chance to tie the game while Noah Dobson scored the go-ahead goal 17 seconds later. To cap off the night, Simon Holmstrom scored into the empty net to give the Islanders a 4-2 victory against the Florida Panthers, a team that looks like the best in the Eastern Conference.
The third period, particularly the scoring from the forwards, showed what the young skaters on a retooling Islanders team can do. Tsyplakov and Holmstrom were the ones who gave them a much-needed bump, but question is how good both skaters can be. They’ve proven they can play depth roles this season but the Islanders need them to be more.
Holmstrom’s Two-Way Play
Holmstrom was on the ice for the final minutes of the recent game, and it’s not a coincidence. He plays great defense and can not only create a turnover but also start up the offense the other way. It’s why he’s great on the penalty kill, with five shorthanded goals last season and one this season. Holmstrom has the speed and instincts to create turnovers and it’s made him one of the Islanders’ best forwards in the defensive end.
He’s also stepped up as a scorer in recent seasons. Holmstrom has a great shot, and when he has an open look, he makes the most of it. He scored 15 goals last season and already has 15 goals this season, putting him on pace for 20. He’s not the type of forward who can drive the offense but with a center providing him open looks, he can easily find the back of the net.
In a season where the Islanders have battled injuries and lost skaters left and right, Holmstrom has become a consistent part of the forward unit. He took a big step last season and a bigger step this season. It makes him an intriguing player to watch looking ahead.
Tsyplakov’s Shown His Upside
The Islanders brought Tsyplakov in over the offseason from the Kontinental Hockey League to add a scoring presence to the middle six. He’s shown he can create offense in multiple ways in his first season in the NHL. Tsyplakov only has eight goals but he’s found the back of the net by both firing the puck on the net and by taking advantage of open looks on the rush.
Tsyplakov has also shown he can provide open looks for the other skaters on the ice. He’s played alongside just about every forward on the Islanders at this point but one thing remains: his ability to find open skaters in the offensive zone. It’s why he has 20 assists and primarily made his mark as a passer.
The hope is that Tsyplakov becomes a top-six winger by the end of the season and at the start of next season as well. He played on the fourth line in the latest game alongside Kyle MacLean and Gatcomb but he has the talent to play on the top six. The question is who the second-line center will be moving forward but once the Islanders figure that out, they’ll have an answer on the wing.
Where Holmstrom & Tsyplakov Must Improve
Holmstrom has made his mark as a scorer — specifically, a shooter — but he isn’t a passer. He doesn’t drive the offense, and if he can do that, it will change the dynamics of the Islanders’ offense. The Islanders lack versatility in their forward unit and, ironically, lost their most-versatile forward when they traded Brock Nelson. It’s why Holmstrom rounding out his game can go a long way for this team.
Tsyplakov meanwhile, needs to produce consistently. He has flashes where he shows his star potential but that’s what they are, flashes. Tsyplakov has eight assists in his last 16 games but before that, he went through a stretch of 11 games without recording a point. The Islanders need him to regularly generate offense from the wing if they want him to be a top-six player.
The Islanders are going through some turnover, especially in their forward unit, and that means they’ll need the younger skaters to step up. Holmstrom and Tsyplakov have done that but they need help out the roster more to turn the Islanders around for the rest of this season and next season as well.
