Pierre Engvall will be a New York Islander for the foreseeable future. He impressed both coach Lane Lambert and general manager Lou Lamoriello so much that he was retained for seven more years at a $3 million cap hit.
But why seven? That seems a bit much for someone who’s been a bottom-six role player don’t you think? After all, his career high in points was 35, and he only reached that total in the 2021-22 season.
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After his trade to the Islanders though, Engvall managed to play well. He netted five goals and nine points in 18 games, while also scoring a goal and assist in six playoff games. For a team that is desperate for offense and speed, the towering Swede provided a much-needed spark.
Is Engvall More than a Bottom-Six Player?
In his 18 games (plus six playoff games), Engvall played like a top-six staple. He brings a number of tools that the Islanders lack and one of them is speed. He has incredible wheels for a man of his stature (6-foot-5, 215 pounds), has pretty good hands, and possesses a sneaky shot whenever he lets it rip.
As he became more experienced in the NHL though, it seemed like he was outperforming his role. He was receiving limited time on the ice, and mainly served as a depth piece. But he’s a solid forechecker, with exceptional defensive instincts.
The one aspect that Maple Leafs fans were wanting more from him was aggressiveness. A big body like that needs to be throwing the body around a ton right? Well, Toronto’s head coach Sheldon Keefe would push back on that notion. Sometimes, expecting players to be something they’re not can be counterproductive, and you neglect to see what they can really bring to the table.
“At the same time, I’ve coached him a long time (starting with the AHL Marlies in 2017). You push a player and at times you can see that response, but players resort to who they are. The reality is that (full bore aggressiveness) is not in his nature.”
– Sheldon Keefe, (from “Pierre Engvall doesn’t live large, but Sheldon Keefe okay with it,” Toronto Sun, Nov. 22, 2022)
For the Islanders, there seems to be hope that Engvall will become the top-six piece that many envisioned for him in his time in Toronto. He found great chemistry with Brock Nelson last season, but there’s an opportunity for him to play on the top line with Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat in 2023-24.
What Has Stopped Him From Performing Better?
So yes, there’s a lot to like about him, and his skill set makes it seem like he’s a shoo-in for a prominent role in the lineup. But what has prevented Engvall from being the premier forward that he can be?
First off, look at the talent that was placed in front of him. With four 70-point scorers in front of him, and countless attempts to “improve” for a Cup run, it placed Engvall in a bottom-six role.
Second of all, baseball legend, Yogi Berra once said “90 percent of baseball is mental, the other half is physical.” Obviously, hockey and baseball are drastically different, but the quote stands true. You can have all the physical attributes in the world, but if your mind isn’t in it, good luck reaching your true potential.
For Engvall, coming into his own took some time and reflection. He was the 188th overall pick in the 2014 Draft, with all the tools, but struggled to put it all together. Maple Leafs captain John Tavares noticed the change in him last season saying, “I just think he’s having a better understanding of how he can impact the game with his tools…because he’s so fast and so strong — and it’s just understanding how to use that and be good at that” (from ‘The long, slow rise of Pierre Engvall — and the flexibility it creates for the Maple Leafs’, The Athletic, April 21, 2022).
The road was long and his mental gaffes frustrated the team, and Leaf fans. Justin Bourne of Sportsnet addressed Islanders fans after Engvall was acquired for a 2024 third-rounder with some hesitation:
Jargon like this has been his M.O. his whole career; solid player with great attributes, but don’t expect the world from him. Perhaps a change of scenery will change his reputation around the league. That’s what the Islanders are banking on.
Assessing the Contract
When the Islanders and Engvall reached an agreement for a seven-year deal, many eyebrows were raised. Frank Servalli of Daily Faceoff didn’t mince his words, calling the Islanders’ offseason “atrocious,” and singled out Engvall’s deal:
“The Engvall deal is especially confounding. Pierre Engvall? That contract isn’t even tradeable. To go seven years on (Scott) Mayfield and Engvall? And then Varlamov at that term? I don’t understand it at all. Not even a little bit. They basically said this is our team for the next four years, and they weren’t already very good.”
– Frank Seravalli, The DFO Rundown Podcast, July 3, 2023
What if Seravalli was wrong though? Sure the spotlight was always on Engvall in a heavy market like Toronto. Yes, he had some hurdles to jump through as he had superior players ahead of him. But, a player like Engvall is someone the Islanders need. Desperately, as a matter of fact. This team is old, slow, and has little-to-no firepower. They will take anything they can get, and he became a spark plug when he arrived on the Island in March.
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Seven-year deals to depth players are always looked down upon. The Scott Mayfield deal is confusing, as he’s already on the decline, and the Islanders will be paying him until he’s 38. In Engvall’s case, it looks like he’s on the upswing and will be 33 when the deal is up. His kind of game ages well, unlike Mayfield’s.
Engvall Has a Chance to Prove People Wrong
To the naked eye, this seems like a weird deal, but it doesn’t have to be. Everyone has an opinion on contracts. Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic runs through some of the worst contracts in the NHL each year. Most of them ring true given the production-to-market value ratio, but there are always some that slip through the cracks (see: Josh Morrissey and Drew Doughty).
Looking at Engvall’s production throughout his career, it’s easy to judge it and think that’s an overpayment, too much term, etc. But what most only see is just that and not the trajectory of the player.
Engvall averaged half a point a game in his time with the Isles, and he has a number of fans in Lambert and Lamoriello. There’s a strong chance we see him as a top-six forward. If he secures that role, a lot of the so-called “experts” will be eating crow. This deal has the chance to be a steal for the Islanders.
