Everyone knows that the Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat connection is pivotal to the New York Islanders’ success. If they struggle, the entire team falls apart. Conversely, when Barzal and Horvat are firing on all cylinders, the Islanders are a playoff team. It goes without saying that they are the combination that makes or breaks the season.
Related: Islanders’ Pelech & Pulock Will Be on Trade Block if They Don’t Improve This Season
What about the other connections? Which ones are also vital to the Islanders’ success, albeit on a smaller scale? Sure, the roster looks familiar from previous seasons, but the players who have key roles have changed. For example, the Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock defense pairing anchored the defense in past seasons, yet the duo isn’t as significant anymore. Instead, there’s a connection that replaced them, but first, let’s dive in with the most important duo.
Barzal-Horvat
They carried the offense last season and formed a dynamic top line for the Islanders. Barzal rounded out his game as both a dynamic playmaker and a lethal shooter on the wing to become an All-Star and the team’s leader in points. Horvat, meanwhile, found his rhythm after struggling in the second half of the 2022-23 season and became the scorer at the center position the Islanders hoped they were getting when they acquired him during the 2023 All-Star Break.
Barzal and Horvat combined for 56 goals and 92 assists, while the rest of the offense scored only 245 goals and 410 assists. It doesn’t take a mathematician to realize they contributed 20-25% of the Islanders offensive production. On a top-heavy roster, they were the stars to get the Islanders to the playoffs.
The Islanders once again lack scoring depth, and this issue will likely hurt them throughout the upcoming season. The Barzal-Horvat connection is the key to success. Even with Anthony Duclair as a linemate, the duo must build off an impressive season and get this roster back to the playoffs.
Dobson-Romanov
This new duo will determine how well the Islanders’ defense plays. Sure, Noah Dobson and Alexander Romanov might not be on the ice together all the time, and splitting them up might be preferable as it gives the unit more depth. However, they are the young skaters to build the defense around and will be moving forward.
Dobson proved he’s the Islanders’ best two-way player last season and one of the best in the NHL. He scored 10 goals and 60 assists and stepped up on the defensive end of the ice with 4.5 defensive point shares and 180 blocked shots while averaging a career-high 24:31 ice time. Romanov won’t open up the offense from the point like Dobson, but the way he’s matured on the defensive end, honing his speed and checking ability, has turned him into an elite defenseman.
If the Islanders hope to be great on the defensive end of the ice, something they were anything but last season, allowing 3.15 goals per game, it starts with the Dobson-Romanov tandem. Sure, they can’t do it all and will need help from a healthy Pelech, Pulock, and Scott Mayfield, but they will play a significant role and likely operate as the top pair.
Sorokin-Varlamov
This isn’t an on-the-ice connection, but it’s arguably the most important thing for the Islanders. It’s easy to forget that the Ilya Sorokin and Semyon Varlamov goaltending duo willed the Islanders to the playoffs in 2022-23. The roster around them struggled, but they were dominant in the net and allowed the team to sneak in as a wild card. Last season’s goaltending results leave a bad last impression.
Sorokin is a world-class goaltender, and when he’s playing at a high level, he will blank any offense. That’s how he became a Vezina Trophy finalist after the 2022-23 season, finishing second only to Linus Ullmark. Last season showed his limits, which the Islanders must keep in mind moving forward. If he gets overworked, he will become a liability in the net. That’s where having Varlamov as a reliable backup goes a long way.
It helps that the Islanders have Patrick Roy as their head coach. As a Hall of Fame goaltender, he understands that when an elite goaltender needs rest, he’ll know how to utilize the duo to his advantage. This hinges on both goaltenders playing well and proving they can still carry the team. Sorokin must prove last season was an outlier, and Varlamov, at 36 years old, must continue putting together strong performances. If that happens, there’s a world where this team finishes near the top of the Eastern Conference.
Nelson-Palmieri
The Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri connection does not come to mind, but it is vital. It doesn’t stand out because Nelson proved in recent seasons that he can succeed regardless of who is on his line, as he makes everyone on the ice better. Regardless, having a scorer in Palmieri on his line goes a long way.
Nelson is a scorer first and the Islanders top goal scorer to boot, scoring 34 goals or more in the past three seasons. At the same time, he’s also a great passer, setting up his linemates from the second-line center position. That’s where Palmieri, who emerged as one of the top scorers on the Islanders with 30 goals, comes into play. This team relied on two potent forward lines to carry the offense last season. Assuming Barzal and Horvat do their part of the top line, Nelson and Palmieri must do the same on the second line.
Other Combinations That Will Determine Islanders’ Season
The Islanders signed Duclair with the expectation that he would add a spark to the top six. Whether he plays on the top line with Barzal and Horvat or moves to the second line to play alongside Nelson, he must step up and take the offense up a notch. The chemistry he forms with his linemates will be crucial for the Islanders’ success.
The third-line connection that Jean-Gabriel Pageau forms with Anders Lee, particularly, will also be significant. Even with both skaters on the decline, Pageau is still a passer, and Lee is a finisher, and that combination can add some much-needed depth to the offense.
Is there a combination we missed that will be pivotal to the Islanders’ success next season? Let us know in the comments section below!
