The New York Islanders finished the 2023-24 season third in the Metropolitan Division before falling to the Carolina Hurricanes in Round 1 of the playoffs. The team made a few additions this offseason and is looking for redemption after ending their season earlier than anticipated. With the offseason now over, who are the top players on the Islanders for the 2024-25 season?
25. Dennis Cholowski
Dennis Cholowski is a valuable depth piece for the Islanders’ defense. The 26-year-old is a veteran of 117 NHL games, two being on Long Island. His only path to NHL ice time this season is if injuries pile up on the blue line.
24. Julien Gauthier
Julien Gauthier had a strong stretch with the Islanders last season, highlighted by a two-goal, three-point performance on Dec. 29 against the Washington Capitals. He is 26 years old and a veteran of 180 NHL games, and his speed is a fun asset to have in the bottom six. Unfortunately, his defense is too inconsistent to earn a consistent role in the NHL.
23. Hudson Fasching
Like Gauthier, Hudson Fasching has had bright spots throughout his tenure with the Islanders. He tallied a three-point performance against the Winnipeg Jets on Mar. 23 last season and has been a solid forward option when lineup regulars have missed time. However, he struggles to drive plays and does not provide much value beyond what’s already present in the bottom six. He is a nice depth piece but not much more than that.
22. Samuel Bolduc
Samuel Bolduc may play a boring style of hockey, but he has been an underrated defensive defenseman in his limited ice time. The 23-year-old ranked fifth in goals percentage (G%) and third in expected goals percentage (xG%) among Islanders defensemen last season, according to MoneyPuck. He had a short sample size of just 34 games, but if he can build on last season’s success he could quickly rise in this list.
21. Oliver Wahlstrom
Oliver Wahlstrom is very talented but has struggled to translate his talent to the scoresheet. His skating is a massive weakness, likely due to the torn ACL he suffered in 2023. This injury has kept him from earning a role in the top six. From there, his defense has been underwhelming, keeping him from earning his coaches’ trust.
Related: Islanders’ MacLean and Bolduc Could Be Boxed Out of Lineup
Wahlstrom’s career has been very frustrating for Islanders fans given his immense talent, and while his time on Long Island is not over yet, it is clear he will not reach his potential with the team. A change of scenery is needed and, in the right position, he could still develop into a 20+ goal scorer.
20. Kyle MacLean
Kyle MacLean was not on many Islanders fan’s radars heading into the 2023-24 season, but a midseason call-up showed he may be a hidden gem. In 32 games he tallied nine points (four goals and five assists), as well as a 64.7 G%, the highest of any Islander last season. As a speedy, hard-hitting center and left-wing, he provides tons of value and is deserving of a permanent lineup spot this season.
19. Simon Holmstrom
Simon Holmstrom has shown glimpses of promise through his speed and wrist shot but has failed to provide the offensive consistency the coaching staff is hoping for. Regardless, his defensive game is a very valuable asset in the bottom-six and he is going to be a key piece of the Islanders’ depth in the future.
18. Casey Cizikas
Casey Cizikas has been on the decline for a few seasons and a disappointing 2024-25 campaign could move him even further down this list. He had just 23 points (10 goals and 13 assists) in 70 games last season and finished with the second-lowest G% (35.2%) and fourth-lowest xG% (37%) on the Islanders. Besides winning faceoffs and killing penalties, his game has struggled, and a bounce-back season is necessary.
17. Maxim Tsyplakov
Maxim Tsyplakov is a major question mark for the 2024-25 season. With no NHL experience, it is anyone’s guess how his game will translate to North America. He is a tall, strong skater who possesses a lethal wrist shot, but the KHL and NHL are different playstyles. For now, he ranks 17th, but he could end up in the top 10 with a strong season.
T-15. Mike Reilly
Mike Reilly lands in a tie as the 15th-best player on the Islanders with Scott Mayfield. Unlike Mayfield, Reilly had struggled to cement a role in an NHL lineup throughout his career last season. When he was claimed by the Islanders on waivers, he joined the lineup and never looked back. He was one of the team’s 10 best players last season, ranking second in G% and first in xG5 among defensemen, but with his short resume, he needs another season to earn a higher rank.
T-15. Scott Mayfield
Mayfield is the complete opposite of Reilly. Before last season, Mayfield was a reliable, bottom-four defensive defenseman for the Islanders. Then, an alleged injury in the season opener left him as a major liability when on the ice. He ranked last in both G% (32.4%) and xG% (33.3 xG%) among Islanders skaters, and 12th worst in G% and second worst in xG% in the NHL among defensemen (min. 750 minutes).
Related: Scott Mayfield’s 2023-24 Islanders Report Card
While a strong 2024-25 season would not move Mayfield much higher on the list, his placement is generous, so he needs a bounceback to maintain his place. Had his struggles stemmed from ability and not a major injury, he would be ranked outside of the top 20.
14. Jean-Gabriel Pageau
Jean-Gabriel Pageau has been dealt a very bad hand with the Islanders. Deserving of a top-six role and powerplay time, he rarely sees either, and it is not like he has been slotted in alongside talented wingers. His line has been a revolving door throughout his tenure with the Islanders, making it impossible to create chemistry. With that, he has made do with the cards he was dealt, providing strong defense at even strength and the penalty kill. With potentially improved linemates this season, it is possible Pageau propels himself into the top 10 with an impressive 2024-25 season.
13. Pierre Engvall
Pierre Engvall may not have had a dominant 2023-24 offensive season, but he was a key member for the Islanders in transition. His speed and size allowed the second line to consistently gain possession in the offensive zone, and he ranked fourth in G% (57.3) and first in xG% (58%) among all Islanders skaters. He may not score tons of goals, but the second line’s dominance would not have been possible without his impact.
12. Anders Lee
Anders Lee comes in as the 12th-best Islander but he could easily drop down this list. The former 40-goal scorer struggled last season, finishing eighth in high-danger shots on goal in the NHL yet finding the back of the net just 20 times. This is a make-or-break season for the Islanders captain as at 34 years old he will need to prove he can continue to produce despite his skating struggles.
T-10. Anthony Duclair
Anthony Duclair lands at a tie for the 10th-best Islander due to his explosive speed and offensive talent. A career journeyman, he inked a four-year contract with the Islanders this summer to find some stability, and he is likely to boom on the scoresheet. He scored 24 goals and 42 points in 73 games last season but is hopeful to increase his production once chemistry is established in the Islanders’ top six.
T-10. Kyle Palmieri
Heading into the 2023-24 season, Kyle Palmieri would not have been considered a top 10 player on the Islanders, but following a 30-goal campaign, he joins the list. His 10 goals and 20 points on the powerplay helped propel the Islanders out of the depths of the NHL in powerplay efficiency. He may not play the most thrilling style of hockey, but his quiet production has helped the team’s middle six throughout his tenure.
9. Adam Pelech
Adam Pelech is a strong defensive defenseman when healthy, thus his high placement on the list. Unfortunately, he has struggled with injuries in recent seasons that have led to weaker play when on the ice. This is a big season for the 30-year-old who is hoping to prove he can be the shutdown defenseman the Islanders need, but until he can perform at a high level for 82 games, he cannot be ranked much higher.
8. Semyon Varlamov
Semyon Varlamov currently holds a career record of 73-59-18 with the Islanders, along with a 2.55 goals against average (GAA), a .917 save percentage (SV%), and 18.2 goals saved above expected (GSAx). He has brought consistency to a position the team has historically struggled with while going on multiple deep playoff runs. As one of the best goaltenders in franchise history, he lands as one of the best players on the 2024-25 roster.
7. Alexander Romanov
Alexander Romanov took a big leap in development last season when Pelech and Mayfield were sidelined by injuries, propelling himself into the tier of top-pairing defenseman in the NHL. He is very skilled, knows how to throw the body around, and makes minimal mistakes in the defensive zone.
Romanov does not bring much offense, but that is not what the Islanders ask of him. Last season, he had 171 blocked shots, the second most among Islanders skaters, and 157 hits, the most among Islanders defensemen. He tallied 2,074 shifts, the second most of any skater on the team, and is likely to improve his play this season with a fully healthy defense.
6. Ryan Pulock
Ryan Pulock comes in as the Islanders’ second-best defenseman this season, but that could easily change. Last season was the first time in his career he finished below 50 G% (45.5) in his NHL career. Additionally, it was the third consecutive season he finished with a below 50 xG% after having over 50 xG% in five of his first six NHL seasons. At nearly 30 years old, Pulock will need to put together a strong season to maintain his high placement on this list.
5. Ilya Sorokin
Ilya Sorokin is the hardest placement on this list. At his best, he is the best goaltender in the NHL and the best player on the Islanders. This was seen no better than in the 2022-23 season when he went 31-22-7 with a 2.34 GAA, .924 SV%, and 38.7 GSAx with six shutouts. Then last season the script was flipped as he went 25-19-12 with a 3.01 GAA, .908 SV%, and 1.4 GSAx with two shutouts. The goaltender the Islanders get this season will determine his future rank as he has the potential to move five spots in either direction.
T-3. Brock Nelson
Brock Nelson lands in a tie for the third-best player on the Islanders. He has scored 30+ goals in each of the past three seasons and has career-highs of 37 goals (2021-22) and 75 points (2022-23). Last season he finished with 23 primary assists, the third most on the Islanders, and took 28 penalty minutes while drawing 38, finishing with a better penalty-minute differential than all but three Islanders. He also tallied 47 blocked shots, the sixth most among Islanders forwards, and 39 takeaways, the third most among Islanders players. He is one of the most underrated players in the NHL and should be in line for another dominant season.
T-3. Bo Horvat
Bo Horvat played his first full season with the Islanders and scored 33 goals while setting career highs in assists (35) and points (68). He found chemistry on the Islanders’ top line and was a key factor in improving the powerplay. Heading into his second season on Long Island, it will be interesting to see if he can take his offensive production to another level, but even if he does not, a 30+ goal, strong two-way center who wins faceoffs is a great asset to have.
2. Noah Dobson
Noah Dobson developed into a borderline top-10 defenseman in the NHL last season. He scored 10 goals and 70 points in 78 games while being relied on defensively and on the penalty kill due to the injury-riddled defense. He played the 14th most minutes per game and 13th most minutes in the entire NHL last season while also finishing seventh in points for a defenseman and second in primary assists. Now rested with a healthy defense, there is no reason to believe he will not cement his spot as one of the NHL’s best defensemen.
1. Mathew Barzal
Mathew Barzal is the best player on the Islanders. He had 80 points (23 goals and 57 assists) in 80 games last season while having his top speed rank in the 96th percentile and bursts over 20 MPH in the 98th percentile. He has an underrated wrist shot, can set up plays, and is one of the best skaters in the NHL. He is a magician with the puck, and at 27 years old is in line for another stellar season
