As NHL teams begin trimming their rosters, the New York Islanders will soon face some tough decisions. After struggling with depth in their bottom six last season, the 2024-25 roster now seems to have an abundance of options. With the Islanders’ regular season opener on Oct. 10 approaching, the question remains: who will secure a spot in the NHL lineup?
Is Sorokin Healthy?
While Ilya Sorokin is not competing for an NHL roster spot, he is battling to get healthy. As of now, it seems increasingly unlikely that he’ll be available for the season opener against the Utah Hockey Club. Whether Sorokin is playing, placed on injured reserve (IR), or on long-term injured reserve (LTIR) will significantly impact the Islanders’ roster decisions.
If Sorokin is placed on LTIR, the Islanders will have enough salary cap space to carry a full 23-player roster, likely consisting of 14 forwards, seven defensemen, and a goaltending tandem of Semyon Varlamov and Marcus Högberg. However, if Sorokin is not placed on LTIR, the team may need to adjust and fit within a 21 or 22-player roster.
Is Fasching Healthy?
While less significant, the status of right-winger Hudson Fasching is still important to watch. He has yet to appear in the preseason due to an injury, putting his availability for the home opener in doubt. If he recovers in time, he is highly likely to secure a spot on the NHL roster.
Forward Options
The Islanders head into the 2024-25 season with nine players all but guaranteed to make the NHL roster. This list includes Mathew Barzal, Bo Horvat, Anthony Duclair, Brock Nelson, Kyle Palmieri, Pierre Engvall, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Casey Cizikas, and Anders Lee. Two additional forwards are expected to make the roster: Simon Holmstrom and Kyle MacLean. From there, Maxim Tsyplakov is likely to make the roster.
With that, the Islanders will have just two roster spots available for forwards, assuming they opt to carry an extra defenseman while Sorokin is on the LTIR. Assuming all 12 forwards mentioned are in the lineup, there will be nine left-handed forwards, three right-handed forwards, and six capable center options. So, there would likely be at least one right-handed forward added, likely two.
The Candidates
Julien Gauthier makes the most sense to earn the role of 13th forward. He is tall, fast, can score, and spent time in the NHL last season. He has impressed thus far in the preseason and even took Engvall’s spot against the Philadelphia Flyers on Sep. 30. He may be inconsistent, but his skill and speed make him an option to throw anywhere in the lineup.
Oliver Wahlstrom has found himself on Long Island for another season after many speculated he would get traded this offseason. Given his defensive shortcomings and skating struggles, it is hard to gauge where in the lineup he would fit, but if the bottom-six struggles to find the back of the net, he could make sense for that role given his scoring touch.
Liam Foudy has impressed during his time with the Islanders. He is a former first-round pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets and has found chemistry in the lineup with his speed and hockey IQ. As a center, he would be a valuable option to keep on the roster, even with the Islanders’ depth down the middle.
Fredrik Karlstrom has not stuck out during the preseason, but that does not mean he has struggled. He has impressed defensively, showcasing a long reach and valuable defensive awareness. At 6-foot-3, 195 pounds, he is on the larger side, and as a center who can play the wing, he is another option the Islanders could take.
Defense is Easier
The Islanders’ defense will consist of Alexander Romanov, Adam Pelech, and Mike Reilly down the left side and Noah Dobson, Ryan Pulock, and Scott Mayfield down the right. This will be the regular lineup until further notice, so there should be no questions there.
The seventh defenseman role is up for grabs but is unlikely to be a tight competition. Grant Hutton has been in the Islanders organization for all seven of his professional seasons, playing in 18 NHL games in that time. However, at 29 years old he does not make much sense to carry on the NHL roster.
Samuel Bolduc has been flying down the ice during the preseason, and while he may not have a spot in the lineup to begin the season, he will be an easy candidate for head coach Patrick Roy to call upon if an extra defenseman is needed.
If the Islanders are able to sport a 23-player roster with Sorokin on the LTIR, Gauthier and Wahlstrom are the two most likely candidates to make the final cut given their impact, positional value, and history with the Islanders. If Fasching is healthy, he would likely take Wahlstrom’s spot. As well, Bolduc is expected to make the roster as the team’s seventh defenseman.
With Fasching on IR, the Islanders would have close to $5.38 million in salary cap space. With Fasching healthy in place of Wahlstrom, the cap space rises to $6.38 million.
Navigating the salary cap becomes challenging once the season is underway, and with Sorokin’s return date still uncertain, projecting what the roster might look like when he’s healthy is pointless. Nevertheless, the team will inevitably face some tough decisions when he returns to the ice.
