Noah Pedrazzoli takes a look at the New York Islanders after 18 games played for a little vibe check.
An Introduction
The New York Islanders have hit the 18-game mark and it feels like a good time for a vibe check. As the season moves along, we’ll periodically check in on the vibes surrounding the franchise and the roster. And to make it fun, we’ll add a little ranking scale from one to five. The higher the number, the better the season is going, and hence, the higher the vibes. If the number’s low, that means things aren’t going as planned and it may be time to shift those plans for the future.
Simple enough, right?
Good Vibes
While Barzal and Duclair are on IR, the first line has been reinforced with Anders Lee and JG Pageau who have looked cohesive as a unit lately. The second-line has looked sensational with their playmaking ability and offensive firepower making them a nightly threat.
Russian rookie Maxim Tsyplakov has been fantastic as a multi-tooled asset. His puck-battling skills make him a force on the ice and he demonstrates high hockey IQ through his creative passing. And the “Scarecrow” has been one of few bright spots on the power play thus far.. For now, Tsyplakov will be a shining light for this Islanders roster that is still fusing together under Patrick Roy.
Anders Lee, o captain my captain, has looked like a man on a mission. He is shooting more, he’s more aggressive, and contributing greasy goals that make him a staple on this Islanders offense. Lee’s recent performance has been monumental as the captain looks healthier and performing at his talented level.
The defense, especially Scott Mayfield and Isaiah George, has looked excellent. They are spending less time in their own zone and cleaning up the scraps allowing netminders Ilya Sorokin and Semyon Varlamov to do their jobs. George has been a breath of fresh air, especially after the failed experiment in Samuel Bolduc, as he has quickly gained Roy’s confidence. In the few games he’s played, he’s averaging nearly 20 minutes per night.
THE CAP. pic.twitter.com/fmXiaFA84M
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) October 20, 2024
Anders Lee tallies vs. the Montreal Canadiens
“They are 4-2-2 in their last 8 games, collecting 10 points with a roster kept together by grit and determination.”
Bad Vibes
Simon Holmstrom’s positioning has been pretty decent which makes his lack of shots frustrating. He is frequently in the right place and time to bury the puck and has the shot to do it, but he’s struggled to finish when he does pull the trigger. Most of his highlight reels are shorthanded snipes from tough angles, making it all the more perplexing.
The bottom-six has been lackluster as of late. In fact, the fourth line got its first goal this season against the Ottawa Senators, at game 14. The bottom-six will need to step up its production and return to fundamental Islanders hockey to produce a better share of depth-scoring.
Now for the elephant in the room, Noah Dobson. Dobson is in a contract year, projected to receive as much as an $8 million x 8 years, which is currently the going rate for young up-and-coming stars like Moritz Sieder and Brock Faber. But Dobson isn’t exactly living up to his price-tag as he has struggled to get himself on the score sheet and return to fundamental defending. Dobson’s play on the defensive side of the puck needs to improve if he wants to make top dollar on his next contract.
The Islanders could use a little more of this from Holmstrom
The Overall Vibe
Alright, now that the positives and negatives have been outlined, let’s look towards the future. Even under Lane Lambert, the Islanders were shooting more, but Patrick Roy is implementing a strategy that provides those shots direction and purpose. Roy is clearly not the problem, he is the solution to the Islanders’ lack of strategy from the brief Lambert era. The defense is more efficient while the offense clearly has a semblance of structure.
The Islanders roster is depleted, but they have been playing well nevertheless. They are 4-2-2 in their last 8 games, collecting 10 points with a roster kept together by grit and determination. Isaiah George has been a ray of hope as the twenty-year old has stepped up by providing stability on an injury-ridden blueline.
Now, the blown leads are demoralizing, but the blame isn’t necessarily on the goalies or even the defense, it’s on the forwards. As explained on Hockey Night In New York, guest Arthur Staple put it bluntly that “the forwards are more worried about losing the game instead of winning the game.” Whether it’s a confidence issue plaguing the locker room, fatigue, or a mix of both; the Islanders are still in the playoff race and need to make due with the cards they are dealt.
The roster is facing a challenging time as they’re missing Alexander Romanov, Anthony Duclair, Mike Rielly, Adam Pelech, and Matt Barzal. But the Islanders play in an unforgiving division with teams like the Capitals and Hurricanes that refuse to regress like this author had forecasted. The Islanders have some ground to make up, but for the time being they have played substantially better than most might give them credit for.
So for a .500 team, we’ll place the Islanders at the .500 level on the vibe scale at a 3. Despite the bumps, warts, and bruises, the team is battling. And if they can keep their heads above water as the team gets healthier, the vibes just might get better.
Catch the latest episode of HNiNY featuring Mike Carver of SportsGrid
Be sure to join our new Patreon here! Members can receive exclusive content such as Q & A’s, columns, videos, behind-the-scenes, merch, partner discounts, and even an invitation to hang out at Floored Media (located in Rockville Center) during the live airing of a show! An HNiNY newsletter is also on the way! Sign up at hockeynightny.com.
Hockey Night in New York has returned to cover the New York Islanders all season long! Join hosts Sean Cuthbert and Stefen Rosner live from Floored Media in Rockville Centre Sundays at 8PM ET at your favorite streaming platforms! (available at YouTube, Twitch, Twitter, and Facebook)