As the holiday season approaches, PHR will be taking a look at what teams are thankful for in 2023-24. There also might be a few things your team would like down the road. We’ll examine what’s gone well in the early going and what could improve as the season rolls on for the New York Islanders.
Who are the Islanders thankful for?
The New York Islanders spent big money to acquire Bo Horvat last season, shelling out a first-round pick, a former first-round pick in Anthony Beauvillier, and second-round pick Aatu Raty. It was a high price to pay but Horvat is making it look like a great deal through his first full season with his new team. He’s been one of the team’s most consistent pieces, serving as a safeguard against the up-and-down struggles of some of his teammates. Horvat ranks second on the team in goals, with 14, and third in points, with 33, through 32 appearances this year. The 28-year-old centerman is also leading the Islanders in CF% (Corsi-For percentage) and ranks second in xGF% (expected goals-for percentage), showing that he’s earning his high scoring by making impacts all across the ice. Horvat’s strong play has let New York move Mathew Barzal to the wing, giving the star forward the fewest faceoffs of his career. The change has come to good effect, with Barzal leading the Islanders in scoring with 35 points in 32 games – on pace for 90 points through 82 games. Horvat is signed through the 2030-31 season, carrying a $8.5MM cap hit and some form of trade protection through all nine seasons. The Islanders placed a hefty amount of confidence in Horvat with the pricey trade and long-term extension and he’s returned the favor by quickly becoming a central pillar of their lineup.
What are the Islanders thankful for?
A stout crease.
The Islanders may be receiving the best goaltending in the league, which has come as a life-saver for a team facing injuries to three top defensemen. The effort has been spearheaded by Ilya Sorokin, who’s faced the second-most shots of any goalie in the league behind only Juuse Saros. Sorokin has continued his Vezina Trophy-caliber goaltending despite it, setting a .914 save percentage through 21 starts – good for 11th among NHL goalies with 12 or more starts. Sorokin is flanked by Semyon Varlamov, who has performed even better in his support role. Varlamov ranks sixth among all goalies with a .919 save percentage, continuing his trend of dominating in an Islanders jersey. The 35-year-old goalie is in his fifth season in New York and has recorded a save percentage higher than .910 in each of his four previous seasons, including the .929 he set in 36 games of the 2020-21 season which ranks as the 11th-highest save percentage over the last decade, among goalies with 35-or-more starts.
New York has played in more overtime games than any other team this year, largely thanks to their pair of former Vezina runner-ups standing tall enough to force extra time. They’ve been enough to back-up a fractured blue line and provides a comforting safeguard in a league where many different teams are searching for any sense of reliability in net.
What would the Islanders be even more thankful for?
Healthy defenders.
New York has suffered a string of injuries to their blue line that would be insurmountable for some teams. Three of their top-four defensemen are currently on injured reserve, including Adam Pelech who was placed on long-term injured reserve with an upper-body injury. He’s joined by Ryan Pulock, who was averaging over 22-minutes a night prior to his injury, and Scott Mayfield, who’s grown into a prominent role now in his 10th season with the club. The Islanders have had to get creative to fill in for these injuries, acquiring Robert Bortuzzo via trade and recalling Mike Reilly and Samuel Bolduc to serve in every-day roles. And while the blue line has performed serviceably, there’s no doubting that New York is missing a hardy boost thanks to their injuries – with Noah Dobson’s 34 points in 33 games representing the only blue-liner with more than 10 points this year. They’re expected to receive support soon enough, with Mayfield only designated as day-to-day, but no timeline has been provided for the return of Pulock or Pelech. The group looks formidable if, and hopefully when, the Islanders blue line is able to get full health, and there’s reason for optimism after the team’s performed so well with three reserves in the lineup.
What should be on the Islanders holiday wish list?
A new top-six winger.
New York seemingly have all of the defense and goaltending that a team could want but they’re still not receiving the depth scoring that could push them into the league’s top tier. Recent trade acquisition Pierre Engvall has done well in the top-six minutes that he’s received, scoring four goals and 13 points in 32 games, but getting a boost of scoring-upside could go a long way towards keeping the Islanders at the top of their division. There are no shortage of options on the open market, including goal-scoring wingers Anthony Duclair and Andrei Kuzmenko – two options on short-term contracts that could fit nicely into Islanders head coach Lane Lambert’s systems. Bringing in a new winger could give Lambert a newfound spark in the top-end of his lineup, and significantly more flexibility in the bottom-six.
(steeples his fingers) Kinda tough to maintain that the Islanders have the best goaltending in the league when they’re EIGHTEENTH in the league in goals allowed. The *seventh* place team in the Metro division has allowed fewer goals. The LAST place team in the Atlantic has allowed fewer goals. Varlamov is seventh in save percentage (not sixth, behind Hill, Lindgren, Swayman, Talbot, DeSmith and Quick), and Sorokin is 13th.
Fair enough! Though I chalk that up to that blue-line more than I do the goalies getting top-of-the-league save percentages! Hopefully their D group can get healthy soon and we can really see the extent of their goal-suppression.
Islander goalies have faced the second most shots and still have decent numbers. Personally I don’t think they are making the playoffs but it’s impressive where they sit on standings as of the end of the year.
The Islanders are a solid team that can’t score, They have been decimated on the blueline which explains alot when it comes to giving up goals, The goaltending is solid. The best thing about the Isles is that they have a GM that doesn’t piss money away, And understands the cap.
Thank goodness Lou’s magnificent cap management has kept him from pissing away money on scorers and defensive depth.
What do the Islanders have to be thankful for? That Wilf isn’t a fan. Because by his standards 2/3’s of the team would be past their prime and should hang em up.
Heh, I muted WP a long time ago. My prohockeyrumors experience was much improved.
I, on the other hand, enjoy Wilf’s parody account. Where else can you find such gems as him telling us that the Bruins have nothing but third and fourth line forwards on the roster and will finish well down the standings and out of the playoffs. Or watch him run a campaign against no one to be the president of the Calen Addison fan club.
I do enjoy some of his takes as a “haha, lol” take. Then sometimes I see them as a “wow, what a joke of a person” take. Sometimes I can’t tell if he’s being serious or just digging for hits for some reason. He surely can’t benefit from hits from this site right? Has anyone explored if he only responds to a/some certain writers content? James Tanner style? Goes so homer it even offends the usual Homer’s of even his chosen team of support. Was it Franson that Tanner said was an elite D and top 5ish… WP’s takes are usually humorous, but when you have to question if he’s actually being serious or not because of his conviction to his comments… When you’re not sure if he’s staying committed to his troll character or actually feels that way… Then you have to question his mental stability and game comprehension.
The problem is he seems to have a hate on for majority of the teams and any player who is over the age of 29 and not producing at the rate they were 2 seasons ago.
Guy probably has an issue with the WJ US roster because they have something like 11 returning players. They’re too old for that tournament and therefore Canada and its 1 returning player should be favorites.
Islander fans should be thankful there are other metro teams they can root for.