Last Word on Hockey’s Puck Drop Previews are back for the 2024-25 season. As the regular season approaches Last Word will preview each team. We will look at each team’s current outlook and stories to follow for the upcoming year. We’ll also do our best to project how things will go for each team. Today we’re previewing the 2024-25 New York Islanders.
2024-25 New York Islanders
2023-24 Season
It truly was an up and down journey for the Islanders last season. The team was streaky, they would go on six-game winning streaks only to follow them up with six-game losing streaks. In a season that saw the team change head coaches mid season, they still finished third in the NHL’s Metropolitan Division with a 39-27-16 record totaling 94 points. The season can be broken up into two parts. The first was the Lane Lambert era, under him the Islanders went 19-15-11. They hit a rough patch in the middle of their season they lost six out of seven games. Topped off by a blown lead and a 4-3 overtime loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on January 19th who finished their season with a 23-53-6 record. Blowing leads in the third period was a theme for this team finishing with 13 of them throughout the season.
Full list of #Isles blown leads in the 3rd period this season:
2-0 lead vs DET
3-1 lead vs CAR
3-2 lead at VAN
3-2 lead at SEA
3-2 lead at CGY
4-3 lead at CGY
3-2, 4-3 lead at CAR
4-2 lead at NJD
4-1 lead vs SJ
3-2, 4-3 lead vs BOS
1-0 lead at NSH
4-3 lead at COL
5-3 lead vs NYR— Rob Taub (@RTaub_) February 19, 2024
The day after that Chicago game Lou Lamoriello felt a change was needed. Lane was fired and replaced by former legendary goaltender and Jack Adams Award winner for coach of the year with the Colorado Avalanche, Patrick Roy. Roy’s impact was felt right away by the players and his fiery personality was a sharp difference from Lane’s calm, laid back deminer. Practice videos surfaced of Roy screaming at the team, making them run drills over again to get them right. On the bench he was always animated yelling at either the players or the officials. There was an adjustment period for the team learning a new coaches system. When they finally got comfortable though, the on ice product looked a lot better finishing the season 20-12-5 after Roy took over. Including a stretch where they won eight of their last nine games to get into the playoffs.
2023-24 Offseason
This offseason there was not a lot of money for the Islanders to play with. However they were still able to improve the team and retain players that played well last season. Joining the team is a goal scorer in Anthony Duclair and top European free agent Maxim Tsyplakov. These two should both slide into top six roles with the team. Coming back into the fold is Mike Reilly who was picked up on waivers last season and played well on the third pair defense. 2019 first round pick Simon Holmström is also back after a solid campaign in a bottom six role last season. With the additions there had to be subtractions. Cal Clutterbuck looks like he is done, Matt Martin on a PTO and is up in the air. While not ground breaking moves, this team is better after a second consecutive first-round exit to the Carolina Hurricanes.
Projected Lineup
Forwards
Anthony Duclair – Bo Horvat – Mathew Barzal
Maxim Tsyplakov – Brock Nelson – Kyle Palmieri
Anders Lee – Jean-Gabriel Pageau – Pieree Engvall
Kyle Maclean – Casey Cizikas – Simon Holmstrom
Top Six
The top six for the Islanders adds some new players to it this season. The top line obviously is still highlighted by the teams two top dogs in Barzal and Horvat. They both had great seasons last year, Barzal lead the team in points with 80 (23 goals, 57 assists). Horvat was fourth in points with 68 (33 goals, 35 assists). They add a new running mate in Duclair who had 42 points last season (24 goals, 18 assists). Hopefully for everyone involved it sticks because that spot on the top line was a revolving door last season. Duclair a former 30 goal scorer will look to give a shot in the arm to a team who was 22nd in goals scored last season. He should also play on the top powerplay a unit that finished 19th in the league.
The second line also adds a little something to it as well. Centred by a familiar face in Nelson who had another good season last year. He was third on the team in points with 69 points (34 goals, 35 assists). Palmieri quietly also played very well last season finishing with 54 points (30 goals, 24 assists). The two 30-goal scorers will also add a new running mate as well this season. Maxim Tsyplakov the 25-year old comes over from the KHL where he had 47 points (31 goals, 16 assists) in 65 games last season. He seems like a Swiss-army knife kind of player who can play on the penalty kill, the powerplay and in front of the net as well.
Bottom Six
The depth on this team will be better than last seasons with the new additions. This allows others to be pushed down and strengthens the bottom half of the lineup. The third line is centred by Pageau who had rumours circling around him all offseason about being moved. His contract probably made that difficult without the team retaining salary. He returns and it might not be the worst thing because he brings a lot to the team. He is a good defensive forward who plays on the PK and wins faceoffs. Next to him is the captain Anders Lee who didn’t have a great year last year but moving him down from the second to the third line might be better for him at this point in his career. Pieree Engvall at 6 foot 5 brings speed, grit and forechecking to this line.
Casey Cizikas who was on the teams first line wing in the last playoff game is now back in his normal spot. He is the heart and soul of the team, a leader in the locker room. He is flanked by Kyle MacLean who played well in his first season in the NHL most of his contributions and value came from his physical two-way play. Simon Holmstrom will also play down on this line after he also got a stint on the top line next to Barzal and Horvat. They already know about his two-way game, his five shorthanded goals and seven shorthanded points led the team and ranked second overall in the National Hockey League. They’ll hope their former first round pick can develop a little more of an offensive side to his game this year.
Defence
Alexander Romanov – Noah Dobson
Mike Reilly – Scott Mayfield
Top Four
The Islanders defence has no new faces coming in this year as the budget didn’t allow for it. The top pair is highlighted by Norris Trophy candidate Noah Dobson. He had the best year of his career last year, scoring a career high 70 points (10 goals 60 assists). This ranked second on the team, he will look to build off that success. Next to him is shutdown defenceman Alexander Romanov who since coming over from the Montreal Canadians has been asked to play top pair minutes. He led the team in plus minus this year at a +23. He has been a steady hand on the blueline and played 1688 on ice minutes this past season.
The second pair remains the same as last as well. Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock played all of last season next to each other. Pelech more the shutdown stay at home defensive type. While Pulock is more offensive jumping up on the rush and good at transitioning from defence to offence. They both averaged over 20 minutes of ice time a night last year. They also both hold down the first unit penalty kill duties. The two also both played only 58 games last season so staying healthy will be a big key this season.
Bottom Pair
The bottom pair for the Islanders has a chance to be impactful. Highlighted by the returning Scott Mayfield who played just 41 games last season before missing the rest with injury. Despite being limited in games last season he still had over 100 blocked shots. The 6 foot 5 defenceman’s physical presence was missed recently. His new partner Mike Reilly was signed off waivers to try and replace Mayfield when he got hurt. The journeyman’s strong play led to him being brought back for this season. Reilly had 24 points second highest for a defenceman on the team.
Goalies
These two Russians should be one of the better goalie tandems in the league. A lot of eyes will be on Ilya Sorokin this season after he had a few strong seasons and looked to be the future franchise goalie. He put up career worsts in SV% (.908) and GAA (3.01). It got so bad to where Semyon Varlamov eventually overtook Sorokin as the starting goalie. Varly had a great year posting a .918 SV% and 2.60 GAA. Expect Sorokin to be the starter with a very short leash since they have a proven backup. Working in Sorokins favor is Sergi Naumovs coming in as the new AHL coach. Naumovs served as Ilya Sorokin’s goalie coach during his final two seasons with the KHL’s CSKA Moscow and still works with Sorokin in the summer. In those two seasons Sorokin went 54-16-7 with a 1.30 GAA and a .938 SV%.
Players To Watch
Anthony Duclair
When you come over to a new team in free agency, you’re going to have eyeballs on you. Even more so when you’re coming in to play on a teams top line. Duclair is going to be expected to put the puck in the back of the net. History shows that on his other team’s this hasn’t been a problem. The opportunity will be there playing next to two superstar players. Barzal and Horvat are both excellent playmakers and can pass with the best of them. They also are good at puck retrieval and then setting up teammates. In recent years it has been a struggle to find someone to finish those opportunities, now hopefully they’ve found that someone.
Maxim Tsyplakov
The same can be said for Tsyplakov, when you come to a new team you’re expected to produce. More eyes will be on him arguably, Duclair has a history of point producing in the NHL. The same cannot be said for Tsyplakov as this will be his first NHL season after playing in the KHL for all of his career. We are going to find out quickly if his game will be able to translate or not. Playing top six style minutes he will have the chance to prove himself to not just the fans but his teammates and the league that he belongs.
Ilya Sorokin
Sorokin is coming off the worst year in his short career at the NHL level so the eyes will be on him. Working against him in this instance is that his massive eight-year deal worth $66 million ($8.25 M AAV), is kicking in this season so that amplifies the pressure. For this team to go where it wants to they’re going to need him to play at the level that got him that contract in the first place. Bringing in the coach that got the best out of him to help refine his game this offseason is a great start to hopefully a bounce back season.
Prediction
This was a playoff team last season despite all the ups and downs they went through. They even changed coaches mid year, had to adjust to his playstyle and still made it. Now they have a full offseason and training camp with that coach. Improvements were made to what was already a solid foundation of a team. They added goal scoring up front, which was their biggest need. Nothing was added to the defense but they still have a solid group back there. That to go along with one of the better goalie pairings in the league. Overall this will be a competitive team and will fight for a playoff spot.
Getting to the playoffs hasn’t been the issue, its what you do when you get there. The Islanders haven’t made it past the first round of the playoffs since 2021. This team has the potential to do just that going into the 2024-25 season.
Prediction: Wild Card playoff spot
Main Photo: Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images
