New York failed to make the playoffs resulting a change in the front office. Lou Lamoriello was out, and Mathieu Darche was hired from Tampa Bay as the new GM. The Islanders, who kept Patrick Roy as their coach, moved all thew way up to first in the draft lottery and selected Matthew Schaefer. Darche added Jonathan Drouin and Maxim Shabanov to try and improve a moribund offense.
The Islanders offense, which struggled substantially, soldered on without their top scorer after Brock Nelson was dealt Colorado. The return was substantial, with Calum Ritchie, who could contend for a roster spot this year, and a first-round pick coming back. In addition, Darche dealt Noah Dobson to Montreal before the draft for two first-round pick and Emil Heineman, who should contend for a bottom-six roster spot.
Mathew Barzal missed 50 games, including the entire second half of the 2024-25 campaign after undergoing surgery on his kneecap. If healthy, he should be good for close to a point a game while centering the first or second line. Bo Horvat will fill the other top-two center slot. His production has declined since arriving on the Island, but a 30-30 type season is well within reason and reach. Jean-Gabriel Pageau is a solid third line center. In the final year of his six-year deal, JGP is a string candidate to be dealt if the team is out of playoff contention.
New York has eight wings who can fill the six spots on the left and right of each of the three centers. Drouin, signed to a two-year, $8 million contract by the Islanders, should skate on one of the top-two lines on the left side. The other left wing spot on the top-six will be filled by captain Anders Lee, who tallied 29 goals last season, his most since 2017-18. Who joins them on the right side is to be determined.
Kyle Palmieri dropped from 30 to 24 goals but was re-signed to a two-year, $9.5 million contract. He should initially fill one slot. Shabanov produced 23 goals, 44 assists and a plus-17 rating over 65 regular-season contests in 2024-25, and he also had 20 points in 21 postseason outings for KHL Chelyabinsk. He is undersized at 5-8, 156 pounds, but has tremendous skill and could earn a top-six slot.
If Shabanov does not earn that spot, Simon Holmstrom will. He took a step forward with 20 goals and 25 assists last season, earning a two-year, $7.25 million contract. The third line right wing will either be Maxim Tsyplakov, who scored 35 points while dishing out 140 hits last season. He brings a needed physical presence. If Tsyplakov is not in that slot. Anthony Duclair, brutal in his first year on the Island and returning from personal time away, might.
The fourth line used to be the energy line with Matt Martin-Casey Cizikas-Cal Clutterbuck. Martin and Clutterbuck retired, leaving Cizikas. Heineman should break camp with the team, joined by either Duclair or Pierre Engvall. Kyle MacLean, who played 81 games last season and had 108 hits, is a possibility as well.
Dobson’s trade removed the face of the blue line. Schaefer will eventually fill that role, but it remains to be seen if he breaks camp. If he does, look for him to possibly be paired with Scott Mayfield on the third pair if they want to shelter his minutes. Tony DeAngelo, who joined the Islanders from overseas in January, is back for another season. TdA should skate next to Alexander Romanov, who dished out 147 hits while adding 165 blocks in just 64 regular-season games last year and signed an eight-year deal to remain on the Island. The second pair may be Ryan Pulock and Adam Pelech, each of whom finished with a plus-rating last season.
Ilya Sorokin improved over his nightmarish 2023-24 season, though not at the level he was at his first two full seasons in the league. Sorokin finished 30-24-6 with a 2.71 goals-against average and .907 save percentage over 61 outings. Semyon Varlamov missed the last four-plus months of the season with a knee injury, If healthy, which is in doubt, he will be the backup netminder. If not. David Rittich, signed to a one-year deal, will serve in that role.
Prediction:
Barzal has a rebound campaign with Drouin solid on his wing. Horvat is fine as the 2C while JGP is dealt at the deadline for a pick.
Shabanov has his ups-and-downs but proves he can play at this level, scoring 20+ goals. Schaefer improves as the season continues, finishing in the top-three for the Calder Trophy. Sorokin nets 30 wins for the second straight season and third overall, carrying the team on his back.
The Islanders fail to make the post-season again, but their young building blocks provide hope for the future.
All stats courtesy of naturalstattrick.com, moneypuck.com, hockeyviz.com, allthreezones.com, hockey-reference.com, eliteprospects.com unless otherwise noted.