Adam Proteau discusses the predictable New York Islanders, the underperforming Minnesota Wild and Matthew Knies getting top-line minutes with the Maple Leafs.

This is Screen Shots, a regular THN.com feature in which we take a few different hockey topics and break them down in short bursts. Let’s get on to it.

The New York Islanders are performing about as many expected before the season.

For one thing, we figured the Isles’ goaltending would be their strong suit, and that’s been accurate: the Islanders have allowed just 27 goals in 10 games, the sixth-best goals-against average in the NHL. 

Starter Ilya Sorokin has been solid, with a 3-1-3 record and one shutout in seven games. Backup Semyon Varlamov has been even better, with a .972 save percentage and two shutouts in three games. We said earlier this season the Isles may have the best one-two netminding punch in the league, and Sorokin and Varlamov certainly are doing their part in helping the Isles win games.

That said, many of us, this writer included, also said in the pre-season that the Islanders were going to have problems generating offense, and so far, that’s also been accurate. 

The Isles have put up just 27 goals through 10 games, putting them in the 24th overall spot in the league. Only blueliner Noah Dobson is performing at a point-per-game pace; five of their forwards have put up points at a 0.50 or better pace, and Pulock has the next-most points among Islanders defensemen, with three.

All this isn’t to suggest pundits have all the answers or that they always make correct predictions. We’re human, just like the rest of the hockey community, and sometimes we’re wrong in our estimations of teams and players. However, we do talk to people around the league before making our predictions and projections, and in many cases, we’re doing OK with them. 

The Islanders are lucky the Metropolitan Division has been mediocre, or they'd be well below fourth place in the division. But they're only two points out of second-last in the division, and they're only a minor losing streak from being in big trouble. They have the rest of the season to change our minds or make us apologize for underestimating them, but right now, the Isles absolutely are who we thought they’d be. For better and worse, we’re here to tell you we wouldn’t be shocked to see them continue thriving on the back end and struggling with the puck.

Similarly, we’re also unsurprised by the woes of the Minnesota Wild, who are 4-5-2, putting them seventh in the Central Division. 

The Wild’s offense is actually quite good, with them ninth overall in the NHL, thanks to averaging 3.55 goals-for per game. Unfortunately for them, their defense has been terrible, and they’ve averaged just 4.18 goals against – only the sad-sack Oilers and Sharks have been worse in that category.

Minnesota’s overall strengths and weaknesses are the reason why Dean Evason was this writer’s pre-season pick for the first coach fired. Wild GM Bill Guerin and Minnesota ownership were banking on the team being much better than they’ve been through more than 10 percent of the season. As the old saying goes, you can’t fire 23 players for a subpar start, but you certainly can change bench bosses to give your team a different look.

The Wild’s next 10 games are very tough – they take on the Islanders, Rangers, Sabres, Stars, Senators, Maple Leafs, Avalanche, Red Wings, Blues and Predators – and if they’re not better, they could be well out of the playoff race by the end of this month. And if Guerin pink slips Evason, nobody should say they didn’t see it coming. There’s no easy fix for Minnesota, and unless Guerin pulls off a major steal on the trade market, the only option left for him will be to change coaches.

Finally, on Monday night in Toronto, we saw a stellar game from Leafs rookie winger Matthew Knies, who posted his second multi-point regular-season game of his fledgling NHL career. 

The 21-year-old had a goal and three points against the Tampa Bay Lightning, and he spent his time on the Leafs’ top line with superstars Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner, garnering his points in just 15:37 of ice time.

Knies was this writer’s pre-season pick for biggest breakout year, and now that Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe has put him on the top line, he looks like a needle-mover ready to take that next step in establishing himself as an elite NHLer. 

Knies has the size, determination and soft hands to be a force to reckon with in hockey’s top league, and it was only a matter of time before he was elevated to play meaningful minutes for Toronto. Big things are coming for Knies, and the Leafs will benefit from his talents for years and years to come.