Despite just playing one game together, Casey Cizikas playing with Pierre Engvall and Simon Holmstrom makes the Islanders more dynamic.
Despite just playing one game together, Casey Cizikas playing with Pierre Engvall and Simon Holmstrom makes the Islanders more dynamic.
New York Islanders head coach Patrick Roy displayed new lines against the Dallas Stars in their 3-2 overtime victory on Monday night.
The new-look lines, with Brock Nelson on a line with Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal, amongst other changes, remained the same at Wednesday's practice ahead of their matchup with the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday:
While the top line will get the attention, let's focus on the Islanders' third line of Pierre Engvall, Casey Cizikas, and Simon Holmstrom.
Acting as a second line against Dallas, playing the second-most minutes (10:48), they showcased speed, grit, and skill.
All three contributed to Ryan Pulock's opening dagger in the first period.
Although Engvall was the only one of three that didn't get scoresheet credit, his ability to get to the front of the net and draw two Stars players toward the house allowed Pulock the time to walk in and rip the shot:
If you rewind the film, you see that Cizikas makes the outlet pass up to Holmstrom in transition before getting up the ice, the final forward to enter the offensive zone, before crashing to the net in case of a rebound.
That stood out, and here's why.
For most of Cizikas' time on the island, he's played between Matt Martin and Cal Clutterbuck, outside of Martin's two years in the Toronto Maple Leafs (2016-2018).
For years, it was a line that went up against the league's best, forechecking hard, throwing the body around, and setting the tone.
It wasn't a role ever relied upon for offense, and if there were offensive instances, it was usually Cizikas.
Skating up the ice with speed and energy, more often than not, the now 33-year-old center was outnumbered, leading to the dump-and-chase method to garner offensive zone time.
Now, Cizikas has players coming up the ice with him, leading to more chances off the rush than he's likely ever had in his career if this line remains the same as we advance.
This is not to say Cizikas will become an offensive juggernaut after scoring six goals in 46 games this season, but it does allow him to show off more of his offensive creativity.
We know he has the potential to score, reaching the 20-goal mark in 2018-19 before scoring 10 in 48 games a year later, a 17-goal pace if healthy for a full 82 games.
We are inching near the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline, and the Islanders will likely be buyers, meaning they need to move on from hefty contracts to create cap space for any acquisition.
If the Islanders moved a center, it's rather likely that Cizikas -- despite other line changes that would ensure following a potential move -- could remain as the third-line centerman alongside these two players.
Centerman Kyle MacLean fills Cizikas' role on the fourth line, which allows Martin and Clutterbuck, who are in the final years of their contracts, to continue to play their game.
Unlike the pending unrestricted free agents, Cizikas is under contract through the 2026-27 season at a $2.5 million cap hit.
Roy has preached that speed is the name of the game in today's NHL, and Cizikas being allowed to play with fast wingers may be one of the more beneficial moves the new bench boss can make for this Islanders team now and going forward.