New coach DeBoer unveils his initial lineup, relying on staff insights and analytics to spark playoff hopes against the Maple Leafs.
EAST MEADOW, NY -- The New York Islanders return to action on Thursday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs with their playoff chances on life support.
Here's what Pete DeBoer is going with for his first game as Islanders head coach:
DeBoer doesn't know the players well enough just yet, so he's relying on people who do.
"We had a lot of discussion. I'll be honest with you, I'm relying a lot on our staff who have watched these guys all year for early combinations," DeBoer said. "I don't know the group well enough to be, you know, giving a strong opinion on who should play with whom. We also look at analytics."
The Hockey News asked DeBoer why Simon Holmstrom is getting a look on the top line?
"Holmstrom has had a really good year," DeBoer said. "He's a young guy, almost 20 goals. He deserves to play up in the lineup based on what he's done so far."
What about Maxim Shabanov?
"I watched a little bit of tape. I know he's dealt with some injuries this year," DeBoer said. "He's got a history of being a skilled scorer. He scored in the last game. I really liked what I saw in the last game he played in Carolina. I did watch that game, front to back. So hopefully he can build on that. Like any first-year guy, you have ups and downs, and he's dealt with some adversity, with injuries, but I like what I saw."
The Islanders have to essentially run the table and get hefty help if they want to qualify for the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs with four games to go.
But the focus is on Thursday.
"We're not going to make or miss the playoffs tomorrow night," DeBoer said. "You've got to take it one game at a time, and we're going to need a little bit of help, but we've got to control what we control, which is our effort and our execution."
Puck drop between the Islanders and Maple Leafs comes your way at 6:45 PM ET.