Death, taxes, and Casey Cizikas on the New York Islanders' fourth line.

If you have watched an Islanders game in the past decade, odds are No. 53 made his presence known.

The veteran center has spent all 977 of his career NHL regular-season and playoff games with the Islanders, solidifying a fourth line that has been viewed among hockey’s best.

Although the famed ‘Identity Line’ of Cizikas, Cal Clutterbuck, and Matt Martin was no longer intact in 2024-25, Cizikas had a respectable season, led by roster turnover and adversity.

Cizikas opened the season alongside Kyle MacLean and Oliver Wahlstrom, with coach Patrick Roy aiming to add scoring to his fourth line.

The line lasted just a few games, as Mathew Barzal and Anthony Duclair sustained injuries, forcing call-ups and lineup adjustments.

Cizikas went on to spend time alongside Pierre Engvall, Simon Holmstrom, JG Pageau, Maxim Tsyplakov, and Hudson Fasching, but he never found his footing as the injuries piled up.

Offensively, 2024-25 wasn’t Cizikas’ best, totalling 17 points (seven goals, 10 assists) in 82 games, his lowest finish in each category over the past three seasons.

This decrease made sense, as his flexible role throughout the lineup and shifting linemates made finding the scoresheet increasingly difficult.

Fortunately, his individual efficiency and on-ice expected metrics were on par with his career norms, so the decline could also be attributed to his career low 0.951 PDO and an on-ice shooting percentage of 6.96, well below league average and the second-lowest single-season total of his career.

Defensively, it was another solid season for Cizikas.

He was on the ice for the fourth-fewest expected goals against per 60 minutes at 5v5 among Islanders forwards (2.37) while also ranking in the top six in both takeaways per 60 (0.99) and blocked shots per 60 (3.41) among lineup regulars, according to Natural Stat Trick.

Once again, his role emphasized defense, as he led Islanders forwards in defensive zone starts per 60 minutes (9.36) while ranking last in offensive zone starts per 60 minutes (7.07).

It goes without saying that starting a shift in the defensive zone is more difficult than in the neutral or offensive zone, but Cizikas made it work, a testament to his hard-nosed, hate-to-play-against style of hockey.

It also helps to have won 53% or more of your faceoffs in each of the past six seasons.

While he posted his lowest single-season TOI on the penalty kill since his rookie season in 2012-13, Cizikas saw time on the penalty kill, and he was quite effective in his role.

Among Islanders penalty killing forwards, Cizikas was on the ice for the fewest expected goals against per 60 minutes (6.33), shots (46.03), and scoring chances (44.29).

Final Verdict: B

Cizikas’ season was solid. He put up decent offensive numbers, won defensive zone faceoffs, and found ways to win minutes, even without consistent linemates.

He did what Roy asked of him, and with the 2025-26 preseason just weeks away, the Islanders will need more of this to compete for a playoff spot.

Cizikas is likely to open 2025-26 as New York’s fourth-line center, with Tsyplakov and Emil Heineman expected to round out the line.

Tsyplakov, who signed with the Islanders in the 2024 offseason as a rookie, spent 107 minutes with Cizikas at 5v5 in 2024-25, with the duo getting outscored 6-0.

However, the Islanders outshot opponents 54-41 and outchanced opponents 43-37 in those minutes, posting a 48.47 expected goals percentage.

The sample size was small, and puck luck didn’t go their way, but there were some encouraging signs.

Of course, 2025-26 will be Heineman’s first year on Long Island, but his young career has shown what his game is about.

The 23-year-old has recorded 19 points (11 goals, eight assists) across 71 combined regular-season and playoff games, but his play style is all about effort, physicality, and board battles, backed by an elite motor.

Sound familiar? At its best, that is what the Identity Line, and frankly, the successful 2020 and 2021 Islanders teams, were all about.

The past few seasons have been a battle for Cizikas, but 2025-26 projects to be a little different, as his linemates will solidify a well-rounded trio, capable of shutdown defense and notable offense.

Of course, the line has never played together, and a few injuries would force Roy to reconstruct the forward group, but when healthy, there is a lot to like on the Islanders' projected fourth line.

A best-case scenario would leave Cizikas with eight to 10 goals and 10 to 15 assists as one of hockey’s top shutdown centers, while a more realistic projection puts him in the six to eight goals and eight to 12 assists range.

CoreNHL’s model projects Cizikas to provide an estimated $1.5 million of value in 2025-26.

Stefen Rosner contributed to this report.

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