Engvall will serve as a healthy scratch for the second straight game when the Islanders battle the Canadiens.
Engvall will serve as a healthy scratch for the second straight game when the Islanders battle the Canadiens.
EAST MEADOW, NY -- When the New York Islanders battle the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night, that will be their 26th game of the season.
Forward Pierre Engvall, who is in the second season of a seven-year deal worth $3 million annually, will miss that game for the same reason he's missed what will be his 10th game of the season come puck drop.
And that's due to his lack of consistency.
Despite the contract, Engvall began the season in Bridgeport of the American Hockey League, with general manager Lou Lamoriello citing that placing him on waivers after training camp and keeping him in Bridgeport was to serve as a wake-up call.
After being recalled on Oct. 26 once the Islanders optioned to put forward Anthony Duclair on long-term injured reserve, it took Engvall a bit to find his footing in Patrick Roy's system.
He did serve as a healthy scratch against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 30, a 2-0 shutout loss, as Roy needed to see a bit more from him.
But because Mathew Barzal suffered a long-term injury in that loss, Engvall found himself back in the lineup out of necessity.
To Engvall's credit, the more he played, the better he looked.
And from Nov. 14 to Nov. 19, we saw Engvall play the best hockey we've seen from him since he joined the Islanders on Feb. 28 in a trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
In that three-game span, Engvall scored in each game, driving the net like it was his job. He was effective without the puck and was helping the Islanders more than ever.
But then came the Engvall dip, where he stopped doing what made him effective.
It got to the point where Roy decided that it was time to sit Engvall, opting to go with 11 forwards and seven defensemen against the Buffalo Sabres, with Scott Mayfield a bit banged up after taking a puck to the face the game before.
We've seen a one-game scratch pay dividends with Engvall, but this time, he'll have to wait a little longer to get back in.
"It's very simple,' Roy said on Monday. "Bring the puck to the net and stay around the net. That's it. And it's sad, but right now, guys are playing better than he is. And the thing I love about Pierre is that he comes and he works. He comes to the practice. We want consistency in this game. Hey, listen, we have a lot of players right now, and the competition is pretty good.
"I mean, you think Fasching doesn't want to play? You think Wahlstrom doesn't want to play? You think MacLean doesn't want to play? You think Cizikas doesn't want to play? You think Martin doesn't want to play. Everybody wants to play."
Roy continued:
"Our job is to win, and when you want to win, you go with the guys that you know are going to play inside, not on the outside. And we need to find a way to have Pierre doing this on a consistent basis, that's all."
But that consistency has to come from the player, not from the coach.
"When he's [crashing the net], he's a very good hockey player," Roy said. "For a period of time, four or five games, I'd say he was one of our good players. When he starts playing on the outside, stops bringing pucks to the net, and stops being involved physically, he's just an average player."
Is it getting tiresome for Roy and the organization to keep having to send Engvall the same message?
"I don't know if it's a message, quite honestly," Roy said. "It's facts. We want to win. It's my job to put on the ice the 12 guys that I think we could win with.
"Sometimes, it really sucks. I would love to have Pierre going, but if he's not willing to do that, I don't know if it's really sending a message to the other guys. Maybe the message is, if I'm not playing [the right way], I'm going to be a healthy scratch."
Does Roy feel that the message gets through to Engvall, or does it fall on deaf ears?
"It gets through. It gets through for a short period of time," Roy said. "How can we get the message going for a long period of time? It's up to the player. If he's helping me to win, I will promise you this: he'll play."
As mentioned, it's not the first time Roy's sat Engvall. We see former head coach Lane Lambert struggling with seeing consistency from No. 18, too, which led to a few trips to the scratch house but also some strong performances.
Dialogue between a player and a coach is important but only effective if both parties are on the same page.
Right now, it doesn't seem like Engvall completely understand why he's out of the lineup.
"I don't really know right now," Engvall said about what the message that Roy is trying to send to him. "As I said before, I'm going to keep working, working on some extra stuff now and after practice. I obviously want to get back in and play. It's sucks to be out. I'm not going to lie about that. I think the guys played great last game, so I'm just happy we got the win."
The Hockey News asked Engvall what he thought about his play as of late.
"I think I've got better and better," Engvall said. "I think, maybe for a game, it wasn't the best, but some games aren't your best games, and you have to keep working and try to do your best all the time. That's the only thing you can do. Roy is deciding who is playing, and you have to respect that and keep working."
As to whether or not Engvall believes Roy's decision is fair, the forwards said, "I'm not going to comment on that. I'm just focusing on my part and what I have to do, and that's that."
Although it's incredibly important that Roy holds players accountable, is asking Engvall, a non-physical player despite his 6'5 stature, to crash the net every game, something the player believes can be a reality?
"I think I can drive the net a lot," Engvall said. "I think some games, there's more opportunities to do it. You come up the ice with speed, and you feel like you have a step on him, then I think you have to [take the puck to the net]. In some games, you don't really have those opportunities. I think some games that are not there, but I think I can do that more and get better in the dirty areas. I think that's where I can develop a bit."
Following our chat with Engvall, I asked Islanders captain Anders Lee about the role he plays in all of this.
"Guys look out for each other. I and the rest of the team see how they're doing and see where their heads are at, just to make sure they're doing alright," Lee told THN. "Pierre, he's a great hockey player. And we're going to need him. We've needed him before, and we want to make sure he's doing alright, that he's got a good headspace, and understands what he needs to do all that stuff to get him to a place where he's playing great."
But here's the deal.
When everyone gets back healthy, the Islanders will have to waive or trade players to make room financially and create roster spots.
If Engvall continues to play the way he has or finds a way to do the "simple" task Roy is asking, there's no question he has a part on this team over a player like Oliver Wahlstrom, who has struggled to contribute much.
But if Engvall fails to live up to Roy's expectations, there's no reason for him to be on the roster now and in the future.
The Islanders would need to place Engvall on waivers to be sent down. If he clears waivers, they can bury $1.15 million in Bridgeport, leaving $1.85 million on the books.
After this season, the Islanders may have to buy out the final five years of Engvall's contract.
If that happens, the Islanders would be on the docket for $1 million annually through 2034-35, saving $2 million annually through 2023-31 (when his contract was set to expire) before a cap penalty of $1 million through 2034-35 (the additional five years).
Obviously, the Islanders don't want to see it get to that point and want Engvall to be part of the franchise's solution, not the problem.
Engvall is at a crossroads. He either plays Roy's game and stays on the NHL roster or finds himself back in Bridgeport or with a different franchise.
The choice is his.