Islanders Simon Holmstrom Learning Valuable Lesson Late In Sophomore Season

EAST MEADOW, NY -- New York Islanders forward Simon Holmstrom is on track to be a healthy scratch for the second time in three games. 

After being a staple in the Islanders lineup, missing just one game this season, Islanders head coach Patrick Roy has decided to make a switch given how other depth players are playing compared to his 22-year-old forward and the magnitude of the situation at hand.

The Islanders are desperate for wins, sitting six points out of a playoff spot with 11 games to go, and is fielding the lineup he thinks gives the team the best chance to win. 

Last season, Holmstrom's rookie campaign, the former 23rd overall pick back in 2019 burst onto the scene, showcasing a defensive game that the club needed. 

His offensive game was lacking, finishing his first NHL stint with six goals and three assists in 50 games, but his defense more than made up for it. 

Following his first year, The Hockey News spoke with Holmstrom about his game. 

"All the points and offense have taken a little too long for me," Holmstrom said. "I think that's because that's where I feel like I'm most comfortable and where my strongest game is. I'm just trying to get better every single day.

"And I know I got way more to give as well."

This season, it was essential to see Holmstrom take offensive strides, given the absence of Zach Parise, who, at age 38, scored 21.

If you look at the stat line, Holmstrom has brought more offense, with 13 goals and nine assists in 69 games. 

However, that stat line is a bit deceiving. 

Not only have five of his 13 goals come while shorthanded- leading the league in that category- but 10 came before the calendar switched to 2024. 

The offense, which was inconsistent at 5-on-5, has dried up completely. 

Holmstrom has no goals in his last 15 games and just one in his previous 21 games, with three assists over that span. 

In his rookie season, the offensive struggles were okay because his defensive didn't falter too much. 

But as of late, the most important part of his game hasn't been as sharp, leading to him coming out of the lineup for their 4-0 shutout loss to the New Jersey Devils before serving as an extra the last two days of practice. 

"I want him to be better in his battles, his one-on-one compete," Roy said following Tuesday's practice. "I want him to drive the net more and be more around the net. Right now, it's unfortunate, but MacLean and Fasching have been playing better than him. So, now, it's his turn to be patient and regain, maybe, my confidence or the coaching staff's confidence. And he'll have to be patient."

No spot is guaranteed in professional sports, especially when a team is fighting to make the playoffs. They need everyone pulling on the rope in the right direction, and while Holmstrom isn't the only one struggling, he's being taught a valuable lesson. 

"He's young. So he's going to learn that, in this game, you could lose your spot and have to battle," Roy said. "I mean, it was like this for me for 18 years. I had the net most of the time, but I knew if I went into a slump, the coach would not be afraid to put the backup -- I call it the backup but the other goalie -- and that's all it is. 

"It's the same thing in his situation. He needs to learn that every night, you need to compete. It's every night you need to show up and show some consistency. And I think that's what Simon will learn. I hope that he's going to learn that this year."

Following Wednesday's skate, we caught up with Holmstrom to get his thoughts on his play and what he learned from watching Sunday's game from above. 

"[I learned] that it's no fun. You want to be out there and play, and you want to help your team," Holmstrom said. "So, it's no fun, but you just got to deal with it and stay ready for the next round.

Holmstrom said that the message from Roy was the basics: competing harder and shooting more.

During practice, Holmstrom went 1-on-1 against the veteran Cal Clutterbuck a few times, losing both battles, and Roy seemed to go hard at him afterward.

Based on mannerisms, it didn't seem like a confidence killer conversation, but more of a motivational kick in the you know what to say, "You are better than this. Let's go."

Holmstrom knows what it takes. It just needs to be readressed. 

"You know what it takes to be out there and to be able to compete every night, so that's probably the biggest thing," Holmstrom said. 

The Hockey News asked Holmstrom why there's sometimes a lack of compete.

"That's a good question. I mean, I don't go out there and not compete," Holmstrom said, which doesn't need to be said as a professional athlete in the NHL. "You go out there every night, and I try to do my best. I just have to stick with it and win some battles and just do the job as well."

While offseason moves aren't advertised in advance, especially on Long Island, Holmstrom is a pending restricted free agent and isn't eligible for salary arbitration. 

So, he's more than likely to be back next season, but so is Hudson Fasching -- who signed a two-year extension last summer -- and Kyle MacLean, a pending restricted free agent who has become a vital part of the team in a short amount of time. 

"It's a competition world," Roy said. I mean, if Fasching or MacLean is not there, Simon will be. Good for them. They've taken advantage of it, and it's good for them."

The internal competition is good for a young player, but can Holmstrom rise above it?