The New York Islanders will hit the ice for their first preseason game on Sunday night at 7 PM ET against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center.
The New York Islanders will hit the ice for their first preseason game on Sunday night at 7 PM ET against the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center.
If you aren't attending, the game can be seen on MSGSN and MSGSN2, and for out-of-stateers, you can tune in on ESPN+.
Here's three things to pay attention to once the puck drops at The Rock.
The Game Roster
Because the Islanders did not hold a morning skate, we don't know who will be in Sunday's lineup.
However, we can make a few guesses.
For starters, one would think the team wants to get European free agent signing Maxim Tsyplakov into an NHL game as quickly as possible.
The 26-year-old has been on Long Island for most of the summer preparing for his first NHL season and has looked rather strong in rookie camp and then training camp with the other NHLers.
He may not be the fastest skater, but he's shown a keen ability to think fast, make the right plays, and understand where he needs to be on the ice.
Simon Holmstrom, who is entering his second full season with the club, is looking to win a starting job in the lineup.
So far through training camp, he's been given the first look on the second line alongside Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri and was arguably the best skater on the ice in the first scrimmage of camp.
We know Holmstrom knows how to play defense and that he can impact the game offensively, but the next step he has to take is showcasing more trust and confidence in his shot.
If he can do that consistently, especially with other offensively gifted players, this could be a big year for No. 10.
Some prospects, like Long Island native Marshall Warren, Finnish forward Jesse Nurmi, and centerman Cameron Thieseing, have yet to skate in an NHL game.
It's always exciting for them and us to see players get their first chance on NHL ice.
Roy's New 5-on-5 System
When head coach Patrick Roy took over in late January, he tried implementing his systems quickly.
After having the summer to restructure and teach his systems exactly how he wants them, we will get our first look on Sunday, outside of what we’ve seen in training camp.
We know the Islanders will play a more aggressive style, especially in the neutral zone, where they will run a 1-1-3.
This means that the high forward pressures the puck carrier in an effort to force a pass to the outside. The second forward patrols the center of the ice to break up any passes through there.
The last forward and the two defensemen hover over the defensive blue line with the goal of forcing dump-ins.
The Penalty Kill
At 71.5% last season, a league-worst, the Islanders need to find a way to be significantly better in 2023-24.
The Islanders cut ties with Doug Houda this summer, hiring Tommy Albelin to take over the penalty kill.
The Islanders will be playing the “flush” system, which means an aggressive penalty kill, as we saw under Barry Trotz.
Based on what we’ve seen in practice, the belief is that they are running a wedge:
When the Islanders sit back, they struggle on the penalty kill, which creates not only many more shooting lanes but also leads to many more screens.
This system should force the opponent’s power play to move the puck much quicker while also being conscious of turnovers at the blue line with the Islanders ready to pounce.