Stefen Rosner on Morning Cuppa Hockey Talking Islanders The New York Islanders [https://www.theelmonters.com/] have played 15 games, going 6-6-3 to sit with 15 points. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjEwNjMzNzc4MDc3NjQwNjgx/usatsi_24723165-1.jpg] Here are 15 things that have stood out about this team thus far: 1. Ilya Sorokin is back: Sorokin owns a 2.52 GAA with a .916 SV% through nine appearances after undergoing off-season back surgery. He has looked like the goalie we saw during the 2022-23 season when he was a Vezina Finalist 2. Anders Lee is silencing the haters: Lee was seen as a buyout option this past summer, but he's gotten off to a hot start with nine points (four goals, five assists), which is third on the team in scoring. He's on pace for 290 shots, with his previous career-high being 214. 3. Blowing leads isn't a thing of the past: The Islanders have failed to kick their habit of blowing leads, blowing 11 of the 14 leads they've had this season. Three have been multi-goal leads. 4. Maxim Tsyplakov is a no-doubt NHLer: Outside of the penalties, with seven in 15 games, Tsyplakov has the size and the IQ to play in the NHL, with two goals and seven assists on the team's second line 5. Simon Holmstrom is a bottom-six forward: After the Islanders tried Holmstrom in Anthony Duclair's spot on the top line, it's clear that he is just a more confident player in the bottom-six and now has two goals and three assists over his last five games. 6. The Islanders have something in Isaiah George: Yes, George has only played in three NHL games and seven professional games, but it's clear that the fourth-round pick in 2022 is going to be a key player for the team going forward. He has all the tools needed to be effective, and Patrick Roy is giving him the ice time to do so. 7. Alexander Romanov means more to the team than the stat sheet shows: Romanov may be seen as a physical defenseman, but it's clear that he brings so much more to the lineup. He has the heart of a lion, doesn't back down from anyone, and his ability to join the rush is an underappreciated skill set. 8. Noah Dobson's defense partner is paramount to his success: Dobson has shown that if he's going to have success, he's going to need a stable defensive presence on his pairing. He's struggled to take defensive strides and is one-dimensional at this point. 9. Kyle Palmieri is a Patrick Roy guy: Since Roy came aboard, Palmieri has been the team's best player. And he's off to a great start, leading the Islanders with six goals and is tied with 12 points. 10. Face-offs are the Islanders' bread and butter: The Islanders have won the face-off battle in each of their last 14 games and lead the NHL with a 55.3 FO%. 11. Jean-Gabriel Pageau is getting rewarded for his offseason work: Pageau had 11 goals in 82 games last season and four through 15 games. He's winning 61.2% of his draws to lead the team. 12. Injuries weren't a death sentence: When a team loses the entire left side of its defense and two-thirds of its top line, that usually means it's time to wave the white flag. But since that game in Buffalo on Nov. 1, the Islanders have gone 2-1-2, with depth players stepping up. 13. Special teams are still a disaster: The Islanders' power play is 13% (28th), and their penalty kill is 65.6% (30th). Both have been an Achilles' heel for this team and a reason why they haven't won more games. 14. The Islanders' fourth line is still a question mark: For a team that relied on its identity line for years, it has yet to solve its bottom-line puzzle. The one mainstay has been Kyle MacLean, but Oliver Wahlstrom has yet to really show much with just one goal, while Matt Martin and Hudson Fasching have been cycling in. 15. Defending the 5-on-6 is still a major problem: The Islanders have allowed three 5-on-6 goals this season, the second-most in the NHL. They've been too passive, allowing their opponents so much time and space to make a play. Last season, the Islanders only allowed five.
