Stefen Rosner on Morning Cuppa Hockey Talking Islanders Over the last three games, we have seen a new side to Pierre Engvall's game that we hadn't seen before. After scoring in back-to-back games, Engvall stayed hot against the Calgary Flames, lighting the lamp in the second period to extend his goal streak to three games. After Dennis Cholowski and Scott Mayfield played catch at the point, the latter dished the puck to Engvall on the left side. The forward walked towards Dustin Wolf and wired the puck past his glove side to give New York a 1-0 lead: The goal gave him his third such stretch of three goals in as many games. He accomplished the feat in the spring of 2021 with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but most recently in March 2023 as a member of the Islanders: Since returning from AHL Bridgeport, he has had three goals and two assists for five points in 11 games, four of which (three goals, one assist) coming over his last four games. "He's attacking the net more," Islanders head coach Patrick Roy told The New York Post's Ethan Sears [https://x.com/ethan_sears], who asked about Engvall's uptick as of late. "He's around the net a lot, and he's a really good skater. He's been playing very well for us. Very well." Engvall hasn't just been "good." He's been dangerous, a word that wasn't uttered even when he was playing at a high level. That shot for his latest goal showed just how confident he is but also showed off his hockey IQ. We've talked about it a lot, but a speedy player with a low hockey IQ is useless. Now, a speedy player with a high hockey IQ who is confident enough to go to the net is a bonafide NHL player. Engvall's performance was imperative because Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello gave him a seven-year deal worth $3 million annually. From day one of the trade, acquiring Engvall from the Toronto Maple Leafs for a 2023 third-round draft pick on Feb. 3, 2023, to when he signed the long-term extension on July 1, 2024, to when he was demoted to Bridgeport to start the seaosn, Lamoriello's belief has never wavered. "We know what he can bring." Engvall is bringing his game lately, and now it's about making sure that his effort with and without the puck is there on a game-to-game basis. If Engvall can be consistent, he will be viewed as a weapon, not a wasted asset.
