The New York Islanders have a core to build around. It’s Mathew Barzal, Bo Horvat, and Brock Nelson leading the forwards while Noah Dobson is the anchor on defense (Ilya Sorokin can be thrown in as the goaltender). They are the five players who will carry the Islanders throughout the season and will be asked to elevate the roster when times are rough.
Related: Sorokin’s Injury a Reminder That Islanders Need Strong Goalie Duo
There are two problems with this core. The first is that it’s good but not great. These four skaters can get the Islanders to the playoffs but not much further and if the goal is to win the Stanley Cup, that’s a big-picture issue. The other problem is that these players lack the necessary qualities to lead a team to a championship.
Barzal & Nelson Won’t Forecheck
The great teams have star skaters who can score and create offense while also stepping up and winning games on the defensive end and with the forecheck. The Florida Panthers are a great case in point. They had Aleksander Barkov, who won the Selke Trophy, as their top-line center while Matthew Tkachuk added a defensive and hard-hitting presence on the wing, allowing the team to impose its will on the way to a Cup.
The Islanders as a team can defend and the core is no exception. The question is if they will forecheck and deliver hard hits. The answer is no, at least not based on how Barzal, Horvat, and Nelson play. Horvat is the best defensive forward on the Islanders, leading the team with 1.7 defensive point shares last season but he creates turnovers by patrolling the center of the ice and eliminating passing lanes, not by forechecking.
Versatility Isn’t There
The underlying issue with the Islanders as a whole is that they lack versatility. Anders Lee is a finisher who can generate scoring chances. Kyle Palmieri is a shooter on the wing but not a playmaker. Jean-Gabriel Pageau is a passer but not a scorer. When teams force the Islanders to adapt, especially on the offensive end of the ice, they can’t do it. It’s been on full display in the playoffs in each of the past two seasons as the Carolina Hurricanes defeated them in the first round in six games in 2023 and then in five games in the first round in 2024.
Barzal proved last season he can pivot. He started shooting the puck more and it made him an All-Star-caliber player. Nelson has also displayed his versatility as he often sets up his linemates for scoring…
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