It goes without saying that the 2023-24 season was a long one for the New York Islanders. After every game, it’s always important to remember that the season is 82 games long and thus overreactions to every win and loss are unnecessary. The Islanders season was no exception. They had plenty of ups, downs, and ups again, and then saw the season capped off with embarrassment: a playoff exit for the second-straight season to the Carolina Hurricanes.
Related: Islanders Can’t Be Fooled by Late-Season Run & Playoff Appearance
The Islanders head to the offseason with a bleak outlook and a grim picture: a middling team with a low ceiling that doesn’t appear to have a direct path to contention. However, it’s not all doom and gloom as the Islanders have plenty of things working in their favor. There are a few bright spots and things that they can build on for next season and with the right moves in the offseason, they can come back stronger.
Patrick Roy Is the Next Great Coach
There was a lot of uncertainty when the coaching change happened and it was unclear if the Islanders would have their season saved. Lane Lambert was fired midseason and in came Patrick Roy, a Hall of Fame goaltender who had a successful track record as a coach at the junior level but not in the NHL.
Roy’s arrival was felt immediately. The Islanders started playing a more disciplined and structured game while also playing with more accountability. Roy turned the team around and changed the identity to help them secure the third-best record in the Metropolitan Division.
What made Roy’s first season all the more impressive is that he transformed the team in only 37 games. Imagine what he can do in a full season with the entire offseason to prepare. The Vancouver Canucks went 20-12-4 when Rick Tocchet took over in the middle of the 2022-23 season as the head coach but he was starting to instil an identity in the team. Fast forward to this season and the Canucks secured the best record in the Pacific Division and Tocchet is a finalist for the Jack Adams Award. Roy can get the best out of his players and next season, the Islanders are sure to kick off the ground running because of him.
The Barzal-Horvat Connection
After only seeing glimpses of Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat together in 2022-23, the two skaters were paired on the top line and never looked back. The combination was what the Islanders needed as the two fueled the offense and often carried the team to victories.
Barzal’s speed and passing allowed Horvat to find open shots near the net and take advantage of his shooting ability. Similarly, Horvat opened up the ice for Barzal, who became a more active shooter from the wing. The duo combined for 56 goals and 92 assists, helping the offense average 2.99 goals per game, the highest mark for the Islanders since the 2017-18 season.
The two skaters are in the primes of their careers and the connection looks to only improve next season. There will be questions about who will round out the top line but with Horvat centering it and Barzal continuing to make plays on the wing, the Islanders are in good hands.
Dobson’s Two-Way Play at the Point
Noah Dobson is the new face of the Islanders defensive unit. The 24-year-old had a career-best season and one of the best seasons for an Islanders’ defenseman since Hall of Famer Denis Potvin, who won the Norris Trophy three times in his career. The only downside to Dobson’s breakout season is that his price tag skyrocketed. He’s a restricted free agent after next season and will likely field top-of-the-market money for a defenseman (but those are future problems to worry about).
The 10 goals and 60 assists were one thing; Dobson showed he can open up the offense at the point and unlike the rest of the unit, provide a two-way presence. The improved play on the defensive end of the ice, meanwhile, made him elite. Dobson’s 4.5 defensive point shares were second-most on the team while his 180 blocked shots and 24:31 ice time were a team highs.
As the rest of the defense continues to age, Dobson’s role will only increase and he’ll be relied on to carry the team on both ends of the ice. He was one of the best skaters on the team this past season and is expected to take another step forward. Even better is the fact that he’s continuing to mature along with Alexander Romanov, giving the Islanders two young defensemen to build around for the future.
Islanders Goaltender’s Can Split Starts
This season, the Islanders saw how Semyon Varlamov, even at 35, can hold down the fort and put together multiple strong starts to will them to the playoffs. Roy turned to him as the team made a push for the playoffs and he delivered, allowing only 16 goals in eight starts, resulting in seven wins. Varlamov is expected to take a step back as he continues to age yet this season proved he can continue to play well and give the Islanders stability in the net.
Ilya Sorokin, meanwhile, heads into the offseason after struggling down the stretch and getting pulled from his only playoff appearance after allowing three goals in Game 3. The rough patch doesn’t overshadow his value to the Islanders, though. He was overworked and struggled but he’s one of the best goaltenders in the game and can carry the team to the playoffs. That’s what he did in 2022-23 and his dominance in the net made him a Vezina Trophy finalist. Sorokin will return to form next season and if the Islanders don’t overwork him, he’ll once again be an elite goaltender who can blank any offense.
If any head coach understands goaltenders, it’s Roy. With this in mind, the way he deploys the duo is critical to the Islanders’ success. He saw firsthand the value of splitting starts and a full season of Sorokin and Varlamov playing as a duo can help the team slowly climb to the top of the standings. Very few teams have elite goaltending and even fewer have two reliable starting-caliber goaltenders. The Islanders have the latter and can use that to their advantage.
A New Identity in the Bottom-Six
For the first time in a while, the Islanders had a different look in their bottom six. While the offense had a lot to be desired, the new faces provided optimism. Kyle MacLean led the way as the fourth-line center and as a younger skater, he added speed to a forward unit that otherwise lacked it. Cal Clutterbuck and Matt Martin are unrestricted free agents and it’s unlikely they will re-sign as both skaters are in their 30s and the Islanders have other options as this season showed. MacLean will lead the way while a few prospects in the pipeline could join him to round out the forward unit next season.
Other Things the Islanders Can Build On
Kyle Palmieri is still a great shooter and adds a spark to the offense on the wing. He’s not a building block but a reliable part of the forward unit and will continue to make a significant impact, especially on the Brock Nelson-led line. Speaking of Nelson, he’s shown no signs of slowing down either, scoring 30 goals in each of the last three seasons; he’ll continue to lead the second line.
The Islanders also have reinforcements on their defensive unit which is a surprise considering how much the unit struggled this season. Mike Reilly stepped up as a second pair option while Sebastian Aho filled in as a depth option. Throw in the Adam Pelech/ Ryan Pulock duo and the Islanders have the players in place to have depth on their defense.
What do you think the Islanders can build around? Let us know in the comments section below!