The New York Islanders win games with their defense. It’s been a staple of their success since the Barry Trotz years, and it’s spilled over into the era with Lane Lambert behind the bench. Last season, it was a top-five unit, allowing only 2.65 goals per game, albeit with the goaltending doing most of the work to keep that number low.
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The defensive unit, while great, is limited, especially on the offensive end of the ice. It was on full display in the first round of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs, as the Carolina Hurricanes overwhelmed the Islanders at the blue line with their two-way defense. The Islanders, meanwhile, had no answers for offensive production from the point and ultimately lost the series in six games.
This season, the Islanders must see their defense adapt. It’s carried the team in recent seasons, but in an ever-evolving league, the unit must play at another level.
Islanders Need To Make a Difference From The Point
The NHL has witnessed a noticeable change recently, with defensemen not only handling the puck but opening up the offense at the point. To have a potent offense, especially in the playoffs when goals are hard to come by, an elite player like Cale Makar, Adam Fox, or Victor Hedman is essential. The Islanders have struggled offensively, scoring only 2.95 goals per game last season and having a non-existent power play that scored only 15.77 percent of opportunities. While the lack of production can be pinned on the forwards, the defensemen didn’t help out when they had the puck in the offensive zone.
To be fair, the Islanders saw some of their defensemen start to play a more active role offensively last season. Noah Dobson, Ryan Pulock, and Scott Mayfield combined for 24 goals and 75 assists. In 2021-22, the trio combined for only 21 goals and 69 assists. It’s a modest increase but one that shows that the defensemen were starting to join rushes and play deeper in the offensive zone with hopes of adding to the offense. That said, it’s not nearly enough to compete with the elite teams in the Eastern Conference and even in the Metropolitan Division.
The improvements start with Dobson, the unit’s best scorer. His 2021-22 breakout season, where he scored 13 goals and 38 assists, came out of his willingness to send the puck on the net and see what happens. Sure, a lot of those shots through traffic can result in a turnover or a poor possession, but the rare occasion that the puck zips through and finds the net would make it worthwhile.
Dobson is expected to have another strong season at the point, but it’s also pivotal for the veterans to make adjustments. Pulock has a great shot, especially when he has space and can wind up to take a slapshot, but his 10 goals in the last two seasons don’t reflect that ability. Pelech, meanwhile, has great instincts and can find open skaters near the net with quick passes, yet only had 15 assists last season. Alexander Romanov is still developing his shot and hopes to improve on a two-goal season.
The Islanders have skaters who can open up the offense at the blue line if they tap into their specific skill sets. Under Trotz, they avoided them in part because of the conservative, safe, and low-risk style of play that the team played with. Unfortunately, his style left the team looking slow and out of touch in a league dominated by speed, resulting in his firing in the 2022 offseason. With Lambert, that must change.
Islanders Defensemen Must Play at a Faster Pace
At the beginning of last season, the Islanders started to play a faster game. They pushed the puck up the ice on the rush, more skaters joined in on the play, and they applied pressure to the opposing defense. Through 23 games, they were averaging 3.34 goals per game, a reflection of the aggressiveness affecting the offense.
When the injuries started to pile up and the Islanders struggled, most notably with a 4-8-3 January, Lambert reverted back to a slower pace that the team is more accustomed to playing in. The Islanders managed to sneak into the playoffs with low-scoring games being their bread and butter, but heading into this season, they can’t rely on it again. Instead, they need to keep up with the rest of the league and win with speed.
The defensemen not only need to join the rush but, at times, start up the offense. Pelech, Pulock, and Mayfield have proven more than capable of creating turnovers in the defensive zone, but they struggle to turn defense into instant offense. They must handle the puck and, if needed, send outlet passes to the blue line to allow a forward to find scoring chances.
The defenseman who can make a difference as a skater and puckhandler is Sebastian Aho. He was a pleasant surprise last season, making the NHL roster to round out the unit, but he became an integral part of the team, playing in 71 games. Aho has competition heading into this season, with other young defensemen looking to unseat him as the final starter. But his skating ability makes him a key part of the Islanders’ success this season.
The Islanders have an aging roster, but that can’t be said about the defense. Mayfield is 31 years old, but everyone else on the unit is 29 or younger. It gives the Islanders an advantage if they choose to play a faster style with their defense, not only being able to keep up but set the tone throughout the season.
Bolduc & Romanov Providing A Different Look
Romanov was the Islanders’ big addition in the 2022 offseason, acquired from the Montreal Canadiens during the Entry Draft in a three-team trade. He had a few hiccups in his first season with the new team, but overall, he became one of the best young players on the roster. Romanov was the hard-hitting defenseman who was willing to put his body on the line for the Islanders to win games. His 129 blocked shots and 198 hits were both second-most on the team, and when he was on the ice, opponents were forced to watch out for a skater that could close on them when they had the puck and force a turnover.
Heading into the new season, Romanov is becoming a complete defenseman. He’s still willing to deliver a big hit, but he’ll play a more disciplined style, preventing the opponents from finding easy scoring chances on the rush. Likewise, Romanov is continuing to improve as a puck handler and a passer, making him a reliable two-way defenseman and not just a force in the defensive zone. He won’t play the same gap-sound defense as the rest of the unit, but he’s still capable of shutting down the opposition, only in a different manner.
In the same vein, Samuel Bolduc is looking to make his mark at the NHL level this season. He played in 17 games last season but was a non-factor in a limited role, averaging only 14:24 ice time. At 220 pounds, he’s the biggest defenseman on the roster, along with Mayfield, and he must use his size to his advantage. The Islanders are confident he will be able to do so after they signed him to a two-year contract in the offseason, and the hope is he develops into a great skater who also delivers a big hit if needed.
The Islanders’ defense is built on gap-sound and disciplined play with the ability to cut off angles to the net, as well as lanes to both pass and shoot the puck. In the Metropolitan Division, that will be the key to success as they must keep up with the fast-paced opponents and skilled skaters. At the same time, a change of pace is necessary and something the Islanders thrive with. The checking line has been a difference maker because of their ability to take the opposition out of their comfort zone, and similarly, the defense must do the same. Bolduc and Romanov emerging as the hitters will do just that.
Defensemen Who Will Change the Unit
Pelech, Pulock, and Mayfield remain the faces of the defense, the three veterans that make the unit one of the league’s best. However, the young skaters will determine what the defense looks like this season and for years to come.
Dobson is the X-factor, as he can take the team to the next level. Not only can he continue to be the leading scorer, but he can establish himself as a dynamic playmaker on the power play. The big thing for him is to get the puck on the net and see what happens, something that, at the very least, will create chaos in front of the goal, which Anders Lee thrives on.
Romanov and Bolduc are both in their early 20s and still maturing, but they also shape the unit into one that is built for the modern game. They both have the speed to keep up with the best skaters in the NHL and at the same time, they can take opponents out of their comfort zones. Romanov has the potential to become a top-pair defense, and this season is the one he shows the Islanders he’s worthy of that role.
This season, the Islanders might see a passing of the torch with their defense. Pelech and Pulock are the team’s top pairing and are showing no signs of slowing down. However, the younger defensemen could step up and become the top skaters this season and for the foreseeable future.
