The New York Islanders’ 2022-23 season begins on Thursday against the Florida Panthers. After missing the playoffs last year with a 37-35-10 record, they look to finish this season with one of the best records in the Metropolitan Division and the Eastern Conference.
Related: Islanders Season Preview Archives – The Hockey Writers
This team has their eye on the Stanley Cup and, with a deep roster, hopes to compete as they did in 2019-20 and 2020-21 when they reached the Semifinals. However, a lot needs to go right for the Islanders, even with the strong roster that they possess.
Beauvillier Bounces Back
Last season, Anthony Beauvillier took a step back, scoring 12 goals and 22 assists, but more importantly, he failed to find his role. He played on the same line as Brock Nelson and Anders Lee, two of the Islanders’ best forwards, but failed to provide consistent offense. Ideally, the 25-year-old should have been a great skater and puck-handler on the wing throughout the season, allowing the offense to take a step forward.
This season, Beauvillier needs to establish his role in the top six and help the Islanders’ offense improve after averaging only 2.79 goals per game last season. Whether he’s a primary puck handler, a shooter, or creates open shots for his linemates, he needs to play to his potential. He will likely start the season with Nelson and Lee, which should allow him to tap into his passing skills.
Wahlstrom Has a Breakout Year
Oliver Wahlstrom is entering the final year of his entry-level contract, making him a prime candidate for a breakout season. So far, he’s played a limited role, averaging only 12:03 of ice time and failing to become a regular upfront. This season, he needs to become a legitimate top-six forward and an elite scorer on the wing, which will open up the Islanders’ offense.
As a strong skater, Wahlstrom can allow the Islanders to play a fast-paced game, something first-year head coach Lane Lambert is hoping to implement. However, his biggest asset is his shot and when he finds open ice, he can pick apart goaltenders with his accuracy. Regardless of who is centering his line, he needs to optimize that skill set to turn the offense into one of the best in the league.
Barzal Becomes a Star
Just days before the season started, Mathew Barzal signed an eight-year contract extension, keeping him with the team through the prime of his career. The deal is a bet by the general manager (GM) Lou Lamoriello and the front office that Barzal will reach his potential and become a star center to lead the Islanders’ offense and top line. Despite the confidence, he is coming off a year where the team saw their top center take a step back and put together one of the worst seasons of his career.
Last season, Barzal showed his limitations, scoring only 15 goals and 44 assists. Moreover, he struggled to find a reliable shooter on his wing, like Jordan Eberle, who was selected by the Seattle Kraken in the 2021 NHL Expansion Draft. He also struggled to find a finisher, like Lee, who moved to the Nelson line halfway through the season. Management must find the right complementary pieces for Barzal this season to optimize his skills and boost the team’s overall offense.
However, Barzal also needs to step up and become the elite player that Lamoriello expects him to be. He is a great skater, one of the best in the NHL, and creates plenty of scoring chances but often squanders an opportunity by holding on to the puck. This season, he needs to take more shots to find the back of the net himself. If he can start to lean into his shot, he’ll not only become a sniper but also a more well-rounded player.
Pageau Continues Adding Depth
One of the team’s recent unsung heroes is Jean-Gabriel Pageau. He centers a middle six line, but as a two-way player, he has added much-needed depth and has given the team an edge. His consistent play has allowed the Islanders to possess multiple strong lines on a nightly basis and one of the deepest forward units in the league.
Pageau’s play will be pivotal for the team’s success this season. He leads his line as a primary puck-handler who can carry the puck into the offensive zone on rushes as well as create open shots for the other skaters on the ice with his ability to draw skaters. Likewise, he also provides defensive stability, allowing the Islanders to limit the opposition’s opportunities in both the neutral and defensive zones.
Romanov Surprises at the Blue Line
One of the team’s biggest additions this offseason was Alexander Romanov, who Lamoriello acquired from the Montreal Canadiens during the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. He’s a hard-hitting defenseman, and at 22 years old, will be an ideal partner for Noah Dobson, putting two of the Islanders’ young defensemen together. He is expected to be reliable defensively, but if he takes a step forward, he could become one of the best in the league.
Romanov can surprise people in all facets of the game. Not only should he continue to improve as a puck-handler, allowing the Islanders to turn defense into instant offense, but he also has a great shot from the blue line, and with more opportunities, he could become a constant threat from the point.
Salo Rounds Out Defense
As training camp and the preseason progressed, Robin Salo emerged as the final defenseman that will make the opening night roster, beating out Sebastian Aho for the final spot on the left side of the unit. He is expected to play alongside Scott Mayfield and add depth to the Islanders’ defense, which is already one of the best in the league.
Early on in the season, Salo will likely struggle. The young defenseman will have to adjust to the speed of the NHL. However, as the season progresses he can adjust to the fast-paced game and emerge as a great young defenseman, giving the Islanders a better overall defense from previous years.
Islanders Goaltending Duo
The Islanders’ goaltending is one of the best in the league. The duo they possess consists of two starters that can carry any team individually. However, the Islanders have the luxury of splitting starts between their two goaltenders, keeping both of them fresh and well-rested throughout a long 82-game season.
The duo is headlined by Ilya Sorokin, who is emerging as one of the best young goaltenders in the game. Last season, he proved that he is one of the elite goaltenders in the NHL with a .925 save percentage (SV%) and a 2.40 goals-against average (GAA) on 1643 shots. The Islanders’ success this season hinges on Sorokin both leading the team in the net as a primary starter and taking another step forward to possibly enter the Vezina Trophy conversation.
While Sorokin has become the undisputed starter, Semyon Varlamov remains essential to the Islanders’ success. He struggled with injuries and setbacks last season but can emerge as the starter if needed, as he did in the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons. Varlamov not only enters this season as a much-needed backup but also a goaltender that can potentially start 40 games or more to carry the team to the Stanley Cup.
Islanders Other Keys to the Cup
Along with the offense taking a step forward, the Islanders need Nelson and Lee to continue to lead to the top six and build off a strong campaign in 2021-22, when they combined for 65 goals and 40 assists.
The Islanders need to have a great season and be in the mix for the best record in the Metropolitan Division. However, they also need some luck to go their way. If some of the teams in the division and the Eastern Conference underachieve or struggle, they must take advantage.
The Islanders enter this season with a good, if not great, roster. However, a lot will need to go right with this team looking to win its first Stanley Cup title since 1983.