NEW YORK, Ny – The New York Islanders came back to the NHL playoffs after a two year hiatus in fine fashion. They did it on the strength of stellar defense, great goaltending, and a Head Coach coming off of a Stanley Cup championship season. The Islanders had 103 points, their seventh best point total in franchise history. They finished the season only one point behind the Washington Capitals for first place in the Metropolitan Division and had the 5th best point total in the league.
Statistically the Islanders were 22nd on offense, 1st overall in goals against (191), 29th on the power play, tied for 16th on the penalty kill (with the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs), and 29th in face-offs. Anders Lee led the team in goals (28), followed by Brock Nelson (25) and Casey Cizikas (20) who were the only other Islanders with 20 or more goals. Five more players had 10 + goals.
Lee is an unrestricted free agent as well as three other forwards including Jordan Eberle who had his worst goal production (19) and point total (37) since the 2012-13 season. Up until this season, Eberle had five straight 20+ goals per seasons.
Ryan Poluck led the blueline in all offensive categories with 9 goals and 28 assists. Adam Pelech led the defense in plus/minus (+22). The Islanders have two players that will be a UFA but neither are expected to return. In net, Robin Lehner (2.13 Goals Against Average) is a UFA and Thomas Greiss (2.28 Goals Against Average) has one more year left on his contract.
In the system, four of the Islanders top 10 prospects are defenseman. The rest of the top 10 consists of: 1 center, 2 left wingers, 1 right wing, and 2 goalies. The biggest need heading into the NHL Entry Draft is at center. It’s been a while but the Islanders are drafting in the bottom third in each round. This year the Islanders will be drafting 23rd in the first round. Getting a hold of some of the top prospects in this year’s draft will depend on how the draft unfolds.
As mentioned before New York was 22nd overall in offense and in PHN’s mock draft we see the Islanders going after the center position in the draft in the first round. Some of the names we see falling to the Aisles are Ryan Suzuki, Connor McMichael, and Jacob Pelletier who was easily the most productive of the three players.
The Islanders could go for defense. Matthew Robertson, Tobias Bjornfot, and Moritz Seider would all look good in an Islander jersey in a couple of years. Noah Dobson is New York’s top prospect and could crack the lineup next season so we don’t anticipate the Islanders taking a blueliner in the first round.
That means that New York should go offensive. The draft is supposed to be about the future so with the parent club fairly set at center, New York needs to go down the middle of the ice and make the following announcement come draft day.
“With the 23rd overall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, the New York Islanders are proud to select, from the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League, Ryan Suzuki.”
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