As we approach the 2016-17 season, we’re previewing what’s ahead for each of the 30 NHL teams. Here’s a look at the New York Islanders.
MAIN SUMMER HEADLINES
• Dennis Seidenberg joins Islanders on one-year deal
• Andrew Ladd signs seven-year, $38.5 million contract with Islanders
• Travis Hamonic rescinds trade demand from Islanders
Head coach: Jack Capuano
GM: Garth Snow
Team payroll: 72.21 million ($73 million salary cap)
2015-16 Record: 45-27-10 (Fourth in Metro)
GF: 232 (10th in NHL)
GA: 216 (13th in NHL)
Result: Eliminated second round by Tampa Bay, 4-1
Acquisitions: Andrew Ladd, P-A Parenteau, Dennis Seidenberg
Key departures: Brian Strait, Kyle Okposo, Frans Nielsen, Matt Martin, Marek Zidlicky
Rookies To Watch: There are a few intriguing youngsters to keep an eye on at camp, but perhaps the one with the best chance of cracking the opening night roster is Mathew Barzal. The 16th pick overall in 2015, Barzal nearly made the Islanders out of camp last season, so he should have the inside track this time around. There is no questioning Barzal’s skills on offence, but coach Jack Capuano told the New York Daily News that for him to make the team, he’ll need to show something on defence.
“If he wants to fit in and crack the team, it’s his play away from the puck and to earn trust between a coach and a player. How reliable is he going to be to the coaches and his teammates,” Capuano told Arthur Staple.
Michael Dal Colle, the fifth overall pick in 2014, is coming off an 80-point season that wrapped up his junior career and he could make a push in camp as well, although the AHL seems more likely. With a number of veterans under contract and the team still looking to really break through in the post-season, it will be hard for one, let alone more than one, rookie to make the team out of camp.
The Islanders will have a successful season if…
They can get some positive offensive development from younger players. With Kyle Okposo gone, Andrew Ladd figures to step in on John Tavares’ wing, and another UFA signing, P-A Parenteau is the favourite to start on the other side. Any line Tavares leads should be able to score, but what comes after that is crucial for the Islanders. Brock Nelson, Ryan Strome, Anders Lee and Josh Bailey — none older than 26 — need to step forward this season. All of them seem to have plateaued around the 40-point mark and though Nelson and Lee both have 25-goal seasons, neither has done it a second time. The Islanders invested years of draft picks and development in these players, so it’s high time they start paying off by providing crucial secondary scoring.
The Islanders will have an unsuccessful season if…
The thing about the Islanders is they aren’t a high-end Cup contender, but they’re also not a locked-in lottery team — they are firmly entrenched as a team conceivably too good to miss the playoffs, but not good enough to mount a serious post-season charge. They aren’t exceptional in any one area and they aren’t underwhelming in any one area either. So how could it all go wrong? They could fall out of the playoffs if some part of the team really underwhelms.
The Jaroslav Halak-Thomas Greiss tandem isn’t bad, but it’s not ideal either. Greiss was terrific last season, his best year yet, while Halak had one of his better years as a starter. They basically have to repeat that. The team allowed the 11th-most shots against last season, which makes it harder on the goalies. That has to improve. And as mentioned above, if secondary scoring becomes an issue and none of the mid-20s scorers steps up for a career year (45-plus points, 25-plus goals) there just won’t be enough to support a playoff push.
The Islanders made it in as a wild card team last season and can’t slip in any part of their game if they are to get back there again.
