Mathew Barzal has always been an interesting piece for the Islanders. He is widely regarded as one of the league’s top skaters and boasts a unique playmaking ability. However, one of the things the Islanders haven’t embraced is finding him a top wingman after Jordan Eberle left. Since his departure, its been a swinging door of options, particularly on the right side. Anders Lee has consistently been up there, but he is entering his age 33 season, and his loss of speed could hamper Barzal’s ability. With the Islanders looking to make it back to the postseason and most of the roster in check, who could play next to Mathew Barzal on his line?
Left Wing:
As mentioned, Anders Lee has pedigree to be Barzal’s left winger. Despite his struggles, he scored 28 goals and 50 points last season, and his past six full seasons have seen him reach 20 goals. He also acts as a strong net-front presence with his size and strength. However, as mentioned, his age and physical attributes could be the source of a fall off at any point. With that in mind, the Islanders could turn to Bo Horvat, who showed promise prior with Barzal prior to his February injury. Other option include an all star in Brock Nelson or recently signed Pierre Engvall, with the former as a strong candidate after a career year. However, with what Horvat and Barzal did together early in his tenure, it’s fair to give them another look in a fresh season.
Right Wing:
The right side is a bit more tricky looking at the Islanders’ lineup right now. The majority of their right wingers include bottom six options, such as Julien Gauthier, Hudson Fasching, and Cal Clutterbuck. While Gauthier can drive plays well, he isn’t a finisher, which is what they need. In this case, Kyle Palmieri makes a solid case. Despite suffering from an injury last season, he scored 16 goals and 33 points in 55 games, a pace of about 24 in a full season. However, Palmieri showed strong chemistry with Engvall and Nelson toward season’s end, meaning they will likely keep that line together into next season. With that in mind, Oliver Wahlstrom makes an intriguing case to make his line. Despite suffering a season-ending injury, he has shown flashes of brilliance in the times with his shot and possible chemistry with Barzal. It will be a tough decision to make come October, but there are options available on the right side.
Verdict:
One of the Islanders’ strengths is their depth at center. Not only does the team boast Mathew Barzal, but also Nelson, Horvat, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, and Casey Cizikas that can fill that line. As a result, they can give Horvat an extended look with Barzal, given their success early in Horvat’s tenure. In fact, you could even rotate Horvat and Barzal on that line, slotting Horvat at center and Barzal on the right wing or vice versa. As for the left side, it may be fair to give Anders Lee another look given their longtime status as teammates. However, if Lee continues to decline, Wahlstrom could probably be the first man up, setting up a Horvat-Barzal-Wahlstrom unit, from left to right. Regardless, training camp will be a time to test these lines, and Lane Lambert will have to keep an eye on how they perform prior to opening night.
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Featured image courtesy of NHL.com
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