As the end of the NHL offseason approaches, training camps for all 32 teams are right around the corner. For the New York Islanders, they are an interesting team to watch. A handful of roster spots are up in the air, leading to some interesting competition to watch for, and some veterans will need to make strong impressions. The will look to cling onto a playoff spot for the second year in a row, and every piece will matter in their quest to make it back to the postseason. With Islanders’ training camp not far away, which storylines will be the most intriguing to watch?
The first question to answer is who will round out the Islanders’ defense. The right side is all but locked with Noah Dobson, Ryan Pulock, and Scott Mayfield, and the left boasts Adam Pelech and Alex Romanov. However, the final left-handed spot is a battle between Sebastian Aho and Samuel Bolduc. Aho held that spot down for most of the year, showing progress on offense despite some defensive lapses. Aho is most likely going to win that spot, but the latter is a name to keep an eye in. Bolduc is freshly minted to a two year contract, so the organization may have plans for him in the future. While this year may not be his time just yet, training camp is always the chance to make a good impression, so Bolduc can put some pressure on Aho for his spot in the lineup.
The next item to watch will be how last season’s Trade Deadline adds will perform in their first full campaigns. Last season the Islanders added Bo Horvat and Pierre Engvall, both of whom will be around for the long haul. Engvall spent a lot of time with the likes of Kyle Palmieri and Brock Nelson after his arrival and he praised their efforts in a recent interview with Jeff Marek. He said, “I felt like we had some chemistry. I’m finding them on the ice, and they’re finding me. Easy players to play with.” However, the bigger ticket item Horvat struggled on offense following Mat Barzal’s injury. His defensive play was solid and his presence helped guide the Islanders back to the postseason, but the Islanders will want to see him do more with the puck, regression or not. A lot of that his struggles might have been due to the burden of assuming the top line center’s role in a new locker room, but how he performs with a healthy Barzal in a clean slate will be very important to their success.
After the Islanders’ season ended last year, a big question was whether Zach Parise was returning for his 19th NHL season. General manager Lou Lamoriello left the door open for his return, but he and the Islanders have yet to receive his decision prior to training camp. The team signed Julien Gauthier as a bottom six option in July, and the door is open for a younger pieces like Simon Holmstrom to step up. However, Lamoriello often works in silence, so Parise’s deal to return could very much be in the drawer. Regardless, whether or not Parise comes back will make for interesting pieces to watch, whether it’s how he fares following his 20 goal campaign or who steps up in his absence.
Of course the intrigue for the Islanders doesn’t merely stop here. The team is still over the salary cap for next season and will need to be compliant by opening night. Oliver Wahlstrom will also get his first minutes since suffering a lower-body injury that ended his season. With these questions and more to be answered, it will be intriguing to see how these topics and more are addressed in training camp and throughout the Islanders’ season.
Stay tuned for more breaking NHL content, including offseason moves, contract updates and more news from every team.
Featured image courtesy of NHL.com
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