New York Islanders: 3 Issues They Must Address

The New York Islanders have had their ups and downs in the early part of this season. However, there are three things they’ll need to do if they want to get better.

The New York Islanders, much like everyone expected, are a postseason contender. However, lately, they’ve been having issues and they need to get better. “Getting better” doesn’t mean that the Islanders are a bad team. It’s a term that’s used a lot to for both good and bad teams.

In this case, the Islanders are a good team. To start, they have talented players. And with an average age of 27, they’ll get the most out of them. The Islanders also have a good mix of veteran leadership.

However, one of the main things the Islanders seem to lack is consistency. Of course, there are more areas the players and head coach Doug Weight can improve on. Let’s take a look at them now.

1. Play Ho-Sang More Often

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For a lot of teams, it’s difficult to trust their youth. However, sometimes a little bit of trust can go a long way. In the game against the St. Louis Blues, Islanders forward Joshua Ho-Sang proved that he should be trusted with his great performance.

After struggling against the New York Rangers, Weight seemed less than impressed. Therefore, he was sent back down to the AHL.

Ho-Sang recently got recalled, but only on an emergency basis thanks to two injuries. He immediately did everything in his power to prove that he deserves a regular spot in the lineup against the Blues. Not only did Ho-Sang score a goal, but he had an overall solid game. If the Islanders want to produce as much as possible, their at times frustrating but undeniably talented forward is a necessary component to their roster.

2. Spread the Scoring

What’s the first player that comes to mind when you think of the New York Islanders? Obviously, it’s their captain John Tavares. While there’s nothing wrong with having a star player, a team can’t rely on him alone.

There needs to be a balance between Tavares and the other players. Brock Nelson, Andrew Ladd, Casey Cizikas, and Jason Chimera are both examples of talented players scattered across the roster that don’t produce as much as they are capable of.

No team can survive solely on the play of one player. The Pittsburgh Penguins are more than just Sidney Crosby. Players such as Evgeni Malkin, Phil Kessel, and Matt Murray have been consistent for them when necessary, and that’s why they’ve been a winning franchise.

If the Islanders want to rely on their offensive ability, they’ll need to make sure they’re getting the most out of every player.

3. Defensive Consistency

The Islanders don’t have a poor defense. They simply don’t have any consistency to it. In a game such as the one against the St. Louis Blues, which they won 5-2, they played a full hockey game. However, there are nights when the defense lets players slip by them easily.

Next: 3 Bold Predictions For The Islanders

The main problem here seems to be a lack of energy that the Islanders carry with them from game to game. It’s hindering them from bringing their all, which they’ll need to do if they want to make it in the modern-day NHL. Their consistency issues on the blue line have to be addressed if the Islaners want to make any noise in the postseason.

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