New York Islanders: 3 key players for next season
With the shocking departure of their captain, the New York Islanders will be looking to their veterans to fill in the void.
The New York Islanders had a busy offseason, signing a lot of new players to shiny contracts, including Robin Lehner, Leo Komarov, Matt Martin, Jan Kovar, and Valtteri Filppula. Their management also underwent massive change, hiring Lou Lamoriello and Barry Trotz and firing Garth Snow and Doug Weight.
However, the biggest story is how they lost their captain John Tavares to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Losing such a big player is a huge blow for them. If they want to move on, the Islanders will need these three players to step up and fill in the void.
3. Anders Lee
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With Calvin de Haan leaving as well, the Islanders will be trying to really capitalize on their only strength – offense. Anders Lee finished last season with a career-high 40 goals and will be expected to get near those totals again.
Obviously losing a linemate like Tavares will affect his totals (and his shooting percentage was above 19 percent), but according to Daily Faceoff, he will play on the left wing with rookie phenom, Mathew Barzal. Barzal is a great playmaker and with a strong finisher like Lee, they will be a formidable offensive duo.
Last season, the Islanders had the sixth best power play in the league, in large part due to Lee. He led the team with 14 power play goals and on such an offensive-minded team like the Islanders, Lee is a key part of their team.
2. Robin Lehner
For years, the Islanders have had spotty goaltending and it is a big reason for their inconsistent success. Thomas Greiss had a horrible season, so Lamoriello brought Robin Lehner into the fold to try and add some competition for the number one goalie spot. It seems that they will start the season as a tandem, but once one of them starts to distance from the other, they will get the bigger workload.
Last season, Lehner had a .908 save percentage and a 14-26-9 record with the Sabres. This upcoming season is especially important for Lehner, as he will be a UFA and he’s playing for a contract.
Both the competition for the top spot and the looming UFA year will hopefully give Lehner some added motivation to perform well.
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1. Mathew Barzal
In his Calder-winning rookie season, he recorded 85 points (22 goals and 63 assists) and lead the Islanders and all rookies in that department. He spent last season on the second line, dealing with the lesser matchups (thanks to Tavares). With Tavares gone, he is the uncontested first line center, as well as the new face of the franchise. The way he deals with all the new added responsibility will be crucial for the Islanders’ success.