New York Islanders need more star power if they are to reach mountain top

More star power is needed if the New York Islanders are to reach the mountain top.

There is a revival in full flow on Long Island right now and, as a result, the New York Islanders can consider themselves full-blown Stanley Cup contenders.

Thanks to the sustained brilliance of General Manager Lou Lamoriello and the X’s and O’s prowess of Head Coach Barry Trotz, the Islanders are a legitimate force in the National Hockey League once again.

Since the dynamic and vastly experienced duo of Lamoriello and Trotz joined forces in what has proved to be a dream partnership, the Islanders have taken steps towards becoming a model franchise once again on and off the ice.

More from Puck Prose

No longer a laughing stock in one of the biggest sports markets in the world, if not the biggest, the Isles reached the Eastern Conference Final in 2019-20 while they are getting ready to move into a new state-of-the-art arena at Belmont.

Now a competitive outfit on the ice and a respectable organization off the ice that is building something special, everything is coming up roses for the Islanders (apart from those Retro Reverse Jerseys) and their long-suffering fans are dreaming of a return to the glory days.

However, while this team as it is currently constituted can certainly go 10 or 12 rounds with every team in the NHL, they lack the star power and the firepower needed to deliver that final knockout punch when it really matters.

Yes, they have Mathew Barzal who is a star on the rise in his own right and is coming off three straight seasons with 60 plus points, while the likes of Anders Lee and Jordan Eberle are reliable offensive contributors too.

The New York Islanders did also trade for Detroit Red Wings forward Dmytro Timashov for future considerations – is this baseball now?! – on Friday, but the Russian is likely to be a depth player rather than a staple of the top six.

But, it is well known that stars hardly thrive and flourish in General Manager Lou Lamoriello’s rigid and structured ecosystem, while the likes of Mat Barzal have to sacrifice a chunk of their natural flair for the good of the team in order to succeed in Barry Trotz’s defense-heavy and team-orientated system.

As a direct result, the Islanders severely lack in firepower and they also lack in players that have the ability to change the tide of a game with a single slice of brilliance.

Barzal can’t do it all on his own, after all.

There is a reason the New York Islanders ranked ninth in Goals Against Per Game (2.79) during the 2019-20 regular season but 22nd in Goals For Per Game (2.78).

They rely on great goaltending from a reliable tandem and a blueline that plays as a meat-and-potatoes brand of hockey as you could possibly imagine, it is smash mouth hockey basically and that limits this team’s creativity greatly.

Playing stingy defense is great and that is a crucial ingredient in championship success, but so are goals and the Islanders just don’t light the lamp enough.

I mean, Barzal has gone from an 85-point scorer in 2017-18 to 62 and 60 points in 2018-19 and 2019-20 respectively, while Lee has also seen a decline in his offensive output since Trotz was hired as Head Coach.

Therefore, the Islanders could really do with adding another potent and naturally-talented forward to this core if they want to take that next big leap.

Vegas Golden Knights forward Max Pacioretty, who has scored 30 or more goals six times throughout his lengthy career, is on the trade block according to multiple reports and he would be a perfect fit on Barzal’s line.

Now, granted, Pacioretty is earning a hefty $7 million per year through the 2022-23 season and the Islanders front office would have to work some serious cap sorcery in order to pull off that particular trade.

There are cheaper options out there, however, considering that the New York Islanders currently only have $3,905,833 in cap space according to CapFriendly and they still need to sign RFA Mat Barzal to a new deal.

But Mike Hoffman, who is one of the deadliest snipers in the NHL, is still a Free Agent and would likely consider a team-friendly one-year deal, while UFA winger Anthony Duclair could probably be had for a cheap price despite the fact that he is coming off a career-year in 2019-20 with 40 points (23 G, 17 A) in 66 games for the Ottawa Senators.

There are options out there for the Islanders, basically, and while Pacioretty would be the dream option, both Hoffman and Duclair would be able to come in and fill a key role in the top-six for a team that is right on the cusp.

The good news is that the offense did come alive in the 2019-20 Stanley Cup Playoffs, averaging 3.00 Goals For Per Game, but another potent weapon would push them over the top.

All the New York Islanders need is perhaps one more final piece to help spark their sluggish offense into life and give Mathew Barzal a legit running mate and, if they can accomplish that mission, then it is feasible to predict that they could well haul themselves up that mountain and win the franchise’s first Stanley Cup since 1983.

Add us as a preferred source on Google