Welcome to the second version of the New York Islanders Inventory Market, a sequence devoted to analyzing the latest efficiency of all issues associated to the Islanders, together with gamers, coaches, administration, prospects, and extra. Whereas a single sport can drastically influence a participant’s outlook, this sequence will depend on extra significant pattern sizes to kind well-rounded evaluations.
Because the first version of the New York Islanders Inventory Market report, the Isles have performed 10 video games, going 4-5-1. The workforce has endured powerful losses, staged spectacular comebacks, and handled impactful accidents. With a large portion of the season now behind them, which gamers are trending up, and that are trending down?
Up – Kyle Palmieri
Kyle Palmieri has continued his dominance for the Islanders, main the workforce in objectives (6) and factors (12), whereas sitting second in assists (7), fourth in objectives share (57.14 G%), and fourth in anticipated objectives share (62.30 xG%). He has 9 factors, together with 4 objectives, in his previous 9 video games and continues to drive offense via his excessive hockey IQ, play-driving capability, and power across the web.
Associated: NY Islanders Inventory Market: Duclair, Eiserman, Sorokin & Extra
Palmieri has stepped up at a time when the Islanders are lacking Mat Barzal and Anthony Duclair, two first-liners, to accidents. Palmieri has performed solely alongside Maxim Tsyplakov and Brock Nelson to start the season, and the trio has a 60.5 xG%, the seventh greatest within the NHL, and a 62.5 G%, the thirteenth greatest (min. 150 minutes). Whereas Tsyplakov and Nelson have performed an element, the road has relied on Palmieri greater than anybody to start the season. With Palmieri set to hit free company following this season, he’s rapidly including money to his future paychecks.
Down – Noah Dobson
Whereas his superior analytics aren’t dangerous, Noah Dobson has tremendously struggled to start the season. He scored 70 factors (10 objectives and 60 assists) final season however has simply six factors, all assists, via 15 video games this season. As properly, simply two of his assists have come at even power and three of his assists have been secondary. Within the 5 video games since Barzal received harm, Dobson is the one participant to have performed every sport and recorded zero factors. For an offensive defenseman, there was minimal offense.
On the opposite facet of the ice, Dobson is as much as 11 giveaways on the season together with eight within the defensive zone. He has been weak across the web, permitting the opposition to simply set up management of the high-danger areas. Whereas he has averaged over 25 minutes per sport because of the pile-up of defensive accidents, his play has underwhelmed this complete season.
Up – Isaiah George
Not a reputation many anticipated to hitch this listing is Isaiah George. The 20-year-old defenseman made his skilled debut with the Bridgeport Islanders this season and had simply 4 video games within the American Hockey League (AHL) earlier than getting referred to as up. With the accidents to the left facet of the protection and head coach Patrick Roy’s frustrations with Samuel Bolduc, George was given an opportunity.
Associated: Islanders’ Isaiah George First “Isaiah” in NHL Historical past
Over three video games, George has recorded a 51.5 xG%, the third highest amongst Islanders defensemen. He had carried out this whereas averaging over 21 minutes per sport, together with latest outings with ice instances of 23:59 and 24:07. He has been fast, aggressive, and sensible with the puck. After all, there have been errors, however for a 20-year-old to have lower than a handful {of professional} video games beneath his belt to hitch an NHL workforce’s high defensive pairing and have such a profound influence is extremely promising.
Down – Bridgeport Islanders
The Bridgeport Islanders proceed to wrestle. They’re all the way down to a 2-8-1-1 file and sit second-to-last within the AHL standings. They’ve conceded 48 objectives, probably the most within the league, and proceed to blow multi-goal leads, identical to their NHL counterpart. It isn’t like they will excuse the defensive struggles to dropping George, Grant Hutton, and Dennis Cholowski to call-ups, both, as these points have existed all season.
Up – Quinn Finley
The Islanders’ prospect pool has had minimal pleasure for years, however that has modified this season, and never for the explanation you suppose. College of Wisconsin sophomore and Islanders 2022 third-round choose, Quinn Finley, is as much as seven objectives and 10 factors via 10 video games this season. He at present leads the workforce in each objectives and factors and sits second in NCAA goal-scoring leaders amongst these aged 20 or youthful.
THIS. KID. 🤩
SEVENTH objective of the season for Finley (@QuinnFinley2)!
🍎: Ben Dexheimer & Gavin Morrissey pic.twitter.com/moMKx7dpwq
— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey) November 10, 2024
Finley has discovered the again of the online at each even power and the facility play and has produced relentless high-danger possibilities. Whereas 2024 first-round choose, Cole Eiserman, has been hailed as the way forward for goal-scoring on Lengthy Island, Finley is rapidly proving he will be an elite sniper, too.
Down – Casey Cizikas
Casey Cizikas has struggled to start the 2024-25 season, managing just one objective and one help over 15 video games. His 16.7 G% and 27% xG% rank among the many backside 5 NHL forwards with over 150 minutes of ice time. It isn’t like he’s retaining the puck out of his personal web, both, as he owns a minus-6 score—the second-worst on the Islanders.
Following Jean-Gabriel Pageau’s promotion to the highest line, Cizikas was moved to middle the third line with Pierre Engvall and Simon Holmstrom, however the trio has posted a 32.6 xG%, been outshot 53-40 over 46 minutes collectively, and leads the workforce in pictures makes an attempt in opposition to per 60 minutes with 68.12 (min. 40 minutes). Cizikas is holding again an already struggling bottom-six, and the Islanders want extra from the veteran earlier than it’s too late.
Up – Anders Lee & Jean-Gabriel Pageau
With Duclair and Barzal injured, Pageau and Anders Lee have earned spots within the high six and made the many of the alternative. In 5 video games with Bo Horvat, the trio has posted a 53.6 xG%, a 66.7 G%, and mixed for 4 Islanders objectives. They’re producing 2.77 anticipated objectives per 60 minutes, akin to the second line of Tsyplakov, Nelson, and Palmieri. Whereas the pattern measurement is small, it seems the Islanders have discovered a strategy to get manufacturing from two gamers who had been struggling to contribute offensively.
Down – Mat Barzal
Barzal was inching his method towards this listing earlier than his damage, and the four-to-six-week timeline for his damage confirms this placement. The 27-year-old’s 5 factors in 10 video games had been disappointing, and Horvat’s success with out Barzal has raised the query of who the true offensive weapon is among the many Islanders’ high forwards. It’s laborious to scrutinize a participant whereas they’re injured, however the workforce’s success in his absence will solely drive narratives till he returns and proves his value.
Up – Scott Mayfield
After a disastrous 2023-24 season, Scott Mayfield has begun his 2024-25 marketing campaign on a formidable word. He has eaten further ice time amid the defensive accidents and owns a 63.2 G% at even power, probably the most amongst Islanders defensemen. His 47.5 xG% isn’t excellent however nonetheless an enchancment from prior seasons, and he has managed to remain out of the penalty field with simply three minor penalties up to now. Mayfield’s early resurgence might not have him on the stage followers want for, however his defensive stability has instilled confidence in a participant who desperately wanted a bounce-back season.
Down – Adam Pelech
One other season, one other long-term damage to Adam Pelech. After all, sustaining a jaw damage from a shot isn’t solely his fault, however the fixed development of lacking prolonged intervals with accidents is. The 30-year-old has by no means performed all 82 video games in an NHL season and has performed greater than 61 video games simply as soon as previously 5 seasons. The Islanders want him on the ice, so if he has to put on a helmet cage to remain wholesome, so be it.
