With all eyes on the Islanders' lineup selection, here's what's known about the forward group ahead of October 10th.
- Anthony Duclair, Bo Horvat and Mathieu Barzal will make up the top line for the opening game.
- Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri will make up two-thirds of the second line.
- Anders Lee and Jean-Gabriel Pageau will make up two-thirds of the third line.
- Casey Cizikas and Kyle McLean will make up two-thirds of the fourth line.
- And Simon Holmstrom's slot will be the first domino to fall that will determine where everyone else ends up.
The last of these is the only surprise, as few would have predicted 10 days ago that the Islanders would be centered around Holmstrom, as opposed to Maxim Tsyplakov, who entered camp as a near unknown. It would be.
Now, while Tsyplakov has yet to practice or play a preseason game with the line of NHLers heading into Friday's game against the Devils at UBS Arena, the first crack at completing the second line It was Holmstrom who put it in.
Holmstrom was skating in a non-game group Friday morning when he was shuffled to the third row along with Pageau and Lee and replaced by Pierre Engvall.
This is unlikely to be the last configuration Patrick Roy attempts, but it still looks like Holmstrom, who has looked like a member of the bottom six for much of his time in the league thus far, has a shot at a top-six spot. It shows that. If only he could grab a table.
Since being called up in November 2022, Holmstrom has been impressed by his defensive awareness but frustrated by his lack of aggression with the puck on his stick.
The Islanders asked him to take more shots, hoping that over time his confidence would mesh with his ability.
“He's got a little more confidence in his decision-making and that frees you up to make decisions and play faster,” Kyle Palmieri told the Post on Friday. “I think he's done a good job of getting into scoring position. I think he had some chances last night. He's a big guy and has really long reach. For players with long reach, it's a tight spot. He has good hands and sees the ice well, although he can be difficult to lock in at times.
“The biggest thing I've noticed is he's playing faster, making decisions faster. That's the growth of a young player in the game and adapting to different spots in the lineup, sometimes I think it's just trying and running — not overdoing it, but overanalyzing some things. I think he's calmed down and is getting a little bit more comfortable in his decision-making.”
There's no need to worry about Holmstrom starting the season on the third or fourth line.
However, the Islanders are looking for a player who can grab a top-six spot.
Engvall has skated a lot with Nelson and Palmieri. We all know what this trio can do together, for better or worse.
That probably represents a comfortable option for Holmstrom and for everyone else.
“Now we're playing [Holmstrom] on the right [with Pageau and Lee]I think that's his natural position,” Roy said. “He's been playing minor hockey since he was young and playing off wing growing up. So I think that's going to help him get rid of his breakouts so he can focus on playing.” I think you'll be able to see the ice on the other side better.”
But the Islanders are in a position where it makes sense to take the risk if someone can get them there — Engvall ended up losing his second-line spot a year ago due to inconsistent play. I lost it.
At this point, Holmstrom still looks like the best player to do that.
“I think he's a confident player. I think he just needs to trust his instincts a little more and he put that into practice even more this year,” Palmieri said. “He's still young, and I think he's going to continue to get better. The growth curve itself is different for each player, but I saw him continuing to grow and become a player who would have an impact on the team. ”
