Pierre Engbal's return to the Islanders' second line along with Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri for the first time since last April does more than throw a potential life raft to a player whose season is completely over.
That also goes for the Islanders' looming cap crisis once Anthony Duclair and Mathew Barzal get healthy and come off long-term injured reserve.
Each time that happens, and Barzal is sidelined with an upper-body injury and has yet to start skating, it would likely extend beyond the original four-to-six week schedule, but the Islanders will be responsible for about $3.3 million from the nationals. need to. Book.
If they send Engvar, the task will be much easier. If he stays in Bridgeport, that cap hit increases from $3 million to $1.85 million.
In other words, even if the Swede doesn't make the lineup, he'll still get time in the NHL. And he won't have a better chance than the one Patrick Roy gave him Thursday against the Kraken. The chance to go from healthy to top-six means the Islanders hope this sparks Engvall more than anything he's gotten in his play. .
“I spoke to him clearly this morning,” Roy said. “…And I said I want him to be around the net. I want him to lead that net. He played great against Vancouver, against Seattle, against Calgary. [in mid-November] — That's the player I want on my team. I was very clear about what I wanted.
“I want to give him a fair chance there, and it's in his hands.”
Engvall's best hockey players as an Islander have generally been Nelson and Palmieri, and the trio developed a strong bond after the Isles traded Engvall in March 2023. But the reunion is not without risks.
Max Tsyplakov has been moved to the third row in response, marking the second time this season that the Russian has been separated from Nelson and Palmieri.
According to Natural Stat Trick, the trio was not involved in any dangerous chances in Tuesday's loss to Montreal, but their expected goal percentage was a whopping 60.8 percent, making them by some margin. This is the Islanders' best line this season.
“Our line hasn't been very good offensively the last few games,” Tsiplakov told the Post. “More emotion, more power, new games. Let's take a look.”
The prospect of a checking line centered around Tsyplakov and Jean-Gabriel Pageau, who played with Oliver Wahlstrom on Thursday, makes some sense on paper and all the chess pieces being moved for the Islanders right now. The reason for this is to create more lineup options. Once the team is healthy.
Still, splitting the best offensive line isn't an easy prospect for a team whose main challenge is consistently generating offense.
Canadians at the beginning of the week. Getty Images
It will put an even greater burden on Engvall, whose consistency has fluctuated like a sine wave throughout his time with the Islanders.
“I think Pierre knows how much of an impact he can have on the team,” Palmieri told the Post. “He's shown it before. It's not as smooth sailing as everyone expects. Players go through things in their careers that make them better in the long run. , I wonder what happened to Pierre at the beginning of the season. [getting sent down]I think this little stretch here is really about simplifying his game and believing in himself. We all know what kind of impact he can have and what kind of player he is. ”
A better way to put it might be that we all know what kind of player he can be — there aren't many 6-foot-5 wingers who can skate like Engvall.
what kind of player is he? Roy is not at all convinced and Engvall will have to provide some evidence to the head coach sooner or later.
