Islanders’ Mark Gatcomb Proves His Worth

DETROIT — Mark Gatcomb made his return to the Islanders’ roster recently for the first time since Game 2 of the season, and it initially seemed like it would be a short stay.

After all, Gatcomb had spent a lot of this year in the AHL. He was brought back into the mix to fill in for Jonathan Drouin, who was alongside Kyle Palmieri and Jean-Gabriel Pageau. It felt like a quick fix for the Islanders’ forward lineup.

As it turns out, Drouin and Pageau did return, but then Beau Horvat got injured. And now, Gatcomb appears to have solidified his spot.

He has effectively made it challenging for Patrick Roy to shift him out of the lineup, resulting in Max Tsyplakov becoming a healthy scratch. Since Gatcomb joined Casey Cizikas and Kyle MacLean on the fourth line, that trio has shown impressive chemistry, making it hard for Roy to do without them.

“He’s taking advantage of the opportunities he’s been given,” Roy commented after Gatcomb netted his only goal of the season against Las Vegas last week. “Matthew [Darche] and I have both emphasized that it’s not about who you are. If someone plays better, they stay.”

Gatcomb plays with a relentless style, racking up 39 hits over just seven games. This approach has been beneficial for the fourth line, and maybe even for this specific grouping.

The combination of Cizikas, Gatcomb, and MacLean shows a promising expected goal percentage of 60.05 across six games. Sure, it’s a small sample size, yet it’s something the Islanders can’t afford to overlook right now.

“I think we just stick to the same mindset we had before,” Gatcomb said. “I just came in and I’m working hard every day. I’m doing my best to support the guys. I feel like Casey, Mac, and I are gelling well, so we’ll keep building that chemistry.”

By the way, team statistician Eric Hornig noted that the Islanders have earned 12 points in December so far, surpassing their total of 11 from December last year. They’ve also accumulated more points (86) in the 2024 calendar year and are on track to reach 88 in 2025.

The Islanders kicked off their matchup against the Red Wings strong, winning the first two games 7-2 and 5-0. A win this season would mark their first victory over Detroit since the 2019-20 season.