Islanders Finalize Forward Lines Ahead of Season Opener

The Islanders had one last question concerning their forward lines: who to pair with Casey Cizikas? Based on the preseason finale this past Saturday, it seems that has been resolved.

Earlier in the day, the Islanders waived Mitchell Chaffee, and had Ondrej Palat and Anthony Duclair on their roster for the game against the Devils.

The 11-forward, 7-defenseman setup against New Jersey led to some mixed line combinations. However, it looks like Palat and Duclair will join Cizikas on the fourth line for Wednesday’s game in Toronto, with Kyle MacLean likely serving as the extra forward.

Now, the trio of Cizikas, Duclair, and Palat doesn’t appear to be an obvious match. Cizikas is known for his straight-line play, whereas Duclair is a speedy winger who emphasizes skill. Palat, at 35, is still trying to rediscover the effectiveness he once had during the Lightning’s championship runs.

“We each bring something unique to the lineup, which is nice,” Cizikas mentioned before the game’s exhibition. “Communication is key, as is understanding each other’s games.”

Coach Pete DeBoer hopes this fourth line can provide the secondary scoring that the Islanders missed last season. Duclair hasn’t consistently found the net since arriving in 2024, but he has a track record of scoring 20 goals in seasons past, and the team is eager to tap into that potential.

“He has a knack for getting to the net and is very smooth with the puck,” Cizikas said. “We’ll do what we can to set him up and create scoring opportunities for him.”

In that recent preseason finale, the Islanders utilized 11 forwards and seven defensemen, opting to rest Matthew Schaefer (upper body) and Brayden Schenn (lower body) due to minor injuries, as per DeBoer. He indicated that neither injury is expected to be an issue for Wednesday’s game, as their absence was merely precautionary.

DeBoer described Mathew Barzal (with a left kneecap issue) as day-to-day, but he refrained from confirming whether Barzal is currently skating.

Prior to Saturday’s match, the Islanders made several roster cuts, sending Alex Jefferies, Josh Kotai, Daniil Prokhorov, Matthew Highmore, and Marshall Warren to AHL Hamilton. They also put Chaffee, Pierre Engvall, Liam Foudy, Daylan Kuefler, and Matt Luff on waivers. With Engvall now in Hamilton, his $3 million cap hit will decrease to $1.775 million.