4 New York Islanders Combinations That Will Make or Break 2024-25 – Hockey Writers – New York Islanders

Everyone knows that Mathew Barzal and Bo Horvat’s connection is crucial to the success of the New York Islanders. If they struggle, the whole group falls apart. Conversely, when Barzal and Horvat are firing on all cylinders, the Islanders are a playoff team. It goes without saying that they are the combination that makes or breaks a season.

Related: Islanders’ Pelech & Pulock Will Be On The Trade Block If They Don’t Improve This Season

What about other links? Which are also important to the success of the Islanders, albeit on a smaller scale? Sure, the roster looks familiar from previous seasons, but the key players have changed. For example, the defensive pairing of Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock has strengthened the defense in past seasons, yet the duo is no longer as important. Instead, there are connections that have taken their place, but first, let’s get into the middle of the most important duo.

Barzal-Horvat

They carried the offense last season and created a dynamic top line for the Islanders. Barzal rounded out his game as a dynamic playmaker and lethal shooter on the wing to become an All-Star and the team’s scoring leader. Horvat, on the other hand, found his rhythm after struggling in the second half of the 2022-23 season and became the goal scorer he hoped to find when the Islanders acquired him during the 2023 All-Star Break.

Barzal and Horvat combined for 56 goals and 92 assists, while the other offense scored just 245 goals and 410 assists. It doesn’t take a mathematician to see that they contributed 20-25% of the Islanders offensive production. In a very tough schedule, they were the stars in taking the Islanders to the playoffs.

The Islanders once again lack scoring depth, and this issue will hurt them throughout the upcoming season. The Barzal-Horvat connection is the key to success. Even with Anthony Duclair as a partner, these two should put together an impressive season and get the program back to the playoffs.

Dobson-Romanov

The new duo will determine how well the Islanders defense plays. Sure, Noah Dobson and Alexander Romanov might not be on the ice all the time, and splitting them up could be good as it gives the unit more depth. However, they are small players who slide down the floor to build defenses and will continue to move forward.

Dobson proved to be the Islanders best two-way player last season and one of the best in the NHL. He scored 10 goals and 60 assists and topped the defensive end of the ice with 4.5 defensive points and 180 blocked shots while averaging a career-high 24:31 ice time. Romanov won’t open the offense from the same spot as Dobson, but the way he’s grown on the defensive end, honoring his speed and forechecking ability, has turned him into an elite defender.

If the Islanders hope to be good at the defensive end of the ice, something they were last season, allowing 3.15 goals per game, starting with the Dobson-Romanov tandem. Sure, they won’t do it all and they’ll need help from a healthy Pelech, Pulock, and Scott Mayfield, but they’ll play important roles and likely work as a top pairing.

Sorokin-Varlamov

This is not a snow connection, but it is undoubtedly the most important thing for Islanders. It’s easy to forget that Ilya Sorokin and Semyon Varlamov are the two forwards the Islanders are looking for in the playoffs in 2022-23. The lineup around them struggled, but they dominated the net and allowed the team to sneak in. The goalkeeping results of last season leave a bad final impression.

Sorokin is a world-class goaltender, and when he plays at a high level, he will shut down any offense. He thus became a finalist for the Vezina Trophy after the 2022-23 season, finishing second only to Linus Ullmark. Last season he showed his limits, which the Islanders must always think about going forward. If he is overworked, he will be a liability in the net. This is where having Varlamov as a reliable backup goes a long way.

It helps that the Islanders have Patrick Roy as their coach. As a Hall of Fame goalie, he understands that when a top goalie needs a rest, he’ll be able to use the duo to his advantage. This depends on both goalkeepers playing well and showing that they can still carry the team. Sorokin must prove that last season he was the best, while Varlamov, who is 36 years old, must continue to put together strong performances. If that happens, there is a world where this team finishes near the top of the Eastern Conference.

Nelson-Palmieri

Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri’s connection goes unnoticed, but it is important. It doesn’t stand out because Nelson has shown in recent seasons that he can be successful regardless of who is on his line, as he makes everyone on the ice better. Regardless, having a goal scorer in Palmieri on his side goes a long way.

Nelson is the leading scorer and the Islanders’ leading scorer, scoring 34 or more goals in each of the past three seasons. At the same time, he is also a good passer, stopping his teammates from the second line position in the center. That’s where Palmieri came in, who emerged as one of the Islanders’ top scorers with 30 goals. This team relied on two strong forward lines to carry the offense last season. Assuming Barzal and Horvat do their part on the top line, Nelson and Palmieri must do the same on the second line.

Some Combinations That Will Determine the Islanders’ Season

The Islanders signed Duclair in the hopes that he will add a spark to the top six. Whether he plays on the top line with Barzal and Horvat or moves to the second line to play next to Nelson, he has to step up and step up the offense. The chemistry he will create with his teammates will be very important to the success of the Islanders.

The third line connection that Jean-Gabriel Pageau makes with Anders Lee, in particular, will also be important. Even with both skaters on the decline, Pageau is still a passer, and Lee is a finisher, and that combination adds much-needed depth to the offense.

Is there a combination we missed that will be critical to the Islanders’ success next season? Let us know in the comment section below!