Simon Holmstrom’s Fit on Islanders Unclear – Hockey Writers – New York Islanders

The New York Islanders selected Simon Holmstrom with the 23rd pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, meaning his first five years with the organization are over. He is a winger with a powerful shot and strong defensive sense, and has shown moments of brilliance during his NHL career. At 23 years old, time is running out for him to realize his potential and his path to a top six role becomes more challenging due to the uncertainty of his place in the lineup. Given his performance thus far, what should be his short-term and long-term expectations on Long Island?

Holmstrom’s Short Term Future

Holmstrom recently signed a one-year contract with the Islanders that will also lead to him being granted free agency next season. While the temporary deal was obvious, it confirmed what fans already knew: the team needed more time to evaluate his skills.

In 75 games last season, Holmstrom scored 15 goals and 25 points, including five shutouts, second most in the league (behind Travis Konecny’s six). However, most of his goals came from short range, which led to him going without scoring a goal.

One of Holmstrom’s biggest challenges last season was his consistent lineup placement. Although he was a regular on the penalty kill, he struggled to find chemistry in the forward line. He logged more than 100 minutes in four different lineup combinations, more than any other Islander last season, and never spent more than 155 minutes with any one lineup combination.

Holmstrom has done very well alongside Jean-Gabriel Pageau, possibly due to their partnership on the penalty kill, so they may play together again this season. However, the identity of the third co-star is not yet confirmed, as there are three strong contenders for the role.

Holmstrom Line Candidates for 2024-25

The first candidate is Anders Lee. The Islanders captain may have lost his role along with Matt Barzal and Bo Horvat with the signing of Anthony Duclair. For a team in need of deep goaltending, Lee, who once scored 40 goals, would make a lot of sense.

Last season, Lee spent 30 minutes playing next to Pageau and Holmstrom, achieving a 54.2% expected goals percentage (xG%) according to MoneyPuck. Although he may be the weakest skater in the line, this is normal for him, and his shooting ability can be a valuable addition to the team’s third line.

The second candidate is Pierre Engvall. Last season, he only played 19 minutes with Pageau and Holmstrom, but the trio had a 58.8 xG%. All three are strong skaters and struggled with consistency last season due to a lack of consistent partners, so combining three “misfits” could work.

Additionally, when Pageau and Holmstrom played alongside Julien Gauthier, one of the fastest skaters in the NHL, there was an incredible amount of speed and style that the Islanders lacked. Although it can be dangerous, combining these three fast people can work.

A third candidate is the 2024 offseason addition, Maxim Tsyplakov. The highly-coveted Russian winger signed with the Islanders amid interest from around the league. He is a top player with a strong shot and is likely to play a role in the team’s middle six. He will provide the offensive spark that Pageau and Holmstrom will benefit from playing off each other, making him an interesting candidate for the role.

Holmstrom’s Long-Term Future

The biggest question about Holmstrom is his long-term fitness. As a left winger with a strong two-way game, he will stick around in the NHL for a while, but how high is his upside? He’s a very good shooter and has produced in the NHL already, but his improved metrics and the second half of the 2023-24 season are concerning.

This season will be crucial in evaluating Holmstrom’s future, but it is true that he is unlikely to carve out a full-time role in the Islanders’ Top 6 again. Many forwards are being signed long term to allow him to be given more ice time, and there are many opportunities in the pipeline that provide upside. Of course, a strong 2024-25 season will put that belief to rest, but given his track record, he may be in for a long NHL career in the team’s bottom six and penalty kill units.

Once the season starts, keep an eye on how head coach Patrick Roy uses Holmstrom in the lineup. He can play any of the nine, which will show how the Islanders management views him. Given his age, this may be his last chance to prove he’s more than just a bottom-six, two-way winner, so it’s now or never.