New York Islanders 2022-23 Season Preview

The New York Islanders are set to kick off the 2022-23 season on
Thursday night against the Florida Panthers at UBS Arena
.
This year's Islanders squad looks a lot like last year's squad, with the team returning 14 forwards who played at least 30 games last season, six defensemen who played at least 20 games and both goaltenders.

The biggest change - aside from
acquiring defenseman
Alexander Romanov from Montreal and signing Nikita Soshnikov
from the KHL
- was behind the bench, as Lane Lambert moves
from Associate Coach to Head Coach
. The Islanders are hoping that a change in voice and tweak in style can vault the team back to playoffs after making back-to-back appearances in the third round in 2020 and 2021.
While there are a lot of familiar faces, NewYorkIslanders.com is breaking down the roster ahead of Thursday's opener.

FORWARDS:

Josh Bailey
The longest-tenured Islander returns for his 15th NHL season. Last season, Bailey was fifth on the Islanders in scoring, with 44 points (14G, 30A) in 74 games. Bailey showed off his playmaking abilities in the preseason, scoring five points in four preseason games to lead the team. He primarily played alongside Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Kieffer Bellows.
The 33-year-old is projected to become just the fourth Islander to play 1000 games with the team this year. Bailey is just seven games shy of the milestone.
Mathew Barzal
Mathew Barzal returns for his sixth full season with the Islanders. Barzal has led or co-led the Islanders in scoring each of his five years on the team, scoring 59 points (15G, 44A) in 2021-22. Barzal, who is entering the last year of a three-year deal,
inked an eight-year extension
to remain with the team last week.
Barzal scored three points (2G, 1A) in four preseason games, and looked active and dynamic on the ice. The 25-year-old spent most of preseason playing alongside Zach Parise and Kyle Palmieri and looks poised to have a strong offensive season in Head Coach Lane Lambert's more aggressive system.

Anthony Beauvillier
Anthony Beauvillier is gearing up for his seventh season with the Islanders. In 2021-22, Beauvillier scored 34 points (12G, 22A) in 75 games, working as the third leg of a line with Anders Lee and Brock Nelson that got hot down the stretch.
In training camp, Beauvillier's been adding new elements to his game, including getting work on the penalty kill in the preseason. The speedy winger played primarily with Lee and Nelson in preseason, after they formed a successful combination last year.
Kieffer Bellows
The 2016 first-round pick (19th overall) is coming off a career-year with 19 points (6G, 13A) in 45 games last season. Bellows came into his own down the stretch, kept that momentum going through IIHF World Championships in May and inked a one-year deal in August.
Now, after a full preseason skating alongside Bailey and Pageau, Bellows looks poised to make the jump and become a strong power forward. Bellows had three points (1G, 2A) in four preseason games and has added a physical element.
Casey Cizikas
Cizikas returns for his 12th season with the Islanders. Cizikas won 55.6 percent of his faceoffs last year and averaged 1:50 SH TOI/GP in 2021-22, and will be one of Lambert's primary options at the dot and on the kill this season. In the preseason, Cizikas showed off his penalty-killing skill with an impressive shorthanded goal against the Flyers.
Cal Clutterbuck - IR
Clutterbuck returns to the Islanders after signing a two-year deal to remain with the team in the spring. Clutterbuck is entering his 16th season in the NHL and 10th with the Islanders. He plays physically, finishing second on the team with 229 hits, and averaged the most shorthanded ice time of any Islander forward with 2:00 per game. Clutterbuck is injured to start the season
but is expected to return early in the year
.

Ross Johnston
Johnston tied a career high, playing 32 games last year and set a new career high in points with seven (2G, 5A). With Clutterbuck out to begin the year, Johnston is a potential alternative, as he is a physical player, with 90 hits last season. He scored a goal against the Devils on a net front deflection in the preseason.
Anders Lee
The Islanders' captain scored 46 points (28G, 18A) last season, and scored his first career hat trick against Columbus on March 10. Lee found chemistry with Brock Nelson late in the year, and was a big part of the Islanders' 12th ranked power play last year. In preseason this year, Lee has been skating with Nelson and Beauvillier, to recreate the chemistry they built last year over the full season.
Matt Martin
Martin returns for his 14th NHL season and his 12th with the Islanders. Martin, the third member of the Identity Line, led the Islanders in hits last season with 235. Martin is currently 10th on the Islanders games played list with 685 and could move as high as seventh on the Islanders' list this year. Martin, along with Cizikas and Clutterbuck, form the Islanders' longtime Identity Line, but with Clutterbuck out to start the year Martin may play with a new linemate.
Brock Nelson
Nelson had the best season of his career last year, smashing his career-high to score 59 points (37G, 22A), tied for the top scoring player on the Islanders with Barzal. Nelson's 17:41 average TOI last season was second among Islander forwards, and he will continue to be heavily used in Lambert's system this year. In preseason, Nelson played primarily with Lee and Beauvillier, who he ended the year with last year.
READ: NELSON AND PARISE CAUSING A RACQUET
Jean-Gabriel Pageau
Pageau is one of the Islanders' most versatile forwards, earning significant minutes at even strength against the opponents' top lines and time on the penalty kill, as well as taking the most faceoffs (1,352 last season). Pageau averaged 17:40 TOI per game last year and added 39 points (18G, 21A). This preseason, Pageau has been skating with new linemates - Bailey and Bellows.

Kyle Palmieri
Palmieri was snake bitten to start last season, but finished strong with 26 points (14G, 12A) in 44 games after the New Year, en route to 33 points (15G, 18A) in 69 games. This year looks to be slotting in on a line with Barzal and Parise. Palmieri has a long history of goal scoring - he scored over 20 goals in five of the last seven seasons.
Zach Parise
Parise was the only Islander to play all 82 games last season. He bounced back after a difficult year in Minnesota, scoring 35 points (15G, 20A) in his first season as an Islander. Parise was trusted in all situations in the preseason, serving as a net-front presence on the power play and being involved in the penalty kill. In preseason, Parise played primarily with Barzal and Palmieri. His forechecking and puck retrieval abilities make him a big asset on that line.
Nikita Soshnikov
Nikita Soshnikov is the newest member of the Islanders, coming over from the KHL after playing his last NHL game in the 2017-18 season. Soshnikov scored a breakaway goal in his first preseason game as an Islander. He brings speed and skill, but also penalty killing and forechecking ability. In the final days of training camp, Soshnikov skated with Martin and Cizikas, so he may be a temporary replacement for Clutterbuck on that line.
7 FACTS: NIKITA SOSHNIKOV
Oliver Wahlstrom
The 2018 first round pick has been dealing with an unspecified injury or illness during camp, which kept him off the ice during the final days of practice. With his shot, Wahlstrom can be a major offensive asset for the Islanders, who are looking to find more offense this season. Wahlstrom scored 24 points (13G, 11A) last year and has a lot of room to break out in Lambert's more aggressive system this year.

DEFENSEMEN AND GOALIES:

While the Islanders forward group remained largely intact, the team underwent changes on the blue line.
Zdeno Chara and
Andy Greene both retired
, opening up a pair of regular spots. The first was filled by Alexander Romanov, who the Islanders acquired from Montreal at the NHL Draft for the 13th overall pick. The second was up for grabs at the start of training camp and will be filled internally with Robin Salo and Sebastian Aho getting the first cracks out of camp.
The Islanders d corps has gotten younger and more mobile, with all seven blueliners between the ages of 22 and 29. The Isles d corps also has a size element, with six of the seven defensemen standing 6'1 or taller. Team defense, and one of the league's best goalie tandems, has been the Isles calling card over the past four seasons and with a lot of familiar faces returning, it should be again in 2022-23.
Adam Pelech
The secret was finally out on Adam Pelech last season, as the defenseman was selected to his
first NHL All-Star Game
. The league learned what the Islanders have known for years, that the 6'3, 210 lbs. defenseman is one of the premier shutdown players, proficient in taking away shooting and passing lanes as well as stripping pucks. Pelech's 49 takeaways last season were tied with Brock Nelson for the team lead.
Pelech averaged 21:17 TOI/GP last season and his 2:18 SH TOI/GP tied Scott Mayfield for the team lead. The 28-year-old also set career-highs last season in assists (25) and points (28), so he's developing the offensive side to his game as well. Paired with Ryan Pulock, Pelech will see plenty of time against top matchups again this season.
Ryan Pulock
Ryan Pulock was limited to 56 games last season, as a lower-body injury snapped the defenseman's 263-game ironman streak in November. Pulock didn't return until February, but finished the season on a four-game point streak.
Overall, Pulock had 21 points (5G, 16A) last season to go along with 130 blocks, which was second on the team overall (his 6.59 blocks/60 ranked first). Pulock will look to crack the 30-point plateau for the first time since 2018-19 when he had accomplished the feat for three straight years. After averaging 21:08 TOI/GP last season, including 1:24 PP/TOI and 1:36 SH/TOI Pulock will once again play crucial minutes in all situations for the Isles.

Noah Dobson
Dobson enters the season after a breakout year in 2021-22, where the defenseman recorded 51 points (13G, 38A), the most by any Isles blueliner since Mark Streit back in 2009.
Dobson has an offensive pedigree, but the 22-year-old also took strides in his defensive game. His 154 blocks led the team, as did his 21:28 TOI/GP. Expect Dobson to play a key role in the Islanders offense, quarterback a power play unit and look to take another step as he enters his fourth season with the team.
Dobson will also have a new partner this season in Alexander Romanov. The two played together throughout the preseason to build chemistry, with Romanov's hard-hitting game expected to compliment Dobson's offensive mindedness and puck-moving ability.
Alexander Romanov
Romanov gives the Islanders some new blood on the blue line, as well as some youth and physical pop. The 22-year-old looked as advertised in the preseason, delivering some big bodychecks, including a big hit on the Rangers' Sammy Blais.
Romanov has been on Long Island since August working on his chemistry with his new teammates and has brought a big personality to the room as well. While he's a more defensively-minded defenseman, he's a smooth skater and could give Dobson a partner with an added offensive dimension.
READ: ROMANOV MAKING POSITIVE IMPRESSION ON ISLES
Scott Mayfield
With the departure of Zdeno Chara, Scott Mayfield enters the season as the Islanders biggest and arguably feistiest defenseman. At 6'5, 220 lbs., Mayfield doesn't shy away from physical play in his own zone, nor is he afraid to drop the gloves. Mayfield is one of the team's top penalty killers, as his 2:18 SH TOI/GP last season tied Pelech for the team lead.
Mayfield's season was cut short last year due to a lower-body injury in late March, but it didn't affect his summer training regimen. Mayfield - who will turn 30 on Friday - did miss a portion of training camp with an illness, but is expected to be ready to go for opening night.
Robin Salo
After a strong training camp, Robin Salo looks to be getting the first shot as the Islanders sixth defenseman. Last year, the Finnish defenseman split his first pro season in North America between Bridgeport (40 games) and the Islanders (21 games). Salo brings a more offensive skillset, which could complement Scott Mayfield's physical and defensive game. He's also a left-shot defenseman, preserving the team's left-right balance alongside the right-shooting Mayfield. Salo saw some power-play time during the preseason and his 12 shots on goal were tied for the team lead.
Sebastian Aho
Aho gives the Islanders another offensively-minded defenseman on the back end, as the Swedish blueliner had 12 points (2G, 10A) in 36 games last season, all career-highs. Aho is a left-shot, giving the Islanders the flexibility to sub him in for Robin Salo, should the young defenseman need to come out of the lineup, while preserving the left-right balance on the Isles three defensive pairs. Lou Lamoriello cited the team's familiarity and comfort level with Aho, as well as his 61 games of NHL experience, as additional benefits.

Ilya Sorokin
Ilya Sorokin took another step forward in his NHL career last season. Tasked with a heavier workload - 52 games - the Russian netminder posted a 26-18-8 record with a 2.40 GAA, a .925 SV% and seven shutouts, which tied the Islanders single-season shutouts record. Sorokin's .925 SV% was second in the NHL among goalies who played at least 20 games last season, while his 2.40 GAA ranked fourth.
Sorokin started two full games during the preseason, winning both contests. Now in his third season, Sorokin should be fully acclimated in the NHL and gives the Islanders a chance to win every time he's in the crease.
Semyon Varlamov
Injuries limited Semyon Varlamov to 31 games last season, and kept the veteran goaltender sidelined during training camp. This year, Varlamov is fully healthy entering the season, his fourth with the team.
While his numbers dipped last season, Varlamov was 38-25-10 with a 2.36 GAA, a .921 SV% and nine shutouts over the two years prior, ranking top three in GAA, SV% and shutouts among goalies with at least 40 games played. In both seasons, Varlamov played a key role in getting the Islanders to the third round of the playoffs, so health was likely a factor in last year's dip.
Varlamov was 2-1-0 in his three preseason games, though only one was a full contest.