Inside look at New York Islanders

NHL.com is providing in-depth roster, prospect and fantasy analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 1-Sept. 1. Today, the New York Islanders.

The New York Islanders will enter this season with virtually the same team they had last season, and that's fine with them.

"When you look at the roster, you're talking about the stability," assistant general manager Chris Lamoriello said. "That's what we feel the strength is. The Islanders are always going to be a team that should be able to play different styles, play different opponents, be successful with different styles and different opponents."

The Islanders are coming off a Stanley Cup Playoff berth, pushing the Carolina Hurricanes to six games in the Eastern Conference First Round.

That was enough for defenseman Ryan Pulock to insist any change needed is "a tweak here and there."

Unrestricted free agent forward Pierre Engvall (seven years), defenseman Scott Mayfield (seven) and goalie Semyon Varlamov (four) all re-signed July 1. Ilya Sorokin, a finalist for the 2023 Vezina Trophy, awarded annually to the best goalie in the NHL, signed an eight-year contract that begins next season.

Varlamov, 35, is an insurance policy for Sorokin, a 28-year-old who went 31-22-7 with a 2.34 goals-against average, .924 save percentage and an NHL-best six shutouts in 62 games (60 starts). Under the radar yet wholly expected were general manager Lou Lamoriello and coach Lane Lambert each remaining under contract.

"I think my dad said it many times," Chris Lamoriello said. "He likes to build teams from the net out and we feel very fortunate that these two players (Sorokin and Varlamov) are with us, they signed long term and they're a huge part of our present and our future. When you start with those two goaltenders, you know that every night you're going to have a chance to win."

It was neither a rebuild nor reload for the Islanders. They clinched the first wild card from the East despite injuries to forwards Mathew Barzal, Kyle Palmieri, Oliver Wahlstrom, Cal Clutterbuck, Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Simon Holmstrom, and defensemen Adam Pelech and Noah Dobson. They also treaded water between playoff contender and outsider, averaging 2.95 goals per game (22nd). The power play ranked 30th (15.8 percent) and was 1-for-18 with one short-handed goal against in the postseason.

Sorokin's play was arguably the biggest reason why the Islanders made the playoffs. After an 8-14-5 stretch from Nov. 29 to Jan. 25, they went 19-9-4 in their final 32 games to clinch on the final day of the regular season, and their two playoff losses to Carolina were in overtime, including 2-1 at home in Game 6.

"We're looking forward to next year," Islanders captain Anders Lee said in July. "It's that time of the summer now where you turn the page and get going for the fall here. It was just a disappointing end. It was a tight series that didn't go our way and we were on the wrong end of it. We reflect on that and know what we need to figure out and start to gear up for the fall."

Barzal will start the first season of an eight-year contract he signed Oct. 4, 2022, either at his natural center position or adjusting to a full-time role as Bo Horvat's right wing. More offense is needed with only Brock Nelson (37), Lee (28) and Zach Parise (21) scoring at least 20 goals, and Lee scoring three goals in his final 21 games, including the playoffs.

Parise, a 39-year-old unrestricted free agent, remains undecided if he wants to return for a 19th NHL season. If not, it could open the door for forward prospects William Dufour, Arnaud Durandeau, Ruslan Iskhakov

Otherwise, the Islanders will make another run with who they know.

"It's going to be similar faces," Nelson said. "Unknown right now with Zach, but a lot of guys coming back that we've had for a while, so I think everyone has a lot of belief and confidence that we have what it takes to go out there and go further."

NHL.com independent correspondent Jessi Pierce contributed to this report