Islanders Offensive Struggles Do not Simply Fall On Ahead Group

There is not any query the New York Islanders forwards have struggled to supply via 10 video games.

Mathew Barzal has no 5-on-5 factors this season.

Bo Horvat has 5 factors (two targets, three assists).

Maxim Tsyplakov, who scored within the first sport of the season, has not scored a aim in his final 9 video games.

For the gamers who lead the crew, Kyle Palmieri and Brock Nelson, with 4 targets every, they’d each let you know they have not completed as many probabilities as they’d have preferred.

Anders Lee acquired off to a scorching begin however solely has one aim over his final 5 video games.

The fourth-line gamers have but to crack the scoresheet.

Simon Holmstrom, who was given an unbelievable alternative alongside Horvat and Barzal when Anthony Duclair went down, didn’t earn a degree in 4 video games on the highest line.

The ahead group hasn’t been ok via 10 video games, however the offense would not simply fall on the forwards.

It is the identical factor as when the protection struggles; it isn’t solely concerning the gamers manning the blue line.

To date, via 10 video games, the Islanders’ protection has scored one aim, and that got here from seventh defenseman Dennis Cholowski towards Florida.

Not each defenseman is offensive-based, however Noah Dobson has not scored a aim on 32 pictures, and Mike Reilly has not scored a aim on 15 pictures.

Ryan Pulock has no targets on 15 pictures.

Altogether, the protection has one aim on 101 pictures (0.99 capturing %), recording 17 assists on 21 complete targets, which is not dangerous.

However overlook the person numbers for a second as a result of that is not the place the protection has come up quick.

The place they’ve struggled, which has immediately impacted probabilities, particularly rush probabilities, is on the breakout.

Too typically this season, the Islanders have struggled to both possess the puck out of their zone or make the in-stride go that may create rush probabilities.

Dobson, for as gifted of an offensive defenseman as he’s, very hardly ever carries the puck up the ice.

Reilly, who transitioned the puck with ease when he joined the Islanders, has struggled to seek out these lanes up the ice.

Failed clears alongside the boards by all of the defensemen, at one level or one other, have slowed the crew down.

Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock mentioned earlier than the beginning of the season that they needed to carry their swagger again however have struggled to play to the perfect of their talents.

Along with breakouts, the Islanders have very hardly ever had a defender as an choice to drop the puck again to, the excessive man, if you’ll.

The one time we are able to keep in mind that occurring, the place it led to a aim was Romanov’s assits towards the New Jersey Devils:

A big a part of this difficulty is that when the Islanders get the puck out of their zone, the protection is drained and must go for a change.

Per NaturalStatrick.com, Dobson leads the protection in lengthy shifts whereas Reilly leads the blue line in further lengthy shifts.

We have seen numerous Islanders forwards need to go 1-on-2 or 1-on-3 as a result of there is a full change happening.

Tsyplakov has been actually good at studying the ice and over the previous few video games, we have seen him get the puck within the impartial zone, not like what he is seen from an assault perspective, and throw it again into his zone to one of many defensemen to reset and check out once more.

Do not get us improper. The Islanders have possessed the puck fairly properly, most notably within the offensive zone.

Head coach Patrick Roy cites the possession metrics on a regular basis.

However it’s just like the face-off numbers, with the Islanders being the second-best crew within the NHL, profitable 56 p.c of their attracts.

These stats do not matter if you happen to do not do something with them.

There is not any query that the defensemen have offered forwards with wonderful probabilities to attain, whether or not low pictures into site visitors or springing gamers on quick breaks, however they have not come via.

And actually, given the variety of probabilities, the Islanders should not have been shut out in 4 of their first 10 video games and will have a greater file.

It is a cliche, however you might be what your file says you might be, even when the superior metrics and even the attention take a look at inform a special story.

On the finish of the day, all that issues is the file.

The Islanders have not confirmed to be a harmful crew off the push, and far of that accountability falls on the blueliners.

In as we speak’s NHL, velocity and talent are the secret, and these final two losses towards “weaker” and quicker groups are Exhibit A and B of what is lacking from this group.