The New York Islanders hired Patrick Roy midway through the 2023-24 NHL season as head coach. Lane Lambert oversaw a slow start to the season and the front office decided a new voice was needed. Roy helped the Islanders make the Stanley Cup Playoffs. And though they lost round one, there is optimism around Roy and New York heading into the new year.
The Islanders are an interesting team on paper. They have a lot of veteran talent on the roster, from captain Anders Lee through to goaltender Semon Varlamov. However, they also have some younger players making an impact such as defensemen Alex Romanov and Noah Dobson.
Veteran leadership certainly helped New York in 2023-24. And if they want to make the playoffs again, they'll need more veterans to step up and meaningfully contribute. Here are two Islanders veterans who could certainly be impactful in the 2024-25 campaign.
Kyle Palmieri could continue producing
Due to his age, it is undeniable that Kyle Palmieri is an Islanders regression candidate in 2024-25. It's not out of the realm of possibility, either. After all, the veteran New York forward vastly outplayed his most recent seasons. In fact, his 2023-24 campaign marked his first 30-goal season since 2015-16.
However, there is some evidence to suggest that Palmieri may be able to avoid regression. In 2022-23, the veteran forward was limited to just 55 games. His pace across 82 games that year was 23 goals and 49 points. He played all 82 games in 2023-24, and his 30-goal, 54-point season isn't too far off his pace from a year ago.
Additionally, Palmieri didn't exactly outperform analytically. He had a Goals For Percentage of 54.52%, according to Evolving Hockey. His Expected Goals For Percentage was 55.71%, which ranked fourth on the team among forwards who played at least 500 total minutes.
Palmeri even underperformed in one analytical area. He had the fourth-highest Goals For Per 60 Minutes (3.79) among New York forwards. However, his Expected Goals For Per 60 (4.37) led the team. His xGF/60 was 0.06 higher than that of Bo Horvat.
Palmieri is certainly not getting younger. And that can have an impact when it comes to on-ice performance. However, he played to a similar 82-game pace in 2023-24 that he did in 2022-23. Additionally, his analytics suggest that his performance was about in line with what was expected. The veteran forward could still see some small regression, but he still looks primed to be a valuable member of the Islanders in 2024-25.
Mike Reilly has established himself
The Islanders claimed Mike Reilly off waivers last November. New York took a chance on a veteran rearguard who had no future with the Florida Panthers. The claim proved rather successful, and Reilly appears to be a vital piece of New York's defense entering the 2024-25 season.
Reilly played 59 games on Long Island this past year. He scored six goals and 24 points for the team following his waiver claim. Reilly provided steady production on the power play and helped in the team's transition up the ice, as well. His performance earned him a one-year contract extension this summer.
His analytics are also strong. Reilly finished second behind Noah Dobson among Islanders defenders in Goals For Percentage (55.29), according to Evolving Hockey. Additionally, he had the highest xGF% (57.56) in 2023-24.
While not worldbeating in his own end, the Chicago native also held his own defensively. In fact, he has the lowest Goals Against Per 60 (2.41) of any Islanders defender. He also had the third-highest On-Ice Save Percentage (.911) behind Sebastian Aho and Alex Romanov.
Reilly is not going to be a superstar next season. However, he provides steady offense and can flash a two-way game at times. He certainly should help the Islanders next season as they look to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
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