The New York Islanders are one of the many Eastern Conference teams hovering around .500 as December begins. While the expectations were low coming into the season, an electric rookie has changed it. Despite Matthew Schaefer's excellence, the Islanders' powerplay is struggling tremendously, ranking last in the league. Separating Schaefer and Mathew Barzal may be the key to unlocking the powerplay.
The Islanders made a huge switch to their man advantage over the offseason, trading away Noah Dobson. They took Dobson in the first round back in 2018, but he was never the elite powerplay quarterback they needed him to be. Contract negotiations fizzled out between the two sides, even after New York changed general managers.
Even the most optimistic Islanders staffer would not have predicted Schaefer running the top powerplay unit this early into his career. He turned 18 in September and snagged the top unit point role by the beginning of November. Schaefer's biggest skills are speed and passing, which match Barzal's skills. But two passers with only one shooter, center Bo Horvat, is not a recipe for success.
The powerplay was not working with Tony DeAngelo at the point early in the season, hence the change to Schaefer. That should lead the Islanders to replace Barzal on the left bumper, and his replacement needs to be a right-handed shooter. When the defense covers Horvat, Barzal and Schaefer have nowhere to go with the puck. Adding a righty shooter in Barzal's spot would give Schaefer a place to go and get more shots on goal.
The Islanders needed to make a change on the powerplay because of Kyle Palmieri's injury. That bumped Jonathan Drouin to the net front and put Maxim Shabanov on the right flank. That is a start, but it is not enough to fix the powerplay.
Who can fix the Islanders' powerplay?
The stable of right-handed shooters on the Islanders is thin, to say the least. Their options for forwards are limited to Jean-Gabriel Pageau, who is currently hurt, and Calum Ritchie, who is 20 years old and on the second unit. The best right-handed shooter on the Islanders is defenseman Ryan Pulock.
Pulock has a rocket of a slapshot, but his accuracy is not ideal for this role. Barzal's skills, however, could be used on the second unit, which has also been dreadful. Putting Pulock on the ice would, at the very least, serve as a decoy to get Horvat open. Horvat's shot, while not being as hard, is more accurate and impactful.
That would put a lot of pressure on Shabanov, who is a 25-year-old rookie. He would be asked to skate with the puck more due to the absence of Barzal. Schaefer would still be the main facilitator, but things would fall on Shabanov's stick more often. Shabanov should be a part of the future for the Islanders, so this powerplay chance could be big in the long term.
Drouin in front of the net is a solid option, especially considering Anders Lee's offensive struggles this year. Getting one lefty shooter, Horvat, and one righty shooter, Pulock, may open up some space for this powerplay.
Barzal is too skilled a skater to be left out of the powerplay entirely. He could replace either Simon Holmstrom or Emil Heineman on the second unit, as both of those guys are left-handed. It would balance out the handedness of that unit while adding some more speed. Right now, Heineman is on a shooting heater, so putting him in the Horvat spot and putting the puck on Barzal's stick could end in some goals.
How can the powerplay question be answered in the future?
The Islanders came into this season knowing it was a transitional year. Until Schaefer took over as one of the league's top defensemen, they had little chance of making the playoffs. So, it is fair to chalk up their powerplay struggles as personnel-based and look toward the future.
Boston University forward Cole Eiserman was the Islanders' first-round pick in 2023 and has been scoring for the Terriers ever since he got there. He is left-handed, but could provide some playmaking outside of Barzal that Shabanov is not providing. Defenseman Kashawn Aithceson has 30 points in 24 Ontario Hockey League games this year, thanks to his elite left-handed slapshot.
