The New York Islanders returned to the playoffs in 2014-2015, recording 104 points, their highest season total since 1983-1984, so it appears that they have turned the corner in terms of being a competitive franchise.

If there was a defining move for last season’s team, it was acquiring defencemen Johnny Boychuk and Nick Leddy shortly before the season started. The duo instantly upgraded the Islanders’ blueline and now both are signed to long-term extensions so they are core pieces. Add Travis Hamonic, Calvin de Haan, Thomas Hickey and, perhaps, top prospect Ryan Pulock, and the Isles could have the makings of an impressive defensive group, capable of both moving the puck and playing a defensive game when needed.

John Tavares finished one point off the league-lead last season, so he’s the focal point offensively, but the Isles have tremendous depth up front. Kyle Okposo, Ryan Strome, Frans Nielsen, Anders Lee, Josh Bailey and (currently unsigned RFA) Brock Nelson are all part of a strong supporting cast. Adding Mikhail Grabovski and Nikolai Kulemin last summer enhanced that depth.

The expectation last year was that goaltender Jaroslav Halak would be a big upgrade over the previous goaltenders and while Halak was okay in a career-high 59 starts, he could be better.

If the goaltending does improve, the rest of the roster is young enough that there should be some internal improvement and that might mean a second straight trip to the playoffs.

 

OFF-SEASON HEADLINES

June 26: Islanders trade defenceman Griffin Reinhart to Edmonton for draft picks

June 30: Islanders sign winger Anders Lee to four-year, $15 million deal

September 15: Brock Nelson’s agent says he hasn’t heard from Islanders in six weeks

 

2015-16 NEW YORK ISLANDERS

*Off-season Addition

 

Projected Lines

LW C RW
Anders Lee John Tavares Ryan Strome
Josh Bailey Frans Nielsen Kyle Okposo
Brock Nelson Mikhail Grabovski Nikolay Kulemin
Matt Martin Casey Cizikas Cal Clutterbuck
    Steve Bernier*

Fighting For Jobs: LW Taylor Beck*, LW Eric Boulton*, LW Michael Dal Colle, LW Kirill Petrov

 

Projected Pairs

LD RD
Nick Leddy Johnny Boychuk
Calvin de Haan Travis Hamonic
Thomas Hickey Ryan Pulock
Brian Strait Scott Mayfield

Fighting For Jobs: RD Matt Carkner (PTO), LD Adam Pelech

 

Projected Goalies

No. 1 No. 2 No. 3
Jaroslav Halak Thomas Greiss* Kevin Poulin

Off-season Departures: D Griffin Reinhart, G Michal Neuvirth, LW Harry Zolnierczyk, D Matt Donovan, RW Michael Grabner, RW Colin McDonald

Projected Lineup: Arthur Staple/Newsday

 

SERAVALLI'S THREE QUESTIONS

1. Is 2014 first-round pick Michael Dal Colle ready to make the jump to the NHL?

2. Can 19-year-old defenceman Ryan Pulock bump someone out of the Top 6?

3. Does Michael Grabner need a change of scenery?

 

 

BUTTON'S TOP PROSPECTS

Top 2015-16 Prospect

D Ryan Pulock (Bridgeport, WHL): Has the big shot but has developed so much more of his game a la Al MacInnis.

Long-Term Prospect

LW Michael Dal Colle (Oshawa, OHL): All the skills to be a top flight winger who adds skill and size to the lineup.

* Listed with 2014-15 teams

 

 

BY THE NUMBERS

 

Three-Year Breakdown (League Rank)

  2012-13 2013-14 2014-15
Points 94 (16th)* 79 (26th) 101 (10th)
Goals For 2.9 (7th) 2.6 (17th) 3.0 (4th)
Goals Against 2.8 (7th) 3.2 (28th) 2.7 (23rd)
Power Play 20% (T-10th) 18% (17th) 19% (16th)
Penalty Killing 80% (T-20th) 78% (29th) 78% (26th)
SAT% Possession 49.9% (14th) 49.4% (20th) 52.7% (6th)

* 2012-13 points: Pro-rated lockout-shortened total

 

ESTIMATED PAYROLL vs. CAP - $64.0M/$71.4M

The Islanders aren’t yet in salary cap peril, but they are going to run into some tough decisions in the near future. That may be part of the reason they have drawn a line in the sand with restricted free agent forward Brock Nelson, a restricted free agent who isn’t included in the initial estimate payroll.

 

PARTING SHOT