As the Islanders’ lineup choices come into focus, here’s what is becoming clear about the forward group in advance of Oct. 10:
- Anthony Duclair, Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal will make up the top line on opening night.
- Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri will make up two-thirds of the second line.
- Anders Lee and Jean-Gabriel Pageau are likely to make up two-thirds of the third line.
- Casey Cizikas and Kyle MacLean are likely to make up two-thirds of the fourth line.
- And the slotting of Simon Holmstrom will be the first domino to fall in determining where everyone else ends up.
The last of those is the only surprise, but few would have predicted 10 days ago that the Islanders would be sculpting their lineup around Holmstrom, as opposed to Maxim Tsyplakov — who came into camp as a near-complete unknown.
Well, it was Holmstrom who got the first crack at completing the second line while Tsyplakov had yet to practice or play a preseason game with a line of NHLers heading into Friday’s match against the Devils at UBS Arena.
Holmstrom was shuffled to the third line with Pageau and Lee while skating in the non-game group on Friday morning, switching spots with Pierre Engvall.
That is unlikely to be the last configuration Patrick Roy tries, but it is telling nonetheless that Holmstrom — who has looked the part of a bottom-sixer for much of his time in the league so far — appears to have a top-six spot on the table if he can grab it.
Since being called up in November 2022, Holmstrom has impressed with his defensive awareness and frustrated with his lack of aggression with the puck on his stick.
The Islanders have asked him to shoot more, hoping his confidence will mesh with his ability over time.
“He’s a little more sure in his decision-making and that kind of frees you up to make things and play faster,” Kyle Palmieri told The Post on Friday. “I think he’s been doing a good job of getting to scoring areas. I think last night, he had a couple opportunities in tight. As a player, he’s a big body, has a really long reach. With guys who have long reaches, sometimes it’s hard for them in tight, he’s got good hands and sees the ice well.
“The biggest thing I’ve noticed is that he’s playing faster, making those decisions quicker. I think that’s growth in a young player’s game and adjusting to different places in the lineup is sometimes you try and do — not do too much, but you overanalyze some things. I think he’s settling in and being a little more comfortable in his decision-making.”
There is no reason for alarm if Holmstrom starts the season on the third, or even fourth, line.
But the Islanders are looking for someone to grab a spot in the top six.
Engvall has skated plenty with Nelson and Palmieri; everyone knows what the trio can do together for better or worse.
That represents a comfortable option — perhaps for Holmstrom as well as everyone else.
“Now we’re playing [Holmstrom] on the right side [with Pageau and Lee], I think that’s his natural position,” Roy said. “Since he’s young, he’s been playing minor hockey and growing up, he’s been on his off wing. So I think that’s going to help him on his breakouts. I think that’s going to help him turning into the play and see the ice better on the other side.”
The Islanders, though, are in a position where a risk makes sense — Engvall lost his spot on the second line a year ago through inconsistent play after all — if someone can force them into it.
Right now, Holmstrom still looks like the player best-suited to do that.
“I think he’s a confident player — I think he needs to trust those instincts a little more and he’s done that more so this year,” Palmieri said. “He’s still young. I think he’s going to continue to get better. The growth curve, per se, is different for every guy, but he’s a guy I could see continuing to get better and being an impact player on our team.”
