New York Islanders 2020-21 NHL season preview

By James O'BrienJan 3, 2021, 3:39 PM EST

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The 2020-21 NHL season is almost here so it’s time to preview all 31 teams. Over the next few weeks we’ll be looking at how the offseason affected each team, the most interesting people in the organization, and the best- and worst-case scenarios. Today, we look at the New York Islanders.

New York Islanders 2019-20 Rewind

Record: 35-23-10 (80 pts.); sixth in Metropolitan Division; eighth in Eastern Conference

Leading scorers: Brock Nelson (26 goals); Mathew Barzal (60 points)

For another season, Barry Trotz’s Islanders defied expectations. They finished just two wins shy of an appearance in the 2020 Stanley Cup Final, giving the eventual champion Lightning some real headaches.

If this trend continues, the hockey world will need to drop any pretense of the Islanders being “underdogs.”

Then again, there are still a few “Yes, but …” thoughts tugging at those threads, with varying degrees of force. Yes, the Islanders made a deep playoff run, but they also finished the regular season on the bubble. Before that pandemic pause, the Islanders dropped a troubling seven games in a row. They actually allowed one more goal (193) than they scored (192) through 68 contests.

Islanders fans will counter that the deep playoff run cemented their team as one to take seriously. And they’re right. But there’s still room for things to swing either way.

After indulging in trading and extending Jean-Gabriel Pageau, the Islanders felt a real salary cap squeeze. Crucial center Mathew Barzal still awaits a contract as an RFA. The team faces some uncertainty in net, as Thomas Greiss is out, while Ilya Sorokin is in. And we’ll find out soon enough how much the Islanders miss Devon Toews.

What should we expect from the Islanders in 2020-21? The answer likely varies from person to person, and even fan to fan.

Additions

Not much of note beyond Cory Schneider; due to cap questions, it’s not totally clear if Matt Martin and Andy Greene will return. But that’s the belief.

Subtractions

Devon Toews (trade), Thomas Greiss (free agency), Johnny Boychuk (retirement), Derick Brassard (free agency), Tom Kuhnhackl (free agency)

3 Most Interesting New York Islanders

• Ilya Sorokin: With Semyon Varlamov still around, it’s not as though Sorokin needs to jump straight into a starter’s role. Really, he’s most likely to either be a 1B or straight-up backup. That said, the Trotz-era Islanders have thrived with two good-to-great goalies. First, Robin Lehner and Thomas Greiss sparkled. After that, Varlamov and Greiss carried much of that strong play over to last season.

Can a Varlamov – Sorokin partnership produce similar results?

To some extent, the argument is that Trotz’s system does much of the work for his goalies. That may generally be true, yet with some key losses on defense, Tortz may ask for more from his netminders. Previous duos set the bar pretty high.

• Supporting defensemen like Nick Leddy, Scott Mayfield: Personally, the loss of Devon Toews looks a lot more painful than Johnny Boychuk’s unexpected retirement. Boychuk enjoyed some great years in the NHL, but a long career of wear-and-tear showed even before he hung up the skates.

To replace Toews in particular, the Islanders will need to ask for more from other defensemen. To some extent, that might boil down to leaning that much more on Ryan Pulock and Adam Pelech. Ideally, others like Nick Leddy and Scott Mayfield may be able to absorb some of that burden, too.

(Now, if this is all a way to take the training wheels off of Noah Dobson? That could be interesting …)

Wherever the excess workload falls, the Islanders face a challenging balancing act.

[MORE: 2021 NHL schedule notes: Stats, oddities, fuel for nasty rivalries]

• Oliver Wahlstrom: All of that said, you know what can help a team overcome certain losses on defense, and maybe in net? Scoring some goals.

As dazzling as Mathew Barzal can be, the Islanders also want to score by committee. Sometimes young players can make big jumps, so it’s possible that Wahlstrom gives the Islanders a shot in the arm as soon as 2020-21.

Then again, it’s not a guarantee that he’ll be a full-time NHL regular, either. But that makes him pretty interesting to watch.

Best-Case Scenario

It may not always produce the most exhilarating hockey, but Barry Trotz’s system works more often than it does not. Every year, Trotz gets that much more time to impart his defensive wisdom on this Islanders team, and it’s possible that everything will work in even greater harmony in 2020-21. Perhaps they’d get just enough offense, combined with stellar goaltending and that airtight system, and suffocate opponents enough to raise the Stanley Cup for the first time since the Mike Bossy era? (After surprising more than one, it feels foolish to question Trotz any longer.)

Worst-Case Scenario

What if Mathew Barzal echoes William Nylander and becomes the rare RFA whose negotiations linger into the actual season? That feels unlikely, yet as of this writing, there isn’t a contract. Even with Barzal — or with Barzal for most of the season — the Islanders could find themselves in a tough spot. To reiterate, this team sometimes operates on a thin margin for error. Without Devon Toews, and with an altered goalie duo, they could struggle a bit more in their own end. For all we know, that balance could be thrown off violently enough to knock them out of the playoffs altogether. If the Islanders missed the playoffs, but also didn’t get any lottery luck, their outlook could start to look pretty dicey. For every prime-age player like Barzal, there are some veterans whose windows could start to close. Not making the most of 2020-21 could really sting.

Pointsbet – New York Islanders Stanley Cup odds

Islanders +2200 (PointsBet is our Official Sports Betting Partner and we may receive compensation if you place a bet on PointsBet for the first time after clicking our links.)

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James O’Brien is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @cyclelikesedins.

Rangers sign Filip Chytil to 4-year extension

Associated PressMar 30, 2023, 7:53 PM EDT

Eric Hartline/USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK — The New York Rangers have signed forward Filip Chytil to a four-year contract extension worth $17.75 million, locking up another member of their core long term.

The team announced the deal Wednesday night. Chytil will count just under $4.44 million annually against the salary cap through the 2026-27 season.

Chytil, 23, is in the midst of a career year. He has set career highs with 22 goals, 20 assists and 42 points in 66 games for the playoff-bound Rangers.

The Czech native is the team’s sixth-leading scorer and ranks fourth on the roster in goals. The 2017 first-round pick has 144 points in 342 NHL regular-season and playoff games. He was set to be a restricted free agent with arbitration rights this summer.

New York already had top center Mika Zibanejad signed through 2030, No. 1 defenseman Adam Fox through 2029, veteran Chris Kreider through 2027, winger Artemi Panarin through 2026 and reigning Vezina Trophy-winning goaltender Igor Shesterkin through 2025.

General manager Chris Drury’s next order of business is an extension for 2020 top pick Alexis Lafrenière, who is only signed through the remainder of this season and can be a restricted free agent.

Blackhawks’ Jonathan Toews returns to ice, hints at retirement

Associated PressMar 29, 2023, 9:51 AM EDT

Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

CHICAGO — Longtime Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews returned to the ice but hinted his stellar NHL career could be winding down after 15 years.

Toews, 34, skated with teammates prior to Chicago’s game with the Dallas Stars. It was his first time practicing with them since a game in Edmonton on Jan. 28.

He made a statement through the team on Feb. 19 saying he would be stepping away because of the effects of Chronic Immune Response Syndrome and “long COVID.”

In meeting with reporters, Toews stopped short of saying he hoped to play in any of last-place Chicago’s nine remaining games. His eight-year, $84 million contract is set to expire at the end of the season.

Toews said he’s feeling stronger, but isn’t sure if he’ll be able to play again for the Blackhawks or another team.

“Both if I’m being fully honest,” Toews said. “I feel like I’ve said it already, that I’ve gotten to the point where my health is more important.

“When you’re young and you’re playing for a Stanley Cup and everyone’s playing through something, that means something and it’s worthwhile. But I’m at that point where it feels like more damage is being done than is a good thing.”

Toews, the Blackhawks’ first-round draft pick (third overall) in 2006, joined the team in 2007 and was a pillar of Stanley Cup championship clubs in 2010, 2013 and 2015.

At the peak of his career, he was one of the NHL’s top two-way centers, winning the Selke Trophy as the league’s top defensive forward in 2013.

In 1,060 regular-season games, Toews has 371 goals and 509 assists. In 139 playoff games, he’s posted 45 goals and 74 assists, and he won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2010.

Toews missed the entire 2020-21 season with Chronic Immune Response System, which caused debilitating inflammation and fatigue.

He appeared in 71 games in 2021-22, then started this season with renewed energy before slowing and eventually shutting himself down.

Entering this season, it looked as if Chicago might deal him, as it did fellow star Patrick Kane, before the March trade deadline. But Kane went to the New York Rangers and Toews to injured reserve.

Toews believed he was progressing before a relapse in January left him so sore and tired that he could barely “put on my skates or roll out of bed to come to the rink.”

Toews said his progress over the past month has been “pretty encouraging” and he’s delighted to be back among his teammates. He has no timetable beyond that.

“We’re just going to go day by day here,” Chicago coach Luke Richardson said. He deserves anything he wants to try to achieve here.”

Richardson hoped Toews “can take that next step later in the week and hopefully (he) gives us the green light to go in a game.”

But Toews emphasized his long-term health and ability to lead a “normal life” is most important. He wants to go out on a positive note and not hit the ice for a game playing through excessive pain and dysfunction.

“It’s definitely on my mind that this could be my last few weeks here as a Blackhawk in Chicago,” Toews said. “It’s definitely very important for me to go out there and enjoy the game and just kind of soak it in and just really appreciate everything I’ve been able to be part of here in Chicago.”

Budding Wild star Matt Boldy more willing to shoot, and it shows

Associated PressMar 29, 2023, 9:48 AM EDT

Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Matt Boldy was unable to resist a smile in the aftermath of his second hat trick in five games for the Minnesota Wild, a young right wing and reluctant star trying to make sense of a remarkable hot streak.

Does the puck feel as if it’s automatically going in the net these days each time he shoots?

“Yeah, it does,” Boldy said in the locker room after leading the first-place Wild to a 5-1 win over Seattle. “My linemates are playing great. Hopefully you guys are giving them a lot of credit. You look at some of those goals – just putting it on a tee for me.”

This non-attention-seeker has found himself squarely in the NHL spotlight. Boldy has 11 goals in nine games since Wild superstar Kirill Kaprizov was sidelined with a lower-body injury to raise his goal total to 28, in part because he’s been more willing to shoot. With vision and stickhandling as strengths and the humility of being a second-year player, it’s easy to be in a pass-first mindset.

“Everybody kind of took turns talking to him. But it’s not that he didn’t want to. A lot of times a situation like that where a guy’s got that skillset, it’s a real unselfish quality, right?” coach Dean Evason said. “But I think he gets now that he helps the team a lot when he scores goals.”

The Wild were confident enough in Boldy’s scoring ability to commit a seven-year, $49 million contract extension to him earlier this winter, after all.

“I think I’ve always had that mentality, but sometimes you just get into spots and it comes off your stick good,” Boldy said. “When things are going well, the puck goes in the net.”’

The Wild are 6-1-2 without Kaprizov. Boldy is a big reason why.

“You go through the slumps, you learn what you need to do to score. I think he’s found a good way to be in the right spot and shoot the puck when he had a good opportunity,” center Joel Eriksson Ek said.

The Wild have only won one division title in 22 years, the five-team Northwest Division in 2007-08. They’re leading the eight-team Central Division with eight games to go, with both Colorado and Dallas too close for comfort. They haven’t won a playoff series since 2015.

With Kaprizov due back before the postseason and Boldy on this heater, a Wild team that ranks just 23rd in the league in goals per game (2.93) ought to have a better chance to advance. Eriksson Ek and Marcus Johansson have been ideal linemates for the Boston College product and Massachusetts native.

Since the Wild entered the league in the 2000-01 season, only five NHL players have had more hat tricks at age 21 or younger than Boldy with three: Patrik Laine (eight), Marian Gaborik (five), Steven Stamkos (five), Alex DeBrincat (four) and Connor McDavid (four). Boldy turns 22 next week, so there’s still time for one or two more.

“He’s big. He controls the puck a lot. He’s got a good shot, good release. He’s smart. He switches it up. He’s got good moves on breakaways. He’s a total player,” goalie Marc-Andre Fleury said. ”Fun to watch him grow this year.”

Pezzetta scores shootout winner; Canadiens beat Sabres 4-3

Associated PressMar 27, 2023, 11:57 PM EDT

Timothy T. Ludwig/USA TODAY Sports

BUFFALO, N.Y. ⁠— Brendan Gallagher and the Montreal Canadiens rallied back to avoid playoff elimination with less than three weeks left in their season. The Buffalo Sabres, meanwhile, are running out of chances to stay in the Eastern Conference wild-card hunt.

Gallagher forced overtime by scoring his 200th career goal, and Michael Pezzetta scored the decisive shootout goal in a 4-3 win over the Sabres on Monday night.

“It’s one of those things I think we earned that chance. We weren’t fantastic but we did enough on the road tonight to get a win,” Gallagher said. “Smiles all around.”

The Canadiens could laugh, especially after Pezzetta celebrated his goal by putting his stick between his legs and riding it like a wooden horse — much like former NHL tough guy Dave “Tiger” Williams did during his 14-year NHL career spanning the 1970s and 80s.

“I’m not sure we’ll see that again. One of a kind,” said Gallagher. “I’d be worried about falling over.”

Pezzetta scored by driving in from the right circle to beat Eric Comrie inside the far post. Buffalo’s Jack Quinn scored in the fourth shootout round, but was matched by Montreal’s Jesse Ylonen, whose shot from in tight managed to trickle in through Comrie.

Jordan Harris and Alex Belzile also scored for Montreal, and Jake Allen stopped 30 shots through overtime, while allowing one goal on six shootout attempts.

Montreal would have been eliminated from playoff contention for a second straight season – and two years removed from reaching the Stanley Cup Final – with any type of loss.

The Sabres squandered a 3-2 third-period lead to drop to 3-6-3 in their past 12. Buffalo also blew a chance to move to within four points of idle Pittsburgh, which holds the eighth and final playoff spot.

“Just a little hesitation,” forward JJ Peterka said of the Sabres third-period lapse. “We didn’t play with much energy and we didn’t play that aggressive as we played the two periods before. I think that was the difference.”

Buffalo’s Lukas Rousek scored a goal and added an assist while filling in for leading scorer Tage Thompson, who did not play due to an upper body injury. Peterka and defenseman Riley Stillman also scored, and Comrie stopped 38 shots through overtime, and allowed two goals on six shootout attempts.

Montreal blew two one-goal leads to fall behind 3-2 on Stillman’s goal at the 8:31 mark of the second period.

Gallagher scored on the fly by using Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin as a screen to snap in a shot inside the far left post. With the goal, Gallagher tied Bobby Rousseau for 24th on the Canadiens career scoring list.

“I liked the way we corrected ourselves, it’s a sign of maturity, in the way we stayed on task,” Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said, in recalling how the Canadiens recently unraveled in an 8-4 loss two weeks ago to Colorado, which plays a similar up-tempo style as Buffalo.

PRIDE NIGHT

The Sabres hosted their third Pride Night, with Russian D Ilya Lyubushkin electing not to participate in warmups by citing an anti-gay Kremlin law and fears of retribution at home in Moscow, where he has family and visits in the offseason. The remainder of the team wore dark blue jerseys with the Sabres logo on the front encircled by a rainbow-colored outline.

During the first intermission, the Sabres broadcast a video in which GM Kevyn Adams said: “This is about recognizing someone’s humanity and true identity. We know there are people out there struggling with who they are, and we want them to know that they have an ally in the Buffalo Sabres.”

UP NEXT

Canadiens: At the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night.

Sabres: Host the New York Rangers on Friday night.