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Ilya Sorokin, New York Islanders (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)

Islanders Proving They Can Pivot With Barzal Out

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Mike Fink | Last updated Feb 5, 2025 10:55 AM ET

If there’s any team that needs a break in the NHL at the moment, it’s the New York Islanders. They’ve powered through injuries to remain in the hunt for a playoff spot and the 4 Nations Face-Off will give them a few weeks to get some skaters back. Last week, things looked like they couldn’t get worse on the injury front and then Mathew Barzal goes down and is placed on injured reserve.

The Barzal injury is a tough blow as he won’t be part of the Islanders’ regular season plans. With the Islanders only a few points out of a wild card spot, the question is what happens next. This team must pivot one way or another and the second half of the season will see this team playing a different brand of hockey because of it.

Islanders Can Still Make the Playoffs, With Defense

When the Islanders lost Barzal in the second half of the 2022-23 season, they were in a similar spot to the one they are now. They were on the outside of the playoffs looking in and needed to get on a run to sneak in. The Islanders got on a run and managed to make the playoffs on the back of great defense and remarkable goaltending from Ilya Sorokin.

The hot streak the Islanders are putting together is possible mostly because of the defense and great goaltending. They’ve allowed only 16 goals in the last nine games and their Feb. 4 win over the Vegas Golden Knights saw Sorokin make 33 saves to seal the victory.

Islanders general manager (GM) Lou Lamoriello is on a heater with his latest additions. The Anthony DeAngelo signing gave the team a defenseman who can play a top pair role while the Scott Perunovich and Adam Boqvist additions added depth to the unit. Suddenly, the defense is a strength.

The Islanders don’t have a defensive unit that’s expected to make a difference offensively but ironically, they’ve done just that. Adam Pelech has seven assists in the last nine games while the defense added three assists in the latest 2-1 win. Even when the production at the point declines, the strong play on the defensive end won’t and it gives the Islanders an edge for how they can take over games.

Lamoriello Must Do More Than Turn to Waivers

Lamoriello’s made a handful of big moves to fix the defense and each one has been a strong depth addition. That said, he must do more if the Islanders hope to make the playoffs. They’ll need a splash, especially with their forward unit in need of a difference maker. Sure, Bo Horvat, Brock Nelson, and Anders Lee have picked up the slack in Barzal’s absence but with the star on the injured list, the Islanders have the cap space to make a move and they must.

The debate is whether the Islanders should trade prospects for rentals. This team must look ahead to the future and can’t afford to deplete a farm system that is already depleted enough for players they can easily lose in free agency. It’s why prospects like Cole Eiserman and Danny Nelson are untouchables but otherwise, the Islanders can move a prospect on the American Hockey League (AHL) team like Alex Jefferies in a trade at the deadline.

If the Islanders Struggle, Lamoriello Must Retool

The Islanders have won eight of their last nine games and it’s put them back in the playoff discussion. Everything is going right these days but it’s possible the Barzal injury is the last straw. If they fall apart after the break, it’s a sign that a retool is needed. This team can make a few trades and still set themselves up for a successful 2025-26 season.

The first big move would be to trade Nelson. He’s the best player on the trade block with the Mikko Rantanen blockbuster and the J.T. Miller trade in the rearview mirror and he will bring in a big haul if he’s moved. Nelson has all the skills that contenders look for as a center with a great shot and scoring instincts.

After moving Nelson, the Islanders can trade Kyle Palmieri. He won’t bring in a significant return but as a shooter on the wing, he can allow the Islanders to receive one or two big pieces in a deal. Paired with a Nelson trade, the moves will allow the Islanders to be a younger team for the next season.

The 4 Nations Face-Off will give the Islanders a much-needed break, a two-week absence from action that will allow some of the skaters who are out to return to the lineup. However, once this team returns to the ice, the next few weeks will be pivotal.