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New York Islanders Roster Power Ranking Preseason 2018-2019

By Matt O'Leary
NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 05: Mathew Barzal #13 of the New York Islanders wears a "DIFD - Do It For Daron" hat during warmups prior to their game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Barclays Center on January 5, 2018 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. The charitible venture supports mental health initiatives and is named in honor of Daron Richardson the daughter of the Islanders assistant coach Luke Richardson. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 05: Mathew Barzal #13 of the New York Islanders wears a "DIFD - Do It For Daron" hat during warmups prior to their game against the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Barclays Center on January 5, 2018 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. The charitible venture supports mental health initiatives and is named in honor of Daron Richardson the daughter of the Islanders assistant coach Luke Richardson. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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UNIONDALE, NY – MARCH 10: Matt Martin #17 of the New York Islanders looks on after losing to the New York Rangers 2-1 during a game at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on March 10, 2015 in Uniondale, New York. (Photo by Alex Trautwig/Getty Images) /

23. Tom Kuhnhackl

Bringing in Tom Kuhnhackl is still one heck of a head-scratcher. With the players the Isles already had and already brought in during the 2018 free agency period why did they bring in a guy who put up eight points last year? It just doesn’t fit. Unless he’s on the scratch pad for 80 percent of the season. Ranking him 23rd shows you we think he should.

22. Ross Johnston

With Matt Martin coming back and his prior success with both Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck it’s hard to see where Ross Johnston fits into the lineup. He got his extension at $1 million for four years, but he likely spends much of 2018-19 on the scratch pad.

21. Matt Martin

With all of the bottom six players on the roster, it’s hard to see how impactful Matt Martin might actually be. But if Martin, Clutterbuck, and Cizikas can hit it off again like they did in 2015-16, Martin, as well as the other two, could jump up a few spots.

20. Scott Mayfield

There’s an argument that can be made to switch Scott Mayfield with Adam Pelech on this list. Both are bottom pairing defensemen. But Mayfield brings physical play that Pelech doesn’t. Although in today’s game you don’t always need that. Solid positional play, Pelech’s strength, is generally more valuable. So Mayfield takes last place for defenders.

19. Cal Clutterbuck

Like Casey Cizikas, maybe the return of Matt Martin can inspire a resurgence out of Cal Clutterbuck in 2018-19. But after a down year in 2017-18 that saw him put up 18 points and play on the worst penalty kill in the league, it’s hard to think he should rank higher than where he is in this list.

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