Islanders: 3 Players that are MIA in Florida Panthers series

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The New York Islanders stand at attention during the national anthems (Photo by Andre Ringuette/Freestyle Photo/Getty Images) /

These three players have been MIA for the New York Islanders in their series against the Florida Panthers.

Through three games of their best-of-five series against the Florida Panthers, the New York Islanders have received some incredible performances from some of the players in their lineup.

Anthony Beauvilier has been the best player wearing blue and orange throughout the series. His relentless forecheck and his ability to generate production almost single-handedly has pushed the Islanders into a 2-1 series lead.

The same can be said for trade deadline acquisition Jean-Gabriel Pageau who has two goals for the Islanders so far in this best-of-five. Picked up for a 2020 first (top-3 protected), 2020 second, and a conditional 2022 third has been as advertised so far for the Isles.

In nets, Semyon Varlamov has been fantastic. He holds a 2.03GAA and 0.923SV% through three games. Those numbers are even better at 5on5 where Varlamov averages a 1.32GAA and 0.945SV%.

The Islanders are getting great performances from different sources in their lineup. But there are some key players in the lineup that have gone completely anonymous so far in this best-of-five series.

As this series against the Florida Panthers continues, and hopefully, as the New York Islanders continue their march towards a Stanley Cup, these players must step up to support their team going forward.

(All underlying numbers used going forward are from NaturalStatTick.)

Mathew Barzal

Stats: 1A, 6SOG

Thankfully, the Islanders have been winning despite getting next to no production from their top player in Mathew Barzal. With a single assist over these three games, Barzal has been essentially ineffective in this series.

And it’s not as if Barzal is a bit snake-bitten or that things will turn because he has good underlying numbers. When you look at some of those underlying numbers (like expected goals, scoring chances, and high danger chances), there’s nothing to suggest that he’s doing enough on the ice.

Barzal ranks in the bottom half of Islanders skaters for xGF% (10th), SCF% (10th), and HDCF% (14th). All at 5on5. All rankings are based on the Isles 19 skaters used in this series so far.

A tight-checking Florida defensive scheme is limiting the ice Mathew Barzal needs to create and is taking away just about any passing lane he’s used to.

As the team’s top forward this is to be expected. Teams are, rightfully, going to target him from here on out. As a defensive first team with little in the way of top-tier talent outside of Barzal, shutting him down should effectively kill the Islanders offense.

Again, the Islanders are still winning without him thanks to contributions from Anthony Beauvillier and Jean-Gabriel Pageau. But when both have an off day, and they certainly will, the team’s top players like Barzal need to step up.

The Islanders can likely pull out one more game and eliminate the Panthers without the usual impact Mathew Barzal brings. But that won’t hold the further the Islanders get in the postseason. If the Isles have any hope of advancing beyond the first round of the playoffs they need Mathew Barzal to be at his very best.

Anders Lee

Stats: 5SOG

Have you seen Anders Lee? I know he’s there, but Anders Lee has been a non-factor in this best-of-five series against the Florida Panthers. Zero goals, zero assists, and five shots on goal. Four of those shots came in Game 2. He had one shot in Game 1 and none in Game 3.

That’s not enough from any player let alone the captain.

Just like Barzal, Lee is being targetted by the Panthers. As a former 40-goal scorer that makes sense. While Mathew Barzal is the creator Anders Lee is supposed to be the finisher.

The Panthers have so-far done a good job at shutting down both Barzal and Lee.

Lee’s underlying numbers – at 5on5 – are better than Barzal’s. His xGF% (8th), SCF% (6th), and HDCF% (8th) all rank in the top half for Isles skaters. But we’ve seen that all year from Lee. His underlying numbers in the regular season look good, but the end result isn’t quite there.

Specifically on the power play.

I don’t want to harp too hard on the Isles power play. Through three games they’ve gone 3-for-13 which equates to a 23.1% efficiency. Which is significantly better than the regular season where the Islanders held a 17.3% efficiency. But Anders Lee has struggled on the man-advantage through the regular season and now in the playoffs.

We know Anders Lee’s production certainly isn’t there in the postseason with zero points and power-play numbers explain why. Like the regular season, Lee isn’t shooting the puck with only one shot on the power play. His expected goals for is one of the lowest on the team as are his scoring-chances for and high-danger chances for.

Going forward Lee is going to have to step it up at least on the power play.

Nick Leddy

Stats: 4SOG

I’m conflicted here. Originally I had Josh Bailey slotted in as the third player gone MIA for the Isles. Bailey in my opinion hasn’t passed the eye test. When he’s out there he isn’t doing much.

Or at least that’s what I thought. When I looked at his underlying numbers, Josh Bailey is one of the Islanders better forwards.

When you take Johnny Boychuk and his 4:07 of 5on5 ice time out of the rankings, Josh Bailey ranks at the top of the list for xGF%, SCF%, and HDCF% for all of the Islanders remaining 18 skaters. Bailey is doing something right.

So I turned my focus to Nick Leddy. Playing on the Islanders third pair, Leddy should be getting easier matchups on the ice and should be able to create more offense for the Islanders. But that isn’t happening.

Leddy has yet to get on the scoresheet with zero points in the series. Just like Anders Lee, Leddy’s underlying numbers such as xGF%, SCF%, and HDCF% are all in the top half for Islanders skaters.

He’s clearly creating enough opportunities compared to some of his teammates like Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Ryan Pulock who both rank lower than Leddy but both have been able to produce more than Leddy.

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Getting Nick Leddy going is an important development for the Islanders offense. The puck carrier adds a whole new dimension to the Islanders offense when he’s at his best.

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