Islanders 2021 Roster Overrated vs Underrated

Taking a look at the 2021 roster, and who on the Islanders is overrated, properly rated or underrated by the fans.

Sometimes in fandom, you have the tendency to overrate players who are on your team. Ironically, that same logic can be applied to why fans also underrate players due to an inherent bias. So what I wanted to do was look at the 2021 Islanders roster.

We’ll look at everyone including Matt Martin and Andy Greene who aren’t technically back yet but are rumored to have handshake deals. We’ll also look at two prospects in Oliver Wahlstrom and Kieffer Bellows as well.

So without further ado, I’ll show you how I ranked the roster, and let’s discuss:

Overrated

Kieffer Bellows

He was a former first-round pick so some still hold him to a very high standard. At this point, going on five years later it’s hard to say what kind of value he has.

Matt Martin

He’s a fan favorite, and I get it, I love the guy too but he’s a replacement-level player. Ross Johnston or insert *league-minimum veteran here* can do the same job.

Cal Clutterbuck

The same goes for Cal. He’s a fine fourth liner, but he’s held to a gold standard which I’m not so sure is applicable to him at this point in his career.

Leo Komarov

He kills penalties! His defenders love screaming that into the abyss but if you’re only value is killing penalties, and you stink at 5v5 you are not very good.

Andy Greene

Andy Greene is fine, but I’m really not positive how much of a difference or upgrade he would be over a player like Sebastian Aho.

Properly Rated

Mathew Barzal

Islanders fans see Mathew Barzal as a budding talent, which is 100 percent true. He’s a dynamic player and the face of the franchise.

Josh Bailey

Outside of a few irrationals, on both sides of the aisle, most call it like it is. Josh Bailey is a solid top-six winger on this team and one of the most consistent Islanders over the past four years.

Casey Cizikas

Casey Cizikas is one of the best fourth line centers in the sport. Islanders fans realize this and properly appreciate him.

Noah Dobson

A top prospect who many are very high on. Islanders fans are right to be excited about him.

Ilya Sorokin

A KHL star who Islanders fans are thrilled about. Like Dobson, the hype is justified.

Michael Dal Colle

Most Islanders fans realize that the ship has sailed on Michael Dal Colle. It’s just a matter of when the team does the same thing.

Jordan Eberle

A decent top-six option on the right side. Islanders fans rightfully realize that he is slightly over his head on the top line.

Adam Pelech

Isles fans would be the first to tell you how important he is to this team. We saw the difference when he wasn’t in the lineup and it was scary.

Anthony Beauvillier

A solid middle-six option who continues to get better. He’s properly evaluated by Islanders fans.

Anders Lee

Anders is a streaky guy but I think a far majority of fans realize that 2020 was flukey for him. He’s borderline underrated.

Johnny Boychuk

A once-solid top-pair guy who at this point in his career is a third pair option. A fair and accurate description of what Boychuk means to this team.

Underrated

Semyon Varlamov

I too wanted Robin Lehner back but Varlamov was better than expected last year. He was also a huge reason that the team ended up in the Eastern Conference Final.

Brock Nelson

Nelson was on pace for 30 goals and is one of the more reliable two-way centers in the game. To have him on Line 2 for the foreseeable future is a real treat.

Scott Mayfield

Mayfield is a legit-second pair guy. Some would argue that he’s better suited as a third-pair guy but I think that would be discrediting what he’s done over the last two years.

Oliver Wahlstrom

I feel like fans soured too quickly on Wahlstrom. This guy was supposed to be taken in the top-10 of the 2018 draft. I still think he can be a 25-30 goal scorer at the NHL level.

JG Pageau

Pageau literally does everything well. He’s good in both ends, can play on the PP or PK, and is a clutch goal scorer. The perfect third-line center.

Nick Leddy

He may not be 2015 Nick Leddy anymore but to many Islanders fans he’s just completely washed. That’s an unfair criticism in my book, and I’m expecting a bounce-back year in a bigger role.

Ryan Pulock

Somehow, Ryan Pulock doesn’t get enough credit. You can pencil him in for 10+ goals and 35+ points every year. Maybe it’s because his slapshot can be wild? Regardless, Isles fans are sleeping on Ryan Pulock.

If you want to make your own tier rankings, use my template right here and tweet it to us @EyesonIslesFS.