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Islanders: Andy Greene Expectations for 2021 Season

By Matt O'Leary

GLENDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 17: Andy Greene #4 of the New York Islanders in action during the NHL game against the Arizona Coyotes at Gila River Arena on February 17, 2020 in Glendale, Arizona. The Coyotes defeated the Islanders 2-1. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 17: Andy Greene #4 of the New York Islanders in action during the NHL game against the Arizona Coyotes at Gila River Arena on February 17, 2020 in Glendale, Arizona. The Coyotes defeated the Islanders 2-1. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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Andy Greene is returning for the 2021 season with the New York Islanders. What can we expect from him this year?

Last year, the Islanders were forced to trade for a defenseman after losing Adam Pelech to injury in January. What Lou Lamoriello decided to do was bring in a familiar face, Andy Greene.

Greene was with the Devils from 2006-2007 up until last season, so obviously, Lamoriello knew him well from their time together. Now, at 37 years old, Greene wasn’t the number one defender like he was earlier in his career but he was serviceable and the Isles needed help.

In 10 regular-season games with the Isles he averaged 16:32 of ice time per night and had three assists. Additionally, Greene would play in 21 of the Isles 22 playoff games after they lost Johnny Boychuk to injury.

He would put up four points (2 goals, 2 assists) and play 17:40 of ice time a night in the return to play. This past week, we learned (officially) that he would be brought back for 2021.

2021 Expectations

As it stands right now, the pretty fair assumption is that Adam Pelech – Ryan Pulock will be the top-pair, Nick Leddy – Scott Mayfield will be pair two, and the third pair will more than likely be Andy Greene – Noah Dobson.

Dobson is going to need help adjusting to the league full time this year so pairing him with a veteran like Greene is likely a wise choice.

More often than not Greene will play but he may need some healthy scratches along the way so I’m not going to pencil him in for 56 games. Instead, a 47 game nine-point (2 goals, 7 assists) season sounds more like it. Over a full season pace that’s 16 points (3 goals, 13 assists).

Expect his ice time to be somewhere around 17 minutes with Noah Dobson in the same ballpark. At this point in his career, to expect anything more than third pair minutes would be a massive stretch.

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Nevertheless, a Greene – Dobson third pair is more than serviceable with Sebastian Aho as the seventh defenseman.

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