Eyes On Isles
Fansided

Islanders: three positives through the early season

ByMichel Anderson|
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - SEPTEMBER 28: Adam Pelech #3 of the New York Islanders celebrates after scoring during the second period against the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center on September 28, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - SEPTEMBER 28: Adam Pelech #3 of the New York Islanders celebrates after scoring during the second period against the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center on September 28, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
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New York Islanders
UNIONDALE, NEW YORK – JUNE 09: Kyle Palmieri #21 of the New York Islanders scores at 16:07 of the second period against Tuukka Rask #40 of the Boston Bruins in Game Six of the Second Round of the 2021 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Nassau Coliseum on June 09, 2021 in Uniondale, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Kyle Palmieri

Kyle Palmieri was brought in or should I say retained, to cement the top line with Anders Lee and Mathew Barzal. Together the trio is supposed to, at the very least, pick up where the Islanders top-line left off last year (when Lee was healthy).

Ideally, the three are even better than Lee-Barzal-Eberle. Ideally, they power the team to even better results than in 2020-21. Obviously, they haven’t been able to get wins just yet, but Palmieri has shown he was a worthy investment.

Through two games Palmieri has two points, five shots on net, 61.54 HDCF%, and 57.64 xGF%. Those are some early signs that things are working between the three. Which is exactly what a number of fans (myself included) felt would occur.`

I’ve already looked at how Palmieri will have a big year for the Islanders and I also looked at how Palmieri will be a good fit for this line. And by that I mean a good fit to play with Barzal and Lee.

That’s a great sign for the New York Islanders. There was worry that losing Jordan Eberle and replacing him with a player who was a third-line option last season (on purpose mind you) might not work too well.

The early results indicate that Palmieri’s impact is working well on this line.

Obviously losing Eberlefor free to the Seattle Kraken was less than ideal, but the Islanders clearly have someone who can not only fill that void and perhaps even be a more positive asset. And they’re paying him $500,000 less a year to do so.

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