3 NY Islanders who have been pleasant surprises this season

2) Emil Heineman

When the Islanders acquired Emil Heineman as part of the Noah Dobson trade, there was not much excitement surrounding him. Many saw him as a depth winger who would see some minutes with the Islanders, but not enough to be part of the team's long-term vision. However, Heineman's performance has made him an integral part of the team's offense. In 58 games this season, he has registered 15 goals and eight assists for 23 points.

A big reason for Heineman's breakout has been playing alongside Bo Horvat. According to Moneypuck, lines with Heineman and Horvat have produced 4.37 xGoals For and 3 xGoals For per 60 Minutes. They also rank among the Islanders' most efficient offensive lines. Heineman has taken the role of the finisher on these lines. He's the one they get the puck to in order to score.

With Heineman only being 24 years old, he seems to have a role with this team far beyond this season. Sure, there is some stuff he needs to work out, like being more consistent on offense. He needs to find a way to avoid long scoring droughts, as he has at times this season. But if this season has taught us anything, he's more than capable of improving. We could be seeing a future top-six forward develop before our eyes.