3 underrated Islanders players who deserve way more hype than they've received

Here we are, not even two months before camp begins for most of the NHL. And for many of us, it's the 'fun' time of the year because, even with hardly anything going on, there are a lot of predictions, takes, and breakdowns to be made between now and when the preseason begins.

Lately, I've been taking a hard look at a few lineups, looking mainly for underrated players. And as far as the New York Islanders go, three of them jump out at me for different reasons. One is a player who could be on Long Island for a while, another is in redemption mode, and the third is just looking to finally stick with a team.

1 - Emil Heineman

While the Islanders took a loss trading Noah Dobson away before drafting his replacement just a few hours later, Emil Heineman should be a better-than-advertised return. Heineman may be nothing more than a fourth-liner, but don't let that fool you. He's going to remind you of Cal Clutterbuck with his hitter's mentality.

And while the Mathieu Darche version of the Isles can be a little more scoring-oriented than Lou Lamoriello's brand, Heineman also factors in as a sneaky good scorer. Last season, he logged 10 goals and a 15.6 shooting percentage in 62 games, and don't be surprised if that number increases here in 2025-26.

Overall, Heineman gives the Isles a deep option, and one who should handle more ice time now that he's used to the NHL game.

2 - Anthony Duclair

For as long as the Islanders have Anthony Duclair on the roster, I'll be a believer. Yeah, the journeyman winger was a major disappointment last year, with seven goals and 11 points in the 44 games he played in, before ultimately taking a leave from the team to finish the season.

But a healthy Duclair can do some damage, especially if the Isles take more of a score-first approach with the new Darche regime in town. The last two times Duclair was at least nearly completely healthy, he put up 31 (2021-22) and 24 (2023-24) goals, so the potential for a bounce-back season is more than there.

While it seems like Duclair's been in the league forever, considering the number of teams (nine) he's played for, he's only heading into his age-30 season. I bring this up because there's still a chance he could be part of the Isles current core if he bounces back and has a big year, putting last season's debacle behind him.

3 - Adam Boqvist

Like Duclair, Adam Boqvist has been a journeyman, but he's only going into his age-25 season and still has time to turn things around. And to be fair, Boqvist looked pretty good in his 17-game cameo with the Isles, posting eight points and two goals.

I mean, this is a player who was once a major prospect and one who, at least during his tenure with the Columbus Blue Jackets a few years back, showed flashes that he deserved to be the former top 10 pick that he was.

That said, if there's one 'disappointment' I'll be paying close attention to a couple of months from today, it'll be Boqvist. He's the kind of player with untapped potential who could, should he string together some strong performances early, threaten to enter late-bloomer status.

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