Adam Henrique could still have scoring magic to beat Rangers

Much has been made of the possibility of the New York Islanders signing a veteran forward to a Professional Tryout deal. The most common name floating around has been Patrik Laine.

If Laine returns to some semblance of what made him a 40-goal scorer, he could be a fine fit for the Isles. However, his one-dimensional game still comes with warning labels.

That’s why a veteran like Adam Henrique is the sort of guy the Islanders could target on a PTO.

He spent the first seven years of his NHL career with the New Jersey Devils, proving he could make life tough for other division rivals like the New York Rangers.

Hence, Henrique could be just the sort of low-risk option the Islanders could use at this juncture of the offseason. The 36-year-old ended a two-year deal with the Edmonton Oilers last season. Edmonton, looking to revamp its roster, did not bring back the veteran forward. He’s still available at this point in the summer, meaning that there’s still a chance for the Islanders to bring back a notable Rangers killer.

As you may recall, Henrique delivered some OT playoff magic for the Devils during the 2012 Eastern Conference Final. The then-21-year-old scored the game-winner that sent the Devils past the Rangers and into the Stanley Cup Final that season.

If there’s any of that magic left roughly a decade and a half later, Henrique could be an ideal addition for the Islanders.

What Henrique offers Islanders at this point in his career

Henrique doesn’t offer much in the way of a consistent scorer at this point. The former third-round pick was relegated to bottom-six duty for much of his time in Edmonton. While injuries pushed him up the lineup at times, Henrique didn’t really play a prominent role.

Last season, Henrique appeared in just 65 games, averaging about 10 minutes 5-on-5. Nevertheless, he was a solid penalty-killer for the Oilers, playing both center and wing.

That’s something useful for the Islanders, especially when considering the need for depth. The Isles are set down the middle with Bo Horvat, Brayden Schenn, JG Pageau, and likely Casey Cizikas. But there could be room for Henrique as a 13th forward, particularly if and when injuries strike.

The Islanders have just a shade under $3 million in cap space. So, if Henrique proves a worthwhile investment, a one-year deal with, say, a $1 million base salary plus incentives could be the path forward.

At worst, the Isles bring the veteran forward into a camp and realize there just isn’t much left there anyway. The prospect of Henrique turning back the clock to beat the Rangers one more time has to be a tantalizing thought for Islanders fans, though.

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