New York Islanders commit to youth with convincing offseason moves

The New York Islanders have made a series of convincing offseason moves to show the club is committed to youth moving forward.

In previous seasons, fans have seen the Isles commit to older, more established veterans over younger, relatively unproven players. That approach led to gutting the farm system and draft capital to bring in veterans who could help the team win now.

It worked for a while. But the last couple of seasons have been frustrating amid injuries and declining production.

That philosophy shifted dramatically when Mathieu Darche took over. Darche has prioritized revamping the Islanders’ roster by infusing younger players amid established vets. The plan prompted the Isles to bet on players like Emil Heineman and Maxim Shabanov.

Shabanov, in particular, is a highly intriguing player. Shabanov became a star in the KHL, notching 150 points in 207 games. Those totals are roughly equivalent to NHL-level production.

But that’s what makes Shabanov such a tantalizing player. Like Maxim Tsyplakov last season, the Islanders are betting on younger players who can provide help now, without necessarily sacrificing the prospect pipeline.

Moreover, the Islanders’ prospect pipeline went from being one of the league’s barest to one plentiful of high-end talent.

The Islanders’ commitment to the youth movement has been long overdue. It signals the team is looking to compete now and into the future. The best part is that the Isles are nowhere near a rebuild, at least not this season.

Mathieu Darche dispelled talk of a rebuild in less than a month

Following the disappointing playoff miss this past season, the talk surrounding the New York Islanders was that of a rebuild. I am guilty of speculating about that possibility. Given the team’s roster construction and lack of top-tier prospects, it seemed as though a rebuild was the only way out.

However, Mathieu Darche’s savvy management allowed the Islanders to retain veterans like Kyle Palmieri and Tony DeAngelo while acquiring Jonathan Drouin. Then, the youth movement was underscored by loading up on draft picks, with Matthew Schaefer leading the way.

The Isles added two more first-rounders in the Noah Dobson trade, selecting Viktor Eklund and Kashawn Aitcheson. The Isles added a towering forward in Daniil Prokhorov with their second-round pick. Those four picks alone can give fans plenty of reason for optimism.

All told, the Islanders have a much deeper team heading into next season as compared to this past season. There will be young players coming up through the system, potentially pushing for NHL jobs. That bodes well, especially if incumbents sustain injuries throughout the season.

New York Islanders fans have plenty to look forward to this upcoming season. Of course, other division rivals like the New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes have reloaded as well. But if there’s any team poised to have a solid bounce-back season, it’s the Islanders.