NY Islanders’ Bold Blue Line Overhaul is Paying Off, But What Happens Next?

Since the New Year, the New York Islanders have been playing some of their best hockey. They’re 11-4 since Jan. 1, with a +14 goal differential. 

They’re doing it without some key players including Mat Barzal, Noah Dobson, and Ryan Pulock. But while the Islanders have missed Barzal’s offensive production, they’ve elected to change their defensive style since they lost Dobson and Pulock. Right now, it's paying off big time. 

Since the New Year, the Islanders have made moves to replace their injured defensemen with lowkey acquisitions. They signed Tony DeAngelo out of Russia, traded for Scott Perunovich, and claimed Adam Boqvist off waivers. The total cost of acquiring these three players was a lone fifth-round pick. Since making the first of these moves (acquiring DeAngelo), the Islanders have gone 5-1-0. 

How have the new guys influenced the Islanders play?

For one, all three of the new guys are undersized. All three of them stand 5’11” or shorter, a big change from Dobson and Pulock who both stand over six feet tall. What they lack in size, the new guys make up for in offensive skill. 

DeAngelo has four points through his first six games, including the overtime winner against the Lightning. He is a +6. Boqvist has already scored a goal in his first three games with the Islanders; he’s a +2. Finally, Perunovich, who has struggled the most among the new guys, has recorded two assists in his first five games. He’s a -1.