NY Islanders Fans Should Love What Simon Holmstrom Is Doing for Sweden

New York Islanders winger Simon Holmstrom is producing for Sweden at Worlds, and fans should be paying attention to his confidence.

If you are an Islanders fan looking for a sneaky-good offseason storyline, stop scrolling past the World Championship updates. Simon Holmstrom is doing something worth noticing.

Holmstrom has hit the scoresheet in each of Sweden’s first three games at the 2026 IIHF World Championship, including a goal and an assist in Sweden’s 4-3 loss to Czechia. He was also named Sweden’s Player of the Game in that contest. That may not sound like a franchise-altering headline, but for the Islanders, it matters. This is a player who has spent years trying to turn tools, defensive trust, and flashes of offense into a more complete NHL identity. International confidence can absolutely carry over.

The encouraging part is not just that Holmstrom scored. It is how involved he has been. He assisted on Sweden’s opening goal against Czechia, then finished a one-timer for his first goal of the tournament. Through three games, he had four points, while Emil Heineman also got going with two assists in that same game. For two Islanders forwards representing Sweden, that is exactly the kind of productive rhythm fans want to see.

Holmstrom also had an assist in Sweden’s win over Denmark, after recording a helper against Canada in the tournament opener. That is three straight games with a point. Again, nobody is saying this suddenly makes him a top-line NHL winger. But this is the offseason, and offseason growth often starts with confidence. Holmstrom playing important minutes, producing, and earning recognition for Sweden is a positive development.

Danny Nelson’s tournament has been quieter so far for Team USA, but even that experience has value. He logged limited minutes in the opener against Switzerland, recorded three shots in a win over Great Britain, and played 11:24 in a loss to Finland. For a 2023 second-round pick, just being in that environment is part of the climb.

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