5 Islanders players who must bring their A-Game in February to stick around in the playoff hunt

The New York Islanders may be outside of a wild card spot, but after snagging a win on their first game back from the All-Star Break, they are only four points from overtaking the Detroit Red Wings (58 points). Therefore, the Isles are still well within reach of returning to the playoffs, and a strong February will put them in a good position to play some meaningful games next month. 

While the entire team must step up if the Islanders want to see themselves remain in serious contention, there are five notable players whose game must either get to or remain at a high level. These aren’t all potential impact players, but also names who have been flying under the radar as of late.

It’s time for Bo Horvat to take over games in the clutch

In 49 games, Bo Horvat has been as-advertised for the Islanders, putting up a solid 45 points and 20 goals. While he isn’t leading the team in the points category, Horvat is second only to Brock Nelson in goals scored. He is also eclipsing the latter in two particular scoring categories - power play goals and game-winners.

Horvat’s production on the power play is something we need to keep seeing now that the All-Star Break is behind us and the most pivotal part of the season is approaching. The better he produces on the man advantage, the better New York’s chances of finally snagging a spot in the wild card when the stakes are growing. 

Horvat is tied with Matt Barzal with three game-winning goals, but given his ability to come up stronger than everyone else regardless of the situation, he’s the one who must deliver clutch performances. He came to Long Island to convert this team into a serious contender, and now is the time to make good on that. 

Noah Dobson’s Norris-worthy campaign must continue through February

Unlike Sorokin, Noah Dobson has been among the best at his position through the 2023-24 season. He’s been so good on both sides of the ice that he’s already posted career-highs in points and assists, and he’s also averaging over a point per game. 

While we didn’t see Dobson add to that points total a few nights back, he was once again a force, logging a trio of hits and blocks while spending just 23:15 on the ice. Those three blocks and hits added to a growing total that will also likely give him new career-highs in both categories when the regular season ends, but it’s more than just basic numbers regarding Dobson. 

When you look at his Corsi and Fenwick percentages at 5-on-5, they are an unimpressive 48.6 and 49.1, respectively. But given the offensive zone starts also standing at 49.6 when Dobson is on the ice, it gives us a visual that his on-ice presence is helping the Islanders in huge ways. 

Sure, keeping up a Norris-worthy campaign means putting up big numbers, and Dobson is having zero issues with that. But the league’s best defensemen will always be a part of putting their team in a position to make the most of their chances, and Dobson must keep up his elite play. 

If there is ever a time for Kyle Palmieri to approach a career-high in points…

Kyle Palmieri is currently fifth on the team in points with 29 in 50 contests, and his 13 goals are tied for fourth on the team. Overall, his numbers aren’t anything to brag about, even if you can call them solid. But it’s these solid, albeit unspectacular talents that can stand out and make a difference in a close contest, and Palmieri is that player for the Islanders. 

Right now, the 32-year-old looks as though he’s going to at least approach his career-high of 57 points, something that occurred way back during the 2015-16 season. Finding that groove for a team that ranks a meager 23rd with 146 goals provides an outstanding supplement, as they need at least one player we will never call a star to be serious contenders in a few more games. 

We know guys like Horvat, Nelson, Dobson, and Mathew Barzal will get their points, but Palmieri paces that second tier of players on the Islanders. Give him a final two months akin to what we saw from him in that 2015-16 season with the New Jersey Devils, and watch the Isles win. 

Simon Holmstrom’s under-the-radar season should keep trending north

While Kyle Palmieri is the most notable name on that second-tier, he’s also in the game often, averaging 16 minutes and 58 seconds of total ice time. Therefore, a player constantly leading the lower lines like Holmstrom provides yet another major supplement to a winning formula. 

Holmstrom isn’t on the ice long, averaging just 13:24, and that number won’t rise. But he’s also making the most of his opportunities with 12 goals and a remarkable 25.5 shooting percentage. It should go without giving it much consideration that Holmstrom is one of the team’s most accurate scorers, and he needs to make even more of those scoring opportunities. 

Doing so gives the Islanders an ultra-dangerous winger on the bottom-six, and given their overall meager ranking in scoring, Holmstrom will give this team a major boost. Right now, he has just 47 shots on goal in 49 appearances, and that number must soar for him to keep reaching new heights. 

It’s also worth noting that Holmstrom has 31 takeaways this season, so he can even create more opportunities if he keeps finding ways to get his stick on the puck when New York isn’t in possession. 

(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference as of February 7th)