Fansided

Can Hudson Fasching find himself back on the plus side of the NY Islanders' lineup?

After finding it difficult to crack the lineup last season, Hudson Fasching looks to turn things around with the NY Islanders

By Michael Stahurski |
Dec 7, 2023; Elmont, New York, USA; New York Islanders right wing Hudson Fasching (20) skates with the puck against Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Justin Danforth (17) during the second period at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 7, 2023; Elmont, New York, USA; New York Islanders right wing Hudson Fasching (20) skates with the puck against Columbus Blue Jackets right wing Justin Danforth (17) during the second period at UBS Arena. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-USA TODAY Sports / John Jones-USA TODAY Sports
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Making an NHL roster is no easy task, but keeping your spot in the lineup is even more difficult. There are only so many jobs as an NHLer, and Hudson Fasching found that out the hard way last season.

After breaking into the lineup during the 2022-23 season and signing a two-year deal worth $775k annually, Fasching found it difficult to crack the NY Islanders lineup in 2023-24.

Finishing with 19 points (10 G, 9 A) in 45 games in 2022-23, Fasching finished slightly below those numbers in his second season on Long Island, scoring four times and adding 10 assists in 45 games. However, his plus/minus finished 17 points lower, going from a +10 to a -7.

Now, with Kyle MacLean asserting himself in the Islanders lineup, Fasching will need to battle for his position with this team. And with the Islanders over the salary cap, as things stand, he could be a candidate to be waived to become cap-compliant. If Lou Lamoriello does elect to waive Fasching, another player will need to go as well as his $775k still leaves them $175k over the cap ceiling.

PLUS

Though it seemed inevitable, we now know that Cal Clutterbuck and Matt Martin won't be returning to the Islanders. This opens up two positions on the Islanders' fourth line as we've seen the last of the Identity Line.

Used throughout the lineup in his two seasons with the Islanders, Fasching has been most effective when playing in a fourth line role. When Clutterbuck missed 33 games two years ago, it was Fasching who assumed that role next to Martin and Casey Cizikas. That's where he made his name and earned himself a two-year, one-way contract.

A hard-nosed forward, Fasching has no issue engaging in battles along the boards or sticking his nose into the dirty areas in front of goal. Of his 14 goals scored with the Islanders, most have come within a few feet outside the crease, either cleaning up rebounds off the goalie's pads or having pucks bounce off his body and into the net - like that memorable goal against the Buffalo Sabres as the Islanders battled for a playoff spot two seasons ago.

Fasching may not be thefleetest of foot, but his speed is good enough for the role he typically plays. Gone are the days of the big-bodied checkers on the fourth line, as now everyone needs to be able to be at least a good skater. Fasching can use that speed to help break pucks out of the defensive end and typically looks to make the safe smart play.

MINUS

With Fasching's game, what you see i what you get. There's no flare to his game and his ceiling is a fourth line role. While there's nothing wrong with that, there are only so many spots within the lineup he can be deployed and still play an effective game.

At 29 years old, Fasching has only recently caught on as an NHLer. Before catching on with the Islanders, he'd only played 39 career games. Though it's not impossible, finding your game at 27 years old isn't something you typically see. Could the 2022-23 season have just been an anomaly in Fasching's game and his true ceiling is a very good AHL player?

With only a few spots abvailable on this Islanders roster, Patrick Roy will want multi-dimensional players on the ice. As things appear as of now, Cizikas and MacLean will likely be in the opening night lineup, leaving Fasching and Simon Holmstrom as two players battling for the final spot. Last season, Holmstrom finished second in the NHL with five shorthanded goals. Fasching, on the other hand, played only 3:43 while a man down. MacLean is already one fourth liner who doesn't play on the penalty kill, and Roy may not want to have 2/3 of his bottom line unable to play on the PK.

The Verdict

Fasching has plenty of value on this Islanders team, but there are other players capable of playing that same role if not better. It's hard to see the Islanders sitting Holmstrom in favor of Fasching.

I don't see the Islanders waiving him as it still leaves them over the cap, but he could become a cap casualty if space is needed further down the line.

If I had to guess, Fasching will start the season as the Islanders' 13th forward.

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