Casey Cizikas Is a Plus for the New York Islanders’ Heart and Soul

Exploring the Plus and Minus Sides of Casey Cizikas with the New York Islanders

PLUS

Cizikas is a gutsy player. He’s carved out a role for himself on the Isles’ fourth line. For a while, Cizikas terrorized opposing teams along with Matt Martin and Cal Clutterbuck. The trio kept some of the best competition in check.

If there was ever the need to drop the gloves, Cizikas and company were up to the task.

But Cizikas is not an enforcer. He’s a talented player who can grind and provide depth scoring. Last season, Cizikas chipped in 10 goals and 23 points in 70 games. The year before that, he contributed 21 points. His career high of 29 points shows that Cizikas is capable of providing offensive support if the opportunity arises.

Cizikas has also shown that he’s a versatile player. He’s played up and down the lineup whenever the club has needed him. Last year, Cizikas spent some time in the Isles’ top six when injuries and inconsistency forced the club to make some drastic moves.

While we may not see Cizikas playing with Mathew Barzal or Brock Nelson, we can expect Cizikas to anchor the bottom six with experience and composure.

But there’s one other key element that Cizikas brings to the table: Leadership. As he approaches 1,000 NHL games, Cizikas has become a role model for younger players. That type of role is invaluable to contending teams.

For example, the Chicago Blackhawks have gone out of their way to surround their young superstar Connor Bedard with experienced leaders like Nick Foligno. This approach helps young players develop into superstars who can eventually lead teams on championship runs.

Overall, Cizikas adds so much to the plus side that it’s hard to keep track. The Isles are lucky to have a soldier like him on the team.