NY Islanders 2022-23 player report card: Casey Cizikas wore many hats in 2022-23

In the second year of his six-year contract with the NY Islanders, Casey Cizikas wore many hats. For the most part, he served in his usual fourth-line role skating alongside Matt Martin and whoever filled in for Cal Clutterbuck while he was injured. However, he could also be seen moved up in the lineup when the Islanders were at the peak of their injuries and required lineup changes. Despite the outcome for the team, it was a good season for Cizikas personally.

*Read our previously published player report cards:

-Sebastian Aho | Josh Bailey | Mathew Barzal | Samuel Bolduc

New York Islanders 2022-23 report card: Casey Cizikas

The height of Cizikas' season came when he was found alongside Mathew Barzal before the arrival of Bo Horvat. Cizikas, a former 20-goal scorer while playing on the fourth line, brough energy and pace that the Islanders first line had been missing for a while. He wasn't the solution, but as a band-aid solution until general manager Lou Lamoriello figured out a way to upgrade his forward group.

“I’m focused on what I can bring to this team and what the coaches need out of me,” Cizikas told Newsday. “And that’s to be hard in our own end. Make sure we’re finishing our checks. I’m battling on every inch in our defensive zone. Getting draws on the penalty kills, getting kills when we need them. And then try to create energy off of the forecheck and put the line after us in a good spot.”

Cizikas finished the season with six goals and 15 assists for 21 points, the most since his 20-goal, 33-point season in 2018-19. Cizikas continues to be the motor that revs the Islanders' engine and with four years remaining on his long-term contract with the Islanders, it's so far so good. Because he wore many hats and played well no matter his deployment, Cizikas gets a B+ for the 2022-23 season.