Fansided

NY Islanders Plus/Minus for 2023-24: Pierre Engvall set to prove his worth seven years

By Michael Stahurski |
New York Islanders v Carolina Hurricanes - Game Five
New York Islanders v Carolina Hurricanes - Game Five / Jaylynn Nash/GettyImages
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For a NY Islanders team pushed up against the cap ceiling, Pierre Engvall provides relief over the next seven seasons at a $3M cap hit. Acquired near the trade deadline last season for a third-round pick, the Ljungby Sweden native provided an element of speed the team was missing since the departure of Anthony Beauvillier.

Engvall seemed to have benefitted from the move out of Toronto as his production improved, though over a small sample size. Appearing in 48 games with the Maple Leafs, Engvall averaged .36 points per game, improving that number to .50 following his move to Long Island.

Right off the bat, Engvall seemed to hit it off with Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri, forming one of the league's top lines during their short time together.

Committed to Long Island for the foreseeable future, Engvall will look to keep the same energy going from the tail end of 2022-23 when he was one of the Islanders' top forwards.

PLUS

The first things you notice about Engvall on the ice are his size and speed. Standing 6'5" with muscles on his muscles, Engvall skates like a player half his size. Upon the Islanders' acquisition of Engvall, GM Lou Lamoriello acknowledged the length and speed he provides.

“Pierre is a very versatile player. He’ll bring a dimension that he can play any one of the forward positions, and probably his biggest asset is his skating ability,” Lamoriello said. “He’s got a long reach, being 6-5, 220.”

While he may not provide much physicality, Engvall is willing to backcheck every shift. He disrupts the play by using either his speed, looking to intercept a pass, or using his reach to deflect a cross-ice pass.

Engvall also ptovides versatility. While the Islanders are set at the center position, Engvall can fill the position in a pinch but is better suited for the wing. He can play anywhere in the lineup, seeing time on the Islanders' top three lines last season. His likely best spot is on the third line, but if the chemistry is there with Palmieri and Nelson, he'll for sure see more time on the second line.

MINUS

Engvall might have tremendous size, but he doesn't provide any physicality. Not only does he fail to lay the body at opportune times, he seems to stray away from it. Engvall has had plenty of opportunities to lay the lumber along the boards but will typically stop and throw his stick into the opponent's attempting to jar the puck loose.

It may not be required of him, but if Engvall would throw hits even 25% more, he'd bring a different element to the Islanders top two lines (if that's where he winds up playing). Alongside Nelson and Palmieri, there isn't much physicality. Nelson and Palmieri are more skilled than Engvall and don't possess the same type of size. Some occasional body checks could clear up more space for the line to operate, resulting in more goals.

Engvall has never been much of a pointsuccessful producer, as his most successfull season came in 2021-22, finishing the year with 35 points. A change of scenery may have been what he needed, but it's yet to be seen if he can do so on a night-to-night basis throughout an entire season. A seven-year contract is a lot of term to give to a player who doesn't light the lamp often, so it's still to be determined how his deal plays out over the next few seasons.

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