Pierre Engvall’s Plus Side Is Too Good to Pass Up for the New York Islanders

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Pierre Engvall is a classic case of a late-round steal. The New York Islanders forward was a seventh-round pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2014. Given the Leafs' lack of success with draft picks, Pierre Engvall was a pleasant surprise for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

However, Engvall’s path to the NHL wasn’t all that easy.

I recall the speculation regarding Engvall’s potential call-up with Toronto. While his opportunities were limited under Mike Babcock, the promotion of Sheldon Keefe to the big club opened the door for Engvall. In fact, Engvall was promoted alongside Keefe from the Toronto Marlies to the Maple Leafs.

Engvall’s impact was almost immediate. Engvall got into 48 games with the Maple Leafs in 2020, scoring 15 points. After 35 points in 78 games in 2021-22, it seemed as though Engvall was poised to become a fixture in Toronto.

However, Toronto’s cap problems become the New York Islanders’ gain. The Leafs moved Engvall to the Island amid a cap crunch. Fast forward to 2024, and Engvall’s tenure with the Isles looks to deliver on the promise shown in Toronto back in 2020.

So, let’s take a deeper look into why Pierre Engvall’s plus side is just too good for the New York Islanders to pass up.

The New York Islanders Cannot Pass Up on Pierre Engvall’s Plus Side

PLUS

Questions emerged when the New York Islanders signed Pierre Engvall to a seven-year, $21 million contract extension in 2023.

In particular, questions emerged about signing Engvall to such a long contract given his apparent lack of production and results.

But there’s one thing many analysts don’t get about Engvall: His value doesn’t lie in scoring 40 goals a season. Engvall is one of the league’s best-rounded players. He doesn’t make silly mistakes, costly turnovers, or suffer from defensive lapses.

The reason why the New York Islanders traded for Engvall was because Lou Lamoriello drafted him during this tenure in Toronto. Lamoriello, savvy as he is, saw an opportunity to pluck a highly productive player from Toronto amid his old club’s cap crunch.

Engvall’s speed, hockey smarts, and overall work ethic make him the type of player that any team would love to have. Moreover, Engvall has the potential to become one of the league’s best defensive forwards. Under Patrick Roy, Engvall could become like Guy Carbonneau, an elite defensive forward Roy knows very well.

It’s also worth pointing out that Engvall still possesses the ability to score 20 goals. If he can do that, the Isles will be extremely lucky to have that sort of production from the bottom six.

Now, I wouldn’t rule out Engvall eventually getting another crack at the top six. In my estimation, Engvall could be a good complement to Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri, especially if Maxim Tsyplakov has trouble adjusting to the North American game.

On the whole, Engvall’s pluses are too good to pass up. It’s hard to overlook how much Engvall contributes to the club. His contributions go beyond putting the puck in the back of the net. Engvall’s value is based on his all-around game.

MINUS

The biggest criticism of Engvall has been his lack of offensive production. He was deemed a disappointment in Toronto because he didn’t seem to fit into the club’s top six. Some envisioned Pierre Engvall flanking John Tavares and William Nylander but that prospect just didn't materialize.

While Engvall may have been able to do that if given more of a chance, the fact is that Engvall’s offensive production seems to lie in the 20 to 30-point range.

But then again, Engvall’s identity has never been as a goal scorer. His speed has always been his most valuable asset. That’s why his role in killing penalties and playing a more defensive-minded game makes him a valuable commodity.

When considering his defensive game, critics point out that Engvall is not physical enough to play tough minutes against top opponents. While that may be true to a certain extent, players with Engvall’s speed don’t need to crush opponents. Speedy wingers can take advantage of opponents’ lapses to generate turnovers to create offensive chances.

The Verdict

Pierre Engvall had a much better season last year than most believe. As such, it’s not a stretch to think that Engvall could top 20 goals this season while playing with Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Anders Lee. Such a line could give the Islanders a much-needed offensive boost from the bottom six.

While Engvall still retains some top-six potential, it seems that his identity at this point lies in being a talented defensive forward. Potentially playing with Pageau and Lee could help Engvall increase his offensive output while continuing to play a key role as a penalty killer.

Barring injuries, a full year under Patrick Roy could unleash Pierre Engvall as one of the league’s best two-way forwards. If there’s ever a bold prediction, it’s that Pierre Engvall could get Selke Trophy consideration as soon as this upcoming season.

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Pierre Engvall’s Plus Side Is Too Good to Pass Up for the NY Islanders

The New York Islanders Cannot Pass Up on Pierre Engvall’s Plus Side

PLUS

MINUS

The Verdict

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