3 reasons why the Islanders must make a strong play for Adam Henrique

While the New York Islanders haven’t enjoyed an ideal season to date, they are still only three points out of a wild card spot as of February 13th, so they are still legitimate playoff contenders. Therefore, they will at least explore buying options at the trade deadline, even if they would have to make a lot of moves just to have some space to make trades. 

Even if it would be a major challenge to bring in a player like Adam Henrique, it’s not necessarily impossible, and it would even dramatically help New York’s cause in returning to the playoffs. But if the Isles want to get back there, they need someone who can both score and play sound defense, and luckily, Adam Henrique is that player. 

The Islanders could use another depth scorer at forward

While the sheer cost of adding Henrique to the lineup factors in as a major obstacle for the islanders, if they can swing it, they will have a sound depth scorer among their forwards. Bo Horvat and Brock Nelson have 21 and 22 goals, respectively, but no one else on the Islanders has any more than 15, and this is where Henrique will help them with depth scoring. 

Should the Isles find a way to bring in a talent like Henrique, he would immediately upgrade the middle-six, perhaps on the third line. Henrique also has just 15 goals so far this season, but playing for a better team like the Islanders would naturally give him more chances to find the net. 

There is also a chance a talent like Henrique factors into the top-six, where he could further maximize his opportunities to score. Regardless of where they would put him, Henrique’s presence would make New York a better team with the puck overall, and that will translate into a few more crucial wins. 

Henrique offers more defense for an Islanders team that needs it

While the Islanders are close to being one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference, it doesn’t mean they are in the top half of goals scored and goals allowed. In fact, thanks to poor play in the defensive zone, goaltenders Ilya Sorokin and Semyon Varlamov have been allowing far more pucks into the net this season. 

Both netminders are enjoying respectable quality start percentages of 0.595 and 0.563, respectively plus save percentages of 0.910 or better. On the surface, they are having good seasons. But their respective 3.04 and 2.90 GAAs tell a different story, and it shows just how poorly the Isles have been on defense for most of the season. 

This is where Henrique would make a difference, as, despite the Anaheim Ducks finding themselves in a similar predicament, his possession metrics show us that his on-ice presence has at least helped slow down opposing scorers. At 5-on-5, the Ducks on-ice save percentage sits at 91.2 during Henrique’s shifts, and it’s even riding at a respectable 89.6 at even-strength. 

Once again, if you insert him onto a better hockey team, his presence in the defensive zone will more than help that team win games they otherwise would have lost. Or at the absolute least, Henrique would give them a much better chance to pull off some close wins.