Simon Holmstrom is heading into his most important season with the NY Islanders

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There are few players on this NY Islanders roster with as much to lose and as much to gain as Simon Holmstrom. The Swede signed a one-year extension with the Islanders this off-season and will be entering his third year as a full-time NHLer.

Holmstrom bounced around the lineup last season in every way possible. After an impressive training camp, he was given the first crack at playing on the wing alongside Mat Barzal and Bo Horvat but was quickly reduced to a role further down the lineup. He saw ice time on all four lines but ultimately found a home alongside JG Pageau on the third line.

Along with playing on that third line together, Holmstrom and Pageau were paired on the Islanders penalty killing unit, finding themselves with a 2-on-1 opportunity seemingly every game. Holmstrom finished the season with five short-handed goals, the second most in the league, and two assists.

Holmstrom has proven he can be a valuable part of this roster, but in what role? The additions of Anthony Duclair and Maxim Tsyplakov fill two roster spots that could have otherwise belonged to Holmstrom, and it appears now he'll be in a position battle to claim a spot on the Islanders' new-look fourth line.

PLUS

Drafted 23rd overall in 2019, Holmstrom hasn't panned out to become what the Islanders hoped he'd become after reaching for him in the first round.

What Holmstrom does bring in bunches is versatility. As mentioned, he can play nearly anywhere in the lineup but plays his best on the third line. Unfortunately, it appears that currently isn't an option, but in case of injury, Patrick Roy can move Holmstrom to just about any wing as a stopgap.

Holmstrom finished last season with 15 goals, good enough for sixth-most on the team. The five players to finish above him were all top-6 players for the majority of the season.

Holmstrom surely isn't a high-volume shooter with a high of four shots on goal last season, but when he does pull the trigger he's extremely efficient. Registering only 72 shots on goal, Holmstrom finished with a 20.8% shooting percentage, by far the best on the team. While that number does seem high, he finished the 2022-23 season shooting 15.4% for a career average of 18.9%

The biggest question out of camp for Holmstrom is where he'll be playing and if he's best suited for that role.

MINUS

It's difficult to point out the specific negatives of Holmstrom's game, but he sometimes loses focus on the ice. Spending most of his life including his time in Bridgeport as a top-6 forward, Holmstrom was able to be more creative with the puck. Playing in a bottom-6 role, the simple, smart play is what is expected, and sometimes he forgets that.

At 23 years old and on only a one-year deal, Homlmstrom will be playing for another contract. With the lineup currently constructed as it is and the Isles in win-now mode, does it make sense to hold onto a player with skill who may not be deployed in his best position?

While he's shown glimpses of being a top-6 player, it doesn't appear that's going to be the case. If the only available position for him is on the fourth line, does it make sense to play him there over Kyle MacLean and Hudson Fasching?

He would bring another element of skill to that line but lacks in physicality compared to the others. The Islanders wouldn't just let a player of Holmstrom's caliber walk for nothing, but he could become a valuable trade chip at the deadline if Lou Lamoriello is looking to make a splash at the trade deadline.

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