What's The Plan For Pierre Engvall?

New York Islanders general manager Mathieu Darche said at his media availability yesterday that forward Pierre Engvall is healthy and will be at training camp for the Islanders. Engvall, 30, missed all of last season due to offseason hip surgery the summer prior which progressed into an ankle repair this past October that saw him sidelined for the entirety of the season.

Former Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello signed Engvall to a surprising seven-year deal on July 1, 2023. In his first year under his new price tag, Engvall struggled in all three zones, leading to an early healthy scratch just 12 games into the season. He bounced around and in and out of the lineup but posted a fair 10 goals and 18 assists across 74 games. In a season featuring subdued scoring and scratches from multiple head coaches, there was uncertainty about his spot in the lineup the following fall. Free-agent signings Anthony Duclair and Maxim Tsyplakov impressed in camp and won spots over Engvall entering the season. On October 6, 2024, Lamoriello placed Engvall on waivers just 15 months after handing him a seven-year, $21 million contract.

Due to an early-season injury to Duclair, Engvall was recalled from Bridgeport. He played one game before being scratched for four consecutive games. A week later amid a string of healthy scratches, Roy told the media in Buffalo, "When he plays on the outside, I'm not as crazy about him. Hopefully, this will send the message. There's a player we want, and that's a guy who's around the net. He brings so much speed and so much skill, there's no reason for him to not be able to do that."

After two games in the press box, Roy dispatched Engvall back onto New York’s second line with Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri for a home battle with the visiting Kraken. Engvall struggled in the 5-2 loss on UBS ice as Seattle outshot the Islanders 17-5 while Engvall was on the sheet. He played 12:01 and was -1. Roy scratched him the next game in Carolina and ultimately totaled 13 health bombs on the season for a guy on year two of a seven-year contract. Engvall struggled to the finish with just eight goals and seven assists in 62 games.

When camp opened last fall, Isles’ newly hired GM Mathieu Darche told the media that Engvall had undergone hip surgery and wouldn’t be ready for opening night but was rehabbing on ice. Three weeks later, Darche told the media an ankle injury flared up during rehab and another surgery was required; Engvall’s season was over before it even started. 

A year has gone by, and now Engvall is healthy and available for the Islanders. With a new hip and a hopeful new lease on life as an Islander under Mathieu Darche and now head coach Pete DeBoer, there is hope for Engvall.

The question is: where does he fit in?

Islanders captain Anders Lee departed this summer via free agency, but his roster spot was immediately filled by free-agent signing Matias Maccelli. Patrick Roy was absolute in Engvall’s inability to play a bottom-six role. The player is loaded with size, speed and skill but was selective in bringing those qualities to his game under the previous coach. Pete DeBoer will hope that will change, as it seems he is slotted to be fighting for a bottom-six spot.

The Islanders have rookies ready to challenge roster spots, most notably Victor Eklund and Cole Eiserman, leaving plenty of competition ahead at Islanders camp, which is set to open in two weeks.

Bo Horvat and Mat Barzal are the planned top two centers for DeBoer. Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Casey Cizikas are all but locked in to center the bottom two lines; their wingers are all unknown. Cal Ritchie can play center, but the Islanders have sent him to Barzal’s flank and had success there last year; I’d like to see that again. Simon Holmstrom is the only true guy you can peg in to play on one of Barzal or Horvat’s suspected wings. So that leaves a pile of wingers in Kyle Palmieri, Brayden Schenn, Matias Maccelli, Emil Heineman, Anthony Duclair, Ondrej Palat, Kyle Maclean, Victor Eklund and now Pierre Engvall all battling for a spot. 

There are six spots for nine players here. Something will have to give.

When you look at the players ahead of Engvall, it could be hard to see a path to true success for the Swede. He is clearly on the outside looking in but has speed, size and upside to wow this new staff. The question is whether he can play the bottom-six wing game the professional coaches are looking for. The Islanders had every chance to buy out Engvall this summer, so for now they at least want to give him a chance.

He could always go back on waivers and re-assigned to the AHL again but with his attached contract that scenario is less than ideal for everyone involved.

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