By this time next week, the puck will have dropped on the New York Islanders 2024-25 season. It will be the 52nd season of Islanders hockey. As we get closer to the opening game, here are some bold predictions for this year’s team.
2024-25 Islanders Bold Predictions
Bold Prediction #1: Barzy Reaches the Century Mark
Mathew Barzal has done nothing but impress since he was drafted in the first round back in 2015. One thing he has never done however is score 100 points in a season. With the upgrades the team has made that can all change this season. Last season Barzal had a great year scoring 80 points (23 goals 57 assists). This was his best production since 2017-18 when he scored a career-high 85 points (22 goals 63 assists) on his way to capturing the Calder Memorial Trophy for rookie of the year. General manager Lou Lamoriello has done his best to acquire talent around his franchise player to help boost his game. In 2022-23 it was the addition of Bo Horvat to centre the first line and the top powerplay unit. This offseason it was Anthony Duclair who will slot right in next to Horvat and Barzal on that top line and on the top powerplay unit as well. These three should be able to do great work together and hopefully boost the team’s scoring output after ranking 22nd in goals last season. Barzal would be the team’s first 100-point scorer since Pierre Turgeon in the 1992-93 season.
Bold Prediction #2: The Big KHL Acquisition Scores 30 Goals
A big question mark going into the season is what the Islanders will get from Makim Tsyplakov. The 25-year-old will play his first NHL action after six seasons in the KHL. He scored 31 goals in his breakout season in the KHL last year, earning him a one-year deal worth $950,000. In these preseason games, Tsyplakov has already shown why he was a hot commodity this offseason. He started out skating on the Islanders fourth line. However, when he was bumped up into the top six next to Brock Nelson and Kyle Palamari he flashed his brilliance. His IQ, passing ability, and decision-making make him a threat on seemingly every shift, as well as the power play with his ability to screen the goalie. Tsyplakov’s ability to play behind the net and move to the front could be a game-changer for the Islanders power play if given the opportunity. In his final preseason game, he scored the eventual game-winner against the New York Rangers and showed off his power move using his frame to drive to the net. If he sticks in the Islanders top six and sees regular power play time, him scoring 30 is well within range.
Bold Prediction #3: Dobson Improves from Last Season
Last season Noah Dobson was very much in the conversation for the Norris Trophy awarded to the league’s best defenceman. He had a great season and even set some career bests. He finished with 70 points which was a career high (10 goals, 60 assists). The 60 assists were also the best of his career. The 70 points ranked him seventh among the other defencemen in the league. However, there was a stretch from Feb. 10 to Apr. 2 where he went ice cold scoring only one goal in 24 games. This cold stretch took him out of any Norris Trophy talks but he still had a great year. Coming into this season he will look to remain consistent for the entire season, if he does this, he has the potential to score 90 points which would’ve tied him for second in the league with Cale Makar. Improving the power play performance which ranked 19th last season will be crucial to hit that point mark as Dobson works as the quarterback for the top unit. Dobson will have extra motivation this season entering the final year of his deal. He will be getting a raise from his $4 million AAV. The question is how much of a raise? If he improves on last season and hits the 90-point mark he could be looking at a big pay raise this offseason.
Bold Prediction #4: Sorokin wins the Vezina
Ilya Sorokin has shown his Vezina potential in the past. In the 2022-23 season, he was a finalist for the award playing to a 2.34 GAA, a .924 SV% and with a league-leading six shutouts. He followed that up by having the worst season of his career last year. Posting a 3.01 GAA with a .908 SV%. He even lost his starting job to Semyon Varlamov down the stretch and in the playoffs. The Russian goalie is much better than what we saw last season. He will be looking to prove that to the fans and critics this year. Entering the first of an eight-year deal worth $8.25 million annually, the team would love to see him bounce back. If Sorokin is in the Vezina contestation it will probably mean his team is in the playoff picture too. Sergi Naumovs coming in as the new AHL coach should help him get back to form. Naumovs served as Ilya Sorokin’s goalie coach during his final two seasons with the KHL’s CSKA Moscow. In those two seasons, Sorokin went 54-16-7 with a 1.30 GAA and a .938 SV%.
Playoff Implications?
If some or any of these bold predictions come true, the Islanders should be a playoff team again in 2024-25. The team went through a lot last season, including a mid-season coaching change. They still were able to power through and make the dance. The squad has improved from last season and expecting a bounce back from their star goalie. The Islanders have made the playoffs in five of the last six seasons. However, they haven’t made it past the first round of the playoffs since 2021. This team definitely has the potential to change that this year.
Main Photo Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images
