12 Keys to the New York Islanders Winning the 2025 Stanley Cup – The Hockey Writers New York Islanders Latest News, Analysis & More

It’s unlikely that the New York Islanders will win the Stanley Cup this season. They are a middling team, and their odds reflect that – at +4000 or +5000, according to most oddsmakers, they are in the same group as the Detroit Red Wings, Ottawa Senators, and Pittsburgh Penguins. However, if a few things go their way this season, they could win it all against the odds.

1. Islanders Buy Into Roy’s System

Head coach Patrick Roy will have his team playing disciplined and structured hockey at both ends of the ice. When he took over the bench halfway through last season, he turned the Islanders into a playoff team, and with a full offseason to prepare, this group should hit the ground running. The veteran-heavy group bought into his style last season, and the hope is that they will have another great season.

2. Islanders Forward Unit Must Find Depth

The Islanders have a top-heavy offense. After Mathew Barzal, Bo Horvat, Brock Nelson, and Kyle Palmieri, the production drops, and the depth is non-existent. This season, the Islanders need production from their bottom six and, in particular, from their third line, which was a weak link throughout last season.

All eyes are on Anders Lee, Pierre Engvall, and Jean-Gabriel Pageau, three veterans who can generate offense but combined for only 41 goals and 57 assists last season. Lee is a finisher, while Pageau is a passer, and together, the two can create plenty of scoring chances. With Engvall finding open shots from the wing, the third line should be potent this season if all three skaters step up.

3. Dobson & Romanov Carry The Defense

Noah Dobson and Alexander Romanov are the two defensemen expected to carry the unit. Dobson can do it as a two-way player – he’s scored 36 goals and 134 assists in the past three seasons while rounding out his game in the defensive zone. Romanov, meanwhile, can take over games as a stay-at-home defenseman who creates turnovers, blocks shots, and delivers big hits.

The two will form the top pair, or if Roy chooses to split them up, they will take most of the ice time among defensemen. With their great play, the defense will improve and look like one of the best in the league. It will also help both skaters field big contracts in the 2025 offseason when they become restricted free agents (RFAs).

4. Lamoriello Must Add Elite Talent

If the Islanders are in the playoff picture and playing well halfway through the season, they must make a splash. It’s something that general manager (GM) Lou Lamoriello tends to avoid. That said, he must get his team over the hump by adding an elite forward to the top six who can help them defeat the top teams in the Eastern Conference and make a deep playoff run.

5. The Defense Must Improve

The defense struggled last season and was a shell of the ones from previous seasons. They improved under Roy, but they were still the Islanders’ weak link. Improvement starts at the top with Dobson and Romanov, but Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock must be available for the full season, while Scott Mayfield and Mike Reilly must round out the unit on the third pair.

6. Sorokin Rebounds & Varlamov Receives Steady Workload

If there’s something the Islanders have learned in recent seasons, it’s that Ilya Sorokin is great, and when he’s playing at a high level, he is one of the best in the NHL. In 2022-23, he willed the team to the playoffs and finished as a Vezina Trophy finalist because of it. The other lesson is that while Sorokin is great, he can’t do it all himself, and overworking him will backfire.

It’s why the Islanders must use Semyon Varlamov for a decent number of starts. He proved last season that even in the twilight of his career, he’s still capable of being a reliable backup. The Islanders will lean on Sorokin, but Varlamov must start at least 30 games to keep both well-rested for the full 82-game season.

7. Barzal & Horvat Continue Strong Connection

The connection that led the offense last season must return this season. Barzal rounded out his game last season to become an All-Star caliber player, and he can continue to create scoring chances with his speed and passing and also find the back of the net with his quick shot. Horvat, meanwhile, must remain a great shooter but also take his game one step further. He must create scoring chances from the top-line center position. Together, they can give the Islanders a potent top line and make the offense a tough one to stop.

8. Duclair Steps Up As a Scorer

Anthony Duclair was the team’s big offseason signing. Lamoriello made a splash and signed the veteran winger to a four-year deal to add a spark to the offense. Duclair will likely play alongside Barzal and Horvat on the top line, and he must score to take the offense to the next level. He’s bounced around in recent seasons but is a great scorer who will have plenty of open looks on the top line to take advantage of.

9. Roy Finds a Steady Role For Tsyplakov

The other big addition in the offseason was signing Maxim Tsyplakov from the KHL with the hopes that the young forward would bring a new look to the offense. The question is where he will play in the forward unit. Right now, all the signs point to him playing on the Nelson line, and his ability to provide a scoring presence on the wing could make the Islanders’ offense one of the best in the league. Tsyplakov is the X-Factor upfront, and it’s why Roy must find the right skaters to play with him this season.

10. Special Teams Must Improve

Whether it’s the power play looking hapless or the penalty kill allowing easy scoring chances for the opposition, the Islanders’ special teams have been a weakness in recent campaigns. Last season, the penalty kill, in particular, was awful, and it can’t be if the team has their eyes on the Stanley Cup. The power play would improve with Dobson taking on a more active role from the point, while the penalty kill requires Roy to coach up the unit and find the right skaters to step up and prevent opponents from easily finding the back of the net.

11. Nelson Continues To Carry Second Line

Centering the second line, Nelson must step up as a scorer and a playmaker. He’s done so in recent seasons with 30 goals or more in each of the past three seasons, and even at 33 years old, he’s shown no signs of slowing down. Nelson will head into the offseason as an unrestricted free agent (UFA), but the Islanders should try to keep the face of their franchise at all costs.

A big season from Nelson will have the Islanders in the playoff picture. He not only can constantly find the back of the net but also create scoring chances for the other skaters on his line. Unlike Barzal and Horvat, Nelson has to carry the line without much help, and it makes him an integral part of the team’s success.

12. Islanders Adapt For The Playoffs

When the Islanders play a team like the Carolina Hurricanes, they must be able to pivot. When teams force them to win low-scoring, slow games or fast-paced ones, the Islanders must adapt. Likewise, when the opponents force skaters to win in multiple ways, they must do so. The Islanders were eliminated in the First Round by the Hurricanes in 2023 and 2024 because of their inability to pivot. In the playoffs, skaters like Horvat must step up as a playmaker, and Barzal must take over games as a shooter. It’s a tall task, but it’s what will make the team a Cup contender.

Other Keys for Islanders to Win The Cup

The bottom line is that the Islanders must overachieve. Some aging veterans must turn back the clock, and the star players must look like superstars capable of taking over games by themselves. Having outside help will also benefit the Islanders. Specifically, the Metropolitan Division isn’t a juggernaut compared to previous seasons. Playing in a weaker division should allow the Islanders to pile up the wins and put together a great season.

The Islanders can make a splash, but adding a two-way defenseman at the trade deadline would also help the cause. They’ve struggled at the point in the playoffs, and having a defenseman who can elevate the offense will be pivotal regardless of the matchup.

A lot must go right for any team to win the Cup, and the Islanders need a handful of things to go their way. However, they have a path if everything falls into place.