Projections: Bottom 6 Fowards

Today, I am going to move on to who I expect the bottom 6 forwards to be when camp breaks for the Islanders.  (in no particular order)

1) JG Pageau

13 goals

26 assists

39 points

Pageau has been a terrific Islander since being acquired by Lou at the deadline in 2020 right before Covid.  He is known more so for his faceoff and PK prowess then his offensive production but is still an extremely useful player.  His PK pairing with Simon Holmstrom is capable of some great things out on the ice.  If things don't go the Islanders way this season, I fully expect him to be moved at the trade deadline as he heads to free agency next summer.

2) Anthony Duclair

18 goals

16 assists

34 points

In what can be best described as a year to forget for Duclair hes looking for a big rebound in year 2 with the Islanders.  He has reportedly mended fences with Patrick Roy after a rocky ending to last season and if he stays healthy I feel like these numbers are well within reach for him.

3) Maxim Shabanov

20 goals

25 assists

45 points

If his game is able to translate from Russia, Shabanov could be a sneaky great pick up for the Islanders.  I feel like the Islanders abundant amount of Russian players could help comfort him as he arrives here which could be beneficial.  With his natural skill plus getting time on the power play I feel like these numbers are realistic for him.

4) Maxim Tsplakov

12 goals 

27 assists

39 points

I would love to see Tsyplakov continue to grow his game this year after an up and down season last year.  A big flaw for him last season was lack of discipline/hockey sense.  With a season under his belt now in North America hopefully we see strides in that area this season.

5) Casey Cizikas

9 goals

11 assists

20 points

Casey has long been part of the heartbeat of the Islanders.  With some new linemates this season and playing a new system it will be interesting to see how it impacts his production levels.

6) Emil Heineman

14 goals

10 assists

24 points

Acquired in the Dobson trade back in June, Heineman will be an interesting guy to watch this year.  Its been reported that the Islanders were adamant about him being included in the Dobson deal so obviously they saw a lot of potential in him.  Seeing how he gels with the guys here will definitely be something to watch as the season rolls on.

Coming next week: Top 6 Defensemen