The Florida Panthers punched their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final with a 2-1 win over the New York Rangers in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final. It’s the second season in a row that the Panthers are heading to the Final and they’ve become the model franchise in the Eastern Conference, replacing their in-state rival Tampa Bay Lightning for that spot.
Related: Panthers Beat Rangers in Game 6 to Advance to Stanley Cup Final
The Islanders can learn a lot from the Panthers, as can many teams around the NHL hoping to leap from average to a contender. The gap is noticeable between the two teams but there are a few ways that the Islanders can gain ground on the elite teams in the NHL, specifically, a Panthers team on the verge of winning the Stanley Cup for the first time in franchise history.
A Well-Rounded Defense
Gustav Forsling is a remarkable defensive defenseman and arguably one of the best in the league. He proved his worth all season with 8.0 defensive point shares and 102 blocked shots and has been a star at both ends of the ice in the playoffs. It’s a defenseman like Forsling that the Islanders used to have on their roster but now lack and it’s cost them.
But it’s not just Forsling. The Panthers have a great defense because of the impact throughout the unit. Aaron Ekblad, Brandon Montour, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson have rounded out the defense to give it multiple great pairings that can shut down any offense. On top of that, the Panthers have the players who make an impact at the point. Forsling had 10 goals this season and four in the playoffs while Montour and Ekman-Larsson added 17 goals during the season and four in the playoffs.
So, if the Islanders lack these players on their defense, where can they find them by the start of next season? The good thing is that Noah Dobson is one of those players as an emerging young two-way playmaker. Then there’s Alexander Romanov turning into the unit’s defensive defenseman. The problem is that Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock have battled injuries in recent seasons and aren’t the same as they used to be. If they return to form, then the Islanders can close the gap.
Then there are questions about the depth. Mike Reilly stepped up but he’s a short-term answer. Sebastian Aho is hit or miss but adds speed to the unit. Scott Mayfield must bounce back from a disastrous season or a buyout might be on the table despite signing a seven-year contract in the 2023 offseason. The other options for depth are in the prospect pool but the skaters there will take time, notably with Calle Odelius and Isaiah George still at least a season away from joining the NHL roster. The bottom line is that the Islanders have a lot of question marks on their defense and must find answers if they hope to join the tier that the Panthers are in.
Islanders Need Two-Way Forwards
Aleksander Barkov and Matthew Tkachuk made a big difference with their defense and forechecking all season but are on another level in the playoffs. They wear down their opponents when the puck is in the offensive zone and the Rangers in particular looked fatigued by the end of the series, having to play a 200-foot game against Barkov and Tkachuk’s defense.
Barkov leads the way as the Selke Trophy winner but it’s something the entire lineup embodies. Part of that is coaching as Paul Maurice has instilled a two-way game into the roster but the forwards stepping up at both ends of the ice is what’s separated the Panthers from the rest of the teams in the Eastern Conference, especially in the playoffs.
The irony is that this is what the Islanders once were, a team with a surplus of defensive forwards. They were a forechecking team that could win with hard hits and turnovers, notably when Barry Trotz was the head coach. They have the skaters who make that type of impact but they are getting older. To close this gap, the Islanders must go out and make a move to add a forward who can impact the game at both ends of the ice. The player who comes to mind is Tanner Jeannot and it will be interesting to see if they make a move to acquire him.
Panthers Have Depth Scoring, Islanders Don’t
This is probably the most notable difference between the two teams. The Islanders’ bottom six was non-existent on the offensive end of the ice and barring any changes this summer, it will remain that way next season as well. The Panthers on the other hand found offense on their third and fourth line and it’s why they are in the Final.
The final four teams all had depth scorers who could elevate the offense when needed and the Panthers were no exception. Whether it was Anton Lundell, who had 13 goals and 22 assists, or Evan Rodrigues, who scored 12 goals and 27 assists, they had the skaters who could find the back of the net when the top-six struggled.
The Islanders can bet on a youth movement for depth scoring, with Matthew Maggio and William Dufour both ready for the NHL, but betting on prospects is always a risk that can backfire. If anyone hates betting on prospects, it’s general manager (GM) Lou Lamoriello, and with that in mind, it’s hard to expect the Islanders to find depth scoring as there aren’t many avenues available for them to do so.
Islanders Need Versatility From Their Stars
An issue for years with the Islanders is that they lack versatility. They have great skaters but the first issue is that they aren’t superstars like Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, or Tkachuk. the second and more concerning issue is that they aren’t able to win in multiple ways. Mathew Barzal proved he can do that this season and it resulted in him being the team’s All-Star selection. Otherwise, the Islanders have a lot of one-dimensional skaters.
The Panthers have no shortage of forwards who can take over a game in multiple ways. Tkachuk and Barkov come to mind but it’s also Sam Bennett and Carter Verhaeghe. Even Sam Reinhart, who is a pure goal scorer, proved repeatedly that he can find the back of the net both as a shooter at the faceoff circles and as a finisher near the net.
The Islanders will have trouble finding versatile players. A swing in the offseason could land them one but they’d have to work around the salary cap and possibly move on from some veterans to fit an offseason acquisition on the roster. Ideally, the Islanders sign Jake Guentzel this summer. The problem is that they can’t afford his contract which will likely be in the $10 million per season range.
Islanders Have the Coach in Place to Close the Gap
The Islanders are a tier or two below the Panthers but the good thing is that head coach Patrick Roy, who was hired midseason, shares a lot of similarities with Maurice. He fixed the defense and coached a structured team. While Maurice changed the identity of the Panthers, Roy has started to place his fingerprints on the Islanders, helping them make the playoffs with a strong second half of the season.
If Roy is given a full offseason to prepare, and he will have that with the Islanders ahead of the 2024-25 season, the team can kick off the ground running. The Vancouver Canucks ended up with the second-best record in the Pacific Division in Rick Tocchet’s first full season behind the bench and the same turnaround could happen with Roy and the Islanders.
Is there something the Islanders must work on to close the gap with the Panthers? Let us know in the comments section below!
