When Patrick Roy was manning the crease, his battle mentality was off the charts.
Now, as a head coach, he demands 110 percent each shift, even if it's a quick skate on the practice ice.
That battle mentality that made him a Hockey Hall of Famer is something he needs to see forward Simon Holmstrom truly grasp in 2024-25, now that the restricted free agent is officially back with the New York Islanders on a one-year deal.
Related: Restricted Free Agent Simon Holmstrom Signs One-Year Deal With Islanders
The 23-year-old first-round pick in 2019 set new career highs in 2023-24, his first full NHL season, scoring 15 goals with 10 assists in 75 games.
Known for his defensive prowess, Holmstrom played a lot of minutes on the penalty kill this season (Islanders were the worst in the NHL at 71.5%).
His five shorthanded goals were the second most in the NHL, finishing just one behind Philadelphia Flyers forward Travis Konecny (6).
But all those shorthanded goals came in the first half--December 19th being his last--scoring just two goals in his final 21 games, with three assists.
He served as a healthy scratch six times under Roy, who was behind the Islanders' bench for 37 games.
One thing that impacted his playing time under his new bench boss was his lack of success in 1-on-1 battles.
"I want him to be better in his battles, his one-on-one compete," Roy said. "I want him to drive the net more and be more around the net. Right now, it's unfortunate, but [Kyle] MacLean and [Hudson] Fasching have been playing better than him. So, now, it's his turn to be patient and regain, maybe, my confidence or the coaching staff's confidence. And he'll have to be patient."
Related: Islanders Simon Holmstrom Learning Valuable Lesson Late In Sophomore Season
Holmstrom did get playing time in the playoffs, suiting up for three of the Islanders' five playoff games, in which the battle mentality needed to be incredibly high.
He played fourth-line center in Game 1 against the Carolina Hurricanes, but Jean-Gabriel missed the game due to injury.
When Pageau returned for Game 2, Holmstrom found himself on the Islanders' second line, replacing Hudson Fasching.
But after losing the series 2-0, Faching was back in for Game 3, another loss.
However, it's important to note that Matt Martin couldn't play in Game 4 due to injury, but Roy chose rookie Ruslan Iskhakov over Holmstrom.
Iskhakov has since departed for the KHL.
Related: Iskhakov KHL Bound, Three Bridgeport Islanders Who Will Need To Produce
Holmstrom was back in there for Game 5, a 5-3 loss that ended their season.
This summer is an important one for Holmstrom, as he'll head into training camp looking to earn a starting spot.
In 2023-24, Holmstrom played most of his minutes alongside Jean-Gabriel Pageau before Roy went to Anders Lee and Pierre Engvall alongside No. 44 down the stretch.
It was a line that played solid enough to the point where Roy may be planning on running it back to start the upcoming season.
With the acquisitions of left-wingers Anthony Duclair and Maxim Tsyplakov , it seems that the natural right-winger will be battling with Hudson Fasching for the final starting forward spot.
When Holmstrom was first recalled in November of 2022, he was on a mission.
His defensive play kept him in the lineup, shutting down the league's best. But his offense wasn't displayed often enough, and he was drafted to produce offensively.
Not an overly physical forward, Holmstrom showed an innate ability to win 1-on-1 battles using his strong reach to his advantage, especially along the boards.
However, Holmstrom's battle level wasn't the same after suffering a knee injury against the Florida Panthers in December of 2022 when Sam Bennett went knee-on-knee on him in the low slot.
There was a hesitancy in his game, given what had happened. It's something former head coach Lane Lambert spoke about shortly after.
Come the end of the 2022-23 season, Holmstrom opened up to The Hockey News about his offensive struggles, scoring just six goals in 50 games.
"All the points and offense have taken a little too long for me," Holmstrom said. "I think that's because that's where I feel like I'm most comfortable, and that's where my strongest game is."
Holmstrom recorded 39 shots on 77 attempts.
He showed confidence with his shot, at times, with his goal against the Carolina Hurricanes a filthy toe-drag and finish:
In Year Two, one could tell his confidence was a tad higher—still not high enough—as he shot much more, with 72 shots on 152 attempts.
If he plays a bottom-six role, Holmstrom will be relied upon defensively, first and foremost, but when there's a chance to rip a shot, the Islanders will want to see him let the puck go on goal.
They failed to see that from Oliver Wahlstrom in his limited minutes.
Related: After Re-Signing Holmstrom, Islanders Turn Their Attention To Wahlstrom
But if the offense is not going to be there, and Holmstrom is playing a fourth-line role, Roy will need to see Holmstrom going into the boards with confidence and winning those battles more often than not if he wants to stick in the lineup.
TOP STORIES
Related: Islanders Don't Need To Create Cap Space Ahead Of 2024-25 Season
Related: WATCH: Islanders Prospect William Dufour Gets Into It With Pro Wrestler
Related: Three Former Islanders Get Their Names Etched Into Stanley Cup
Local Elmont, NY
Most Popular
Comments / 0