Islanders' Simon Holmstrom proving he's worthy of being a top-six forward
Simon Holmstrom of the New York Islanders against the Dallas Stars at UBS Arena on Feb. 23, 2025. Credit: Jim McIsaac
Changes are coming to the Islanders’ core of forwards, whether it be before next Friday’s NHL trade deadline or this coming offseason.
So former first-rounder Simon Holmstrom blossoming into a wing the Islanders can count on as a core member is one of the true positives of this up-and-down season.
Saturday afternoon’s game against the Predators at UBS Arena will be Holmstrom’s third since being elevated to the second line with pending unrestricted free agents Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri, both obvious candidates to be elsewhere next season.
Holmstrom, selected 23rd overall in 2019, logged 21:24 as the Islanders snapped a four-game losing streak with a 2-1 win in Boston on Thursday night — just four seconds behind Nelson for the most ice time among the Islanders’ forwards. He blocked three shots in a strong 200-foot performance, including a key one late in the third period.
“He’s been great,” Palmieri said after Friday’s optional practice at Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow. “A young guy like that, you watch confidence and their game grow as they get more experience. With Homer, it kind of reminds me a lot of the way I was brought in [with the Ducks from 2010-15] where you’re playing in the bottom six and you’ve got to learn to be dependable and find a way to make an impact every night and be an everyday NHL player.
“You slowly continue to grow and mature and you find yourself getting expanded roles and the team relying on you. He’s done a great job of that and staying patient. The product of that is what we’re seeing now, and he’s just going to continue to get better.”
Palmieri set a career high with 30 goals in 2015-16 — something he matched last season — and is two goals away from notching at least 20 for the seventh time.
Holmstrom needs one goal to match the career high of 15 he set last season and, with 16 assists, already has set a career high with 30 points in 51 games.
He also has joined Nelson and Palmieri on a power-play unit. A significant difference in Holmstrom’s game is the confidence he’s shown in his strong wrist shot.
“The first one or two years, I was just trying to do my best out there to get a spot and be in the lineup every night,” he said. “This year, the confidence has been growing and I’m playing more like myself again.”
The Islanders will be needing some new top-six forwards. Holmstrom now is a strong candidate to become a fixture in that role.
Notes & quotes: Coach Patrick Roy said Maxim Tsyplakov will be a healthy scratch against the Predators after logging 10:38 and finishing on the fourth line on Thursday. Pierre Engvall will draw back in after being a healthy scratch against the Bruins . . . Roy said defenseman Scott Mayfield will remain a healthy scratch for the third straight game . . . The Islanders confirmed that defenseman Mike Reilly (heart condition/long-term injured reserve) has been cleared for contact . . . Roy said backup goalie Marcus Hogberg (upper body/injured reserve), out since Jan. 25, continues to skate on his own but is not facing shots.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
