Islanders' Oliver Wahlstrom adapting to a more defensive role on the fourth line
Dallas Stars center Oskar Bäck and Islanders right wing Oliver Wahlstrom skate for the puck during the first period of an an NHL game Saturday in Dallas. Credit: AP/LM Otero
ST. LOUIS — All things considered, Oliver Wahlstrom is fine with the way things have worked out so far.
After an offseason of uncertainty as to whether the former first-rounder’s time with the Islanders had come to an end, Wahlstrom is expected to be in the lineup for a fourth straight match to start the season when a three-game road trip concludes against the Blues on Thursday night.
“I’m pretty happy,” Wahlstrom said after Wednesday’s practice at the Blues’ arena. “We have a really good team here. I’m excited to see what we’ve got.”
Wahlstrom, the 11th overall pick in 2018, was almost an afterthought last season with two goals and four assists in 32 games as he struggled to come back from an injured left ACL suffered midway through the previous season.
He hinted after the season it might be best for him to get a fresh start elsewhere and president/general manager Lou Lamoriello said at the NHL Draft in June he would consider trading Wahlstrom. But Wahlstrom, a restricted free agent, agreed to a one-year, $1 million deal in July, then stayed on the NHL roster coming out of training camp at the expense of Pierre Engvall, who was sent to the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport in just the second season of a seven-year, $21 million deal.
Wahlstrom, known for his sharpshooting skills, is skating on the revamped fourth line with center Kyle MacLean and Casey Cizikas. It means the forechecking and the physical presence come first.
“What he brings is a little bit different than Mac and I,” Cizikas said. “He’s an elite player. He’s got the shot and he’s got the work ethic. As these games have come along, you can see his confidence growing each game. He needs to press on the puck]. That’s how our line is successful and how we’re going to create chances.
“It’s not so much physicality and trying to blow guys up. It’s getting in there and being hard. If you’re hard on the puck and hard on the guys, it’s going to create turnovers.”
Wahlstrom is without a point through three games with three shots on net.
But coach Patrick Roy said he’s been happy with Wahlstrom’s positional play and his defense.
“Mac is an unbelievable skater and Zeeker is a dog on the forecheck,” Wahlstrom said. “When you have two players like that, pucks squirt into areas. Just put myself in those good areas and try and get my shot off a couple of times a night.”
Notes & quotes
Roy said Ilya Sorokin, coming off offseason back surgery, was likely to start again after making 32 saves in Monday’s 6-2 win over the Avalanche. Semyon Varlamov started the first two games. “We’re just going to take it day by day,” Roy said when asked about playing time for the two goalies. “We’re not going to try to go a month in advance.” . . . Ex-Islanders defenseman Nick Leddy (lower body) is day-to-day, per Blues coach Drew Bannister, and did not practice on Wednesday.
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.
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