After the Islanders lost one of their best defensemen, Adam Pelech, their defensive core was in dire need of a replacement. Due to their deep prospect pool, the Islanders felt comfortable looking for a defenseman only for the near future, so they acquired veteran defenseman Andy Greene.
He received fairly significant ice time in the 10 games in which he played alongside Ryan Pulock and Noah Dobson, but the Islanders were only victorious in three of those games.

The Good: 

For both the Devils and the Islanders, Andy Greene was a solid defensive defenseman. His Expected Goals Against per 60 Minutes was approximately half of a standard deviation above average, which was a huge improvement from the previous year. Also, as a veteran in the NHL, Greene can use his experience in the postseason to serve as a leader and an example for his team. In a defensive core with Stanley Cup-winning veterans such as Nick Leddy and Johnny Boychuk, Andy Greene can add to the mentorship between the veterans and youngsters on the Islanders, heading into the playoffs.

The Bad:

In his short stint on the Islanders thus far, Andy Greene really did not accomplish anything special. As a replacement for Adam Pelech, he was awarded with sufficient ice time to be effective, but after playing for 13 years, his defensive and offensive play has begun to regress. Since 2013-2014, when he was spectacular defensively, Greene has been mostly a replacement-level player. Additionally, as Pelech will be back in the postseason and Noah Dobson is shaping up to have a bigger role defensively, Andy Greene most likely will not have a spot on the Islanders next year, and possibly even in the postseason.

The Expectations:

Andy Greene was brought in to serve as a replacement for Adam Pelech, and although he has struggled over the past couple of years, he was solid defensively in the 2019-2020 season. Although he did not excel in any aspect of the game, he played in 10 of the 11 games on the team with significant ice time, and he racked up three assists. Altogether, he has done his job on the Islanders, but the extent to which he can contribute to the Islanders in the future, especially as Pelech returns, remains to be seen. 

The Moment of the Season:

Andy Greene’s best game of the season has to be his first game as an Islander. Alongside Ryan Pulock, he had an assist in the third period to cut the Coyotes lead in half with a wrist shot that tipped off of Anthony Beauvillier’s stick right into the net. His immediate impact showed a quick transition to the Trotz system, which highlights his tenure as an Islander thus far. 

The Verdict:

Andy Greene did exactly what he was asked to do. While the price was high, he adequately replaced Pelech for a short time.

The Grade: B/83

John Smark