The Islanders’ 13 game road trip is almost done. As the month of November begins, the trip has seen a mixed bag of results. The team suffered some disappointing regulation defeats against Florida, Carolina and Minnesota, but also shut out Arizona, Vegas and Winnipeg. Add an impressive victory in Montreal, a notoriously difficult place to play, and the Islanders have 12 points in 10 games under their belt.

However, despite their 5-3-2 record, there have been a share of highs and lows thus far. While several players have been impressive throughout the trip, some players got off to very slow starts. Let’s go over it all.

Sorokin Shines

The Islanders’ MVP so far this season has undoubtedly been Ilya Sorokin. After a shaky start, he has stolen the Islanders several points over the past few games. After head coach Barry Trotz cited a lack of big saves from the second-year netminder, Sorokin renewed Trotz’s faith. He posted a .963 save percentage with two shutouts and three wins during a five-game stretch. His performance was strong enough to earn the NHL’s Third Star of the Week honors during the week of Oct. 17.

With the Islanders struggling at various points throughout games, he weathered the storms early in Chicago, Arizona and Vegas to guide the Islanders to wins in those three games.

However, the Islanders now have a good problem on their hands. Semyon Varlamov is off the injured reserve, and Trotz now faces a difficult decision on who to start moving forward. With Varlamov fresh, he could earn some starts, but Sorokin will likely be the starter as of now after his impressive start.

Wahlstrom and Parise

One of the major storylines to watch entering this season was the Islanders’ third line. The Zach Parise, Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Oliver Wahlstrom line has lived up to expectations thus far. However, even with Pageau off to a quiet start, the wingers have picked up the load on both sides of the puck. Wahlstrom has been putting his best effort into almost every shift, generating shot opportunities whenever he can. His efforts have been rewarded with five goals thus far, including a wicked power-play goal last Saturday at Nashville, and his two-way game has taken tremendous strides since his NHL debut in 2019.

Meanwhile, Parise has been noticeable in a good way, as well. The veteran forward is still a great skater and has played very decent two-way hockey as well. Although the offensive results haven’t quite been there for him yet, he has bought into the team’s structure, making several strong plays on defense.

Chara’s Struggles

When the Islanders brought Zdeno Chara back to Long Island, he was expected to be an anchor on the third pairing with Noah Dobson. However, things have gone flat for the 44-year-old. Whether it be unnecessary penalties or losing puck battles in the corner, the big man may not be at the level to be an everyday defenseman anymore. And there are moments where it feels worse than that. The Islanders may need to adjust his role on the roster.

However, even with his struggles, the Islanders can still use him effectively. He doesn’t have to play every night, and left-handed defenseman Sebastian Aho could fill in for Chara on some nights. Just having that veteran presence in the locker room is extremely valuable. Also, if the Islanders try to add a defenseman via trade in the future with their newfound cap space after trading Johnny Boychuk, Chara could be useful as a seventh defenseman as well.

Second Line Production

The last main critique of the Islanders’ first seven games is the slow start for the second line. The line of Josh Bailey, Brock Nelson and Anthony Beauvillier had high expectations after the playoff run they had together, but they haven’t recaptured that magic.

Trotz went on record saying their line had a slow start following their game against Columbus and broke it up, sending Bailey to Mathew Barzal’s line for Kyle Palmieri. Since the switch, things have been better. Nelson had four goals against the Canadiens, while Anders Lee has three goals in his last two games.

The problem, however, is Palmieri. After signing a four-year, $20 million contract extension in the offseason, he has not scored a goal in his first 10 games.

Matthew Page

I am a first year student at Hofstra University and an avid Islanders fan. I have been writing for Drive4Five since March 2020. My family has been season ticket holders for the team since 2016, and hockey is my favorite sport. As I expand my knowledge in the field of Journalism, I am writing to express my love for the Islanders and the NHL.