Casey Cizikas famously said “I’m going to die an Islander” after signing a six-year, $15 million contract following the 2020-21 season. When Cizikas inked that deal, fans of the New York Islanders rejoiced. In many ways, Cizikas was worth more than his on-ice production.

Cizikas is an anomaly. Taken 92nd overall by the Isles in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, he was considered a “non-prospect.” He was an afterthought in a draft class featuring names like John Tavares, Calvin de Haan and Mikko Koskinen. Despite that, Cizikas has played more games for the Islanders than any other player selected in his class.

Initially unheralded, Cizikas’ production soon made him a fan favorite. He truly found his niche in 2014-15 when he was paired with fellow grinders Matt Martin and Cal Clutterbuck. Together, they formed the best fourth line in hockey.

Cizikas was the group’s center. While he didn’t fight as much as Martin or Clutterbuck, he threw his body around and often scored timely goals. Though the identity line didn’t light up the scoreboard, when they did, Cizikas was usually the one finding the back of the net. Even as an underdog, Cizikas thrived.

From 2015 to 2022, Cizikas was a spark plug for the Isles. He embraced the thankless roles forwards often avoid: throwing hits, killing penalties and blocking shots. Fans and management adored him, so his six-year contract seemed like a no-brainer. However, it’s time for a hard conversation about the beloved fourth-line center.

The 2024-25 season has been atrocious, and it might be time to consider moving Cizikas to the press box. Father Time remains undefeated, and he seems to be doing a number on Cizikas. Cizikas, who turns 34 this February, has slowly declined each season since signing his big contract.

His linemates’ struggles with age haven’t helped either. Clutterbuck has already retreated to the press box despite a solid 2023-24 campaign. Martin, still playing, is a shell of himself as he also battles Father Time — and loses.

This decline hurts Cizikas, who thrived when his linemates helped establish a relentless forecheck. Without Martin and Clutterbuck setting the tone, Cizikas has taken on more of the load himself. Unfortunately, his physical decline has limited his ability to outwork opponents. He’s skating hard but arriving a second late at key spots. That small delay often means the difference between a clean breakout and a turnover.

Cizikas’ value is rooted in his defensive prowess, which once made him highly underrated. This decline is reflected in his +/- statistic, which has plummeted from +22 in 2018-19 to -5 in 2024-25. The penalty kill he once anchored has also fallen apart and is now historically bad.

The Islanders maintained an elite penalty kill during the entirety of Barry Trotz’s tenure and the early parts of Lane Lamberts’ tenure. In 2018-19, year one of Trotz, the Islanders boasted a 79.9% PK percentage (12th in the NHL). Now, the unit is in complete disarray, mirroring Cizikas’ struggles. They’ve fallen over 10 percentage points to 66.7% and dead last in the NHL.

The Islanders made coaching changes recently in hopes of fixing their awful special teams play to no avail. The biggest one is firing Lambert for Patrick Roy, but they’ve also replaced several assistants. Now, they have to turn their heads towards the players. Cizikas, the stalwart of the unit, should be the one to fall on the sword first.

He’s not forechecking well nor killing penalties and he’s still not scoring at a tremendous rate. He has two points through 27 games this year — good for a six-point pace. Those numbers would be his lowest since his rookie year when he played only 15 games.

Advanced analytics further highlight Casey’s decline. Cizikas’ defensive goals above replacement (GAR) have steadily dropped since 2018-19. For a few seasons, this regression was acceptable because he remained above replacement level. Now, however, he has finally fallen below “net zero.” In 2018-19, Cizikas was in the 81th percentile of all forwards defensively. This season, he’s in the 34th percentile defensively and the sixth percentile overall.

In-house options to replace Cizikas on the ice are thin, and there is no true way to replace his value in the locker room. This fact may be the lone thing keeping Cizikas’ locker intact. But with the struggles of the special teams, the Isles have got to get desperate and make some changes.

Cizikas was once a key piece of the Islanders’ identity line and a fan favorite for his hard-nosed play. Since signing a six-year, $15 million contract after the 2020-21 season, Cizikas’ production has waned, with age and the decline of linemates Martin and Clutterbuck are contributing to his struggles.

The 34-year-old’s ability to forecheck, kill penalties and anchor the Islanders’ defensive efforts has diminished. The team’s penalty kill, once elite, now ranks at the bottom of the league. With just two points in 27 games this season after recording just one point in his first 26 games, Roy may have to make like Carol in “The Walking Dead.” It’s hard to say goodbye to such an amazing player who has done so much for the organization, but it may be time to move on. Cizikas is not a zombie, but he may need to be escorted out of the starting lineup.

Just look at the flowers, Zeeker. Don’t make this more difficult than it needs to be.

Statistics courtesy of Evolving-Hockey.com and featured image courtesy of Lon Horwedel/Imagn Images

Joey McAuliffe

Joey McAuliffe is a passionate Islander fan pursuing a Masters of Accounting in Buffalo, NY. His favorite player of all time is Jordan Eberle. He has followed the team closely since 2014, but he began regularly attending games during the 2006 season. Outside of hockey, Joey loves music and the Buffalo Bills.