Training camp is about to bring the Islanders’ roster picture into focus, and two familiar names may find themselves in the middle of the toughest fight on Long Island.
Pierre Engvall and Anthony Duclair are both in a spot where nothing can be taken for granted. With the additions made this offseason and the possibility of rookie forwards pushing for jobs, there’s a real chance the two veterans end up competing for the final forward spot on the Islanders’ roster.
Engvall’s situation has already been shaky before camp even opens. He missed the entire 2025-26 season after hip surgery, and this isn’t the first time he’s been on the outside looking in.
In 2024, he was cut after training camp despite being one year into a seven-year contract. Injuries later forced his recall only a few games into the season, and he finished that campaign with eight goals and seven assists in 62 games.
Duclair’s track record with the Islanders has been uneven for a different reason. Injuries have kept him out of 20-plus games in each of his two seasons with the club, and that has made it hard for him to find consistency. Last season, he scored 12 goals and added 15 assists in 62 games.
The timing matters, too. For the first time since the 2007-08 season, when the NHL opened the new campaign in London, England, all 32 teams will start play before the calendar turns to October. The Islanders’ rookies will get things going on Sept. 15 against the Devils’ rookies, and then the real roster battle begins when camp opens in a few weeks.
In Other News...
Islanders May Be Losing A Once-Promising Prospect For Good
Matt Maggios path through the Islanders system has started to look a lot different than it did when he was taken in the fifth round of the 2022 draft. He carved out a reputation as a productive junior scorer, but the transition to the AHL has been uneven, and with New Yorks prospect pool getting deeper and the big-league roster adding more pieces, there has been less room for a player trying to force his way into the picture.
Now comes the latest twist in a development that could push his Islanders future even further into the background. A Russian report says Maggio is signing with Admiral in the KHL, a move that would take him overseas and make his route back to Long Island even murkier, even if the organization still holds his NHL rights for now. [Read more 🡒]
Zdeno Chara Just Got A Farewell Islanders Fans Will Feel
Zdeno Charas hockey farewell came in the place where his journey began, with a tribute game in his hometown of Trencin, Slovakia. The longtime defenseman was celebrated by former teammates and other notable NHL alumni, a fitting nod to a career built on size, longevity and a level of respect that followed him wherever he played.
For Islanders fans, the night carried extra meaning because the collection of names around Chara included several familiar faces from Long Islands recent past. The event also gave one last reminder of the force he could still summon, even in a ceremonial setting, before he closed the book on a professional career that finally ended at center ice. [Read more 🡒]
Former Islanders Pick May Need An Overseas Reset
Matthew Maggios next stop appears to be far from Long Island, with the former Islanders draft pick expected to head to the KHL for a fresh start. The winger, taken by New York in 2022, has spent time in the OHL and AHL as he tried to climb the pro ladder, but the path has not been as straightforward as he hoped.
Maggio is seeking a new opportunity with Admiral Vladivostok, and the fit there could matter a lot for where his career goes next. He has been looking for a way to establish himself after struggling to lock down a steady role with Bridgeport, and a strong run overseas could put him back on the North American radar before long. [Read more 🡒]