The Islanders have spent much of the early part of the 2026-27 season trying to sort out their offense, and one lineup tweak has already helped unlock Simon Holmstrom.
Peter DeBoer has kept his team’s lines moving in search of a spark, but the latest shuffle appears to have settled one of New York’s young forwards into a better rhythm. Holmstrom was briefly dropped to the fourth line with Casey Cizikas, a move DeBoer saw as a mental reset for a player with real scoring ability who just wasn’t consistently doing the little things that lead to success.
That stint didn’t last long. Lower-body injuries to No. 2 center Calum Ritchie and winger Matias Maccelli, who had been on the top line, forced another round of changes and pushed Holmstrom back into a bigger role.
Maccelli had been one of the Islanders’ more productive offensive players early on, but Holmstrom has stepped into that spot and carried the momentum forward. He’s now back in the top six and making his presence felt again.
“I’ve been very happy with my last couple games,” Holmström said, via Tyler Millen of NHL.com. “I've been playing a very solid game and creating a lot offensively and defensively as well, not really letting anything up.
And I thought me and Bo [Horvat] and Palms [Palmieri] and even [Matias] Maccelli, the first couple shifts there (have) been playing a very solid game together. I think we've been building a lot of chemistry and just got to keep it going.”
Back with Bo Horvat at center and Kyle Palmieri on the right side, Holmstrom has looked much more like himself. He scored twice against the Toronto Maple Leafs in a 4-1 win, then added another goal in a 3-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks, helping the Islanders win back-to-back games for the first time this season.
He’ll get another chance to keep it rolling against the Los Angeles Kings, where he is set to stay on the top line with Horvat and Palmieri. For an Islanders team still trying to find its offensive footing, Holmstrom’s bounce-back is a welcome sign.
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