Islanders have pieces to emerge among crowded Metropolitan Division

The perception that the Islanders are a franchise stuck in neutral is well-hardened after another season without winning a playoff series and another offseason without an overhaul of the roster.It’s a lot less clear than in the past, however, whether that perception is correct.The addition of Anthony Duclair in free agency completes a top line that has been one player short since the Islanders dealt for Bo Horvat at the 2023 All-Star Break.Signing Maxim Tsyplakov from Russia was not a guarantee of anything, but the Islanders are hopeful he can do the same for the second line as Duclair does for the first line after scoring 31 goals in the KHL last season and putting together a solid camp.Jettisoning Cal Clutterbuck and Matt Martin (who is still around on a professional tryout contract but won’t start the season on the roster) not only changed the makeup of the dressing room, but allowed the Islanders to hold a real training camp competition for bottom-six playing time that will likely carry into the season.Oh, and Patrick Roy will be behind the bench for all 82 games.That isn’t a full-on rebuild.But it is a much different flavor than the Isles had a year ago.Whether that’s enough to turn the Islanders into a real contender in the Metropolitan Division, only time will tell.

There are still a few too many “ifs” that must pan out for the Isles to truly be comfortable.If Ilya Sorokin can bounce back off a disappointing season and back surgery to play like a potential Vezina Trophy winner, if Duclair and Tsyplakov both click right away, if the blue line stays healthy and if the cadre of 32-and-over core players — Anders Lee, Brock Nelson, Kyle Palmieri, Casey Cizikas — can avoid dropping off, then the Islanders can surprise a lot of people.And if all that is enough to make you hold off believing until you see it, then you’ve got a pretty fair point.Having three different players (Nelson, Horvat, Kyle Palmieri) hit the 30-goal mark, Mat Barzal scoring a...