The Islanders’ bottom six have produced just two goals so far this season — and both of those from Anders Lee.
So Patrick Roy tweaked his third and fourth lines ahead of Friday’s game against the Devils, putting Oliver Wahlstrom with Lee and Jean-Gabriel Pageau as Casey Cizikas returned to the fourth line with Liam Foudy and Kyle MacLean.
“I think just trying to find my offensive game,” Wahlstrom told The Post when asked how the move could help. “We’ve been focusing on defensive play, so I really need to hone in on my offensive play and just create and shoot the puck.”
There have not been many offensive opportunities for Wahlstrom on the fourth line — he’s recorded just three shots on net in five games — so the extra time up ice Lee and Pageau have generated should help in that regard. It’s been a while since Wahlstrom was a consistent goal-scoring threat, but he is still a player who was once seen as an eventual 30-goal scorer.
No one is expecting that from him anymore, but with the Islanders hurting for offense, it can’t hurt to see whether they can unlock a little more on that side of the puck from No. 26.
“I feel it’s just to get a little dirty in your game, jam some pucks in and your skill will take over after that,” Pageau told The Post. “That’s how me and Anders have been playing is grind and grind and get our bounce. Sometimes you only need one to get your confidence, I’m sure that’s what it is also for Wally.”
It’s been 11 months, almost to the day, since Wahlstrom last scored a goal, all the way back on Nov. 24, 2023, in Ottawa.
“I think just have the puck on my stick — get the puck and keep it on my stick — I think that’s the most important thing,” Wahlstrom said. “Make the play when it’s there, have the confidence to bring the puck up the ice and make those plays.”
Jacob Markstrom started in net for the Devils against the Red Wings on Thursday on the front end of a back-to-back, indicating Jake Allen is likely to go for New Jersey on Friday.
The Devils also got defensemen Brett Pesce and Luke Hughes back into their lineup after both were injured.
The Friday-Saturday back-to-back against the Devils and Panthers is the first of the season for the Islanders, who were an abysmal 1-6-3 on the second end of back-to-backs in 2023-24.