The Islanders have struggled to fill the hole created by Mathew Barzal’s absence on the top line, and Engvall is seen as a versatile piece whose speed and size can complement Horvat. Engvall played on the third line for most of the year with the Maple Leafs but sees himself as a two-way player.
Coach Lane Lambert did not commit to keeping the same configuration beyond Thursday, but it would be surprising to see them change things before seeing it in an actual game. Engvall also worked on the penalty kill, where Lambert sees him fitting in right now.
The 26-year-old Swede is still getting his bearings after a busy 48 hours, starting in Seattle when he and Rasmus Sandin were surprisingly traded by the Leafs, with Sandin going to the Capitals. Engvall couldn’t make it to Minnesota in time for the Islanders’ 2-1 loss to the Wild that night, but the two days leading into his Islanders debut represent valuable time to get acclimated.
Engvall has 12 goals and nine assists this season, and with the Islanders’ depth depleted in the wake of Barzal’s injury, the hope is that Engvall can help plug some of the holes. The Islanders have responded to the injury about as well as can be expected, going 3-1-1 in their first five games without Barzal thanks to shutdown defense and a renewed focus on structure.
That’s given Lou Lamoriello license to add with the trade deadline coming on Friday. It’s not clear whether Engvall will be the last piece of the puzzle, but a versatile winger who can play any position and add a bit of speed and scoring to the lineup was near the top of the wish list.
»Islanders new recruit Pierre Engvall is a great addition to the squad due to his versatility«
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