Kyle MacLean’s emergence as a key contributor for the New York Islanders in their playoff series against the Carolina Hurricanes has provided a glimmer of hope for the struggling team. Despite the Islanders facing elimination and Carolina appearing to hold the upper hand, MacLean’s impressive play on both ends of the ice has caught the attention of coach Patrick Roy and earned him a spot on the top line alongside Bo Horvat and Mat Barzal.
MacLean, a rookie, has consistently brought noticeable energy and skill to the Islanders’ lineup. In Game 1, he played a strong game on the third line, and through three games of the series, he has arguably been the team’s best skater. His impressive statistics back up his on-ice performance. According to Natural Stat Trick, MacLean leads all Islanders in expected goals percentage at five-on-five, with a 10 percent lead over his teammates. He is also tied for the most high-danger chances produced among Islanders skaters.
MacLean’s success is not simply due to easier matchups. He has displayed a level of engagement and hustle that has surpassed many of the Islanders’ established veterans. His move into the top-six for Game 4 would be a well-deserved recognition of his contributions.
Horvat, who played with MacLean on the top line, praised his performance. ‘I thought he was great. I really like Maccer’s game,’ Horvat said. ‘He’s got lots of speed and he’s very smart with the puck and he’s good at both ends of the rink, too. Him and Casey have a lot of similar characteristics, their work ethic and how they hunt pucks and stuff like that.’
Roy, while undecided on his Game 4 lines, did not rule out giving MacLean more minutes. ‘I like his energy,’ Roy said. ‘I feel like he looks a lot like Casey. I thought that Fasching and Cizikas and MacLean, I thought they all had a great game. So I was comfortable whatever I was doing with these guys playing with our top guys.’
Even Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour acknowledged MacLean’s impact, stating that he was impressed with the young player’s performance. With the Islanders facing elimination in Game 4, MacLean’s continued strong play could be crucial in giving the team a fighting chance to extend the series.
