Islanders series isolates one key stat for each defenseman and goaltender ahead of 2025-26
New York Post piece uses Evolving Hockey metrics to focus expectations for New York’s blue line and netminders as the club prepares for the coming season
The New York Post published a series on Sept. 11, 2025, assigning a single, defining statistical measure to each New York Islanders defenseman and goaltender to set expectations heading into the 2025-26 season. The exercise uses advanced numbers from Evolving Hockey to highlight where individual players can most impact the team.
The package frames the evaluation around one most-important stat for each skater or netminder — for example, expected goals against per 60, shot-suppression rates, transition contributions or special-teams production — and explains why that metric offers the clearest picture of a player’s role and future trajectory. The aim is to simplify advanced analytics into a single lens for readers and to prime fans for roster decisions and player development priorities.
The story stresses context when applying any single metric. For veterans, the selected stat reflects a proven role: defenders charged with shutting down opponents are judged primarily on shot- and chance-suppression metrics and expected goals against, while more offensive-minded defensemen are measured by expected assists or power-play production. For younger players and prospects, metrics tied to play-driving and transition — such as expected goals for share or carry-in rates — received emphasis as predictors of growth.
Goaltenders were evaluated on advanced measures beyond raw save percentage, including goals saved above expected and the save percentage on high-danger chances. The Post notes that isolating one meaningful stat per goalie can clarify how much of a season’s results are attributable to team structure versus individual performance.
The series also includes a look at Islanders in franchise history who have won the Calder Trophy and evaluates current prospects’ places in rookie-of-the-year conversations. Matthew Schaefer, a prospect mentioned in the Post piece, is noted among Islanders to watch but is not listed as the odds-on favorite for the 2025 Calder Trophy. The Post cites the broader betting and scouting landscape, which lists Montreal’s Ivan Demidov as the front-runner, with other notable prospects such as Michael Misa, Alexander Nikishin, Zeev Buium, Isaac Howard, Jimmy Snuggerud, Zayne Parekh and Ryan Leonard also drawing attention.
The approach is intended to be immediately practical for the Islanders’ coaching staff and front office as they finalize preseason lines and defensive pairings. By highlighting a single priority stat for each player, the Post argues, management and fans can better track whether players are meeting expectations in the metric that most closely aligns with their role.
Analysts quoted in the piece caution that no single measurement captures a player’s full value, and the Post underscores that pairing effects, zone starts, and team systems all influence individual numbers. The series therefore pairs each chosen stat with explanatory context — such as usage patterns and typical matchups — to avoid misinterpretation.
As the Islanders move toward the 2025-26 regular season, the series sets a baseline for evaluation. Emphasis on different metrics for shutdown defensemen, puck-moving blue-liners and goaltenders provides a roadmap for how the club’s performance might be assessed over the coming months. The package concludes by urging readers to watch the specified stats as early-season sample sizes accumulate, noting that trends will be more meaningful than isolated games.