On the Upside
Pierre Engvall brings a lot and there could be more to give; Lennox signs: Maggio received more OHL honors
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Good Morning, Islanders Country.
This League! The pre-trade deadline frenzy continued on Wednesday, with trades happening so frequently the ‘insiders’ had trouble keeping up with all the team announcements and everything they were hearing (and later confirming after the team announcement). We’re kidding; we love our NHL insiders.
With the game on Tuesday night, we didn’t have enough time to talk about the Isles acquisition - Pierre Engvall. It’s undoubtedly a strong-depth move at a reasonable price, one that even the most pessimistic fans struggled to oppose.
It’s also a clear upgrade for a team that dressed Ross Johnston, Otto Koivula, Simon Holmstrom, and Hudson Fasching on Tuesday - four players that were not expected to be counted on as consistent contributors this season.
Engvall is a player that GM Lou Lamoriello is familiar with from his time in Toronto, and listening to him talk, he’s still enamored with a player that shows flashes of brilliance, like this end-to-end rush last month against the Bruins.
“He was with the [AHL] Marlies and was part of a Calder Cup and certainly had a great series there; we watched that series,” Lamoriello said. “It’s always helpful when you know the individual. But it’s his playing ability; it’s the player that we’re talking about right now. It’s always great when you get a great individual, too. And he’s a combination of both in my mind.”
It’s that makeup, along with his size, speed, and ability to push play forward that makes observers assume that expectations have always been high for the Swede, but that wasn’t the case. As a 2014 7th-round pick (188th overall), the odds were against him to make it to the NHL, and it took Engvall a while to understand what it took to be an NHL player and find his niche.
He went from an offensive-minded prospect that didn’t know how to play away from the puck to a responsible two-way player. Last season, he and David Kampf made up Toronto’s most dependable defensive duo, often logging minutes against the opposition’s top line. He also scored 15 goals, scoring at a rate of 1.75 points per 60 minutes, that’s similar to a second-line player. The Maple Leafs’ bottom six hasn’t been as settled as it was a season ago, and Engvall’s offensive numbers have suffered a bit as a result, though he still has a CF% of 52.9.
Upside. Versatile. Untapped Potential. These are all things Toronto fans have said about Engvall over the last four NHL seasons. He’s been criticized in the past, not because of the player he is, but because of the player they thought he could be.
He’s young, cheap, effective, and can get better. - and there’s already a feeling that there’s a good chance he’ll be in the forward fold beyond this season. He could be a regular third-liner with defensive responsibilities or get a chance to skate with Bo Horvat, given the team’s injury situation. His ability to play anywhere in the lineup and in multiple styles is why this move makes so much sense, considering the current limitations of the team’s forward group.
With just 18 games left in the regular season, Engvall has an opportunity to show the Islanders not only the type of player they know they are getting but also the player that many still feel he could become.
Coming up, the Isles make a big entry-level signing, and Matthew Maggio’s heater of a season is showing no signs of slowing down. Plus, MSG Networks makes a move to keep up with the times, the “Core of the Four” is celebrated at the Coliseum, and Bill Clinton has better courtside seats than Oliver Wahlstom.
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