amny
Emil Heineman, the New York Islanders' winger, has found himself in a familiar situation: struggling to find the back of the net. In the first 14 games of the season, he has scored only twice, a stark contrast to his usual output. Yet, unlike in previous years, Heineman is not allowing the lack of goals to affect his overall game.
Known for his strong wrist shot, Heineman's shot attempts have noticeably decreased. Through his first eight games, he managed just 19 attempts, with only nine on target. Last season, he had 33 attempts, 15 on target, and five goals in a similar span. Despite the dip, Heineman remains focused on his all-around play.
"Yeah, you want to contribute to the team, and you have to be really focused," Heineman said. "Numbers aren't everything to make you start losing confidence. That's what I feel is important right now. Just play well."
Head coach Pete DeBoer has been impressed with Heineman's game, even after a brief outing against the Edmonton Oilers where he was ejected for an illegal knee just 56 seconds into the first period. "I like his game. A player I didn't really know well till I got here. He's really grown on me," DeBoer said. "I love his speed. I love how he knows what works for him. He's a straight-line player. He gets on top of people quickly, wins battles, and he's got a good shot when he can get it off. I think the one thing, if he can hit the net a little bit more on some of his looks, he'd probably have a few more goals. But I like lots of parts of his game."
Interestingly, Heineman is actually hitting the net more frequently than he did last season. In his first 14 games this season, 21 of his 38 shot attempts (55.2%) have been on target, compared to 32 of 62 (51.6%) last season. He also recorded half of his season's shot attempts in the five games prior to the Edmonton loss.
Heineman continues to contribute on one of the Islanders' most consistent lines, skating alongside Brayden Schenn and rookie Victor Eklund. The trio's 63.3% expected goal percentage leads all Islanders lines that have spent at least 50 minutes together.
"I felt like I started off by not shooting as much as I wanted," Heineman said. "There is a part of my game that I feel like I'm creating, and I'm playing well. So that's the thing that I felt like I was lacking early on. I wasn't shooting; I wasn't creating as much. But lately, even though I haven't scored, I would say I like the way I'm playing. I've been shooting more, and our line has been playing well, so that's more what I've been looking into over the first part of the season. But obviously, it would be nice to get a few more. But get a few bounces, and you're fine. I look at more how I play."
Key Analysis
Heineman's ability to stay positive and focused on his overall game despite a scoring drought demonstrates maturity and resilience. His increased shot accuracy and strong line chemistry suggest that goals will come if he maintains his current approach. DeBoer's endorsement further highlights Heineman's value beyond traditional stats, making him a key contributor to the Islanders' success.
Originally reported by amny.