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The New York Islanders evened their record at 3-3 on Tuesday night with a victory over the Vancouver Canucks, and one of their offseason additions continued to impress.
Despite missing a key offensive weapon in Mathew Barzal, who has begun skating but still lacks a return timeline, the Islanders have managed to stay competitive through six games. That resilience is a promising sign for a team whose offseason was relatively quiet due to salary cap constraints, with bigger moves likely deferred until veteran contracts expire next year.
One move they did make was signing forward Matias Maccelli to a modest one-year contract, a deal widely regarded as one of the offseason's best bargains. After being held pointless in his first two games, Maccelli has caught fire, registering a point in four consecutive contests. Overall, he has accumulated one goal and four assists for five points in six games—excellent production for a player earning just $2.25 million this season.
In Tuesday's win over Vancouver, Maccelli was a major factor, contributing a goal and an assist while firing five shots on net and posting a +2 rating. Head coach Peter DeBoer has moved him around the lineup, but his strong play earned him a promotion to the top line alongside Kyle Palmieri and Bo Horvat on Tuesday. Given Maccelli's playmaking ability, pairing him with two of the team's premier goal scorers is a logical fit.
Whether he remains on the first line is uncertain, but his early performance has been a bright spot and is validating the Islanders' decision to sign him.
Nick Ziegler is an alumnus of the Connecticut School of Broadcasting and has nearly a decade of experience in sports media covering the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL. He serves as the publisher for the New York Islanders On SI site. In his spare time, he enjoys being at the Jersey Shore with his wife, daughter, and their golden retriever. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @NickZiegler20.