Empire Writes Back
Fansided

New York Islanders vs New York Rangers: Five Players to Watch

By Nick Ziegler

Apr 7, 2016; New York, NY, USA; New York Islanders defenseman Nick Leddy (2) controls the puck against New York Rangers left wing Rick Nash (61) during the first period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 7, 2016; New York, NY, USA; New York Islanders defenseman Nick Leddy (2) controls the puck against New York Rangers left wing Rick Nash (61) during the first period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 6
Next
New York Islanders
Apr 23, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Blackhawks left wing Andrew Ladd (16) with the puck during the first period in game six of the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the St. Louis Blues at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports /

Andrew Ladd

Without a doubt, the big signing of the offseason for the Islanders was the addition of Andrew Ladd. The addition of Ladd was one of the main moves by the Islanders to replace Okposo and Nielsen, and that pressure will be felt right away. Ladd will be joining Tavares and Chimera on the first line to start the season for the Islanders, and playing alongside Tavares is a great spot to be in.

Ladd brings some playoff experience to the Islanders, and he has also been an above average scoring in his career. In the past six seasons, Ladd has totaled at least 45 points, as his consistency will be welcomed in New York.

Last season with the Winnipeg Jets and Chicago Blackhawks, Ladd totaled 25 goals, seven of which were on the power-play. The Islanders will be hoping that Ladd and Tavares blend nicely together on the ice, as he will likely be their second-leading scorer.

The Islanders don’t have a history of being able to land players like Ladd in free agency, but he is excited to be in New York. Playing alongside Tavares is one of the best positions to be in the entire NHL, and that is where Ladd finds himself. Ladd is no stranger to playing in a big moment, and he should have no problem controlling the emotions of playing with a new team.

Home/New York Islanders