EAST MEADOW, NY — Simon Holmstrom has encountered this issue before.
The New York Islanders’ 24-year-old winger, known for a plus shot and coming off a 20-goal season, did not have a single shot on goal through the first three games of the season, with only three attempts. Games 4 and 5 weren’t much better, landing one shot each night.
It’s quite the conundrum considering what Holmstrom has shown himself to be capable of, but this is by no means new for him.
“Every coach I’ve ever had has told me to shoot more,” the Swede told amNewYork with a smirk. “I’m pretty well used to it. I’m the one who looks more to pass. I’ve been trying to teach myself to shoot the puck more and get my shot off more, but I think you have to balance it out… I don’t think most people over here [in North America] have that mentality. I think it’s more of a Swedish thing. It’s something I have to work on and that I’ve been working on. I just have to keep trusting my shot; more and more goals will come.”
Holmstrom’s selectivity has raised plenty of eyebrows across his first three years with the Islanders, but the results speak for themselves, as his numbers have gradually gotten better each season. He scored six goals in 50 games during his rookie year, then 15 in 2023-24 before potting 20 last season.
With it comes an elite shooting percentage. Each of the last two years, he has scored on 20.8% of his shots. To put that into perspective, the NHL’s active career leader in shooting percentage is Brayden Point of the Tampa Bay Lightning at 18.71%. Holmstrom’s career mark is 19.9%, but he has not qualified for any such leaderboards because he averages 2.1 shots per game over his young career.
“I’m never going to be the guy who shoots the puck from the corner or just rips it coming into the zone,” Holmstrom said. “That’s not really me, but I know I have to get my shot off a little bit more and find that balance.”
His last two games, leading into Tuesday night’s clash in Boston against the Bruins, have provided a bump in production. Holmstrom scored twice on just five shot attempts, bringing his season shooting percentage to 22.2%.
He cited getting some more ice time — he averaged over 17 minutes in his last two games after getting a little over 12 in his first six — as a way of settling back in.
“But I also think it’s taking advantage of things, stepping up my game, being more intense, being stronger on the puck, and making more plays,” Holmstrom added.
It’s the one aspect of his game that Islanders head coach Patrick Roy probably would want to see more of, because the rest of Holmstrom’s game is lock-tight. He’s good in possession, sees the ice well, and provides a sound defensive game that has made him a go-to on the penalty kill.
“He knows I trust him,” Roy said of his winger. “He knows that… He’s skating really well, and he’s protecting the puck very well. I feel like he’s gaining confidence with his shot… He started getting pucks on net, and he’s scored. I feel like maybe it’s just a confidence thing.”
“It means a lot,” Holmstrom said when hearing his head coach’s comments. “It means that we built on something last year and that he trusts me. I think that’s the most important thing.”
