The Islanders are a team of extremes. Only the Lightning score goals at a faster pace at 5v5, but no team in the league allows more goals against. John Tavares remains an elite talent and Mat Barzal is a sensation, but that has not been enough to get the team above the playoff bubble.



With star forwards like that, it is not surprising that the depth players have drawn the ire of the fans. On a near daily basis, Isles Twitter hears the clarion call of the waiver wire and demands that something be done to improve the bottom six.



How exactly has the Islanders forward depth performed? Not well. Here are the 5v5 on-ice shot attempts (Corsi) taken and allowed when each forward is on the ice (all data from Natural Stat Trick):



The top lines are solid: the Barzal-Jordan Eberle pairing has been phenomenal, and the Tavares line’s mediocre shot rates here are bolstered by a high shooting percentage that’s given them the edge in goal-scoring. But after that,...