Three questions facing New York Islanders

NHL.com is providing in-depth analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 8-Sept. 8. Today, three important questions facing the New York Islanders.

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1. Is the best of Mathew Barzal yet to come?
The 25-year-old center hasn't approached the 85 points (22 goals, 63 assists) he had when he won the Calder Trophy in 2018 voted as NHL rookie of the year. He is one of the most electrifying players in the NHL with open ice and could cash in as a pending restricted free agent if given room playing for new coach Lane Lambert.
"They've had tremendous communication," Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello said. "They have to be on the same page. I believe they are. And I think that, in other words, only time will tell, but I like the frame of mind that Mat is in. I certainly like the way the way Lane is thinking. All of this has to come on the ice."

2. Can Noah Dobson and Alexander Romanov develop as a pair?
Dobson and Romanov each signed a three-year contract as a restricted free agent, the former coming off a breakthrough season in the NHL (51 points; 13 goals, 38 assists in 80 games) and the latter acquired in a trade with the Montreal Canadiens on July 7 for the No. 13 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft.
Romanov said he wants to bring more offense to his physical game. The 22-year-old (6-foot-1, 209 pounds) led the Canadiens with 142 blocked shots, 202:28 of shorthanded ice time and 225 hits, which ranked sixth in the NHL among defensemen. He's played more games than anyone chosen in the second round or later in the 2018 NHL Draft.
If paired together, the hope is Dobson and Romanov each helps the other unlock his highest potential.
"Alex is a good skater, he can be a good puck-mover and I think some of those attributes are some of my strengths as well," Dobson said. "So I think having those tools can work well, especially breaking pucks out well in transition and the offensive zone. It's a tough question to answer right now but I'm really excited he's part of our [defenseman] core. He's going to be a great addition."
3. Can the players buy into a new voice?
Lambert will coach in the NHL for the first time after he was an Islanders associate to Barry Trotz for four seasons and an assistant with the Nashville Predators and Washington Capitals, the latter winning the Stanley Cup in 2018.
Trotz was fired May 9, and Lambert was hired seven days later, when Lamoriello pointed out a difference between being an assistant and a coach that's "bigger than I think anyone can sometimes understand." It's on Lambert to make that adjustment in the NHL and the players to respond to a different voice as coach.
"I've been here for four years," Lambert said May 16. "I've been working with each individual for that period of time for the most part and I think it gives us an advantage to hit the ground running. We certainly have a good relationship, and I think a lot of the players are excited by the fact that they have someone that's familiar with them coming as well."