What Could Simon Holmstrom's Next Deal Look Like?

Holmstrom is a pending restricted free agent.

New York Islanders forward Simon Holmstrom may have entered the 2024-25 season as a shutdown third-line winger. But, after showcasing his offensive game a bit more, there are reasons to believe that he can be a top-six forward on this roster for years to come, starting in 2025-26.

In 75 games, the now 24-year-old set career highs across the board, with 20 goals and 25 assists for 45 points. What was most impressive about his offensive game was that he maintained the same shooting percentage he had in 2023-24 — 20.8% — while taking 24 more shots on goal.

Holmstrom has shown an innate ability to pick his spots, and that paid off tremendously this past season.

On the defensive side of the puck, Holmstrom set more career highs, with 55 blocks and 27 hits. He did see a spike in giveaways, recording 48 after just 19 in 2023-24, and a drop-off in takeaways, with 13 compared to the 53 we saw last season.

One would think the latter has to do with his increased ice time, going from 13:19 per game to 15:52, and being tasked more with leading the rush rather than being the player who receives the puck in transition.

There’s no question he’ll have to clean those numbers up.

Let’s dive into what his next contract could look like.