"It's difficult to see a player who has been such a vital piece of the NY Islanders for over a decade showing a steady decline in his on-ice performance, but that's exactly what's happening with Casey Cizikas this season. The only remaining member of The Identity Line, Cizikas, 34, is currently occupying the wing on the fourth line alongside rookies Calum Ritchie and Max Shabanov. Cizikas seeing less and less time What has been most concerning regarding Cizikas' play this season is Patrick Roy's reluctance to deploy the veteran in late-game situations."
"In the Isles' last three games, three matchups against tough opponents, including the Vegas Golden Knights and Utah Mammoth, in addition to the Avs, Cizikas recorded his three lowest TOI of the season, playing 6:47, 7:26, and 5:37, respectively. While on the penalty kill, a position Cizikas has been a stalwart for years, he's seldom deployed, as Bo Horvat, Simon Holmstrom, JG Pageau, and Kyle Palmieri are all currently preferred."
"In Sunday night's defeat to the white-hot Colorado Avalanche, the Isles entered the third period trailing by a goal. Chasing a game-tying goal, Cizikas played just one shift in the final stanza before the Avs scored an empty netter to take a two-goal advantage. His second and only other shift came in the waning moments when the game was already out of reach."
Casey Cizikas, 34, has shown a steady decline in on-ice performance after more than a decade with the New York Islanders. The lone remaining member of The Identity Line now occupies a fourth-line wing role alongside rookies Calum Ritchie and Max Shabanov and is receiving noticeably reduced minutes. Coach Patrick Roy has been reluctant to deploy Cizikas in late-game situations, and Cizikas logged season-low TOI of 6:47, 7:26, and 5:37 in three recent games. He is seldom used on the penalty kill, and turnovers and poor positioning raise the prospect of occasional scratches.
Read at Eyes On Isles
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