Anyone who has followed the Islanders over the past decade — or even longer — already knows how much the power play has struggled. Pete DeBoer did not need to provide a history lesson.
Still, his blunt assessment Saturday was notable as the Islanders began working on their power play for the first time in training camp.
“It’s not a quick fix,” DeBoer said. “It hasn’t been good for quite a while.”
For a team that viewed a 16.53 percent success rate — 30th in the NHL — as an improvement, a complete overhaul is clearly justified.
DeBoer and assistant coach Rocky Thompson, who oversees the power play, have plenty of work ahead.
The early stages of that work became visible Saturday, revealing two key priorities.
The first was the makeup of the units. Matthew Schaefer worked up top with Bo Horvat in the bumper role, Brayden Schenn in front of the net, and Cal Ritchie and Kyle Palmieri stationed on the flanks for the first group. Tony DeAngelo quarterbacked the second unit, with Anthony Duclair in the bumper, Emil Heineman at the net, and Mattias Maccelli and Simon Holmstrom on the sides.
The second was an emphasis on moving players — not just moving the puck.
“The good power plays are interchangeable,” DeBoer said. “There’s a lot of motion, there’s a lot of movement. There’s a lot of guys moving to different parts of the ice and they’re interchangeable in their positioning. I felt like this group was really stagnant, almost deferring to, well that’s my spot there, that’s your spot.”
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That change in philosophy could represent an important first step for an underperforming unit.
“Guys are so good at reading plays now, you have to be more unpredictable,” Bo Horvat told The Post. “I think us being a little more fluid and not standing around so much is gonna help for sure.”
Schaefer lined up on the right side Saturday, marking the first time this camp that he had practiced on his off side. He skated alongside Adam Pelech.
DeBoer said Schaefer’s eventual position will depend on how the rest of the Islanders’ defense takes shape. The battle between Isaiah George and Scott Mayfield remains unresolved, while Kashawn Aitcheson, Marshall Warren and Matt Kessel are also competing for spots.
George, a left-shot defenseman who paired with Mayfield Saturday, could force Schaefer — or another defender — to shift to the opposite side if he earns a place in the lineup.
The Islanders divided into NHL and AHL groups Saturday, with DeBoer working exclusively with the NHL players on the ice.
Victor Eklund and Aitcheson joined the NHL group, while Eklund continued skating on a line with JG Pageau and Emil Heineman. Cole Eiserman practiced with the AHL group.
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