Islanders vs Stars projected lineups November 18, 2025: Horvat and Barzal lead Isles into Dallas

Islanders vs Stars projected lineups November 18, 2025: New-look top six for New York

Patrick Roy is leaning on a re-shuffled top six after Monday’s optional skate. Bo Horvat keeps the middle between rookie speedster Emil Heineman and sniper Kyle Palmieri, a trio that has produced five even-strength goals in the last four games. One line down, Mathew Barzal will have Jonathan Drouin on his left and Simon Holmstrom—if he shakes off the illness that kept him off the ice this morning—on his right. The combination gives the Islanders two legitimate scoring lines against a Dallas defense that has allowed only 2.38 goals per game, third-best in the West.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau anchors the third unit between Anders Lee and Anthony Duclair, a matchup group Roy can weaponize against the Hintz line. Casey Cizikas, Calum Ritchie and Russian rookie Maxim Shabanov draw the energy minutes; if Holmstrom can’t go, Maxim Tsyplakov steps in and the lines slide accordingly.

On the back end, Matthew Schaefer’s poise has earned him a top-pair look next to Ryan Pulock. Adam Pelech and Tony DeAngelo have formed an effective puck-moving pair, while Alexander Romanov and Scott Mayfield provide the physical edge. David Rittich gets the start with Ilya Sorokin backing up; Semyon Varlamov (knee) and Ethan Bear (upper body) remain on injured reserve.

Islanders vs Stars projected lineups November 18, 2025: Benn returns for Dallas

Dallas welcomes back a familiar face as Jamie Benn suits up for the first time this season. The captain suffered a collapsed lung during the pre-season, but doctors cleared him this morning and Pete DeBoer immediately slotted him on the left of Radek Faksa and Colin Blackwell. The move bumps Oskar Back to 3C between Justin Hyrckowian and rookie Maverick Bourque, keeping the offensive load on the top two lines.

Wyatt Johnston stays between Sam Steel and Mikko Rantanen, a unit that has combined for 14 points in the last five games. Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz and Tyler Seguin remain the primary five-on-five threat; they average 3.2 expected goals per 60, tops among NHL trios with 150-plus minutes.

Miro Heiskanen and Esa Lindell draw the Barzal assignment, while Lian Bichsel—fresh off his first NHL goal—pairs with veteran Alexander Petrovic. Vladislav Kolyachonok will make his season debut alongside Kyle Capobianco after Ilya Lyubushkin was tagged “day-to-day” with an undisclosed issue. Jake Oettinger is the confirmed starter; Casey DeSmith backs up with Adam Erne, Matt Duchene and Nils Lundkvist all on the shelf.

Key matchups to watch

1. Horvat line vs Heiskanen pair – Heineman’s straight-line speed tests Heiskanen’s gap control. If the Finnish defender steps up, Palmieri has feasted on soft-side looks this year (seven goals in 14 road games).

2. Barzal’s quick-strike ability – Barzal averages 0.91 points per game against Dallas since 2021. DeBoer will likely get Hintz out for defensive-zone draws, but if Pageau can tilt the ice the other way, Barzal gets softer minutes.

3. Benn’s emotional lift – The crowd will be roaring every time No. 14 hops over the boards. The Islanders need to stay out of the after-whistle scrums; Dallas owns the league’s sixth-best power play at 24.7 percent.

4. Goaltending duel – Rittich owns a .926 save percentage in six appearances, but Oettinger is 7-1-1 at home with a 1.98 GAA. The first goal could decide a game that features two of the NHL’s stingiest penalty kills.

What the coaches are saying

Islanders coach Patrick Roy on Holmstrom’s status:
“He skated on his own this morning. If the doctors clear him after warm-ups, he’s in. If not, Tsyplakov gives us a similar forecheck.”

Stars bench boss Pete DeBoer on Benn’s return:
“It’s more than emotion. Jamie’s board work frees up Seguin’s line to stay in offensive posture. We’ll monitor his minutes, but we’re not putting a leash on him.”

Numbers that matter

• Dallas is 8-2-1 when scoring first; the Islanders are 3-5-1 when trailing after one.
• New York’s power play clicks at 19.4 percent on the road, but Dallas has killed 35 of its last 38 shorthanded situations at home.
• Johnston has won 56.8 percent of his draws since Nov. 1; Horvat sits at 54.3 percent over the same span.
• The over is 8-3 in Stars home games this season, yet the Isles have played seven straight road contests that stayed under 5.5.

Injury report and roster notes

Islanders

• Out: Semyon Varlamov (knee, week-to-week), Ethan Bear (upper body, IR)
• Game-time decision: Simon Holmstrom (illness)

Stars

• Out: Adam Erne (lower body), Matt Duchene (upper body), Nils Lundkvist (lower body)
• Day-to-day: Ilya Lyubushkin (undisclosed)

If Holmstrom is scratched, look for Tsyplakov to skate with Barzal and Drouin while Shabanov drops to the fourth line—an alignment we saw work during the third period of the Islanders vs Bruins projected lineups October 28, 2025 matchup in Boston.

Fantasy / betting angle

Oettinger’s home splits make him a premium DFS play on both DraftKings and FanDuel at $8,200. Barzal’s salary has dipped to $7,100 after a quiet weekend in Colorado, creating buy-low leverage against a Dallas second pair that has surrendered the second-most high-danger chances at even strength. For player props, Palmieri’s 4.5-shot line is plus-money after he recorded 11 attempts in Denver on Saturday.

Final projection

Dallas is deeper, healthier and playing in front of a goalie who has allowed two goals or fewer in eight of ten home starts. Yet the Islanders have quietly produced the NHL’s fifth-best expected-goals share since Nov. 1 (53.4 percent) and Rittich has given them steady goaltending when called upon. If the Horvat line can tilt the ice early and the penalty kill survives three or fewer shorthanded situations, New York can steal a point. Still, Benn’s emotional lift and the Stars’ balanced scoring should be enough in regulation.

Expect a 4-2 Dallas win, with Rantanen extending his point streak to seven games and Barzal keeping it close late. Whatever the result, the evening will be remembered for Benn’s emotional return and another showcase of how tightly contested the Western Conference has become early in the 2025-26 season.