In addition to his on-ice accolades – he’s one of the NHL’s best penalty killers and faceoff takers – Pageau is also a steady mentor in the locker room. With 14 years of experience, he’s been an important presence for younger players to look up to, including Simon Holmstrom, who he has mentored on and off the ice.
“He’s a big mentor for me, he’s helped me a lot through these first couple years in the league,” Holmstrom said. “I love hanging out with him, playing with him and Anders Lee. He’s a massive part of our team.”
Pageau and Holmstrom have extensive chemistry as linemates, while they’re both key pieces of the Islanders penalty kill. Pageau’s 24 shorthanded goals and 46 shorthanded points rank second in the league among active skaters since 2012-13. Pageau’s 26 shorthanded points with the Islanders are already fifth most in franchise history.
“He’s always talked to me a lot, telling me to play with confidence and to just be myself out there,” Holmstrom said. “He’s helped me out a lot, just bringing confidence to my game as well. I’m really happy to have him here for the next three years.”
