Since joining the team prior to the 2014-15 season, Johnny Boychuk has brought the New York Islanders a much-needed sense of toughness and legitimacy on the blueline. After finishing in last place in the Metropolitan Division in 2013-14, the Islanders finished second in the division and earned a playoff spot the next season, Boychuk's first on the team.
In fact, the Islanders have made the playoffs during three of Boychuk's five seasons on the team. This is not bad for a team that had previously placed at or near the bottom of the division with remarkable consistency.