It is no secret what it would mean to the Islanders if Oliver Wahlstrom could take the next step.

A first-round pick back in 2018, Wahlstrom possesses a lethal shot, real skill to his game and a discernible swagger on the ice when he has it going. The talent has never been the question, even when he scored just three times in the second half of last season. And right now, after equaling that number through his first two games of this season, he looks like someone who could be putting it together.

“I guess he is playing free,” Islanders coach Lane Lambert said following Tuesday’s 5-2 win over the Sharks, in which Wahlstrom scored the go-ahead goal, then added another in the third period. “I think that anytime you’re a guy who is a shooter or a scorer, if you do the details and the little things in the game, it leads to that.”

As much as it’s tempting to put the focus on Wahlstrom’s scoring. it’s the little details that held him back last year. And it’s no small matter that Lambert is noticing the change this time around.

It wasn’t what Wahlstrom did with the puck that would set former coach Barry Trotz off. It was his positioning, his play in the defensive zone and the occasional carelessness he’d show with the puck that got him in the doghouse.

Through two games (Wahlstrom missed the opener with an upper-body injury) there has been none of that.

“It was good learning for me last year,” Wahlstrom said. “I had to just stick to my game, keep things simple. Obviously, I was too hard on myself last year, and I just lean on a lot of the guys in the room.”

Deflecting credit to his teammates was something Wahlstrom did again when asked about the goals.

“Obviously, it’s nice to be on the board, but it’s really, those two goals, you saw my linemates the way they worked. I just needed to put myself in spots to get the puck. My first goal was all [Anders Lee] and [Brock Nelson], they set it up. It opened up my game.”

Both goals came after Lambert moved Wahlstrom into the top six during the second period, putting him on a line with Lee and Nelson. The first came off a faceoff on what looked like a set play, the second on a slap shot with Noah Dobson providing the assist.

But again, it is about the little things.

“He’s worked very hard over the summer,” Lambert said. “Give him credit — not everybody does work hard over the summer. He’s worked hard over the summer to improve those areas in his game. Wall play: puck comes around the wall, needs to get out, he’s doing it.”

If he keeps doing it, the rewards will keep coming.