2014 Isles Training Camp: The Final Stretch

If you aren't fired up about your New York Islanders this year, it might be a good idea to choose another team already!  With all the promising players drafted and developed through the Isles system and those signed as free agents or brought here via trade, this years team seems ready and genuinely excited to make the final season at NVMC a memorable one.  Garth Snow has done a great job this off season and the entire organization seems to feel it.  We have yet to see if all this enthusiasm will pan out and result in wins, but its becoming harder for even the biggest detractors to dismiss the chances of this team to not only make the playoffs, but be a serious threat in the eastern conference.  Who knows, they may even win a few games in November.

Per Brett Cyrgalis, "Garth Snow on trades: "The statement being made is we’re committed to making our team better. That’s the biggest message."  Garth Snow on FAN590. 

In a few more days, everything will fall into place & the Islanders will start the 2014-15 campaign in Carolina against the Hurricanes and face those same Hurricanes in the season opener on Long Island.

Forwards:  Conacher-Tavares-Okposo; Grabovski-Nelson-Strome; Bailey-Nielsen-Kulemin; Martin-Cizikas-Clutterbuck; Boulton-Lee-McDonald.

 

Defensive pairings:  Boychuk & Leddy skated as a pairing today.

It is understood that players who are exempt to waivers are much more likely to be sent down than a player who could be lost (Jack Skille) to another team.  Along those lines, Arthur Staple speculates that the most likely candidates to be sent down are Lee, Reinhart & Czuczman.  So if Viz, de Haan & Pulock were ready to go on Friday, that would require both defensemen to be sent down to make room.

Pulock & de Haan skated before the team practice.  Capuano hinted that Reinhart or Pulock could be around to make the final roster.

The Islanders have placed Michael Grabner (9/26) & Calvin deHaan (9/23) on retroactive injured reserve.


In other injury news, Staple:  "Grabner (upper body) isn't close to returning, so he'll start on IR. For those who asked. Carkner (upper) as well for sure."

 

Injuries seem to be the only thing that can work against the team this season.  Hopefully, they will be kept to a minimum.  If not, the Islanders still have some depth in the system should the need arise.

Per Mark Weiner, Jack Capuano on JT & Okposo "They didn't play very well in preseason. They are elite players but tried to get too fancy out there."  Star players will need to play like star players for the Isles this season.  They will have to lead by example and take the reins of this teams success.  The coaching staff led by Capuano will be in the hot seat from day one and will be expected to win.  With the more complete roster and with the new additions made over the summer in all three areas, there are very little excuses left.

The Islanders two newest defensemen continued to make headlines today with their first practice as members of the New York Islanders.  They were enthusiastic, positive and seemed excited to be a member of this Isles team.  Boychuk & Leddy said all the right things at practice today and appear to be ready to make the most of their opportunity with the Islanders.  Johnny Boychuk will wear #55 & Nick Leddy will wear #2 for the Islanders. 

Nick Leddy on FB, "I want to thank the @NHLBlackhawks and all the fans for everything! Excited to start my new adventure with the @NYIslanders."

Leddy was on SiriusXMNHL today.

 

Johnny Boychuk, “I’m excited [to] get a bigger role there I’m going to work hard & do what I do best I’m going to embrace the chance to play on the island.”

“This is going to be a great team and people shouldn’t take us lightly anymore,” Boychuk said. “They’ve done some good things and I think it’s going to be a good challenge for every team to come in and play us.”

Per Capgeek, The Isles with only $6,467,190 in cap space right now (25 men on roster).

 

 

 

Is it Friday yet? 

 

 

 

 

Isles Notes:

On October 6th, Aaron Ness, David Leggio, Kevin Poulin and Harry Zolnierczyk cleared waivers and were assigned to the BST. 

Jack Skille was put on waivers by Snow with the intention of sending him down to the BST as well, but he was claimed by Columbus.  Per Aaron Portzline, Skille was quoted as saying, "I left things on such a high note with Columbus, and I was actually really bummed that we couldn’t figure something out."  Skille looked good in preseason and its a shame he wont get a chance to contribute to the Isles organization.

Per Newsday, Isles to wear modernized-fisherman jerseys during warm-ups this year. 

"Also ahead this winter: a night on which during warm-ups players will wear a modernized version of the notorious "fisherman" logo that debuted in 1995, after which the jerseys will be auctioned off for charity."

 

NHL notes:

A reminder that NHL teams must be down to 23 man cap compliant rosters by Tuesday.

 

Sound Tigers Notes:

 

BST announce training camp transactions.