Five Keys to an Islanders Mid-Season Breakout

Our New York Islanders are 9th in the east (4th in the Metro) with a 15-12-4 record in 31 games at 34 pts. Just 2 behind the Penguins for the final wildcard spot. Since we last spoke, the team has had some frustrating lows to go along with their growing list of improvements from last season.

The overall defensive game is still a strength along with their goalkeeping. The Isles are second in the east with a 91 gaa, but have only scored 89 goals for, ranking them 15th in the conference. Just Carolina is worse with 84. “The Isles are 13-1-1 when they score at least three goals (including shootout winners) and are 2-11-3 when they do not.” – Hornick. The offensive play of Josh Bailey, Anders Lee, Brock Nelson, Valtteri Filppula and Anthony Beauvillier has led the charge, but the team needs more snipe to go with their improving D-Zone play.

Thomas Greiss is 11-6-0-1 with a 2.59 gaa and .916Sv%. Robin Lehner is 4-6-0-3 with a 2.66 gaa and .912Sv%. The goaltending hasn’t been losing games and at times, has helped the teams mount impressive comebacks for valuable points. Greiss is 19th in Sv%, Lehner 26th. Several notable goaltenders rank behind the Isles duo. Names like Braden Holtby, Marc-Andre Fleury and Connor Hellebuyck just to name a few. So, what does need to improve at the mid-season mark for the Islanders for them to start making a serious push in the east? More offense? How about a 26th ranked power play, 27th ranked face-off percentage and a 21st ranked penalty kill? How much more can Barzal bring?

The Islanders will not fix their man up play if they continue to stand still and play defense FOR the opposition. I can’t figure out why they don’t cycle and move the puck to regularly create space and force the killers to work hard to preserve the pace of play. It’s been a frustrating process to watch a team who has good offensive weapons struggle to score 5 on 5, but even more when they have a man advantage to work with. This was just as evident in the 4-3 S.O. win against Detroit on Saturday. Per Eric Hornick, “The Isles' power play converted on their sixth attempt (and 14th shot) to improve to 6-63 (9.5%) since November 1; the power play is 2-34 in the last 13 games (with both goals against Detroit) … the power play is 2-34 in the last 13 games (with both goals against Detroit).” Barzal’s 5 on 4 PP tally was the first for the Isles in a month. Shooting the puck could also help. Or will it? New York ranks 29th in the NHL at 28.2 shots per game but faired statistically better when they are outshot. 2-8-1 when outshooting vs 13-3-3 when outgunned. Strange.

Winning a face-off sets the tone for your offense, puts pressure on the defense and gives a team the ability to regularly control play. The Islanders are starting to improve, but there is still much work to be done. Per Eric Hornick, “The Isles won 7 of 10 face-offs on the power play and have won 21 of 26 on the power play over the last four games after winning only 20 of 43 over the prior nine games.” Controlling the puck and staying out of the box should also help the Isles on the stat sheet. The Islanders only allowed 21 shots (6 in O.T.) in their last win and 17 in the 3-2 loss against Vegas 3 days prior. The Isles have allowed 30 shots or fewer in seven consecutive games – Hornick. It’s a start. And keeping the opponents off the man advantage, especially at crucial times is another element that’s had to lead to a better overall result. The Isles have allowed a goal 4 times in the final two minutes of a game. But to their credit and resiliency, they’ve won 3 (CAR, NJ, DET) out those four (TBL) games.

Matt Barzal is doing well 27 points (leads team) in 31 games (6 in last 4 games), but only 4 of those points are goals. Last season’s rookie-of-the-year has to be feeling the pressure of the award and the expectations on himself and the organization this season at just 21 years of age. But I’m sure he wouldn’t have it any other way. He continually out works the opposition and is one of the best in the NHL at drawing penalties. Per Eric Hornick, “Mathew Barzal drew his 16th penalty; moving him into the top-5 in the NHL in that category.  He has drawn 56 penalties since the start of last year (tied for the most in the NHL.” Barzal wants to score goals. He has an OT winner, a PP tally and a game winner, but only a 5.8% shooting percentage. That puts him just 15th out of 22 players (including Ho-Sang) on the current roster. While he continues to evolve his game, situational awareness, cut down on mistakes and listen to his coaches, Barzal should be due for a break out soon. I can only image if the Isles are able to figure out the face-off, PP or PK challenges or especially Barzal breaks loose, what that will open for the team as a whole. A new threat level and some good times for the players, fans and organization. Here’s to positivity and work ethic.

It was great to see the team return to Uniondale and it was just as fun to see the fan response to the Isles gritty play at home. It made an impression on everyone who has watched the action so far. Per Brian Compton, “Trotz: I haven't been in the NY area very long, but there’s a distinct separations. This is Islander Country, plain and simple. They're extremely passionate about their team and where they live and this franchise. We're eager to bring it back to where we want it to be." Isles are 2-0-1 at the sold-out Coliseum so far this season.

The Islanders start a 4-game road trip (COL, ARI, VGK, DAL) tonight before coming back on 12/28 to face Ottawa. They need to steal some points and get themselves dialed in before visiting Tavares and his Maple Leafs on the 29th.

And I am still actively looking for a spot to hold Mid-State NY #Isles meet ups around the Westchester-Hudson Valley area to watch games together. Sorting out possibilities & will post in next week or two. In meantime, ask around & see who would be up to join us.

Isles Notes:

Per Arthur Staple, “Isles on there on their way to Denver. No roster moves so assume Ho-Sang is with them.”

Isles sign D Bode Wilde to three-year, entry level deal.

Per Eric Hornick, “The Isles have now won 76 shootouts, tying the Rangers and Penguins for the most in NHL history. Mathew Barzal is only the second Islander to score in the club's five shootouts this season.  Barzal is now 2/7 all-time in shootouts; both of his goals are game-deciding goals.”

Per Andy Graziano, “Why I don't trust Sorokin is the savior fans are thinking he is....Mikko Koskinen, Anders Nilsson. Per SportsNet, among goalies who played >23 games last year in KHL, 12 had .930 or better. 21 were .925 or better. There are 25 teams in the league.

Per @Csomichapin, “goaltending prospect Jakub #Skarek (2018 draft pick on ELC) has been in goal for 15 #Liiga games this season. 1.90 GAA & .926 SV%. Fantastic for a 19-year old. Looks like a shoe-in for the #CZE #WJC squad. #LikelyStarter?”

NHL Notes:

Per Chris Nichols, “05-6: $39M 06-7: $44M 07-8: $50.3M 08-9: $56.7M 09-10: $56.8M 10-11: $59.4M 11-12: $64.3M 12-13: *$60M; pro-rated $70.2M (*lockout-shortened) 13-14: $64.3M 14-15: $69.0M 15-16: $71.4M 16-17: $73M 17-18: $75M 18-19: $79.5M 19-20: *$83M (*projected).”

Sound Tigers Notes:

The surging and dangerous Bridgeport Sound Tigers are 2nd in Atlantic and 3rd in AHL east with an impressive 17-8-3-1, 38 pt. record.

Mitch Gillam (G) returned on loan to the @RailersHC.

Some Significant Positives for Islanders

After 10 games, our New York Islanders are 5-4-1 with 11 points. That’s good enough for 11th in the eastern conference. While that’s nothing to get excited about, there have been a few nice positives to go along with a modest amount of outward successes. The key to this season story has been and will continue to be opportunity for the players on the roster who hold themselves accountable. Bridgeport is stocked with some quality prospects who are eager to make their case. Maybe a Devon Toews (6 points in 9 games) or even a resurgent Michael Dal Colle (8 points in 7 games) getting a call up if the opportunity presents itself?

Isles have a +5 differential in goals. That’s 7th best in the east. Their goals against was the worst in the league last season is currently the 3rd best in east (4th overall) of the young season. Goaltending was the biggest question mark coming in. The additions of Mitch Korn and Piero Greco to the goaltending staff have paid dividends for the tandem of Robin Lehner and Thomas Greiss.  Lehner has been the choice for early starter based on his net gains for the Isles. In 6 games, Lehner is 3-2-0-1 with a 2.36 gaa and a .929Sv% with a shutout. Under his new coaching staff, Lehner has looked calm and positionally sound, using his size and quickness to keep himself in most of the oppositions scoring chances. Thomas Greiss struggled last season in just 27 games due to injury but has also worked hard this year and is improving his game. Greiss just notched his 100th career win (64 with the Islanders) against Carolina last night and has posted a 2-2-0 record in 5 games with 2.20 gaa and a .934Sv% so far.

The play of the netminders has been pretty good behind a defense that has had a few hiccups but seems to be getting better as the time goes on. The team’s goals against under the watch of Barry Trotz has improved to 25. That’s  8 fewer than this time last season. A tie for 2nd best (Montreal) behind the Devils with 20. The PK is 12th in the league and was 6 for 6 this weekend, helping the team earn points in 3 straight games. Scott Mayfield has gone from scratch to a difference maker on defense and has even scored 5 points in 10 games and a +5 rating. Andrew Gross said of Trotz, Mayfield is probably the biggest surprise for him this season. I’m not surprised. Always sung his praises. Thomas Hickey leads the team with a +7 rating on an improving Isles blue line. Ryan Pulock just notched his 1st goal (2 pts) and looks more comfortable with each shift. His presence on the Isles PP seems like a force in the making.

The Isles have had a few struggles offensively. They rank near the bottom in crucial faceoff statistics (30th), less than a percent ahead of the league worst Colorado Avalanche and ranked at a dismal 29th in shots for per game. Their PP is a respectable 13th and they are near the middle of the NHL with 3 goals (12th in east) per game, but they need to offer scoring support throughout the line-up if they want to improve. These are trends that will challenge their ability to win consistently. Erick Hornick has the Isles at 5-0-1 when scoring first and 0-4-0 when they allow the opening goal.

They’ve had a few players step up on offense. 2017-18 Calder winner, Matt Barzal has 10 points in 10 games, but is having a tough time scoring goals. With more focus by the opposition and consistently drawing top d-pairings, Barzal should relish the opportunity to turn the tables back in his favor soon enough. Josh Bailey, Anders Lee (11 pts), Brock Nelson (6) and dare I say, Valtteri Filppula (6) have made some serious noise for the Isles offensively. Per Erick Hornick, “Josh Bailey extended his point streak to five games with his third multi-point game of the season.” Andrew Ladd and Casey Cizikas (+5 rating) have made an impact as well as tallying 5 points in 7 and 9 games while Nelson (5), Filppula and Lee (4) lead the team in goals. Anders Lee has stepped up into the role of Captain to the delight of his coaches and reaffirmed the respect of his team mates. He was already a tough, gritty scorer who did whatever he could do to help the team succeed before and it’s even more noticeable now with 4 pp goals and a +4 rating. According to NHL PR, “Anders Lee (4-7—11) continues his career-best start to the season, becoming the first @NYIslanders player to record at least 11 points in the opening 10 games since John Tavares in 2015-16.”

Another crazy stat is shooting percentage and who leads the team. How about Filppula (I know, right?) at 50%, Brock Nelson at 24% and Casey Cizikas at 24%. Oh, and Lamoriello’s guy Leo Komarov has 4 points in 10 games with a +1 and is tied with Matt Martin for just over an 18% shooting percentage.

Still plenty to prove and much more work to do, but signs are showing the team is improving in problem areas under the new management and coaching staff. Consistency is still the magic word while accountability is the key to opportunity. Let’s see if it continues and what the roster looks and plays like 10 games from now.

Isles Notes:

Islanders and Sound Tigers honor Charles Wang with memorial tribute patch.

Per Eric Hornick, “The Isles have won four of their first seven road games for the first time since 2014-15 and have won four October road games for the first time since 2001-02 (6-0-0)…The Isles have won their last five Metro games (going back to last season) and are 3-0-0 in divisional play to start a season for the first time since 2014-15…With the win, the Isles moved within one point of Columbus/Washington for the final playoff spot.”

Islanders announced the game on February 28, 2019, against the Toronto Maple Leafs has been relocated from Barclays Center in Brooklyn to the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

Per Brian Compton, “#Isles will honor Bill Torrey later in season as home games shift to Coliseum, I’m told. Still being finalized.”

Per Robert Brodsky, “The 1st phase of a $1.5 billion development of the Nassau Hub -- the county's largest tract of undeveloped land -- is expected to break ground in Dec. 2019. Hearings and legislative votes by years end, developers say.”

Per Allan Walsh, “Center Jan Kovar has signed a PTO with the Providence Bruins (AHL). He’s going to PLAY games and we will evaluate his NHL options in approx 3 weeks.”

Remembering Charles Wang

Philanthropist, Buisnessman and Islanders minority owner, Charles B. Wang passed away today.

Wang, 74, was surrounded by family at the time of his passing. The official cause of his death has not been disclosed at this time. (Lung Cancer)

A Long Island icon, Charles Wang founded CA Technologies and was the former majority owner of our New York Islanders. Wang was the only reason the team still calls New York home from the time he purchased the storied franchise in 2000 through the lease deal in Brooklyn at the Barclays Center. Wang made it a point to keep the sacred storied logo, colors of the team and wanted to maintain the identity of the Island and their championship tradition.

“Wang was born in Shanghai, China, on Aug. 19, 1944, and moved to the United States with his family at the age of 8. He attended Brooklyn Technical High School and graduated from Queens College with a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics and physics. In 2015, he received an honorary doctorate in humane letters from Stony Brook University.

He built and donated the Charles B. Wang Center at Stony Brook University to celebrate Asian and American cultures. The $40 million center, which opened in 2002, was at the time the recipient of the largest donation from an individual to the SUNY system.”

The crusade of Charles Wang to develop the Coliseum hub and create a destination for the team is well documented. He maintained ownership while losing money from inheriting a bad partnership with SMG management and always did his best to try and revive a struggling team without knowing much about the world of NHL hockey. He even sponsored teams, tournaments and helped gain greater exposure for the game of hockey in China.

"We want to make the New York Islanders the world-class sports franchise that our community deserves, wants and needs," Wang said in April of 2000. "This is no easy task." - Newsday

In 2016, Wang remained with the organization as minority owner behind new ownership headed by Scott Malkin and John Ledecky. Wang was the champion fans of the team needed at the time he stepped up and became a part of the team’s future in New York.

"He treasured his association with the team and its devoted fans.’ the statement from Wang's family said of his relationship with the Islanders.

Wang is survived by his wife Nancy Li; children Kimberly, Jasmine and Cameron; his mother, Mary; brothers, Anthony and Francis; grandchildren, Charles, Kingsley and Kendall; and his nieces and a nephew. He was preceded in death by his father, Kenneth.” -Newsday

The Charles B. Wang International Foundation has directed his philanthropic efforts since 2008. He seemed to always care about children all over the world who didn’t have the means or opportunity for healthcare, surgery and he made it his mission to provide the help he was able to provide.

“He founded the nonprofit Smile Train in 1999, which has provided more than 1 million free cleft surgeries to children in more than 85 developing countries. In 2001, he established the New York Islanders Children's Foundation and supported the Charles B. Wang Community Health Center to expand delivery of affordable health care in New York City.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children named its headquarters for Wang. He also supported the Kenneth Wang School of Law at Suzhou University, named for his father, and other charities.” - Newsday

Thank you Mr. Wang.

R.I.P.

Islanders Name Anders Lee Captain

The New York Islanders are set to meet the Carolina Hurricanes tonight at PNC Arena in Raleigh.

Today, they announced that forward Anders Lee has been named the 15th captain in the organization's 46-year history. Bailey, Clutterbuck and Ladd named Alternates.

Coming off a career season in 2017-18, the Captain broke career records across the board. With 40 goals, 22 assists and 62 points in 82 games, Lee was only one of eight players in the league to hit the 40-goal plateau last season, good enough for seventh in the NHL. His 74 goals since the start of 2016-17 rank 6th in the NHL.

Per Release, “The Edina, MN native was selected by the Islanders in the sixth round (151st overall) of the 2009 NHL Draft. Lee has played in 343 games over the course of his five-year NHL career, scoring 207 points (124 goals and 83 assists).  Lee was the team captain of the University of Notre Dame ice hockey team during the 2012-13 season.”

Per Brian Burke, “As soon as @leeberr09 was done talking to the media about being named captain, Isles PR handed him a phone. On the other end...Denis Potvin.”

The Captain has an opportunity to continue to lead by example with a challenging 2018-19 campaign coming. IMO, his character, intergirity, skill and tenacity all continue to further him in his NHL career.

Per Shannon Hogan, “Trotz spoke with all the players early on and then watched throughout camp. He felt Lee was the right choice. There was no formal vote, he said just from talking to players @leeberr09 was respected and a natural leader.

Lee is in the final year of a four-year, $15 million contract. Are the Islanders giving the nod to the hard-working team player for his loyalty and trying to make a statement heading into the season?

Per Brian Compton, “Lee on captaincy with 1 year left on deal: "To me, I don't think they would have done this if they didn't feel it was right. Things are going to play themselves out. I'm not too worried about that in that regard right now at all. This season is what we're worried about."

You can't spell Islanders without Anders.

Isles Notes:

23-man roster for the Islanders:

Forwards: (14) Josh Bailey, Mathew Barzal, Anthony Beauvillier, Casey Cizikas, Cal Clutterbuck, Jordan Eberle, Valtteri Filppula, Tanner Fritz, Ross Johnston, Leo Komarov, Tom Kuhnhackl, Anders Lee, Matt Martin, Brock Nelson.

Defensemen: (7) Johnny Boychuk, Thomas Hickey, Nick Leddy, Scott Mayfield, Adam Pelech, Ryan Pulock, Luca Sbisa.

Goaltenders: (2) Thomas Greiss, Robin Lehner.

IR: (1) Andrew Ladd.

Per Arthur Staple, “Beau-Barzal-Bailey Lee-Nelson-Eberle Martin-Cizikas-Clutterbuck Komarov-Filppula-Fritz Pelech-Pulock Sbisa-Leddy Hickey-Boychuk Lehner Greiss Extras: Kuhnhackl, Johnston, Mayfield”

Islanders among tops in NHL with 25 AHL graduates on 2018-19 NHL rosters.

2018 KoC New York Islanders Season Preview

Our New York Islanders are back in a familiar position. Entering game 1 of the 2018-19 season amidst a deluge of controversy and media hoopla. Last season's offensive and defensive stories are in the past. They will open this season’s campaign against Carolina on Thursday, but according to the hockey media, should expect to finish last in Metro and fail to make the playoffs. After an exciting NHL Entry Draft this summer, making their farm systems one of the deepest in the league, new General Manager, Lou Lamoriello failed to pull off the magic moves required by most, to give the team even the slightest of hopes to succeed without Tavares on their roster. I guess what they failed to realize is, that although J.T. is an elite player and he is a difficult player to lose, the team floundered and had limited success with him on their roster. With Garth Snow relegated to apparent front office obscurity, I guess Lamoriello was expected to transform the Islanders into a front running contender over the summer with the assets the team had in place. New York finished preseason 5-3-0 with a 4-game winning streak that included Barzal’s 8 assists in 6 preseason games, 5 goals in the final four games for Pulock and a 10 for 34 (29.4%) PP run. It’s preseason, but something to build on. The PK slipped into oblivion last season but should improve, under Trotz, while the resurgent 6^th best PP might flounder a bit with a key loss upfront or might just do its job the with Barzal and Pulock finding a more central role.

Photo by Paul Cartier

From their quotes to the media, GM, Lou Lamoriello and new head coach, Barry Trotz, feel they have begun to change the culture and raise the standards of accountability in the room with the additions of Jan Kovar, Leo Kamarov, Tom Kuhnhackl, Matt Martin, Valtteri Filppula and Luca Sbisa and Yannick Rathgreb. Their team dynamic should be tighter and harder to play against and their defense and goaltending should improve with Trotz. I think it’s reasonable to assume Trotz will get the most out of the players he has. Per Lamoriello, “The strategy for acquiring high-end talent, we will continue to try to improve the team without mortgaging the future and not building a foundation." That includes Thomas Greiss in the final year of his Isles contract and free-agent keeper, Robin Lehner, who has all the talent he needs if he can keep his focus and continue his admirable rise from addiction and bipolar diagnosis. Like Lehner, the Islanders have a statement to make this year. Everyone has counted them out. Again. The Isles lost John Tavares, Calvin de Haan, Jaroslav Halak, Chris Wagner, Nikolay Kulemin, Dennis Seidenberg, Brandon Davidson and Alan Quine. Superstar, quality defenders and depth. The “look what Vegas did last season” comparisons are nice, but hardly a regular occurrence. The last time I can remember that kind of success was when Florida did it in 1996. So, what can they look forward to this season?

We saw that, once removed from his success with the Devils, Lou Lamoriello transformed the Maple Leafs into a team poised to make a playoff push from the draft on out. Barry Trotz’s resume includes a competitive, always in-the-hunt work ethic with all the teams he has coached including a Stanley Cup win with the Capitals last season. Those two moves alone would have been big, but adding Lane Lambert, John Gruden, Piero Greco and Mitch Korn should help infuse even more, especially with the team’s goaltending struggles from last season. Recent additions included Jacques Lemaire, Ken Gernander and David Conte to bolster the coaching and scouting pools. Per Andrew Gross, “GM Lou Lamoriello a big believer of using any time available so Barry Trotz says team won't set final roster until moment it has to, which is 48 hours before first game … Trotz also reports Lou has been working phones hard, seeing who might be available.” That’s awesome, but what about the lineup New York expects to put on the ice starting on Thursday? The offense, defense and special teams?

Lines change, but the last groupings looked like this according to Arthur Staple:

Beau-Barzal-Bailey, Lee-Nelson-Eberle, Martin-Cizikas-Clutterbuck, Komarov-Filppula-Fritz, Johnston-Kovar-Kühnhackl.

Pelech-Pulock, Hickey-Boychuk, Sbisa-Leddy, Toews-Mayfield.

Greiss & Lehner.

‘The kid who won the Calder’ scored five points in a game, three times last season. Mathew Barzal (85 pts in 82 gp) was first NHL rookie to hit a point per game or better (minimum 75 games) since Malkin did it in 2006-07. The only other players who had similar success in the league under the age of 20 are named Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, Steven Stamkos and Auston Matthews. Barzal gets his shot to be the man and a first line center. He’s also ready for anyone who slept through his 2017-18 campaign to know who he is this season. He will certainly continue to be double teamed and draw the oppositions to shut-down D. His powerful and fluid skating looks, to me, as good as it did last season over the last couple of weeks. Potential line mates, Josh Bailey (71 pts in 76 games) had career highs in goals, assists and points and re-signed for 6 more year and my pick for surprise player of the year, Anthony Beauvillier has a resilient return from the minors last season and 36 points in 71 games, including some contributions on the PP.

Anders Lee scored 40 goals (tops on team) and set highs in assists (22), points (62), PP goals & points (14 & 22) and shots on net (208). He was physical, a force in front of the net and has matured to be one of the biggest Draft steals in recent NHL history. He will be a UFA next summer and will have even more incentive to make noise for the Isles who will need even more from him to be successful. Brock Nelson currently sits as the team’s number 2 center to the dismay of some, but Nelson has the goods when he is on. 35 points in 82 games won’t be enough this season. While he was near the top in shooting percentage, he will need to shoot, pass and score even more GWG’s to help the Islanders have a potent 2nd line and take pressure off the Barzal line. Jordan Eberle was a great add to the Isles organization, netting 59 points in 81 games with 7 GWG’s. His ice time should increase and like many others, so will the responsibility to contribute even more. Another potential 2019 UFA, Eberle should add to his PP point totals (10 last season) and the Islanders will need the 5-time 50-point scorer to help carry the load.

The reunited “best 4th line in hockey” are a couple of season’s older and should have a chance to help the Isles bottom 6 agitate and frustrate the opposition. In a more defensive minded scheme, the trio should do better filling their role. Cizikas should be ok to go per reports after an injury scare in the final preseason game against Buffalo. Both he and Clutterbuck can ply their craft if they remain healthy and Matt Martin is living the dream returning to the team that drafted him 148th overall in the 5th round in 2008. Martin expects a bounce-back season after playing in Toronto wasn’t what he expected. I just can’t wait to see the first game against the Maple Leafs and what chaos these guys bring to it. "We've always kind of been an underdog," Cal Clutterbuck said. "Even when we've gone through stretches where we proved to people that we shouldn't be, we are still labeled that way. We are who we are and I think we're very content with being quietly confident about what we're able to do and trying to execute it." Soul player, Tanner Fritz cleared waivers and was sent down to the Sound Tigers and Jan Kovar wasn’t given a huge window to display what he can do in the NHL game. Ross Johnston’s four-year, $4M contract is waiver-claim proof according to Staple, so the Isles will use him as needed. Character and veteran guys, Leo Komarov and Valtteri Filppula haven’t made a big splash so far. Tom Kuhnhackl has been placed on waivers as of this afternoon.

With Andrew Ladd’s recent day-to-day status, he appears to be bound for IR to start season.

Per Erick Hornick, “I'm not much for the prediction game but I like the chances of @rpulock becoming the 1st #Isles dmen since Potvin to record a hat trick. No current #NYI was alive when Denis did it for last time (3-4-82 vs Tor). Some high school kid was in his 2nd month working on the telecast.” Ryan Pulock looked comfortable in preseason and had even more poise in both ends of the ice than last season. A physical defender, Pulock is a solid defender with a lethal shot. One Trotz likened to Alex Ovechkin and one Isles fans should see regularly on the PP and late in key games. His 10 PPP in 68 games as a rookie are indicative of how well he shoots the puck. The more popular choice for break out player this season, Pulock gives the Islanders the big puck-moving, physical D-man they’ve needed for quite some time. He should get more opportunity with the new regime and that’s great news for Isles fans. Adam Pelech is a big, stay-at-home defender that may work well with the offensive-minded Pulock. With the 4th best (+7) +/- on a team who turned the puck over like crazy last season, Pelech should improve even more under a Barry Trotz run blueline.

D, Thomas Hickey is another pending UFA. After a dismal team campaign, Hickey had an impressive +20 rating with 25 points (career highs in points, 25 and tied in assists, 20) in 69 games last season. Hickey is a reliable defender with an offensive touch that can still get big results with the Isles. Per Arthur Staple, “Johnny Boychuk, 2015-16 Good Guy winner, on being chirped via tweet last night: “I’m going for the Bad Guy award this year.” Boychuk is a fierce competitor who should be healthy after addressing a nagging injury he had surgery for over the summer. His leadership and awareness on ice can enhance special teams and always be a scoring threat.

Luca Sbisa was signed off a PTO this summer and has recently been paired with Nick Leddy. Sbisa is a veteran depth D that can be exposed at times but might be here until management feels Toews is ready. I think Toews is ready right now, but the Isles signed Sbisa to utilize his talents in some meaningful way in their system. As we’ve seen before, Toews doesn’t have to clear waivers, so we know what usually happens with that. Nick Leddy had a horrible campaign last season. This season should be a big turn-around with an updated scheme. Trotz’s neutral zone mastery (along with Korn’s goaltending consul) should help Leddy and the D-core improve the worst defense in the NHL last season cut down on goals against in some capacity. With a more responsible defense scheme in place, a player like Leddy should bounce back and add a significant offensive threat on the rush and improved play on the PK.

Devon Toews signed a two-year extension this summer. He has nothing else to prove at the AHL level and the Islanders could use his speed and scoring touch off the blue line for sure. Today, Barry Trots said that he’d prefer Toews playing somewhere and not sitting with the Isles, so it looks like Bridgeport indeed per Staple. Toews could be a perfect fit with a defender like Scott Mayfield. Mayfield’s size and grit make him a solid pillar at the Isles net and at times, can chip in offensively. Another player who took positives strides despite the poor finish by the team last season.

UFA, Thomas Griess should be ready to compete this season. The once savior and arguable bonafide starter, Greiss made the most of his first two seasons with the Islanders. However, last season saw Greiss have a less than spectacular showing along with now-departed Isles keeper, Jaroslav Halak. Greiss finished near the bottom of the league from a statistical standpoint behind the Isles O-first scheme from last year. The culture change is in place along with Mitch Korn and Piero Greco to redefine the Islanders in goal. Robin Lehner (only one season removed from a Sv% of .920) is another talented goaltender that will get a serious look by the organization for an opportunity to sign with the team beyond this season. Both will be given a opportunity to become an NHL starter and help New York right themselves from the back-end up. In the new defensive and neutral zone responsible system, both goalies should have a chance to show what they can do in a challenging Metro Division and Eastern Conference playoff race. Lehner is no stranger to overcoming adversity and here’s to hoping he can be the sleeper the Islanders are hoping for. Former Isles goaltender on Mitch Korn, “Mitch understands the way the game has changed. You just look at what he did with Pekka, with Holtby, even back in the early days in Nashville with guys like Mike Dunham and Chris Mason. He knows that structure and technique is how you develop now.”

Trotz is going to help transform the Islanders defensively, but success will be limited by the lack of depth. It’s up to Lou Lamoriello to ride the waiver wire and see if can add another quality player via trade as the season goes on. The team will have the odds stacked against them to fight for a playoff spot, but they can play with that chip on their shoulder they all claim to have. Let’s hope they surprise a few teams in the first few weeks and get off to a good start with all schemes keeping them competitive in a line-up many insiders call incomplete. Their management and coaching give them renewed respectability and experience, but the limited roster will certainly hold all plays fully accountable and that just might be the dose of medicine it’s intended to be.

Per Arthur Staple, “Isles will need one more roster move to get down to 23 tomorrow. Ross Johnston, who needs waivers, is staying for now. Tanner Fritz has already cleared waivers but appears to be in top 12. Looks to be between Jan Kovar and Devon Toews, neither of whom need waivers to go to BPT.” If it’s Jan Kovar, its reported he may have an out clause to exercise if he’d rather play overseas. Per Brian Compton, “Josh Bailey told me it's been a "good, hard camp, but one where we've learned a lot. We're coming together as a group. I think we're all just looking forward to the puck dropping on Thursday."

No disrespect intended, but the current management is built from some of the best minds we’ve had here in a long time. I have issues with a few things they are doing right now, especially forcing the play of stop-gap players over talented kids that should factor into team’s future. It’s always been one of my biggest complaints of past regimes. So, I’m in for another season of hope and positivity to start. The farm is once again legitimately stocked with several hungry players with all the talent in the world, but apparently lack the necessary experience. The only way they get the experience they need is to play. Guess it’s the usual adage of working hard with the Sound Tigers to make a convincing argument to be called up. That’s cool I guess. Beauvillier and Lee are 2 of the biggest recent success stories for that formula. This season might be one that fans realize they should attention to the AHL game if they don’t already. It’s the best way to educate yourself on the guys in Bridgeport and checkout the prospects on the cusp of NHL stardom. The play of the Sound Tigers should count a little more this season for the fans and the Islanders.

See you at the Barc, the Coliseum and on KnightofCups.net. 

Here’s to a season of surprises.

Thanks for the support!

Isles Notes:

The Islanders and Adidas released images of their new 3^rd jerseys for this season.

G, Linus Soderstrom is back in Sweden as he continues to rehab from injury.

Islanders transactions since prior to writing this article -

September 25: Steve Bernier, Christopher Gibson, Seth Helgeson and Mike Sislo were assigned to Bridgeport (AHL).

September 24: Luca Sbisa agreed to terms on a one-year contract.

September 24: Sebastian Aho, Kieffer Bellows, Michael Dal Colle, Ben Holmstrom, Josh Ho-Sang, Jeremy Smith, Travis St. Denis and Parker Wotherspoon were assigned to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL).

September 24: Noah Dobson was assigned to Acadie-Bathurst of the QMJHL.

September 23: Kyle Burroughs cleared waivers and was loaned to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

September 22: Chris Bourque, Ryan Bourque, Evan Buitenhuis, Mike Cornell, Scott Eansor, Matthew Gaudreau, Mitch Gillam, Ryan Hitchcock, Connor Jones, Otto Koivula, Ivan Kosorenkov, Jeff Kubiak, Ryan MacKinnon, Tyler Mueller, David Quenneville, Yannick Rathgeb, Mitch Vande Sompel and Yanick Turcotte were assigned to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL).

September 22: Arnaud Durandeau (Halifax, QMJHL), Blade Jenkins (Saginaw, OHL) and Bode Wilde (Saginaw, OHL) were assigned to their CHL clubs.

September 22: Pius Suter was returned to Zurich of the Swiss Elite League. Kyle MacLean and Emmanuel Vella were removed from their amateur tryouts.  

Islanders Sign D, Sbisa Off PTO

The New York Islanders announced that 6’3, 204# defenseman, Luca Sbisa, has agreed to terms on a one-year contract today. Sbisa, 28, had 14 points (2 and 12) in 30 games (and 4 playoff helpers in 12 games) last season for the Vegas Golden Knights in their Stanley Cup appearance. Sbisa was invited to Isles training camp on a PTO this summer. Isles D, Dennis Seidenberg was also invited back to camp on a PTO. I would imagine the always reserved Lamoriello and defensively minded Trotz have seen something in Sbisa they feel could break out with the team, add depth to the system, or it wouldn’t have been done.

In 495 NHL games (PHI, ANA, VAN, LVK), Sbisa collected 18 and 84 for 102 regular season points along with 8 points (1 and 7) in 32 career playoff games overall. Sbisa played in the WHL during the 2007-08 season for the Lethbridge Hurricanes.

“We picked this team because they’ve been straightforward with us from the start,” said Sbisa, an alternate captain with Vegas. “They were really interested, and I like the fact that it’s a new coaching staff. It’s going to be the best chance to crack the lineup. It’s a really good group of defensemen, a lot of young guys are battling for the same thing.” – Newsday

Per Isles release, on the international stage, the Italian born Sbisa represented Switzerland at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, two World Championships and two Junior World Championships. He also played for Team Europe at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey tournament.

Per Andrew Gross, “Barry Trotz said earlier today it’s still too early to say whether #Isles will carry seven or eight d-men. Right now, with Sbisa signing one-year deal, I’m guessing eight: Pulock, Pelech, Leddy, Boychuk, Hickey, Toews, Mayfield, Sbisa. But still time for changes until Oct. 4.

That would mean 13 forwards. My guess there: Beauvillier, Barzal, Bailey, Lee, Nelson, Eberle, Martin, Cizikas, Clutterbuck, Filppula, Komarov, Kuhnhackl, Johnston. Ladd starts on IR. But we’ll see...”

Sbisa signing probably means the Isles indeed start with 8D. Per Staple, “Toews is waiver-exempt among the 8D.” Unfortunately, that means he will probably be the odd-man out of the Isles line-up despite a strong camp appearance. Especially because as a bottom D, Sbisa, whose metrics are far from great, will be the reason for it. Sbisa blamed injuries for his decline and limited ice time last season.

But accountability is the motto, so maybe Sbisa is a stop-gap move based on what the brass has seen in camp so far and it will give the younger guys time to sharpen their skills at the pro-level before coming to the Island (or Brooklyn).

Anyway, I’ll try and have a 2018-19 Isles season primer up later this week.

Thanks for the support, especially over my unplanned hiatus of the last month or so.

Isles Notes:

Per Brian Compton, “Lou Lamoriello told me Belmont is still "100 percent" on track for 2021 after attending a recent meeting. Says he was "more excited leaving it than going in."

9/14: Jacques Lemaire was added as a special assignments coach and Ken Gernander hired as a scout.

David Conte, who worked in the Devils' organization for 31 years, including 22 as director of scouting, and worked last season as a pro scout for Vegas, has been hired by Isles as a special assignment scout. – Gross

NHL farm system rankings: No. 5 New York Islanders

Robin Lehner opens up about addiction and bipolar diagnosis. “Hopefully it helps someone, either in the game or someone out there.” – Lehner

IDA approves tax breaks for Islanders' $10 million Coliseum upgrade plan.

Per Eric Hornick, “Isles have started a season without a captain only once in their history; no captain was named for the 1996-97 season; Bryan McCabe got the C in September 1997.”

Rumors:

IslesBlog, “Per @TheFourthPeriod, the #Isles have Panarin high atop their wish list and have had talks with CBJ dating back to June.

Lamoriello has been looking to acquire an impact player this off-season and he’s expected to continue his attempts at exploring the market.”

Per Rob Taub, “No matter what number the #Isles are on Artemi Panarin’s list, the fact they’re on there definitely shows players want to play here whether it’s Brooklyn or Long Island.”

NHL Notes:

Could the NHL and NHLPA be heading towards another lockout?