Islanders continuing to get ready for next season despite the unknown

While the start date for the upcoming NHL season remains in limbo, several Islanders are still preparing whenever they may receive the call for when things may begin.

Over the weekend, defenseman Noah Dobson was seen on Instagram working out in the weight room as he prepares for his second season as a pro. It was also a nice reminder that the season will hopefully get here soon and that Dobson himself will be one of the key players for the Isles moving forward.

Dobson was on the ice for the last time the Isles played, as it was his only appearance in the postseason.

The 20-year-old, who appeared in 33 games last season, is expected to be in the play for one of the team’s top-four spots on the blue line. He is expected to replace the services of Devon Toews. Toews was traded last month to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for two future second-round picks.

Dobson isn’t the only one who has been working toward the proposed January 1st start date.

Simon Holmstrom, who was playing back in his home country on loan from the organization, is heading to Long Island to get ready for camp with the big club. Holmstrom skated in 11 games for Vita Hasten, posting a goal and an assist. And as The Athletic’s Arthur Staple noted this morning, there’s a chance the Isles send their 2019-first round pick to Edmonton where he will join Sweden for the upcoming World Juniors tournament.

Then there’s Otto Koivula. Just like Dobson, Koivula spent the entire postseason with the Isles despite not seeing any game action in either bubble.

The 22-year-old spent some time with the big club last year but has been getting tons of ice time suiting up for IFK in the Finnish Elite League — Liiga — after the Isles loaned him there a month ago.

With IFK, he’s tallied 11 points and his game seems to be rounding into form.

“There’s a big difference to be playing 15-20 games in a league than just training on your own and skating with the guys on Long Island,” Koivula told The Athletic. “That’s good, too, but it’s being in game shape that I think will help me when camp starts.”

Koivula is going to need his best if he’s going to want to crack the Isles lineup. It could be an uphill battle for him with the team basically set down the middle and some other veterans and depth guys ahead of him on the totem pole. On the flip side, it’s good to see him looking to be ready right out of the gates with the hopes of impressing Barry Trotz and his coaching staff.

January 1st continues to be the target date for the NHL and NHLPA to begin the season, but nothing has been decided on yet. That hasn’t stopped several Islander players from preparing as if this were a normal season.

Which is good even with all the uncertainty ahead.