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Islanders News Roundup: Varlamov ready to return, Nashville outlook

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Semyon Varlamov, New York Islanders

The New York Islanders have an extensive break to rest their bodies and prepare for the remainder of the 2022 season. However, they are still getting back a few players from injury, including goaltender Semien Varlamov.

Varlamov, whose injury designation is unknown, played in 36 games last year with the Islanders, allowing 72 goals on 120 shots against.

“I’m feeling great right now,” Varlamov said after practice, per the NY Post. “I’m ready, ready to go. Ready to play a game.”

Varlamov has a rather solid health history, so missing camp this year was quite a surprise for the veteran goalie.

“First time in my NHL career I missed the entire camp, it never happened to me before,” Varlamov said. “But things happen. Of course it wasn’t a perfect situation for me.”

Islanders head coach Barry Trotz indicated that Varlamov could play immediately, despite fears of being rusty.

“The starting point for Varly, no matter when you put him in, will be his starting point,” Trotz said. “He’s not gonna be any more rusty than he would be now. So he could go in in Nashville [on Saturday] or he could go in in Montreal [on Thursday] or we could wait until next week. We’ll make a decision on where he is with our goaltending coaches and myself tomorrow.”

Islanders head south to take on a tough Predators team:

The Islanders a preparing to take on the Nashville Predators on Saturday afternoon at 1:30 PM. The Predators sit at 3–4 on the season, winning their last two games against the Wild and Sharks.

Roman Josi leads the Nashville team with nine points, including three goals and six assists. For the Islanders, Oliver Wahlstrom and Matthew Barzal have a combined six goals but haven’t logged an assist. Josh Bailey leads in assists with three.

With the Islanders finishing the last two games on a strong note, scoring five goals and allowing zero, they should be in for a solid competition as they travel to Nashville.

Islanders’ Barry Trotz torches second line, saying ‘their analytics were terrible’

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New York Islanders, Brock Nelson

The Islanders fell to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday evening by a score of 3–2. Unfortunately, Patrik Laine scored in overtime to give Columbus the victory, thanks to a well-timed wrist shot, beating goalie Ilya Sorokin.

For the Islanders, Mathew Barzal and Scott Mayfield contributed goals, but the team as a whole disappointed once again. The Islanders’ second line played poorly, as head coach Barry Trotz torched them for their performance.

“Their analytics were terrible” in CHI. “Think we may have to change some things around with that line.”

The line normally consists of Brock Nelson, Josh Bailey, and Anthony Beauvillier. The Islanders have plenty of talent on the second line for them to produce, but Trotz now has to consider alternative combinations.

As Matt O’Leary of Eyes on Isles points out, the second line has a goal percentage of just 16.7%, while they were expected to land over 30%. They are well behind the first line, so Trotz changing things up is justifiable. With Bailey struggling to start the year, Trotz may have to disrupt the first line to add more quality behind them.

Of course, the season is still young, and players are still getting into the groove of things, so a bit of consistency may be beneficial in the short term.

New York Islanders: FOCO set to Release Limited Edition Mat Barzal Bobblehead

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new york islanders, matt barzal

The New York Islanders have become one of the top teams in the NHL recently. Some say this is due to their Head Coach Barry Trotz. Others say it’s because of the moves that General Manager Lou Lamoriello has made to acquire fresh talent. But, coaches and managers can only do so much, the players are the ones that determine the outcome of a team’s season. One player on the Islanders has stood out as the team’s best and a top player in the league as a whole. This player is Coquitlam’s own, Mat Barzal. Barzal has taken the league by storm since his debut in 2017. FOCO, the leading manufacturer of sports and entertainment merchandise, has seen Barzal’s dominance and have honored his play with a new bobblehead.

Reviews

This bobblehead of Mat Barzal is spot on. The attention to detail, whether it be his rocking flow or the classic Islanders logo, FOCO did a terrific job when creating this bobblehead. I, myself, bought some of FOCO’s New York Knicks bobbleheads earlier this year, and it’s 100% worth the $50. I added a new Julius Randle to my impressive collection of Anders Lee and AHL Matt Martin bobbleheads. Mat Barzal’s gifts on the ice are god-given, and the same goes for FOCO’s designers’.

Price and Availability

This bobblehead is a limited edition item, and when I say limited, I mean limited. There are only 144 of these bobbleheads created, and they will sell fast. At the small price of just $50, you can be one of the only people in the world to own this beautiful bobblehead. Again, these bobbleheads will sell fast, so be ready to pounce on them. The bobblehead will be going live for sale on 4/21/2021 at 11:00 AM EST on FOCO’s official website. If you’re not on https://www.foco.com at 11 AM EST on 4/21/2021, you can kiss your dreams of having a limited edition Mat Barzal bobblehead goodbye.

New York Islanders: What will the lines look like after the Palmieri trade?

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The New York Islanders have successfully completed two huge trades for top 6 forwards in the past two years. Last year, General Manager Lou Lamoriello traded away a bundle of picks for JG Pageau. That trade was regarded as one of the best trades of last year and possibly recent Islander history. Lamoriello might’ve struck gold two years in a row as he completed another trade with the New Jersey Devils last night.

The Islanders acquired Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac for this year’s first-rounder, Mason Jobst, AJ Greer, and a conditional fourth-round pick. The Islanders added 2 impact forwards who will be plugged into the lineup and play as soon as possible. Where will the new additions play, though?

Kyle Palmieri

Kyle Palmieri should be playing on Mat Barzal’s left-wing as he replaces fringe bottom 6 forward Leo Komarov. This move will undoubtedly improve Mat Barzal and Jordan Eberle’s assist and goal numbers. Palmieri brings the same physicality that Anders Lee always brought to the table. But, Palmieri also has an elite shot that Anders Lee does not possess. The only problem with Palmieri being on the first line is the fact that the Islanders would be brandishing three right-handed forwards on one line. It’s not a huge problem, as the second line powerplay features all left-handers, but it’s something to look out for. Palmieri brings a clutch factor that hasn’t been seen on the Island in forever and a nice power-play presence.

Travis Zajac

Travis Zajac was an interesting last-minute addition to the Kyle Palmieri trade. I believe the only reason the Devils added him to the trade was the fact that they didn’t want to resign him. Or, they felt that they couldn’t get a first-round pick for just Palmieri. Whatever the reason may be, the Islanders walk away with another good center. Zajac should not be playing center for the Islanders, though, as the Isles already have 4 good/great centers. Zajac will have to move to wing for the first time in his long, storied career. I believe he will fit in nicely on JG Pageau’s left-wing, as Oliver Wahlstrom stays at right-wing. Zajac brings experience, an excellent faceoff percentage, and an ability to play on the power play/kill.

Why the New York Islanders should stay far away from Taylor Hall

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islanders, taylor hall

The New York Islanders are in the trade market after their captain Anders Lee was placed on LTIR with a torn ACL. The Islanders were gifted back Anders Lee’s cap hit for this year, which is about $7 million. The Islanders need a top 6 forward to help out Mat Barzal and Jordan Eberle. There are several targets, and most of them are appealing. Guys like Conor Garland, Phil Kessel, Kyle Palmieri, Dustin Brown, Viktor Arvidsson, and many more. One of these targets, Taylor Hall, is a guy the Islanders need to stay far away from.

The Reasoning

Taylor Hall has been quite rough in his last 2 years as a player and is playing his worst Hockey right now. Currently, this kid has 2 goals, and he played alongside Jack Eichel. I know Eichel wasn’t playing his best Hockey either, but I think his stats would be inflated if Hall actually scored more than once a blue moon. All the fans keep saying is that the Isles need a goal scorer, but when it comes to Hall, there’s an exception. Hall has only one more goal than Michael Dal Colle. Taylor Hall has been on 3 teams, now 4 teams in the last 3 years. That says quite a lot about a player. And it’s gonna take value to actually get hall: Kieffer bellows, a second, and another good player. Hall would only be a half-year rental too, and it’s not worth it.

Other Options

Conor Garland is a perfect top 6 forward for the Islanders for many reasons. Garland is currently rocking 10 goals and 18 assists in 37 games for the Arizona Coyotes. He’s putting up good numbers while having Nick Schmaltz and Michael Bunting on his line. The only problem is that he will be an RFA this offseason and will look for well-deserved big money. I also believe Kyle Palmieri is the best and most realistic trade for the Islanders. Palmieri is already sitting games ahead of the trade deadline, as he currently has 17 points in 34 games. Alongside some struggling young forwards, Palmieri is due for a change of scenery. It’ll be a relatively cheap trade to get him.

New York Islanders: Analyzing the Seattle expansion draft

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New York Islanders, Anders Lee

The New York Islanders have a big decision to make when the Seattle Kraken joins the league. The rules must be followed as such. Each team has the choice to either protect 7 forward, 3 defensemen, and 1 goalie. Or, they can protect 8 total skaters and 1 goalie. It makes sense for the Islanders to follow the first option, as they have more talented skaters up and down the roster. The Islanders also have an exempt list full of young players who they don’t have to protect because they can’t be chosen. This list contains players like Oliver Wahlstrom, Ilya Sorokin, Noah Dobson, Anatoly Golyshev, Bode Wilde, and Samuel Bolduc. There are obviously more players on that list, but those are the key ones. Who will the Islanders protect?

Forwards

The Islanders can only protect 7 forward, and most of their choices are pretty obvious. Anders Lee, Mat Barzal, JG Pageau, Brock Nelson, Jordan Eberle, and Anthony Beauvillier. This leaves one spot left with a bunch of forwards vying for that spot. I don’t believe the Kraken would take Casey Cizikas just because his contract is expiring this year. This leaves Josh Bailey, Matt Martin, Cal Clutterbuck, Leo Komarov, Michael Dal Colle, and Kieffer Bellows left. The Kraken aren’t going to take Clutterbuck, Martin, Komarov, or Dal Colle. If you’re looking at the most valuable, it’s a decision between Bellows and Bailey. Honestly, I’d leave Bailey unprotected; he hasn’t really ever met that potential that he had when he was drafted. It’s possible he doesn’t get picked because of his large contract.

Defensemen

This decision is pretty easy due to the fact that Noah Dobson doesn’t have to be protected. Ryan Pulock and Adam Pelech are going to be protected, not that shocked anyone. Scott Mayfield, Nick Leddy, Andy Greene, Thomas Hickey, Parker Wotherspoon, and Sebastian Aho are left. Based on age and value, Andy Greene and Thomas Hickey are not getting picked at all. Parker Wotherspoon and Sebastian Aho are unproven, so they’re out of the question. Nick Leddy 100% gets protected over Scott Mayfield based on production.

Goalies

It’s not even a question of who the Islanders are going to protect. It’s between their franchise goalie Semyon Varlamov and their third-string goalie Cory Schneider. At the end of the day, Cory Schneider is not getting protected, but he most likely won’t get picked.

New York Islanders: Potential trade targets at the deadline

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The New York Islanders are back in the trade market once again. But, this time, it’s not because of players underperforming or attitude problems. Just recently, it’s been announced that captain Anders Lee is out for the season with a lower-body injury and has been placed on LTIR. The Isles have been given his $7m cap hit in relief of this. This is the first time in a long time that the Islanders have cap room to go out and get a guy. These are 3 of my under-the-radar options. This list won’t include guys like Taylor Hall, Kyle Palmeri, or Fillip Forsberg. 

Rickard Rakell, F, Ducks

Rickard Rakell is just an awesome player. Rakell has shown that he can score 30+ goals and match that goal number with assists. He’s just about reaching the best of his playing days, and it’s about time for a change of scenery. He’s the best option for the Islanders out of the 3 in my mind. Rakell has got a cheapish cap hit, and he’s a gifted offensive player. The problem is, it’s gonna take a good amount to get him. Probably a high-level prospect, a first-round pick, and maybe even more. Also, the Islanders would have to sign him to a long-term deal very shortly. Rakell currently has 19 points in 30 games this season while playing on a line with a rookie and a 35-year-old center.

Bobby Ryan, F, Red Wings

Bobby Ryan is literally the perfect option if Anders Lee comes back for the playoffs. Ryan has revived his career, and no one has noticed cause he’s in Detroit. He’s a cheap player on a minimum deal, it won’t take much to get him. Ryan battled a lot of demons in Ottawa, but he’s found his footing in Detroit. I believe with the right system, aka Barry Trotz’s system, and the right players around him, aka JG Pageau and Oliver Wahlstrom, Ryan can return to his early Ottawa playing days. The trade for Ryan would be as cheap as it gets, probably just a mid-level pick. Ryan currently has 13 points in 28 games this season.

Tanner Pearson, F, Canucks

Tanner Pearson has the stats and the cups to prove to you why he should be traded for. There is almost no explanation on why you shouldn’t get him other than the fact that he’s been having a down year, but the Vancouver Canucks just flat out suck right now. I don’t know how much it would take to get him, but I can see the Canucks taking a player like Komarov back the other way to get the deal done. Isles would most likely have to throw a prospect and a second-round pick as well into the mix. What do you think about these under the radar, guys?

New York Islanders: Explaining the Islanders Recent Success

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New York islanders, Jordan Eberle

The New York Islanders are the hottest team in the NHL currently, they sit first in the Eastern Division. They also are tied for 3rd best in the entire NHL. They’ve won 7 straight games, had points in 18 of their 20 games, and still haven’t had a regulation loss at home.

This style of play and success differs greatly from their standing about a month ago. A month ago, the Islanders couldn’t buy a goal or a win, and their goalies were left out to dry every single game. Nowadays, everyone on the Islanders can score at any given time, they can’t seem to lose, and the defense has stood on their heads. What changed in just a month’s time?

Better Skating

The Islanders have some of the fastest players in the league, such as Mat Barzal, Anthony Beauvillier, JG Pageau, etc. Offensive zone time and passing improve when players are skating. If you’re flat-footed in the neutral zone or while receiving a pass, there are very few opportunities. Players like Jordan Eberle and Josh Bailey have improved greatly on moving their feet all the time. Defensemen such as Nick Leddy, Adam Pelech, and even Scott Mayfield have all created glorious chances through their skating. The whole team is skating, and not a single team can keep up.

Confidence and Momentum

I cannot stress how important confidence and momentum are to a team’s success. Back in February, players like Brock Nelson, Cal Clutterbuck, and many more couldn’t buy a goal. Look at these guys now, Nelson is second in goals with 11. Even Matt Martin has 5 goals, which is the same amount he had all of last year. The forwards feel as if they can score on every shot. The defensemen are confident in finding their assignments and pushing them off the puck. The goalies are playing some of the best Hockey they’ve ever played. All this confidence and momentum has lead to an Islander team that is tied 3rd in the league.

New York Islanders: Revisiting the Jean-Gabriel Pageau trade

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Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Islanders

Yesterday was the one year anniversary of the New York Islanders trading for Jean-Gabriel Pageau. This trade may go down as one of the biggest highway robberies ever committed by any NHL team ever. Pageau has not only been a top performer on the Islanders, but he’s also one of the most annoying players to play against in the league. Pageau does it all, he’s on the penalty kill, he can dangle through 3 defenders, he can snipe in the toy department. It’s almost like having Mat Barzal, Casey Cizikas, and Brock Nelson combine into one complete center. No, I’m not saying that Pageau is the Islanders’ best or most complete center, but he has been undeniably great. What is Pageau’s impact? And what did the Islanders give away for him?

Pageau’s Impact

The New York Islanders had a huge problem last year and going into this year. They couldn’t score goals, and they had no money to get someone to do it. Enter Jean-Gabriel Pageau, who scores some of the best goals I’ve ever seen. It seems that he can score from almost anywhere. Currently, Pageau is tied for 2nd in points with 11 and tied 2nd in goals with 7. The fact that Pageau continues to play at the top of his game with new linemates every other game is something no other player an do. Not only can he score, but he’s insanely reliable on the faceoff. Pageau currently ranks 13th in the league in faceoff percentage with a 57.4% win rate. That’s why you see him double shift at the end of games and when the fourth line is out there late in the game.

What did the Islanders Trade Away?

The Islanders traded away their first and second-round pick in the 2020 NHL draft. They also had a conditional third going to the Senators if the Isles won the Stanley Cup. These picks ended up being late-round picks. I’m not going to say that good teams should trade away their first-rounders every year. But, if you are truly committed to the win now, you should definitely look into trading one or two of them. To put it simple, what did the first-rounder do in the NHL that the player you traded for hasn’t? The answer, nothing cause they haven’t played yet.

New York Islanders: The Josh Ho-Sang experiment is over

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The New York Islanders drafted Josh Ho-Sang with the 28th overall pick in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. It seemed like a sure-fire hit, as Ho-Sang ripped it up in the OHL and the GTHL U16. Sadly, Josh Ho-Sang never reached his first-round potential. It seemed like in 2016 that he was about to hit his stride and make a name for himself in the NHL. He was one of the most excitable players on the Islanders, behind Tavares, of course. But, his exciting play does not equal good performances, and it certainly doesn’t make up for office actions.

Ho-Sang’s attitude has prevented him from being a star, and it was one of the main reasons he got picked so late in the draft. Recently, Ho-Sang was dropped from his SHL team due to a lack of talent and preparation. What’s next for the young forward?

Waivers

Josh Ho-Sang cannot be on the Islanders for another minute, even a minute seems like I’m pushing it. The Islanders preach no turnovers, with hard checking and tight defense. Ho-Sang literally does none of these. He’s almost always turning the puck over in the offensive zone because he tries to do too much. If Ho-Sang just used his teammates and skated off the puck better, and actually played sound defense, he would be a good top 9 forward in the NHL.

Better Coaching

Barry Trotz and his current staff is the best coaching staff in the entire NHL. But, Ho-Sang needs a different type of coaching/system. He needs to go to a team like the Coyotes or the Jets where he can just let his natural talent flow. He’s a good player, everyone knows he is, but he needs to act like he wants to play. Come to training camp on time, never oversleep, be a good teammate, and do not criticize the organization he’s with. Every Hockey fan is rooting for Ho-Sang to become who he should be, but he needs to help himself.