The New York Islanders didn’t exactly inspire confidence with their defensive-zone play during the preseason, especially in games featuring most of their NHL regulars.
Part of the appeal of hiring Pete DeBoer was his attention to the defensive side of the game and the structure his teams have traditionally played with.
No, he’s not Barry Trotz, wanting the Islanders to win by playing shutdown defense — quite the opposite.
DeBoer has often talked about how many goals a team needs to score to make the playoffs. He cited the importance of free-agent signing Matias Maccelli, veteran Anthony Duclair, and youngsters Cal Ritchie, Simon Holmstrom, and Victor Eklund.
The Islanders need that group to provide secondary scoring to complement Bo Horvat, Mathew Barzal, Matthew Schaefer, etc.
But to create offensive chances, look no further than the play in the defensive zone.
Teams saying they want to play fast is redundant. That’s the goal of every team in today’s NHL.
Some teams may be faster than others in terms of how quickly their skaters move, and with guys like Schaefer, Barzal, Eklund and Holmstrom, there’s no reason the Islanders can’t be a faster team in transition.
But playing fast is about more than skating speed.
It also means moving the puck quickly, which is why defensive-zone play is so important to the offensive operation.
And after watching the preseason, it’s clear that’s where the Islanders need the most work.
You may say it’s about the Islanders not understanding DeBoer’s system yet or simply not having enough time, with just four preseason games — veterans could only play in two — to get it down pat.
That might be part of it.