Islanders Getting Nelson Back From 4 Nations Healthy; Other Playoff Hopeful Not As Lucky
The New York Islanders are winners that Nelson is coming back without sustaining an injury amidst the club's injury-riddled season.
Brock Nelson is not coming home a winner of the 4 Nations Face-Off after Team USA fell 3-2 in overtime to Connor McDavid and the Canadians in the finals.
But the New York Islanders certainly are winners. In an injury-riddled season, the 33-year-old tasked with a fourth-line, penalty-kill role returns to Long Island in one piece.
No matter which direction the Islanders intend to go with their pending unrestricted free agent and the top trade-deadline name—the Islanders are looking to retain Nelson—his health is the key to everything.
With Barzal out—it sounds like he’s out for the season, but we’ll see—the Islanders need Nelson to be a difference-maker like he’s been so many times in seasons past.
The Islanders return from the break on Sunday night against the Dallas Stars, four points back of the second wild-card-sitting Detroit Red Wings with three other teams in the way.
One of those teams is the Boston Bruins, who sit three points up on the Islanders with two more games played. They did not get so lucky at the tournament.
Their top defenseman, Charlie McAvoy, is out week-to-week after he got an infection and sustained a significant injury to his AC joint in his right shoulder.
McAvoy averages 23:40 minutes per game for Boston, not a spot easily replaced.
A sink in the standings for Boston would not come as a shock…at all.
We can mention some Western Conference injuries, like Shea Theodore’s upper-body injury, that will likely keep him out of the lineup until the playoffs.
It looks like Elias Petterson’s still dealing with some kind of injury, which is not ideal for the Vancouver Canucks, who are counting on him to rediscover his elite level.
There’s no way Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk isn’t all battered and bruised for how many hits he threw in this tournament. Ottawa is holding down the top wild-card spot, five points ahead of the Islanders.
The Rangers, who are one point up on the Islanders, had six players in the tournament, so we’ll see if fatigue plays a part in that.
The Islanders may very well have an advantage coming out of the break because they only had one player in the tournament who didn’t play a huge minutes role.
Islanders Brock Nelson's Trade Value Just Fine After Quiet 4 Nations Face-Off
New York Islanders forward Brock Nelson had a quiet 4 Nations tournament. But that doesn't mean the pending unrestricted free agent's trade value took any kind of hit.
Were no points through four games ideal?
No, it was not, and Nelson certainly had chances to score throughout the tournament.
But let's consider a few things here.
Read more at The Hockey News.
The Islanders’ Looming Brock Nelson Decision’s Impact On Kyle Palmieri
New York Islanders forward Maxim Tsyplakov is in need of a new contract come season's end after he signed a one-year deal worth $950,000 back in May.
He is a pending restricted free agent with arbitration rights, which means that he cannot test free agency.
Per HockeyNewsHub on Tuesday, the Islanders were working on extending Tsyplakov.
I reached out to HockeyNewsHub, who shared that Tsyplakov's Russian agent, Alexander Chernykh, did an on-air interview with Sport-Express Alexei Shevchenko, where he brought up Tsyplakov.
Read more at The Hockey News.
ISLANDERS NEWS
THN Isles: Islanders Simon Holmstrom On His Growth In Confidence
THN Isles: Islanders' Defense Pairings Take Shape With Mayfield & Pulock Back In The Mix
THN Isles: Islanders' Nelson, Team USA Fall 2-1 To Sweden Ahead Of 4 Nations Face-Off Finale Against Canada
THN Isles: Ersson Learns Islanders Nelson’s Competitive Mindset No Different Than Tkachuk Brothers
THN Isles: Order Of Operations If Islanders Blue Line Gets Healthy After Break
THN Isles: Rookie Marc Gatcomb Stays On Islanders Roster Amid 4 Nations Face-Off Break—Here’s Why
THN Isles: Islanders Prospects Eiserman & Bednarik: Key Performers For Boston University In Beanpot Victory
THN Isles: Islanders Mathew Barzal Underwent 'Minor' Procedure On Kneecap
THN Isles: Latest On Islanders & Potential Brock Nelson Extension
THN Isles: Islanders Place Mathew Barzal On Injured Reserve, Not Long-Term Injured Reserve, For Now
THN Isles: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: How Is Islanders Ilya Sorokin Peaking At The Right Time?
THN Isles: Islanders Patrick Roy Goes The 'Rocky' Route When Asked About Life Without Barzal, Again
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13 Days in March Lou. Trade everything not nailed down if you get overwhelming return. Honestly we need to get young and dump Salary. So it’s really a two fold benefit. The team is just not good enough. They need young prospects with speed and skill on front and back end. Additional Draft picks and a lottery selection would help also. The Final reason to sell is all the Islanders players are at their highest value. That value will plummet soon! 13 DAYS! If Lou doesn’t make the moves he is doing a disservice to his employer. Even fully healthy all year the team is still not a playoff team. Turn the Page Patty GM Lou Chairman or whatever. Patty will build a young and hungry team.