With New York Islanders rookie camp and training camp right around the corner, there are plenty of questions surrounding the roster, position battles and which young players could push for NHL jobs.
In this final edition of our Islanders Free Friday Mailbag, we take a look at some of those roster decisions, potential X-factors and more.
But first, here’s the latest stories to check out:
LATEST STORIES
Ok, now to the mailbag. Thank you to everyone who has been sending in questions all summer long.
Q: Darche’s Appetite
ROSNER: Actions speak louder than words, but the feeling I get is that we very well could see some veterans either not make the team or lose their spot in the starting lineup, depending on how certain prospects perform in training camp. When it comes to Ondrej Palat, he can’t be bought, but could he find himself out of the starting lineup? Absolutely.
Despite Pierre Engvall being one of the Islanders’ fastest players in transition — Anthony Duclair belongs in that conversation, too — Pete DeBoer has spoken about his non-negotiables, and that’s an area that has gotten in the way of both players earning consistent minutes during their time on Long Island.
That said, Darche isn’t rushing any of his prospects, including Victor Eklund. If Eklund earns a spot, he’ll be on the roster. But if there’s any question, starting the season in Hamilton while the Islanders lean on their veterans is very much a possibility.
As for Cal Ritchie, he sustained a lower-body injury toward the end of camp last year, but yeah, he was likely starting the season in Bridgeport either way.
The Islanders have $4.159 million in available cap space, which includes Vitek Vanecek and his $1 million cap hit. So, they have cap space. Did they likely want more heading into the season? Yes, but they have some flexibility there.
Q: Roster Predictions
ROSNER: If I had to guess, before camp begins, here’s my opening-night 23-man roster:
F: Mathew Barzal, Bo Horvat, Kyle Palmieri, Cal Ritchie, Brayden Schenn, Simon Holmstrom, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Matias Maccelli, Victor Eklund, Anthony Duclair, Casey Cizikas, Emil Heineman, Ondrej Palat, Kyle MacLean
D: Matthew Schaefer, Ryan Pulock, Adam Pelech, Tony DeAngelo, Alexander Romanov, Scott Mayfield, Isaiah George
G: Ilya Sorokin, Semyon Varlamov
I think Matt Kessel will lose the seventh-defenseman battle to Isaiah George. I think Liam Foudy and Mitchell Chaffee will be difficult players to cut but will likely see NHL minutes this year as an injury call-up if they don’t make the team. I think Mathew Barzal is poised to have a big season back at center. I think Alexander Romanov, who has slimmed down and has his back healthy, is in need of a really stable season.
I think Simon Holmstrom has the ability to be one of the biggest X-factors for the team and finally establish himself as a true top-six forward.
Q: Cairns’ New Role
ROSNER: On June 30, the Islanders announced that Pascal Dupuis had been named the team’s Director of Player Development, taking over the role Eric Cairns had held since the 2013-14 season. I’m told Cairns is now serving as an alumni ambassador for the organization.
I ran into Cairns at the Islanders’ community event on Wednesday, where he was helping build a playground in Bellerose alongside other Islanders alumni and current players in partnership with KABOOM! and the Islanders Children’s Foundation.
Q: Rookie Outlook
ROSNER: If we’re being completely realistic, the only rookie I think has a true chance to crack the NHL roster out of training camp is Victor Eklund.
As for the first call-up, I’m not sure it would be a rookie. If a forward goes down, I think Liam Foudy would be the guy. If it’s a defenseman, I think Matt Kessel would get the call.
Q: Outside Perspective
ROSNER: Rival fan bases love to poke the bear, if you will, so of course they’re going to look at what the Islanders did negatively and focus on how it helped their own franchise. Certainly, Devils fans were ecstatic to see Ondrej Palat leave, which opened up cap space for New Jersey to upgrade its forward group and potentially add a Quinn Hughes or Connor Hellebuyck if either of those moves eventually comes to fruition.
I think GMs probably scratch their heads more at the Brayden Schenn deal than the Palat deal because it’s a fact that the Islanders were paid to take Palat off the Devils’ hands.
I also think other GMs are more understanding of both moves because they understand the pressure that comes with making trades and know that not every move is going to work out.
Q: Anders Lee Jersey Retirement?
ROSNER: When John Tonelli’s No. 27 went up to the rafters on Feb. 21, 2020, I did think about what could happen if Anders Lee spent his entire career with the Islanders and reached the 1,000-game mark in the process.
But with Lee choosing to sign with Utah rather than take a shorter-term deal with the Islanders this summer, I think that ultimately puts a damper on any chance of a jersey retirement. He was a great Islander and a tremendous leader. Still, even if he had finished his career on Long Island, I don’t know if he would have received that honor, especially without the Islanders winning a Stanley Cup during his tenure.
There’s no question, though, that he belongs in the Islanders Ring of Honor alongside Josh Bailey and the MC² Line, which I could see happening at some point in the future.
Q: GM Communications
ROSNER: Yes, I do believe there is a GM group chat where a GM can say that a player is available or that they’re looking for a certain position, etc. I think after that, the conversation leaves the chat, and the two sides talk one-on-one.
Ultimately, it depends on the situation. As we know, some trades, especially with Lou Lamoriello, may have gotten nixed because word got out. It depends on how each GM likes to do business.
ROSNER: Haha, thanks for asking. Wedding plans are going amazingly well, and we’ve set a date. I’ll keep that to myself for now, but it will be next summer, and I can’t wait.
My fiancée has been able to join me on a few trips throughout the year, but she’s a teacher, and unfortunately, that limits her availability. I’m very lucky, though, to have her support. This career comes with a lot of sacrifices, and I know I wouldn’t be able to do what I do without her being so understanding of everything that comes with it.
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The fact that Darche and Pete have an open mind about everyone that’s outstanding. I think DuClair is ticketed for Hamilton. Everything about his signing was a reach. He is what he always was just a diminished version. Time to bite the bullet on him. Hamilton isn’t a great place for him either, but at least he provides depth there. Two more years is tough, but I don’t think he will generate any interest around the NHL at all.