Islanders Mailbag: Latest On Varlamov, Romanov’s Return & Ritchie’s Outlook
Training camp is almost here. Get the latest on Semyon Varlamov, Alexander Romanov, Calum Ritchie, Malte Gustafsson and more in this week’s Islanders Mailbag.
There’s only a handful of weeks remain until New York Islanders hockey is back.
Training camp is right around the corner, preseason games will be here before you know it, and we’ll soon start getting answers to many of the questions that have defined the offseason.
Until then, Free Friday will continue to be your weekly New York Islanders mailbag, where your questions take center stage.
Let’s get to this week’s questions!
Question 1: Latest On Semyon Varlamov
ROSNER: Not only is Semyon Varlamov on track to be a full participant at training camp, but Mathieu Darche is expecting him to start 20–25 games as Ilya Sorokin’s backup this season.
The Vitek Vanecek signing at one year and $1 million is simply an insurance policy.
I don’t see the Islanders carrying three goaltenders, which likely means Vanecek starts the season in Hamilton. He’ll need to clear waivers, but there shouldn’t be much concern about him getting claimed. He’d likely hit waivers the day before final rosters are due, when teams are shedding cap and trimming their rosters, rather than looking to add players.
Question 2: Trading A Defenseman
ROSNER: It all comes down to value for me.
Adam Pelech had a strong bounce-back season, and at a $5.75 million AAV, I think he’d have real value to either a Stanley Cup contender or a team looking to insulate a young defenseman. He does have a 16-team no-trade clause, but I think he’s worth a late first-round pick or a second-round pick plus a prospect.
Alexander Romanov’s injury history, long-term contract and the way he played before the injury have his trade value pretty low right now.
As for Isaiah George, as high as I am on him, he’s dealt with injuries of his own and simply hasn’t built enough of an NHL résumé to carry significant trade value at this point.
Question 3: Calum Ritchie’s Outlook
ROSNER: Calum Ritchie really started to figure things out during the second half of last season, especially down the stretch. You could argue he was their best forward.
I think he can score 20 goals this season and become a big part of the power play.
The bigger question is when he moves back to center because that’s his natural position, not the wing.
My concern is that, with the logjam down the middle, he spends too much time developing as a winger. He needs reps taking faceoffs, playing lower in the defensive zone and learning all the responsibilities that come with being an NHL center.
Long term, I think he can become a really strong second-line center, similar to Brock Nelson, but with a better two-way game. He doesn’t have Nelson’s release, but I think there’s a lot to like about the rest of his game.
Question 4: Alexander Romanov’s Health
ROSNER: I haven’t seen Alexander Romanov skate this summer, but he was back on the ice in March and was a full participant in April.
Had the Islanders qualified for the playoffs, there’s a good chance he would have been in the lineup for Game 1.
Barring any setbacks, he should be more than ready to go when training camp opens.
Question 5: Malte Gustafsson’s World Junior Summer Showcase
ROSNER: Malte Gustafsson struggled at the World Junior Summer Showcase with Team Sweden. That’s okay.
It isn’t illegal for an 18-year-old who was just drafted 13th overall to have a rough tournament.
He wasn’t playing his usual top-minute role, and there was plenty of line juggling and experimentation, which is exactly what this event is for. Teams use the showcase to evaluate different combinations ahead of the World Junior Championship.
Gustafsson also had a busy summer between his SHL season, the draft and Islanders development camp. Sometimes players simply don’t have their best stuff.
I’m not concerned.
He has a very bright future, and there’s nothing wrong with getting humbled every now and then. Hopefully he learned from the experience and comes back better because of it as he prepares for what will be his final SHL season before joining the Islanders organization.
