All these axioms in regards to the velocity of the NHL sport, the physicality and the affect of the smaller North American rink on guys who come over from Europe — Robin Salo felt it.
Final season was Salo’s first on the continent, following a profession spent in Finland’s junior and professional ranks, with a cameo within the Swedish Hockey League. He crossed the Atlantic and acquired tossed into the fireplace, his NHL debut coming as a consequence of the Islanders’ poorly timed COVID-19 outbreak final November.
It’s unlikely that modified a lot of the large image. Salo was all the time on tempo to play some NHL video games final season and to problem for a everlasting roster spot this season. However that hypothetical can’t be answered. As an alternative of what may need been, Salo completed final season with 21 NHL contests below his belt, simply 4 beneath exhausting his Calder Trophy eligibility.
His season was a blended bag. Salo’s offensive ability flashed at occasions, as he scored as soon as, assisted on 4 targets and sometimes acquired power-play time. The defensive lapses got here, too, and at one level the Islanders pointedly prevented calling him up once they wanted assistance on their blue line, the form of transfer that appeared meant to ship a message.
Now he’s at rookie camp, attempting to make an impression earlier than Islanders coaching camp opens to all on Wednesday.
“It’s an enormous alternative for lots of fellows,” Salo instructed The Put up. “Nothing comes free right here so after all we’re all battling for a spot and everyone’s doing their greatest. Everyone right here is an effective participant. Simply comes right down to who desires extra of it.”
Salo, who turns 24 in October, is one in all few gamers within the Islanders’ system who may make an NHL affect sooner slightly than later. Not solely does he have already got some expertise, he additionally performs a place — left-side protection — that has a wide-open spot on a depth chart that in any other case options lots written in pen.
His offensive-minded sport, in principle, would assist fill a weak point of final 12 months’s Islanders. In apply, although, Salo wants to wash up the defensive aspect of his sport and show he can grasp within the NHL from a bodily standpoint.
“I might say simply energy for me, and explosiveness,” Salo mentioned, concerning his focus over the summer time. “Simply because [it’s] a bit of bit extra of a bodily sport right here than in Europe. I feel that form of stuff, simply being a bit of bit more durable, higher defensively.”
Whereas with the Islanders final season, Salo tried to take from Adam Pelech, the workforce’s lone All-Star and a stalwart defender. He watched Pelech’s positioning, the element in his sport, and tried to carry it to his personal.
“You don’t wish to be within the mistaken place on the mistaken time,” Salo mentioned. “Similar to being good in that form of approach, simply being efficient and giving no house for the ahead.”
Since coming over, Salo has developed a friendship with Grant Hutton, one other defendman who spent most of final season at AHL Bridgeport and has an opportunity to make the roster this season. The 2 play completely different kinds, Hutton using extra of a defense-first mentality, and like to select every others’ brains.
“It’s been helpful bouncing issues off one another,” Hutton mentioned. “We wish to work with one another after apply on completely different ability units. He’s higher than me at some areas and vice versa.”
Of a gaggle within the operating for enjoying time that additionally consists of Dennis Cholowski and Sebastian Aho, Salo is the youngest and figures to have the very best ceiling. In that sense, it could give the group probably the most long-term profit to see him as an NHL mainstay as quickly as doable.
However first, he has to show that’s what’s greatest for the Islanders within the brief time period.
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