The Islanders had a protracted offseason. After harboring aspirations of taking part in deep into June, their 2021-22 season ended once they missed the playoffs for the primary time since 2018.
Since then, head coach Barry Trotz was fired and changed by Lane Lambert, and defenseman Alexander Romanov was the one main addition to the projected beginning lineup.
So, the questions getting into coaching camp aren’t too completely different from those the Islanders failed to offer a passable reply to as they completed with a 37-35-10 document final season.
“I feel there’s a way from the gamers of getting one thing to show,” Lambert mentioned final week. “There’s no query about it.”
The Islanders will hit the ice on Thursday for coaching camp forward of the preseason opener in opposition to the Rangers at Madison Sq. Backyard on Monday, so they need to begin to present some solutions quickly to the largest questions:
What's going to change with Lambert in cost?
The final yr by which Lambert, who has by no means been an NHL head coach, ran his personal system was 2004-05 as head coach of the WHL’s Prince George Cougars. Since then, he has both coached within the AHL, working the related NHL staff’s system, or labored as the highest assistant for Trotz, spanning stints with the Predators, Capitals and Islanders.
Regardless that not a lot is anticipated to alter concerning how the Islanders play, there may be some thriller as to if Lambert’s philosophy will differ from Trotz.
“I do know Lane and I do know he holds guys to a excessive commonplace,” Islanders captain Anders Lee mentioned. “He calls for quite a bit from the penalty kill and the position he takes with the fellows. It’s gonna be no completely different with him behind the bench. It’s simply the accountability and having belief along with his gamers, his guys.”
Who will play with Mathew Barzal, and might the Islanders get his extension completed earlier than the common season?
Barzal is the Islanders’ most proficient offensive participant, however he struggled to play to that commonplace final yr. He scored 60 factors because the Islanders failed to seek out the precise gamers with which to encompass him.
This yr, they are going to be choosing from the identical group of wingers after failing so as to add anybody on the place throughout the offseason. That can make the eventual resolution all of the extra fascinating.
“We anticipate quite a bit out of him, he expects quite a bit out of himself and he’s labored very arduous this summer time for that,” common supervisor Lou Lamoriello mentioned Monday.
As for the extension, Lamoriello has declined to touch upon any specifics concerning a timeline. Absolutely, nonetheless, it might be superb to get it completed as quickly as attainable, so Barzal’s restricted free company doesn’t loom over the season.
Can Lambert extract extra out of Oliver Wahlstrom?
The strain between Wahlstrom and Trotz was arduous to overlook, and the 22-year-old winger’s manufacturing took a nosedive within the second half of final season, when he scored simply six factors in his ultimate 37 video games. If there’s one participant Lambert should have a constructive affect on, it is likely to be Wahlstrom.
In idea, Wahlstrom’s offensive capabilities additionally make him a possible sidekick for Barzal. In follow, although, that pairing faltered when the Islanders tried it final season. They had been outscored 8-6 in additional than 200 minutes collectively.
Who will win the sixth defenseman competitors?
So far as the eventual 23-man roster goes, 21 spots are all however official going into camp, barring accidents. The left spot on the third protection pairing, although, is broad open, as is the ultimate spot on the roster on the place, assuming the Islanders carry an additional defenseman. Robin Salo, Dennis Cholowski, Sebastian Aho and Grant Hutton all will come into camp with a shot to be within the opening-night lineup.
“I feel the competitors is actual for these positions,” Lamoriello mentioned. “And I say that as a result of the opposite 5 defensemen are actually incumbent so far as veterans. They’re seasoned within the Nationwide Hockey League.”
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