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It was solely the preseason, and it received higher because it went. However the rising pains for Noah Dobson and Alexander Romanov had been evident.
The pair received 5 of the Islanders’ six preseason video games collectively and performed over 25 extra minutes collectively than another duo on the blue line — proof that coach Lane Lambert hoped to therapeutic massage any points out of the best way — and the outcomes weren't promising. The Isles had been outscored 3-1 with the pair on the ice, outshot 38-25 and gave up 10 extra high-danger probabilities than they generated, per Pure Stat Trick.
Perhaps it's a idiot’s errand to drag out superior stats within the preseason. The entire level of the preseason is to work out the kinks, so there shouldn’t be any motive to ring alarm bells until the problems carry into video games that really rely.
“It’s been a piece in progress,” Lambert mentioned after the preseason finale, wherein the pair had some, however fewer, moments wherein they seemed to not be on the identical web page. “We’ve identified that. We’ve given them loads of time collectively in recreation conditions. I believe they’re doing a very good job of beginning to mesh.”
When the Islanders acquired Romanov by way of commerce on the July draft, the enchantment of him enjoying alongside Dobson was apparent. Romanov is a heavy hitter who can play bodily on the defensive finish and skate properly sufficient to move the puck up ice. Dobson is blossoming right into a star whose calling card is his capacity to hitch the push and create probabilities within the offensive zone.
He wants a companion who can play protection, however not one who leaves him to do all of the work of getting the puck up the ice on his personal, as Zdeno Chara did final 12 months when the Islanders had him function a mentor for Dobson in what ended up being his remaining season within the league. Romanov, a 22-year-old, has some creating left — everybody concerned knew that when he was acquired — but it surely’s simple to see how he might be that participant.
Up to now, although, the issue has been twofold. Romanov is studying to play a brand new system. And Dobson is studying to play with a companion who isn't at all times holding down the fort in his personal finish. The consequence has been a collection of errors within the preseason as every participant learns to anticipate the place the opposite is.
“He’s an awesome man, nice companion,” Romanov, who for his half casts a remarkably upbeat demeanor, advised The Publish on Wednesday, when requested about Dobson. “Lots of communication. We’re making an attempt to play [with] one another on the ice. … He’s an awesome man, and as all people is aware of, he’s so gifted and a talent man.”
It’s exhausting to see the 2 needing way more time to be taught to play with each other. There's a motive Lou Lamoriello handed a $12 million bridge deal to Dobson and traded away his first-round choose to get Romanov. If and when that occurs, there's a future wherein the present prime 4 of Dobson, Romanov, Ryan Pulock and Adam Pelech turns into a everlasting fixture on Lengthy Island for the foreseeable future.
However making that occur would require Dobson to regulate his recreation a bit. Lambert has talked of Dobson needing to learn conditions at a better degree.
“I believe Alex is simply up the ice slightly bit greater than his earlier companion,” Lambert mentioned. “What [Dobson]’s doing is he’s studying [off Romanov], and Noah is clearly a man who likes to hitch the push. So he’s getting higher reads as to when he ought to go and when he shouldn’t go studying off Alex from that standpoint.”
Lambert has inspired his defensemen to be aggressive in becoming a member of the push and getting concerned within the play offensively — it’s been one of many speaking factors of coaching camp. That’s a marked change from how the Islanders performed below Barry Trotz. However they nonetheless don’t need to out of the blue be caught in a recreation of odd-man rushes and buying and selling probabilities. They don't seem to be well-equipped to win below such situations.
It’s value including that altering up the defensive pairings from their present configuration wouldn't be perfect. The Islanders badly missed having Pelech and Pulock collectively final season after they had been initially break up up, after which when Pulock received harm. Robin Salo and Sebastian Aho, the opposite two lefties who may play alongside Dobson, current extra excessive variations of the identical drawback as Romanov with regard to getting up on the play.
That leaves one choice: figuring it out.
Romanov feels they’re properly on the trail to doing so.
“First recreation was robust, ’trigger we by no means performed collectively,” he mentioned. “However the final two video games, I believe they had been good video games and actually confirmed how we will play collectively. We had been feeling nice.”
A brand new reply to the roster drawback
When the Islanders introduced their roster on Monday, I wrote that, upon Cal Clutterbuck’s return from injured reserve, the group would doubtless must ship one in all Oliver Wahlstrom, Nikita Soshnikov or Kieffer Bellows down. Ross Johnston wasn’t part of that equation primarily based on the idea that the Islanders see him as they've prior to now: as an integral additional for the fourth line when Clutterbuck or Matt Martin want relaxation, together with his bodily recreation becoming properly with the checking line.
Nicely, it now appears like with Clutterbuck out, Soshnikov — not Johnston — might be in that spot on the fourth line, a minimum of if apply traces are any indication. If that's certainly the case, the puzzle right here turns into moderately simple for the Islanders. If Johnston, who carries a $1.1 million cap hit, isn’t the primary name to fill in on the fourth line, then it’s robust to see why he ought to keep on the roster over Wahlstrom, Soshnikov or Bellows, all of whom can play a top-nine position if referred to as on.
Johnston would want to undergo waivers to be despatched right down to AHL Bridgeport, and that's nonetheless the X-factor right here. Wahlstrom, who skated with the extras on Wednesday, is the one one of many group who's waivers exempt, and there's an argument to be made that he would profit from a stint in Bridgeport. However there's additionally an argument to be made that such an project would shake Wahlstrom’s already tenuous confidence, and that Johnston’s wage makes it exhausting to think about one other group claiming him if uncovered to waivers. Furthermore, Wahlstrom doubtless has extra to supply on the NHL degree, even when he isn't within the on a regular basis lineup.
Whether it is Johnston, then there's one other dialog available in regards to the four-year extension he signed final fall at $1.1 million yearly, which appeared steep even on the time for a participant who at age 28 has by no means performed greater than 32 video games in a season. However that's for one more day.
Lineup projection
Clutterbuck’s damage and Soshnikov’s emergence modifications the image from final week. The highest 9, although, stays the identical:
Anders Lee-Brock Nelson-Anthony Beauvillier
Zach Parise-Mathew Barzal-Kyle Palmieri
Kieffer Bellows-Jean-Gabriel Pageau-Josh Bailey
Matt Martin-Casey Cizikas-Nikita Soshnikov
Adam Pelech-Ryan Pulock
Alexander Romanov-Noah Dobson
Robin Salo-Scott Mayfield
Scratches: Oliver Wahlstrom, Sebastian Aho, Ross Johnston
IR: Cal Clutterbuck
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