TAMPA, Fla. — The Islanders have remade their blue line over the previous seven days, however that isn’t a everlasting state of affairs.
There can be selections coming quickly — hopefully as quickly as after the 4 Nations break later this month — as soon as Noah Dobson (proper leg) and Ryan Pulock (higher physique) get wholesome.
“Mike [Reilly’s] situation is certainly unique and that is not a physical decision. That’s something he and the doctors have to decide when the appropriate time is and I do not have an answer for that,” basic supervisor Lou Lamoriello mentioned Saturday earlier than the Islanders’ 3-2 time beyond regulation win over the Lightning. “As far as Noah and Ryan, hopefully they’ll be skating during the break, the latter part of the break. We’ll see where they’re at at that given time.”
Extra regarding than the protection is likely to be the Islanders’ state of affairs in nets.
Lamoriello indicated that Semyon Varlamov suffered a setback along with his lower-body harm, saying the Isles are holding him off the ice proper now after he confronted photographs final month.
Varlamov’s timeline is indefinite, with Marcus Hogberg (higher physique) going through an approximate four-week restoration, Lamoriello mentioned.
If all goes properly, that ought to put Hogberg on monitor to return across the time the Islanders reconvene following the 4 Nations break.
For now, Jakub Skarek is the Islanders backup netminder, and can face the Panthers on Sunday on the second finish of a back-to-back.
The Isles’ newest blue-line acquisition, Adam Boqvist, made his debut with the crew Saturday and scored a purpose, taking the spot beforehand occupied by Isaiah George, who was despatched right down to Bridgeport.
Each Lamoriello and coach Patrick Roy praised the 20-year-old George, saying he had achieved an excellent job over his 33-game stint with the crew.
Lamoriello mentioned he spoke with George on the crew aircraft and acquired the sense that being despatched again down was “a little bit of a relief” after current struggles.
“I told him that we brought him up really early and he just did a tremendous job here,” Lamoriello mentioned. “And what occurred was, he began to make a pair errors. They snowballed and confidence will get in the best way. After which the restoration interval of that generally takes a bit of longer.
“There’s nothing wrong with the experience you had. Now go down and just grow a little more and you’ll be back in the NHL before you know it. He has all the ability, tremendous instincts, and what he has you can’t teach is skating ability. And he was in great spirits.”
There was no replace on Mat Barzal or Scott Mayfield after each left Saturday’s recreation with obvious leg accidents.
Anthony Duclair (sickness) was out for Saturday’s recreation.
Max Tsyplakov was promoted to the second line in Duclair’s ordinary spot, with Pierre Engvall drawing in on the fourth line.
