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Whereas the official begin of New York Islanders and NHL coaching camps is Wednesday, the staff will not hit the ice till Thursday.
After one in every of Lou Lamoriello’s strongest summers on Lengthy Island, bringing in pace with Anthony Duclair and taking an opportunity on low-risk, high-reward European free agent Maxim Tsyplakov whereas utilizing all of his 2024 picks to bolster their prospect pool, there’s intrigue on the island.
Let’s get to the largest storylines getting into coaching camp.
Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Photos
Regardless of the way you slice it, whether or not pointing to the weak protection, the abundance of failed clears and field outs, or the absurd variety of photographs that got here his means, Ilya Sorokin wasn’t at his finest in 2023-24.
He posted profession worsts with a 3.01 GAA and a .908 SV%, finally shedding the beginning job to veteran Semyon Varlamov.
Sorokin is likely one of the premier goalies within the NHL, and if the Islanders are going to do something in 2024-25, he must play a giant half.
Sadly for Sorokin, offseason again surgical procedure after struggling an damage throughout offseason exercises has put a damper on his availability for the beginning of camp, per Lamoriello.
“Throughout summer season coaching, he had a bit little bit of a factor. He’s skating, however there’s nothing we’re involved about,” Lamoriello stated. “Will he miss the primary day (of coaching camp), the primary couple of days? Perhaps, however I’m going to go away that as much as the coaching workers.”
We aren’t docs — an excessive amount of college — so we do not understand how this damage and restoration will have an effect on his actions between the pipes or when he’ll finally be able to play.
Related: Ilya Sorokin’s Injury & The Islanders Summer Focus On Addressing Goalie Depth
Provided that Sorokin is a long-term funding, getting into the primary of an eight-year deal value $8.25 million yearly, there is not any cause to hurry him again, particularly with Varlamov greater than able to serving as a No. 1.
If Sorokin hits the ice for day one, that is a constructive signal.
If not, and he is out longer than anticipated and has to overlook the start of the common season, there’s some wholesome goalie competitors for the backup spot.
Keith Kinkaid, a 35-year-old veteran with 169 NHL video games below his belt, is at camp on a PTO. The staff additionally has former Ottawa Senators netminder Marcus Hogberg below contract for 2 years.
How Will Tsyplakov Look In opposition to NHLers?
Madison Peyser/New York Islanders
Though he is 25 years previous, Tsyplakov took half in rookie camp this previous week.
He was a serious standout, bodily, as he is a unit. His arms, shot, and shiftiness all appear on the NHL degree, however we’ve but to see what he appears like in opposition to different NHL staples.
Roy stated that Duclair will begin camp alongside Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal, on the staff’s prime line.
Tsyplakov is predicted to start out on the second line with Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri, however there are positively reservations.
Related: What It’s Like Going Up Against Islanders Wild-Card Maxim Tsyplakov
Will Tsyplakov have the foot pace to play a top-six position?
In contrast to within the KHL, the place there’s extra time and area and fewer physicality, will Tsyplakov have the notice to let photographs go from angles that, possibly, he is not accustomed to?
There is no query he has an NHL-caliber shot, however it appears that evidently his recreation is utilizing his body to crash the online and rating greasy targets, a first-rate Anders Lee 2.0, if you’ll.
However is he keen to go to the soiled areas at a constant fee?
Talking with Tsyplakov, he desires to be an all-situations man.
However will Tsyplakov have the ability to defend in opposition to different proficient NHLers?
There are loads of questions that coaching camp and preseason will reply, some nearly instantly.
If the solutions to most of those questions are sure, the Islanders could have solved their LW 2 concern with a $950,000 cap-hit participant.
However we should do not forget that Tsyplakov, like most KHLers who come over, will want some adjustment time.
Beginning him in a bottom-six position is not a loopy concept.
Nonetheless, with the best way the Islanders’ third line of Lee, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, and Pierre Engvall performed on the tail-end of the season and within the playoffs, that is seemingly a threesome the membership desires to maintain collectively to start out.
Tsyplakov may very well be the distinction between the Islanders being a four-line power this season or a puzzle nonetheless lacking a key piece.
How Will Patrick Roy Go away His Mark
Bringing in Roy again in January moderately than letting Lane Lambert end out the season was a important transfer for the franchise.
Though the gamers took a while — there was a restricted variety of practices — to understand his system, the outcomes have been there once they did.
Roy’s Islanders completed the season 8-0-1, sneaking into the playoffs and ending third within the Metropolitan Division earlier than shedding in 5 video games to the Carolina Hurricanes.
Having an entire summer season to recreation plan was invaluable to Roy, and now it is time for him to set the identical tone he did final season — go onerous or go residence.
“There have been days that I used to be watching video games and our playoffs and the tip of our season,” Roy stated on his summer season. “The explanation was quite simple. I actually wish to guarantee that we, as a training workers, are prepared when coaching camp begins. We wish to have coaching camp, we wish to make sure that we use this coaching camp to arrange us very properly and, principally, set the tone for the beginning of the season.”
Though Roy did not lead rookie camp, he definitely left his mark.
Prospect Matthew Maggio stated it was Roy’s concept for them to bag skate on day three and all the short sprints to the bench and to every drill as if it have been a game-like situation.
Related: Islanders Appreciative of Roy’s Aggressive Practice Style
That is the mentality that Roy desires to instill from day one, and with a lot of the prospects coming to coaching camp, they’ll now maintain the NHL gamers accountable.
Whereas we aren’t anticipating a John Tortorella-esque coaching camp, we definitely assume it will likely be fast-paced, as we noticed when Roy took the ice for his first Islanders skate.
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Related: Three Standouts From Islanders Rookie Camp
Related: The Interesting Case Surrounding Islanders PTO Defenseman Artyom Kudashov
