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NEW YORK, NY — New York Islanders defenseman Samuel Bolduc didn’t make the crew out of coaching camp.
However due to the accidents to the blue line, with Alexander Romanov (each day), Mike Reilly (each day), and Adam Pelech (injured reserve, 4-6 week restoration) unable to play towards the New York Rangers on Sunday, Bolduc drew in after he and Grant Hutton have been recalled from Bridgeport on Saturday.
Enjoying your first recreation of the season at Madison Sq. Backyard is a troublesome spot for a younger participant, particularly when you’re stepping in on a crew struggling to search out consistency within the early going.
Earlier than the sport started, The Hockey News requested head coach Patrick Roy what he wanted to see from the younger blueliner.
“I need him to play with some consciousness, understanding who’s on the ice, and make good choices with the puck,” Roy stated. “If his first contact is nice, I do know he is gonna have a great recreation. So the primary contact can be essential.”
Bolduc’s begin to the sport, skating alongside Hutton, was good.
He performed 4:33 within the first interval, taking seven shifts.
Sadly for Bolduc, an consciousness mistake within the opening minute of the second interval straight led to Vincent Trocheck giving the Rangers a 2-0 lead:
Roy determined to take away Bolduc from the rotation, taking part in him simply three shifts over the ultimate 26 minutes.
After the sport, a 5-2 loss to the Rangers, we requested Roy about what he noticed on the turnover and his choice to restrict Bolduc’s minutes.
“It is unhappy. These issues occur, however Sam [Bolduc] must be higher if he desires to play within the NHL,” Roy stated. “He is bought to know [that] and step up. “He is a great hockey participant. He is bought all of the instruments. Now, he simply must determine it out. However he must be higher if he desires to play for us.”
With the banged-up blue line, the Islanders are relying closely on their depth of protection. If Romanov is unable to play towards the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday, Roy and the Islanders should decide.
Travis Mitchell, Aidan Fulp, Marshall Warren, Isaiah George, and Calle Odelius are the one different remaining call-up choices, none of which have NHL expertise.
Bolduc, after Sunday’s recreation, has performed 52 NHL video games.
If Roy cannot depend on Bolduc to play, with Noah Dobson, Ryan Pulock, and Scott Mayfield taking part in round 25 minutes every within the final two video games, Islanders basic supervisor Lou Lamoriello might don’t have any selection however to make an exterior transfer to shore up the backend.
Related: Islanders On The Lookout For Left-Side Defenseman, Three Trade Possibilities
Roy is in a troublesome spot, dropping so many key gamers on either side of the ice, as he tries to search out the appropriate recipe for achievement.
A part of him desires to play his top-three defensemen as a lot as potential, however he is aware of that he has to depend on his different defensemen as nicely.
Right here is the minute breakdown from Sunday’s loss:
Pulock – 29:24
Dobson – 24:57
Mayfield – 23:00
Hutton – 14:14
Cholowski – 13:53
Bolduc – 5:56
“Hutton performed nicely, and Cholowski performed nicely, as nicely,” Roy stated. “So I imply, they have been there, and so they have been serving to them, and I used to be very comfy with these two guys.”
The Islanders are more likely to hit the follow sheet on Monday forward of their Tuesday recreation, so we’ll see how Romanov is doing and what the protection appears like.
