Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

The New York Isanders Are Trending Up

10/25/2014 at 4:15am EDT

By Jennifer,

Part of the reason the team has been getting a positive amount of attention this year is due to the fact the Islanders now have a good mix in their lineup. When healthy, this year the Islanders have center Mikhail Grabovski as well as his former Toronto Maple Leaf teammate Nikolay Kulemin, along with proven scorers John Tavares, Kyle Okposo, Michael Grabner, Frans Nielsen, and Brock Nelson. And, of course, there’s a new goaltender to: Jaroslav Halak.

It helps, too, that the team’s captain, 24 year-old John Tavares is 100% healthy. You probably recall he missed the important stretch run last season after suffering a debilitating knee injury while playing for the Canadian team in the Sochi Winter Olympics when Latvian defenseman Arturs Kulda pinned him against the boards and Travers wound up tearing his left knee’s medial collateral ligament. After several months of recovery, Travers is confident that he can lead his team like the captain he is.

So yeah, I’m pretty sure it won’t be long before kids in Long Island and Brooklyn will be putting on the shoulder and leg pads emulating John Tavares.

Jaroslav Halak is also getting a lot of play in the press. In recent years, goaltending has never been one of the Islanders’ strong points but Halak is already really proving himself worthy of his position. Considered by The Washington Post to be an upgrade over Evgeni Nabokov, Halak could be the perfect goalie for this year’s team. Signing an $18 million dollar contract for four years should stabilize the Islanders goaltending position for the near future.

Remember in 2010 Halak helped the Montreal Canadians totally and completely shut out their bitter rivals, the Pittsburgh Penguins, in the playoffs. He’s also shared the William M Jennings Award with Brian Elliott in St. Louis in 2012. That year, as noted in The Bleacher Report, he had a great record, finishing with a 26-12 record, a 1.97 goals against average and a 926 save percentage with six shutouts.”

The Islanders are also on one of the youngest teams playing this year. While new addition Johnny Boychuk is 30, the rest of the team’s defensive core: Nick Leddy (another new addition, acquired from the Blackhawks), Calvin de Haan, Matt Donovan, Thomas Hickey and Travis Hamonic are all under the age of 26. While some might worry all of that youth could lead to some sporadic play, Boychuk is showing confidence in his new team. Recently telling the New York Post, “This is going to be a great team and people shouldn’t take us lightly anymore. They’ve done some good things and I think it’s going to be a good challenge for any team to come in and play us.”

It should make for an interesting season and--if they make it to the playoffs --a bittersweet one for local fans. The team will be leaving its long-time home at the Nassau Coliseum and moving to the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn next season.

Take my word for it: if you are able to make it to a game this season, do so. The Islanders are revitalized with a mix of new (and young!) blood, one of the better goalies in the league and a fighting spirit. They are going to be a sight to see.

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About Kukla's Korner Hockey

Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

From breaking news to in-depth stories around the league, KK Hockey is updated with fresh stories all day long and will bring you the latest news as quickly as possible.

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