Goaltender Work and Lack Of AHL Preseason A Problem

New York Islander Fan Central | 9/28/2011 12:00:00 PM |


Updated:
Trevor Frischmon, Tomas Marcinko, Tim Wallace, Dylan Reese and Ty Wishart have been placed on waivers. Many had to be placed on waivers to play for Bridgeport, Marcinko is likely headed back to Europe per his contract agreement.

Wishart is a bit of a surprise.
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Unconventional for the New York Islanders not to have preseason games scheduled for players, who need to be at Webster Bank Arena or returned to their junior teams.

Hate to write it, and it's not just the Islanders based on the released AHL composite schedule, but to not have any preseason games scheduled for Bridgeport, leaves too many players here when veterans needs to get ready, and the prospects need to get ready in Bridgeport, where the Islanders will host a game before the Sound Tigers.

For what it's worth Calgary plays it's final preseason game on Thursday (one more total than New York) so many teams will be sitting around for a good week practicing.

Six more periods Friday and Saturday are not going to be enough for myself to make judgments, I guess a big part of it will be practices.
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Canadian Press: Has Islander assistant coach, Dean Chynoweth's comments on the game, giving Nabokov blanket praise.

Nabokov for his part was positive, but this did not make it onto the Islanders website:

"My goal is to be in the net, to get the call and go in and do my job. But sometimes it's out of your control," Nabokov said. "In a perfect world, I would want to play more exhibition games but it's such a short pre-season and they were six goalies here. It's not my call, I'm just going out there and doing my best."


NYIFC Comments:
Nabokov's correct. Is this his look before the season opens or do three goalies go into opening night with only partial preseason games, to say nothing of the very small body of work Koskinen, Poulin and Nilsson will receive on a weekly basis?

Garth Snow is a former goaltender, he knows the need for work better than anyone, but left himself fifteen periods to accommodate six goaltenders. If I'm the coach DiPietro and Montoya need to play full games this weekend.

Even that's not nearly enough, it's a fair point for Nabokov or anyone to raise.

Calgary Herald: Former Flame, Steve Staios talks about camp with the Islanders so far.

Who's In/Out?
Barring injury in the next few days............

I see no real surprises after preseason. Maybe Jurcina's injury means Staios is signed but I would pass, go with Wishart (updated was placed on waivers) or deHaan or explore the market, I suspect Staios will be signed or gone by Friday so he can hook on elsewhere, even if MacDonald sits to open the season.

I would not take a chance on Ness or Donovan this early.

I expect Niederreiter sticks around at least until Rolston is ready. I do not see Pandolfo making the cut with Reasoner, Haley, Gillies. If McNeely dresses and does well it would not shock me if he earned a spot.

Frankly it's time for Kabanov, Strome to return to juniors, Strome with his first professional contract.