Staios, Eaton, Mottau, Jurcina And Injuries A Concern

New York Islander Fan Central | 10/03/2011 03:53:00 AM |


I would have taken Bryan McCabe over Steve Staios. Of course, my choice would have been Calvin deHaan, Ty Wishart over both with Mark Katic. This could also put Matt Donovan or Aaron Ness in the picture earlier.

Steve Staios is not a good payoff for a summer of waiting to wind up with a very limited, injury prone veteran.

Radek Martinek is clearly an excellent player to skate the puck out of the defensive zone, even without the new rules on hits to the head/boarding, Martinek would have been the better choice over Staios. Arguably, you could make the point Jack Hillen and Bruno Gervais also better.

Simply put you put all those veterans (Mottau/Eaton) off long injuries with Streit, coming off a year without playing, who looked perfect in all three preseason games, Hamonic and a returning from a six month injury, Andrew MacDonald, there is something to be very concerned about beyond all three goaltenders injury concerns.

Big, slow, injury prone (or coming off injury) and no big hitters, in general, is not good way to start an offensive rush or clear the defensive zone.

Mottau, Eaton were not injury prone prior to last season, neither was Streit, so this could work, however nothing a substitute for games, so rust had to be expected.

You could see some standing around or slow reactions from Eaton/Mottau in preseason.

Jurcina is always a concern in these departments.

Still, on paper, it's not very impressive at the moment.