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Three things to watch for in the Islanders’ exhibition game tonight

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Adam Pelech, New York Islanders

The New York Islanders are playing a hockey game tonight.

Let me repeat: THE NEW YORK ISLANDERS ARE PLAYING A HOCKEY GAME TONIGHT.

After 139 days and a two-week training camp, the Isles are set to square off with the New York Rangers in their penultimate contest before they start their qualifying round series against the Florida Panthers this Saturday.

Barry Trotz’s squad has been itching to finally get some real competition after spending the last couple weeks doing intrasquad scrimmages. Now they’ll get their chance.

“I think everybody just wants to play a real game,” Matt Martin told reporters on Monday. To play an exhibition game, a little bit of a tuneup game before the real thing starts will be a good thing for everyone’s timing. The speed of the game and then obviously the physicality of the game, because it is a physical game out there.

Trotz still has some decisions to make regarding his lineup. Who will be starting in goal in game one between Semyon Varlamov and Thomas Greiss? Who will be the fifth and six d-men? Trotz acknowledged yesterday that 95% of the lineup playing tonight will be the same for the opening game this weekend. But he didn’t elaborate, and as we know, one or both of those slots on the blueline remained open for a majority of camp. And what will the second and third lines look like with both the first and fourth line already intact?

All of those things could be answered by the time the buzzer sounds this evening.

But beyond that, there are a few other aspects to keep an eye on just a few days before the real games begin.

Adam Pelech’s Return.

While the argument can be made, his teammates haven’t played a game in four months, Pelech hasn’t seen actual game action since January.

Now he did have time on the ice while he was rehabbing from a torn Achilles tendon? Yes. But that isn’t the same as playing a game. Pelech did receive a ton of praise from Trotz early on in camp, even to a degree in which Trotz said he was making his teammates look “ordinary.”

It will be interesting to see if Pelech shows warts in his game from such a long layoff or if he looks like he didn’t miss a beat and is still the team’s best d-man. Also, the chemistry he has with his d-partner Ryan Pulock: Will it be evident right off the hop, or will it take a little time to get back?

Special Teams.

It was noted that the Isles spent a lot of time last week working on special teams before they made it to Toronto on Sunday. So tonight could be a first glimpse at what they might have in store for the series against Florida.

Hopefully, one of those glimpses is at a more aggressive power play.

The Isles had one of the worst power plays all season — 24th out of 31 teams — with much of it contributed to not drawing enough penalties. But it’s also because they weren’t the aggressor; not shooting the puck enough, too much overthinking, etc. This game is the perfect opportunity to show they will be in attack mode man-up and not trying to be too cute — which they are notorious for — in the postseason.

The penalty kill getting back a healthy Casey Cizikas should be fun to watch again. When he went down, that aspect of the Isles’ game took a hit.

The First Line picking up right where they left off.

Trotz made it crystal clear early on in camp that his first line — comprised of Mathew Barzal, Anders Lee, and Jordan Eberle — wasn’t going to be altered. It was the right call after how they looked before all the chaos of the pandemic took place.

That trio was carrying the bulk of the offense for close to a month leading up to the break, particularly Mathew Barzal. Barzal had 11 points in nine games leading up to the league shutting down; Eberle and Lee weren’t far behind, as they too were producing at a good rate.

If all the reports from training camp are true, the threesome looks ready to have a big impact in the play-in round. Barzal did score in each of the three scrimmages during the club’s first week of camp while Lee and Eberle both had strong showings as well.

That line is going to have to be at its best if the Islanders are gonna go on a run this summer.

Tonight will tell us a bit about what we should expect from them going forward.

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A few other notes heading into Wednesday night:

-Ilya Sorokin finally took to the ice in an Islander uniform. The team tweeted out a picture Tuesday night of he sporting the orange in blue in practice earlier that day. Oh, and his new mask? A beauty. Very intrigued to see the full thing.

-Jon Ledecky saying on Andrew Gross’s Island Ice podcast he is “one thousand percent” confident the Islanders will play the 2020-21 season at Nassau Coliseum was very refreshing to hear. Ledecky had kept quiet on the situation after all the news about the Coliseum’s future being in doubt happened a month ago. So it was nice to hear from him as well as Oak View CEO Tim Leiweke, who is all-in on making the Isles last season be at the Coliseum come to fruition.

-Exhibition game or not, I’d expect a lot of intensity from both teams tonight. And yeah, it might not matter in the long run, but it would be nice to see the Islanders get back in the win column after not having been victorious in seven games when the season was stopped. Just getting that feeling again could be a nice add on to the team being jacked up for this weekend.

Noah Dobson earning a spot on the Islanders’ defense for the playoffs would be unprecedented, yet welcomed

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The New York Islanders will have the luxury of choosing from eight defensemen for when they begin their qualifying round series next Saturday against the Florida Panthers.

Among them is rookie Noah Dobson

Dobson, 20 and the youngest of the group, was probably the least expected to get the nod as camp got underway. That narrative has changed.

Head coach Barry Trotz lauded he and d-partner Andy Greene’s work the whole first week of camp, going even farther to say the duo has “been as good as any of our D pairs”. Now there’s a real possibility that Dobson might have earned himself a spot on the blue line to begin the playoffs.

It would definitely come as a surprise if Dobson were to get the call, especially with all the rest of the guys fighting for those final two spots all having playoff experience. Plus Trotz already acknowledged early on in camp last week that he would most likely go with the veterans over the younger players even if those young guys did outplay their competition.

Let’s say Dobson did win either the fifth or six role, it would be another huge step in his development and the type of stage for a player the organization sees as a potential top-four d-man for hopefully the next five to ten years. Not only that, but it would also be a continuation of how strong he came on before the coronavirus pandemic shutdown the regular season. Dobson had an assist in both of the Islanders’ final two regular-season games against Carolina and Vancouver. He was also getting more ice time from Trotz with both Adam Pelech and Johnny Boychuk sidelined. 

Furthermore, you can never go wrong with a little infusion of youth in the playoffs. Take for example Colordado’s Cale Makar in 2019 and Boston’s Charlie McAvoy in 2016. Both were unprecedented, yet welcomed.

Makar came in as a rookie in the middle of the Avalanche’s series against Calgary and immediately made an impact, scoring in his first game on his first shot. He would play the rest of the playoffs until the Avs were eliminated by the San Jose Sharks in the second round. As for McAvoy, he jumped right from playing at B.U. (Boston University) to playing top-four minutes for the Bruins in their first-round series against the Ottawa Senators; he would record three assists in six games.

Now I’m not saying Dobson is on the level of Makar or McAvoy — hopefully he gets there in the near future — but he being on D could make him an underrated presence. Dobson could be what his teammate Ryan Pulock was for the Isles in 2016 against those same Panthers. There were flashes he can be a contributor at both ends in the 34 games he played in the regular season.

Dobson will have one more opportunity to solidify his spot on the back end when the Islanders play the Rangers in their tune-up game a week from tonight. If he plays well, there’s no reason he shouldn’t be starting for game one against Florida.

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NOSTROVIA!

The “White Whale” has come ashore!

That’s right. Ilya Sorokin has finally arrived in New York.

Sorokin touched down in the Big Apple yesterday afternoon after an early morning flight from Moscow with fellow countryman and Montreal Canadiens prospect, Alexander Romanov.

There was speculation that the Isles would have flown the 24-year-old straight to Toronto to begin his quarantine so he could join the team when they arrive later this week. Sorokin’s agent, Dan Milstein, was mum on the situation about whether his client was heading to New York or heading for the bubble.

Then last night, a picture was posted on social media of Sorokin posing with some Port Authority police officers, confirming he is in New York and not in Canada.

So it’s official and the wait is over. Sorokin is here.

Isles fans can now rejoice, knowing they are one step closer to seeing their future in goal.

A determined Mathew Barzal is exactly what the Islanders need for the playoffs

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If this past weekend was any indication of what Mathew Barzal has up his sleeve for the playoffs, then the New York Islanders might have another edge heading into their qualifying round series.

Barzal, who was a part of the Isles’ blue squad for Sunday’s scrimmage, recorded a hat trick as his team was victorious 4-3. It marked his best day of camp since the team returned for Phase 3 last Monday. But Sunday’s performance wasn’t the only one signifying Barzal is on his game and ready to do some serious damage.

The Islanders’ top center recorded a goal in each of the three scrimmages organized by head coach Barry Trotz last week.

“It’s been exciting to get back,” Barzal told a group of reporters via Zoom over the weekend.

Before the season was stopped due to the coronavirus outbreak, Barzal was carrying an Islander club who was hit hard by injuries to key guys and was struggling to cling to the eighth and final playoff spot in the East. For much of February into early March, Trotz leaned on Barzal and his linemates — Jordan Eberle and Anders Lee — to do most of the heavy lifting as the rest of the offense was nonexistent. Barzal responded in a big way, posting 11 points in the final nine games of what is now the regular season. He was getting hot at just the right time and was rising to the occasion as each game loomed larger.

So now with four months of rest, hopefully, Barzal picks up right where he left off.

“Personally and individually, I got two good months of training in,” Barzal said. “I was able to get on the ice a lot. Physically, I feel good. I feel strong. After 82 games sometimes you can feel a little worn out especially with that last 15-20 games being super intense like the playoffs. For us to come in, clean slate, full energy, fully healthy, it helps us and personally I think it helps myself.”

A motivated #13 means he’s scoring goals again and plays like that dynamic force we’ve come to know, one who can change a game in an instant. Barzal’s last tally of the regular season on March 5th in Ottawa — a 4-3 defeat  — was just his third in 23 games. For an Islander team who struggles enough on its own to generate offense as constructed, Barzal failing to convert on his chances is something they couldn’t afford then and can’t afford now. Facing a club who sports a lot of firepower like the Florida Panthers — who is their opponent in the qualifying round — the Islanders are going to need all of their forwards to step up, starting with Barzal.

We know he is going to draw the most attention from the Panthers’ D and will most likely see a good amount of Aaron Ekblad and Keith Yandle a majority of the time. But Barzal has shown he’s up to the challenge. In the postseason a year ago, he elevated his game against the likes of Pittsburgh’s Kris Letang which helped the Isles sweep the series in four games. Barzal also showed the same mentality against Carolina’s Jaccob Slavin and Dougie Hamilton in the second round, even in defeat.

The Islanders will be off to Toronto later this week. They’ll have one more game to psyche themselves up before they take the ice next Saturday afternoon for game one.  And from what we’ve heard and witnessed through camp, they’ll have a highly-determined Mathew Barzal leading the way.

It’s exactly what the Isles need and what could help them go on a deep playoff run.

Islanders get perfect opponent in Rangers as tune up for postseason

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Mark your calendars for July 29th New York Islanders fans.

As first reported yesterday by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman and then later confirmed by the NHL, the Isles will square off with the New York Rangers for their exhibition contest in Toronto before the qualifying round begins. Both squads will begin their chase for the Stanley Cup three days later, the Islanders against the Florida Panthers and Blueshirts versus the Carolina Hurricanes.

For the Islanders, there’s no better opponent than their Manhattan neighbors to get themselves all jacked up and ready to play in the postseason.

Why?

You can never go wrong with your team’s most hated rival.

The Rangers are still the Isles’ biggest foe, despite what some may argue. And this year the rivalry between the two seemed to be re-energized with the Blueshirts becoming a competitive squad once again after a two-year rebuild. Other than the two blowouts at MSG in the regular season — a 6-2 Ranger win on January 13th and 4-2 Islander victory on January 21st — both games played at the Nassau Coliseum were absolutely barn burners, both having crazy finishes.

The Rangers brought out the best of the Isles and it should be no different two weeks from now.

But there’s more.

The intensity of the playoffs will be there and the Islanders will be able to feed off it.

Playoff hockey is a whole other animal if you weren’t aware, and the Isles are going to need to get into that mindset after such a long layoff. They were on a 0-3-4 skid before the coronavirus pandemic hit but seemed to be trending towards having their game up to standard again according to head coach Barry Trotz. The Rangers being the opposition will force the Isles to make sure they’re up to speed, have pace back in their game, and oh yeah, be hungry to win. It will also allow Trotz and his coaching staff the opportunity to tweak whatever needs to be fixed before the Isles take the ice against Florida.

What about for those Islanders who are returning?

The Rangers provide a formidable challenge for guys like Adam Pelech, Johnny Boychuk, Casey Cizikas and Cal Clutterbuck, as they are re-introduced to healthy competition.

The Rangers are a mere image of the Panthers.

Dangerous offensively. Dealing with Artemi Panarin and Co. will be a quick reminder of what the Isles will see from Aleksander Barkov, Jonathan Huberdeau, Mike Hoffman, etc.

A sporadic defense. The Rangers’ D and Cats’ D are alike in that they aren’t the greatest and can easily be exposed.

Very solid goaltending. Solving Sergei Bobrovsky will be an interesting task for an Islanders’ attack which doesn’t have a ton of firepower to it. Facing Igor Shesterkin, Henrik Lundqvist or Alexander Georgiev, the Isles have the opportunity to get in a little bit of rhythm.

It might say exhibition on the marquee, but the Islanders matching against the Rangers will be anything but that. The Isles — and the Rangers too — will be treating this contest as if it were the final game of a seven-game series. Barry Trotz’s club wouldn’t want it any other way, to tell you the truth.

That’s what makes the Blueshirts the ideal adversary to get the Islanders in playoff mode.

Now, can the game get here already?

The Islanders’ future is full steam ahead after the Sorokin signing

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New York Islanders, Ilya Sorokin

It has finally happened!

After a long, six-year wait, Ilya Sorokin is now a member of the New York Islanders.

The Isles made it official this morning that Sorokin had now signed on for the 2020-21 season. So in essence it was two deals in two days for the club; the other from the contract announced yesterday where Sorokin had signed only for the remainder of this season, which his agent Dan Milstein tweeted.

Islander fans can now take a deep breath. In reality, though, Sorokin signing felt like it was going to happen for the past few months.

Isles g.m. Lou Lamoriello remained firm in his stance that Sorokin would join the organization, this going all the way back to the start of the new year. Sorokin made his intentions clear back in April he was ready to sign once his KHL contract finished on April 30th. But the coronavirus pandemic and the league threw a wrench into those plans.

Fast forward a few months later, he and Milstein had waited patiently for the NHL to come to a decision whether the former could sign and join the organization for Phase 3 of the league’s Return to Play Plan. The NHL finally relented its previous decision, which led to Sorokin and the Isles immediately talking a contract.  Which finally brought us to yesterday.

So now it’s official. Sorokin is Long Island-bound. And for the Islanders? Their future now has another gear.

You want to know how long the franchise has been searching for their answer in net? Try Billy Smith. That’s almost 30 years already!

But you watch those highlight films of Sorokin, and you’ll fully understand why the organization and the fans were so keen on finally getting him to make the transition.

His resume? It speaks for itself.

Sorokin is a multiple-time champion, has crushed countless records, and has several other accolades. All of that makes him a candidate to come in and have an immediate impact even if it won’t come until next season.

Did we mention he’s only 25? Sorokin hasn’t even reached his prime yet and is already one of the best in the world. Coming in at that age is perfect for a guy who wants to rule the team’s net for the next decade and for an organization who has been building a foundation in recent years.

Speaking of that foundation, Sorokin’s arrival signals another piece added to the core that will be a consistent contender for years to come.

The Isles already have a star in Mathew Barzal, some quality youngsters in the pipeline at both ends of the ice, and a very underrated defense.

Sorokin is different though.

Goaltending, you could argue, is the most important key to a team’s success, and it’s something the Islanders have needed for too long. Sorokin being in the fold gives the Isles a major boost in attaining that success. Him having the opportunity to work with goalie guru Mitch Korn and coach Piero Greco even before he gets to start a game as well? It’s an advantage that could make him even scarier by the time the Isles will really need him.

It’s hard not to get excited about the prospect of Sorokin becoming one of the elite goalies in the league and the Isles becoming the powerhouse they once were in the early ‘80s. But now it’s a real possibility. Their future is finally here. And yes, we’ve used that cliche many times over. I’ve even lost track myself how much I’ve said it the last five years. 

Now it’s different. Now that anticipated return to glory is ready for its next phase.

Ilya Sorokin has arrived.

Full steam ahead.

 

Two Islanders’ players who could be traded due to salary complications

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New York Islanders, Nick Leddy

The New York Islanders are facing tumultuous times in the coming days with portions of the revised collective bargaining agreement being leaked. The salary cap is expected to freeze for the next two seasons with the NHLPA attempting to ratify terms this week.

Ultimately, the Islanders will have to make some difficult decisions on players to lower their expenses. The entire NHL will have to make tough choices, and players will undoubtedly lose their jobs or be traded.

Let’s take a look at two players the Islanders could trade:

1.) Thomas Hickey

Hickey was one of the Islander players that struggled the most last season. He can be a decent pairing on the third line of defenseman, but with $2.5 million left on his deal over two years, he could be a better fit on another team. Andy Graziano of WFAN believes he is a prime candidate to be treated since management instilled their confidence in Noah Dobson.

With the league hoping to restart early in 2021, the timetable to conclude the 2020 season and crown a champion is being expedited.

To give you an idea of how poor Hickey played in 2019, the year prior in 2018, he posted five goals and 20 assists over 69 games played. This past season, he played in 40 games and logged zero goals and just four assists. He also logged 33 penalty minutes compared to 24 in 2018, which is nearly a 20 game differential.

Finding a way to gain any sort of value from him would be extravagant for general manager Lou Lamoriello.

2.) Nick Leddy

Leddy has seen his performance consistently decrease as he increases in age. He is no spring chicken to the rumor mill, and he could be a player the Islanders could find a new home for. He is currently on a seven-year, $38.5 million deal. He would be in the fifth year of his contract, with two years left at $5.5 million per season.

His price tag would be a nice saving for the Islanders, but considering he’s almost 30 years old, gaining ample value from him will be difficult.

The Nassau Coliseum still getting no love, which makes it that more appealing to Islanders fans

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New York Islanders fans love Nassau Coliseum.

As the true home of the franchise since its inception in 1972, it’s one of those places that many have a deep connection with. To many, the Coliseum is their own unique, quirky, old but now slightly renovated fossil smack dab in the middle of Hempstead Turnpike.

The place has a charm to it, which is also why anytime another fan base or writers like to call out its deficiencies, Isles fans will defend the place till the very end.

The Athletic NHL came out with its arena rankings yesterday, and to no ones surprise, they ranked the Coliseum the second-worst arena in the league. Only Barclays Center — the franchise’s home arena during their recent four-year stint in Brooklyn — and Ottawa’s Canadian Tire Center ranked lower.

Seeing that ranking, even while it’s probably the right spot for how unmodernized the facility is, there are reasons why Isles fans treasure it as one of the last truly great barns the league has to offer.

The first thing pointed out was the location of the building, which got a low score.

For any Islander fan though, the Coliseum’s location is wonderful

Sure it’s 30-40 minutes from LaGuardia or JFK airport, or a 15-minute hike from the Hempstead branch on the LIRR, but the Coliseum is one of those places that is more a community venue than say the one an hour away in Manhattan.

Heck, you literally have Roosevelt Field Mall just down the road and you aren’t far from lively streets in Farmingdale. Food choices? Some of the best spots in the county or on Long Island are a stone’s throw away. Going out before or after the game, the list of places is hard to beat.

The Coliseum is no question in the heart of the Island.  The accessibility by car is one of the major things Isles fans won’t ever get tired of. They love tailgating, and driving to the arena allows for a party atmosphere in the parking lots before games.

Low scoring for the quality of the building? Reasonable. We’re all very aware of the bathrooms, limited food options, crammed concourses.

But how about those sightlines? Best in the league if that’s your thing.

Ask any hockey fan who is coming to the building for the first time or the 500th time, every seat is the best one in the house. You’ll be hard-pressed to find anyone who complains about their viewing experience at an Islanders game. That’s definitely one thing the Coliseum faithful definitely take pride in.

Only a six for atmosphere? Hogwash.

Most opposing fans and writers haven’t been able to see how much the place vibrates because the Islanders were so bad for so long. But Isles fans will challenge any other teams’ fans when it comes to the loud and rowdy feeling when there’s a big game on tap that day or evening. You’ll find them tailgating from the wee hours of the morning just so they are ready to scream and cheer on the team come game time.

I mean have you seen that place in the postseason? The noise jammed in because of the low ceiling gets the Coliseum jumping so much, that even the players in the locker rooms feel it.

I won’t comment on the Coliseum press box because I never had the chance to be up there, so I’ll leave that to the beat guys. But you are treated to one unique caveat. If you’re on the benches side of the ice, you have a direct view of seeing MSG’s Brendan Burke and Butch Goring calling the game. The same goes for radio play-by-play man Chris King.

The Coliseum’s appeal to Islander fans is endless. Saying goodbye to the place will be hard when the franchise moves down the road to their new digs at Belmont Park in 2021-22.

Still, the place getting negative marks from outsiders adds to why the fanbase carries it in such a special place in their hearts.

It’s their building and there aren’t many like it left.

Ilya Sorokin signing would complete trifecta for the Islanders this summer

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New York Islanders, Ilya Sorokin

The New York Islanders have had a better summer than they could have hoped for.

Both on and off the ice, the organization has received — and continued — to make strides towards the future. Those strides include a fully healthy squad ready to return for Phase 3 (full training camp) this coming Monday, getting back their most important player in d-man Adam Pelech, and seeing their future home at Belmont Park becoming more of a reality with each passing day.

But now they have a chance to complete their trifecta even in the midst of the crazy time we’re living in now with the coronavirus pandemic.

With the news yesterday of a extended CBA between the NHL and NHLPA — which allows teams to officially sign their European imports and unsigned  draft choices to contracts for the 2019-20 season — the Isles are now able to sign Ilya Sorokin.

Sorokin, the 25-year-old Russian goalie phenom, has been the talk of Islanders country for years. Drafted in 2014, Sorokin has been playing in his native Russia the last five years, becoming a legend for KHL powerhouse, CSKA Moscow. He has long been regarded as the best goalie in the world not playing in the NHL.

Fans had heard and read about how dominant he had become with the hope he would finally decide to make the transition to the States one day. Sorokin made one appearance on Long Island for an Isles rookie camp four years ago and dazzled. After that, he all but disappeared. But his name continued to be in the back of Islander fans’ minds for a long time. 

There was hope back in 2018 Sorokin might finally come over following his contract ending with CSKA; that was dashed when he signed a one-year extension. Despite that, it seemed Sorokin was signaling he wasn’t totally set on staying in his homeland long-term. Things began to change once Lou Lamoriello took over running the Islanders. There’s been rumors regarding Sorokin not being in total love with the former regime headed by Garth Snow, the g.m. who drafted him.

This year Lamoriello was given all indication on several occasions that Sorokin would indeed make his way to Long Island. Lamoriello even doubled-down on the notion in a Q&A with season ticket holders in March. Everything seemed it was full speed ahead when, on April 12th, it was reported that Sorokin would indeed sign with the Isles once his contract expired on April 30th. Then came the virus, which threw a monkey wrench into the team’s and Sorokin’s plans.

The NHL, because of the changing landscape and question marks regarding finishing the season, made the decision not to allow organizations to sign their picks or European prospects and allow them to play if the season did resume. This implemented rule sent Sorokin, his agent Dan Milstein — whom he switched to in early June — and the Isles into a holding pattern. That was up until yesterday’s development.

Once the CBA is ratified by the players, the organization will have a 53-hour window to strike a deal with Sorokin. And according to The Athletic’s Arthur Staple, the Isles appear extremely ready to get a deal done. 

Now it’s on the Islanders and Sorokin to get pen to paper and make this summer one of their most important in recent memory.

Very little needs to be added about what a deal with Sorokin would mean. His name signed on the dotted line, means the Isles’ long, arduous search for their next great franchise goalie would finally be over. 

And even if he doesn’t get the opportunity to play — the NHL made it clear no new players signed will be able to join their club for the modified playoffs when they begins early next month — Sorokin would get the opportunity to get acclimated to Long Island and be around the team, which will make the transition from overseas that much more easier. Plus, having him get right to work with goalie guru Mitch Korn will allow him the benefit of figuring out what he needs to work or change in his game for the upcoming season. The last point deals with the possibility of Sorokin not playing a game in over ten months, if the NHL does begin the 2020-21 season in December or January.

The amount of twist and turns that have come with the Sorokin saga could have been made into a full-length feature flick by now. All that’s left is getting a deal done with him and the movie will finally have its long, awaited ending.

Once it happens, the Isles will have completed their trifecta for their summer and can turn their attention to an even bigger prize — a Stanley Cup.

Islanders’ forward Brock Nelson believes team can ‘make a run’

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New York Islanders, Brock Nelson

The No. 7 seed New York Islanders (35-23-10, .588 points percentage) will face off against the No. 10 seed Panthers (35-26-8, .565) in the qualifiers in Eastern Conference play.

The Islanders previously played the Florida Panthers this season and won all three games. Despite their minor streak of victories, forward Brock Nelson doesn’t believe they have an advantage over their seeded opponent.

The two teams will face off in a best-of-five series, as the winner will qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs and the loser will have a chance at the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NHL draft.

Nelson remains motivated but humble, entering the qualifying rounds with a level head

“I don’t think you can use that as an advantage or a disadvantage,” Nelson told “MSG 150 At Home” on July 3. “I think everybody now is going in with the opportunity and the mindset that they have a chance and they’re given a shot If you’re the 1 seed through the 12 seed, everybody’s got that same belief that they can make a run, especially in a time like this where you go into a best-of-5, anything can happen.

“You get a hot goalie right away, you can kind of run away with that, feed off that. The team that’s able to get that and use that to their advantage mentally is going to have quite a big gap in terms of advantages.”

With the NHL expected to return to play in mid-July, the projected start date of the elimination rounds could be weeks if not months away. Just getting practice underway would be a significant step forward for the Islanders and every other NHL squad. The additional time to get back into playing form is welcomed, which Nelson stated in his interview.

“It will kind of be a feeling out once you get back,” Nelson said. “But guys had a little bit of time to kind of get their legs back and hopefully kind of gear up. Obviously, the intensity is going to be higher right away getting ready for the playoffs, so you kind of have to find a way to kick it into gear. You can’t have any waits or delay. Best-of-5, anything can happen, so you have to come home ready to go.

Two years after John Tavares’ decision, the Islanders are in a better place than when he left

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Today marks two years since the New York Islanders saw John Tavares walk out the door as an unrestricted free agent.

On that fateful day, Tavares made his decision to leave the Isles after nine seasons to sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs, whom he grew up rooting for. His selection — another supposedly huge setback, one the Islanders were used to so often — stung heavily for the entire organization and the fanbase.

Every Isles fan can recall that day and where they were when they heard the news.

Sidenote: For me, sadly enough I was in the backseat of a car with a few of my Ranger fan friends driving back from a flag football game and was about to take a nap. Then my buddy got a twitter notification and said loudly, “he’s gone.” I just sat there in silence, literally stunned.

It’s easy to see why that was my and many others’ reaction.

Tavares was the “Chosen One” and was brought to Long Island to be the savior back in 2009. The Islanders drafted him first overall that summer with the hope he would lead the franchise back to glory.

And there’s no question he did everything in his power to fulfill those lofty expectations.

He was everything and more than the Isles could have asked for in his years in orange and blue. Superstar. Captain. Leader. The face of the franchise. He put the entire team on his back to help them slay the dragon and win their first playoff series in 23 years in 2016. And even before he left, he was the one advocating for the team to return back to the Nassau Coliseum on a part or full-time basis.

All of that sentiment though faded for many that pivotal July afternoon. We all know about the treatment he received his first trip back to Long Island and the two other games he’s played as an Islander opponent. Even now, the number he donned for almost a decade — 91 — was retired this past season and hangs in the rafters with (Butch) Goring’s name on it. 

When Tavares announced he was leaving, the consensus from around the hockey world was the Islanders were left for dead. They had just come off a second straight season of missing the playoffs and were considered the worst defensive team in the NHL.

Looking back at it now, the critics were wrong.

Several things have changed dramatically for the franchise since Tavares’s departure, on and off the ice.

For starters, there are actual adults in charge of running this organization. Granted, Tavares was still a part of the Isles when ownership hired Lou Lamoriello to be the general manager and when Lou hired Barry Trotz as head coach, but that was only for a month at best. Lamoriello has restored accountability and true direction back to this franchise, while Trotz has created an identity and we-before-me mentality since taking over.

Both also have re-invigorated the pride and respect that comes with putting on an Islander uniform.

The team has a core who looks poised to be together and win together. Lamoriello has assembled a group of players who wanted to be here for the long-haul and who believe they can bring a Stanley Cup back to the organization. He’s done it with team-friendly contracts and key acquisitions.

A real head coach and actual structure. We don’t know if Tavares will ever be kicking himself for not sticking it out and getting to play for Trotz (seriously hope he does), but how Trotz has transformed the organization can’t be denied. Yes, JT was thrown a not-so-easy hand with Scott Gordon, Jack Capuano, and Doug Weight. Then again, neither of those three combined has the acumen and experience Trotz has delivered. Trotz’s structure has turned the Islanders into one of the top teams in the league defensively and has allowed several players to evolve into something no one thought they could be (looking at you, Adam Pelech). 

The organization has a number of talented prospects in the pipeline. One of Tavares’s main reasons for choosing Toronto was its highly-touted farm system. But the Isles have done a solid job themselves restacking the system. Rookie d-man Noah Dobson — drafted 12th overall in 2019 — was with the Isles this past season and has top-four potential; Oliver Wahlstrom, Kieffer Bellows, and Simon Holmstrom have the opportunity to add some real depth on the wing in the near future; Bode Wilde and Samuel Bolduc aren’t far off from adding to an already deep yet underrated d-corps. Oh and that Ilya Sorokin guy. A Russian phenom, Sorokin — whenever he finally does join the organization — will be the unequivocal future in goal.

A captain with character. Some might call this a shot at Tavares, but in retrospect, it’s not. Anders Lee has brought more personality while wearing the “C” on his sweater than Tavares truly did. Lee has become what the Isles needed in a leader to help establish that team-first mantra. He’s already well-respected by everyone in the locker room and is willing to do anything for the team to win.

A real home on the horizon. I can still picture the day back in December 2017 where Tavares and his teammates were at the celebration for the franchise winning the bid to build a brand new home at Belmont Park. It honestly felt that day would also be what caused Tavares to stay an Islander. Boy was that a pipedream of sorts.

During Tavares’ tenure with the Isles, there had been non-stop chatter about a new home for the organization. That was never a reality until now.

The new arena at Belmont is nearly halfway finished and is set to open for the 2021-22 season, but it has already made the Isles a destination once again and will be an even bigger game-changer once construction finally complete.

When Tavares left two years, this once-proud franchise looked to be on its last leg. That’s no longer the case.

They are in a much better position with a brighter future.