Good Morning, Islanders Country.
The start of the regular season is one week and one day away, and while we’ve learned a lot about the type of team head coach Patrick Roy intends to shape, some pressing questions remain unanswered.
The biggest is the one that beat writer Arthur Staple of The Athletic dubbed “The Elephant in the Crease.” If you were skeptical of the assurance that GM Lou Lamoriello provided fans at the start of the camp about Ilya Sorokin’s status, you had the right to be. Despite downplaying the unnamed lower-body injury that Roy later let slip as back surgery, Sorokin hasn’t been seen on the practice ice.
It now feels certain that he won’t be ready to start the regular season. Two seasons ago, when Semyon Varlamov nursed an injury to start the year, Sorokin started the first nine games. He’s played as many as 15 straight with Varly as his backup. As secure as things feel with Varlamov in the crease, he won’t be expected to manage the same workload if the recovery timeline goes multiple weeks into the start of the season. Marcus Högberg is capable in net, but the Isles won’t have the advantage in net in games he plays, a position they have rarely been in over the last four seasons since Sorokin arrived.
Coming up, Bo Horvat adds a vowel to his sweater, and the Islanders roll out new lines of food. Plus, Doug Weight takes over Bill Guerin’s role and “Twitter” hashtags are back as social media rejoices.
Let’s dive in.
📰 NEWS: Islanders center Bo Horvat wore the “A” with most regulars on the ice Monday night, indicating that he’ll be donning a letter as an assistant captain in what will be his second full season on Long Island.
“Anytime you get an opportunity like this, it's special," Horvat told The Hockey News. "You don't take that lightly. You just try to work with class, perform every single game, and lead by example.”
The Islanders' room is not short on leadership. Though Cal Clutterbuck, who wore the A, is no longer with the team, it still has a large stable of veterans, including Brock Nelson, who wore the other “A” and captain Anders Lee.
Horvat was, of course, the captain of the Vancouver Canucks before being traded to the Islanders on Jan. 30, 2023. Horvat has seven years left on his contract, while Lee has just two years remaining, meaning another letter could be sewn onto Horvat’s sweater before his Isles’ career ends.
⏭ NEXT UP: The Islanders close the preseason on Friday night against the New York Rangers at UBS Arena. Face-off is set for 7:00 PM EDT.
Tasty Delight
UBS Arena and hospitality partner Delaware North announced new food and beverage offerings for the 2024-25 season. “Our team has worked diligently to create a menu that offers a variety of flavor profiles to enhance the fan experience at UBS Arena,” said Ted Donnelly, executive chef for Delaware North at UBS Arena. “From classic favorites to innovative new dishes, we have crafted options that cater to diverse tastes and preferences. (h/t New York Islanders).
This year, the Isles give you “The Knishwich” which is a Hot pastrami sandwich, layered with Swiss cheese, tangy cole slaw, zesty mustard, served on a warm Knish bun & a crunchy deli pickle….oh, and a hockey stick.
📚 SOUND SMART: When Bo Horvat was named an All-Star for the Vancouver Canucks in 2017, he became the youngest Canuck to be selected for an All-Star Game since former Islanders captain Trevor Linden. Later that season, he was named an Alternate Captain, replacing longtime Canuck Alexandre Burrows.
🎥 ISLES REWIND: On October 2, 2009, the Islanders named future head coach Doug Weight the 12th captain in franchise history. Weight previously served as an alternate captain the year prior under Bill Guerin before wearing the "C" for two seasons. During his three seasons on the ice as an Islander from 2008-11, the center compiled 64 points (13G, 51A) through 107 games.
🔗 What we know about the Islanders after 5 preseason games by Arthur Staple, The Athletic “With just one more preseason game on the docket, Friday against the Rangers, the roster and lineup decisions are becoming clearer for Patrick Roy and Lou Lamoriello. Roy takes a glass-half-full approach to commenting on his players, so the Isles coach may not be revealing his true opinions when asked, but objectively this has been a solid preseason for his team.”
🔗 Former Vancouver Canucks Captain Bo Horvat On The Cusp Of Officially Joining Islanders Leadership Group by Stefen Rosner, The Hockey News “With Cal Clutterbuck not returning, the New York Islanders had an alternate captain position that needed to be filled ahead of the 2024-25 season. Given what we've seen in preseason, former Vancouver Canucks captain and second full-year Islanders forward Bo Horvat will be the recipient of the "A."
And we leave you with this…Social media hashtags are back! #Isles
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