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Snapshots: Islanders, Tanev, Guzda

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The New York Islanders have now lost six in a row, scoring just 11 goals in the process. A group that was once expected to be serious buyers at the trade deadline have nearly fallen out of the playoff race entirely, making it a much different situation as February approaches.

When discussing the team’s deadline plans (as best as he can figure, with Lou Lamoriello at the helm), Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet noted on today’s 32 Thoughts podcast that there was real interest in Jakob Chychrun at one point. Apparently, the Islanders balked at the asking price, something that Friedman understands, given their current position.

  • With Chris Tanev already ruled out through the All-Star break, the Calgary Flames have moved him to injured reserve. Brett Ritchie has been activated to fill his spot, and is expected to be in the lineup tonight when the team takes on the Seattle Kraken. Ritchie last played on New Year’s Eve, leaving the game after just six shifts.
  • The Florida Panthers will go with Alex Lyon in net again tonight, and are set to have Mack Guzda as the backup after recalling him this morning. To make room, Grigori Denisenko was returned to the minor leagues. Lyon has allowed 17 goals in four games so far, including seven on 49 shots Tuesday night.

Lou Lamoriello Has “Total Confidence” In New York Islanders Coaching Staff

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It hasn’t even been a year since the New York Islanders shocked the hockey world by firing Barry Trotz, and there are already questions being asked about the job security of his replacement. Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello spoke to the media including Kevin Kurz of The Athletic today and offered a clear stance of support for head coach Lane Lambert and the rest of his staff.

I certainly am around enough to see what they are doing, how they’re preparing, and there is nothing more that they can do. I think they’re doing the best job you could possibly ask of them. Total confidence.

Lambert, a long-time Trotz assistant, took over as head coach last May and has so far led the Islanders to a 23-21-5 record. That includes a 2-7-3 record since the calendar flipped to 2023, and an 8-12-5 record since the beginning of December. The usually stingy Islanders have allowed at least four goals in 13 of their last 25, and are still scoring at a rate that puts them among the league’s bottom third.

The powerplay in particular has been dreadful, with New York sitting 29th in the league. They have scored only 23 goals all season with the man advantage.

Even if Lamoriello is willing to take the blame, it doesn’t change where the Islanders currently find themselves. The team is now sixth in the Metropolitan Divison, only three points ahead of the Philadelphia Flyers. Their chances at the postseason are slipping away daily and suddenly appear like a potential seller at the deadline.

Regardless of what happens, it doesn’t look like changing the coach is a bullet that Lamoriello is willing to fire at this point. It’s Lambert’s job, at least for the time being.

Aatu Raty Will Cross ELC Threshold With Next Game

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  • Should Aatu Raty play another game for the New York Islanders, his contract will no longer be eligible to slide. The 20-year-old forward played his ninth game of the season on Monday, registering two hits and a shot in under ten minutes of action. Burning the first year of an entry-level deal isn’t the end of the world, and actually may end up giving the Islanders some extra leverage in contract talks down the road by limiting his offensive stats as a rookie. Raty would hit RFA status in 2025 if he play another NHL game this season.

Islanders Place Cal Clutterbuck On Injured Reserve

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Fasching Didn't Practice Today, Listed As Day-To-Day

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  • Islanders winger Hudson Fasching is listed as day-to-day due to a lower-body injury, notes Newsday’s Andrew Gross (Twitter link). The 27-year-old missed Thursday’s game and did not take part in the morning skate today.  Despite the setback, it has been a successful season thus far for Fasching who has played in a career-high 19 games so far, notching three goals and two assists while logging over a dozen minutes a night.

Islanders Recall Aatu Raty, Cal Clutterbuck Out Indefinitely

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Islanders winger Cal Clutterbuck suffered an upper-body injury on Thursday against Buffalo that will keep him out indefinitely.  The team has decided who will take his place on the roster, announcing (Twitter link) that center Aatu Raty has been recalled from AHL Bridgeport.

Raty is in his first full season in North America and has spent the bulk of the year so far in the minors, notching seven goals and eight assists in 27 games.  The 20-year-old has gotten into seven games with New York as well, collecting a pair of goals while averaging 8:25 per game.

Notably, Raty was still 19 as of September 15th which means the nine-game threshold for junior-aged players still applies.  Once he plays in his tenth NHL game this season, he will officially burn the first year of his entry-level contract.  If he plays in fewer than that, he’ll still have three years left on his contract after this season.  That’s something the team will certainly be keeping in mind with this move.

If Raty sticks around for a while on this recall and pushes past that threshold, the next one for them to consider would be 40 games on the active roster which would accrue him a season of eligibility for unrestricted free agency.  However, they’re a long way from that point at the moment.

As for Clutterbuck, it has been a tough season for the 35-year-old who has battled an upper-body injury a couple of times already.  He has suited up in 34 games for the Isles, picking up four goals and four assists while chipping in with 130 hits.

Hudson Fasching Out Day-To-Day

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  • New York Islanders forward Hudson Fasching has quietly set a career-high in NHL games played this season, already having skated in 19 contests for the Islanders. He’ll have to wait to add to that number, though, as the Islanders have announced that Fasching is out with a lower-body injury. Per the team, his status is considered day-to-day.

New York Islanders Reassign William Dufour

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Jan 19: After receiving just seven shifts and still registering a -2 rating, Dufour has been returned to the minor leagues. The young forward will have to wait patiently for his next opportunity.

Jan 18: The New York Islanders have made a couple of roster moves, after blowing a lead Monday night against the Washington Capitals. Dennis Cholowski and William Dufour have been recalled. This is the first recall of Dufour’s career.

Cholowski, 24, was picked 20th overall by the Detroit Red Wings back in 2016 but has rarely had the opportunity to play in the NHL. The left-shot defenseman has patrolled an AHL blue line all season, racking up 17 points in 35 games with the Bridgeport Islanders. On Monday, Parker Wotherspoon played just over 12 minutes, as the team desperately awaits the return of Adam Pelech, one of their most important players.

It’s Dufour that will grab the attention today though. The 20-year-old forward was a fifth-round draft pick in 2020 but experienced an incredible breakout during his last season of junior hockey. After scoring just 29 points in 23 games during 2020-21, Dufour scored 56 goals and 116 points in 66 with the Saint John Sea Dogs in 2021-22, winning a Memorial Cup and helping Canada win gold at the World Juniors.

That performance ended up in a Memorial Cup MVP and QMJHL MVP, and skyrocketed Dufour’s confidence. He’s carried it over into the professional ranks, with 25 points in 37 games so far in Bridgeport.

The Islanders may have nabbed a late-bloomer that can be an impact player in the NHL, given this isn’t your typical undersized junior scorer. Dufour stands 6’2″ and plays a heavy, physical game. So impressive, that it’s going to earn him a look beside Mathew Barzal and Josh Bailey on the first line, if the practice groups play out. The big right winger could have asked for a better opportunity to make his NHL debut.

Gino Odjick Passes Away At 52

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Unfortunately, there’s some very sad news to report on this Sunday. Legendary Vancouver Canucks enforcer and fan favorite Gino Odjick has passed away at 52, according to the team.

Odjick played in 444 games with the Canucks between 1990 and 1998 and was a member of the team that reached the 1994 Stanley Cup Final. He made a strong impression after being drafted in the fifth round in 1990, making the team the following year as a 20-year-old and playing 45 games.

Odjick’s best offensive season came during the 1994 run, where he chipped in a career-high 16 goals and 29 points. Throughout stops with the New York Islanders, Philadelphia Flyers, and Montreal Canadiens, Odjick maintained a hard-nosed game that resulted in 2,567 career penalty minutes in just 605 NHL games.

Vancouver Canucks chairman Francesco Aquilini spoke on the devastating news:

Gino was a fan-favourite from the moment he joined the organization, putting his heart and soul into every shift on and off the ice. He inspired many and embodied what it means to be a Canuck. Personally, he was a close friend and confidant, someone I could lean on for advice and support. He will be deeply missed.

He will be sorely missed by the Canucks community, and the PHR team sends their absolute best wishes to the Odjick family.

Quinn Finley Traded In USHL

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  • 2022 New York Islanders third-round pick Quinn Finley has been traded in the USHL. Finley, 18, has been sent from his current club, the Madison Capitals, to the Chicago Steel, home of several top prospects including Jayden Perron and Macklin Celebrini. This trade allows Finley to join the USHL’s best team as he prepares to play for the University of Wisconsin in the fall.

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