Post by New York Islanders on Jan 6, 2022 6:40:54 GMT -6
Only a week ago we reported about the Islanders struggling to find chemistry and how the management was concerned with some poor stats, like GA (goals against) for instance. GM Westman then said the team needed to give better support to struggling keeper Ben Bishop. And now we know he was serious. Sacrificing a part of the team’s future the Islanders have put together a completely new fourth line, a line described as the Islander new ”Identity line.”
As the Islanders tonight will face Colorado it will be with the newly composed Identity line together for the first time. The game will be extra interesting to watch since the last two additions, Casey Cizikas and Erik Gustafsson were both acquired from Colorado. On the Avalanches’ team we will then find Robert Hägg, moved in the deal for Gustafsson.
”I really wasn’t looking to move Robert since I love his intensity and mindset, but it was a necessary move to be able to afford putting the Identity line together”, GM Westman comments.
Swedish defender Robert Hagg moved to Colorado for cap reasons.
Which then takes us to the new fourth line and the price of putting it together.
”To begin with the cost; we gave up great future assets in Hajek, Thompson and the two third rounders that gave us Martin and Clutterbuck. But if the current team doesn’t perform well, doesn’t provide the great environment to develop in, what value do future assets then have to the organization? We need to get the pro team working as well to create a good soil for the younger players to grow in and long for. This time that ment giving up some in order to give the others better conditions. And we still have some great players in Bridgeport waiting for a chance to take the step up too”, Westman says.
Two games ago the fourth line consisted of Komarov, Hagelin and Panik. Tonight the lineup will be Cizikas, Martin and Clutterbuck. And the difference is significant. The CK average is now 83,67 compared to the previous 74,0, sending a message this is a line with a clear mission – slow the opposition down and make it hurt to play the Islanders. Cizikas face off skills (85 compared to Komarov’s 62) will also help the new Identity line to more possession and increased pressure on the opposition.
The new Islander Identity line from left to right: Clutterbuck (R), Martin (L) and Cizikas (C).
”This is the identity I want on the team overall, not just this line”, Westman explains. ”And this line will set the tone for the rest of the team, showing everyone what working hard will mean and how important it is to our success. Hopefully this kind of new identity will also provide the extra support I think Ben (Bishop) needs to find his game.”
While the checking on the fourth line increased both checking and defensive awareness decreased with the move of Hagg for Gustafsson, which then would work against the management’s goal to put up a more physical appearance in general.
”Well, as I said the move was necessary for cap reasons but Erik has actually taken more hits on Colorado’s third pairing than Robert on ours, so in combination with his superior (over Hagg, editors note) skating, puck handling and passing skills Erik will be a short term upgrade for sure. We know he will be trying the free agency at the end of the season, but we hope the rest of the season will giv eus both reason to consider a future together, even though it would have to go through the open market bidding.”
Erik Gustafsson will try free agency after the season, but maybe still remain an Islander?
As we expect no more moves within the nearest future and while awaiting the exciting game tonight against Colorado we provide a quick and simple evaluation of all the NY Islanders trades made since the dispersal draft. The comparison is made stat by stat for forwards (F) and defenders (D) separately. While we know the decreases in CK and DF on the blue line is not necessarily what the management wanted most it can still be seen as an indicator on what direction this team is going in and maybe a help for other GM:s when approaching the Islanders for future trade talks. If they could bring physical but diciplined, well skating and puck handling/puck moving players to the table the Islanders will be listening.
As the Islanders tonight will face Colorado it will be with the newly composed Identity line together for the first time. The game will be extra interesting to watch since the last two additions, Casey Cizikas and Erik Gustafsson were both acquired from Colorado. On the Avalanches’ team we will then find Robert Hägg, moved in the deal for Gustafsson.
”I really wasn’t looking to move Robert since I love his intensity and mindset, but it was a necessary move to be able to afford putting the Identity line together”, GM Westman comments.
Swedish defender Robert Hagg moved to Colorado for cap reasons.
Which then takes us to the new fourth line and the price of putting it together.
”To begin with the cost; we gave up great future assets in Hajek, Thompson and the two third rounders that gave us Martin and Clutterbuck. But if the current team doesn’t perform well, doesn’t provide the great environment to develop in, what value do future assets then have to the organization? We need to get the pro team working as well to create a good soil for the younger players to grow in and long for. This time that ment giving up some in order to give the others better conditions. And we still have some great players in Bridgeport waiting for a chance to take the step up too”, Westman says.
Two games ago the fourth line consisted of Komarov, Hagelin and Panik. Tonight the lineup will be Cizikas, Martin and Clutterbuck. And the difference is significant. The CK average is now 83,67 compared to the previous 74,0, sending a message this is a line with a clear mission – slow the opposition down and make it hurt to play the Islanders. Cizikas face off skills (85 compared to Komarov’s 62) will also help the new Identity line to more possession and increased pressure on the opposition.
The new Islander Identity line from left to right: Clutterbuck (R), Martin (L) and Cizikas (C).
”This is the identity I want on the team overall, not just this line”, Westman explains. ”And this line will set the tone for the rest of the team, showing everyone what working hard will mean and how important it is to our success. Hopefully this kind of new identity will also provide the extra support I think Ben (Bishop) needs to find his game.”
While the checking on the fourth line increased both checking and defensive awareness decreased with the move of Hagg for Gustafsson, which then would work against the management’s goal to put up a more physical appearance in general.
”Well, as I said the move was necessary for cap reasons but Erik has actually taken more hits on Colorado’s third pairing than Robert on ours, so in combination with his superior (over Hagg, editors note) skating, puck handling and passing skills Erik will be a short term upgrade for sure. We know he will be trying the free agency at the end of the season, but we hope the rest of the season will giv eus both reason to consider a future together, even though it would have to go through the open market bidding.”
Erik Gustafsson will try free agency after the season, but maybe still remain an Islander?
As we expect no more moves within the nearest future and while awaiting the exciting game tonight against Colorado we provide a quick and simple evaluation of all the NY Islanders trades made since the dispersal draft. The comparison is made stat by stat for forwards (F) and defenders (D) separately. While we know the decreases in CK and DF on the blue line is not necessarily what the management wanted most it can still be seen as an indicator on what direction this team is going in and maybe a help for other GM:s when approaching the Islanders for future trade talks. If they could bring physical but diciplined, well skating and puck handling/puck moving players to the table the Islanders will be listening.
