Why Having Ritchie & George On Islanders’ Team-Bonding Trip Matters
CALVERTON, NY -- When the New York Islanders left for the Hamptons on Friday afternoon to begin their three-day team-bonding trip, Isaiah George and Calum Ritchie boarded the bus.
Video Transcript
What is up, Islanders fans?
They fell 3-2 in overtime to the New York Rangers.
Lobble scored the overtime winner.
It's another beautiful day outside UBS Arena.
I have a special guest today, Johnny Laszars of the Daily Faceoffs here.
So we're gonna talk Islanders real quick, and a little bit about the Rangers.
So first off, Matthew Schafer.
Kidd continues to amaze.
He learns so fast, and his skating in all three zones, his playmaking, and his IQ.
He's showing that he is not only NHL ready, but he'll probably play big minutes for this team.
I know he's going to be with Scott Mayfield, a start there at least.
But I wouldn't be shocked if he's up with Pulak or if that pairing, you know, in general, gets more minutes.
But Johnny Lasz, what did you think of Matthew Schafer in your first appearance seeing him live?
Yeah, I've never seen him play live, so it was cool to watch him.
And one thing I noticed with him and I tweeted, I don't know if you saw it, but he does this thing where he's receiving a pass, but he's already like mid-escape turn.
He did it once at the blue line in the 3rd period.
It was sick, and then he came in and had a good chance, had a couple of good one-timers.
He didn't hit the net on the best chance he got on the power play, where he walked into one and missed it just wide.
But obviously his skating is spectacular.
You can tell that he can really backcheck too, and Stefan's already put him in the backcheck hall of fame.
Which I saw.
Listen, there's a lot to learn.
He didn't play against an NHL lineup tonight, so he should have looked as good as he did.
But you know, he's a very promising young player, and everything I've heard about the kid is amazing, and it's definitely exciting to watch him play in person.
So the Islanders, in general, absolutely outshot the Rangers.
Igor Shesterkin was probably a difference maker on this one.
Dylan Garand came in, and the Islanders found a way.
Tony DeAngelo with a great hesitation, pump- fake to score and tie the game up.
But Laz, you know, what are you seeing from Igor Shesterkin right now as we approach the regular season?
I mean, he looks locked in, dialed in, and he's making all the saves he should be making.
The one goal he led in tonight was kind of a weird bounce.
It's like a 210 from the corner to in front.
Declare was left wide open.
In the first game he played, he led in a backdoor goal.
So everything I've seen from him so far.
All the Ranger fans who hate the contract, he's worth the 11.5 on team 11.5.
But this team goes as Igor goes, and in the preseason it's shown that when he's taken out of the game, things go bad.
He's in the game, things are good.
And you mentioned Duler.
I think Duler has been a big surprise because he came into preseason and training camp telling us that he wasn't 100%.
He was working his way back, but from Jump Street.
He looks 110% healthy, and I think tonight you saw it.
He's hard on the loose pucks.
He's winning puck battles.
He's getting his shot off.
He's skating with that passion that Patrick Watt preached about last year.
We know Tor is growing off the bone.
He came back and said he was skating on one leg, but you know Laz, what did you see from Duler tonight and just the way he was moving out there?
Honestly, I got to be straightforward.
I didn't notice Duler a ton again.
I know he's been going through this injury a little bit.
It takes time to ramp up and get into game shape, you know, I was talking to Cooly about it.
He said it takes like, you know, three or five games where you really feel like you're at your, your peak performance, um, as far as the start of the season goes, but you know, Declare's a guy, when fully healthy, will make a huge difference on the team.
You'd hope he's on the first line right with Barzell and Horvat if that's what they're doing.
Is Barzell playing that?
It's not.
He's going to cut that.
Um, you can keep it.
I don't care.
We're raw, right?
Um, listen, you're the Islander expert.
I'm not, but if Duler is healthy and playing well, this Island team, who knows, maybe they stick into a playoff spot, but it will take you know, three to five games, five to ten games, who knows?
But Duclair, you've seen him be a really effective player.
And I think that's a guy he can get back to being.
We'll talk a couple more things here and then we'll wrap it up.
So Shabanov today played on the third line with Paho.
And I think it was smart to put him with Pao to get some pressure off him.
That's what Patrick Ross said was going on.
But I think you saw the little things, maybe not so much in the first period as a bus goes by.
Thanks, boss, but you saw the little things, you saw him, you know, protect the puck off the rock.
You saw him get pucks, you saw him win defensive battles.
You saw him be physical.
Maybe the hits didn't ultimately land, but you saw that, I think Callum Ritchie, 60% in the faceoff tonight.
He's worked really hard at that, had him in a 1/4 line role, and again it's It's hard because this is a guy that he's playing center, but he's not a grinder.
He's more of a top-six guy, and once he's ready to be a top-six guy, I think Barzal goes back to the wing on Horvat's line because that's where he wants to play.
And then the last thing we'll touch on here is David Rittich.
Lads would probably agree with this that you know Rittich didn't have his best night.
He didn't face a lot of shots early, and as a goalie, you know you want to, you don't want to face six to ten high-danger chances right out of the gate, but you want to get a feel for the puck.
You didn't get a feel.
He had a couple of bad reads, a couple of positioning issues, and the owners now have to make a decision because Ilya Rogachev's going to get the last preseason game in Philly.
So you're not going to see Hall again.
You just saw Rittich.
He's not struggled, but he's had, he had his bad moments in the preseason this time.
So the question is, what do the Oilers do?
Patrick Wu said postgame that, you know, there's still some time off, they're going to have discussions, but wherever the backup is going to be.
Ilya Sukhachev and the are going to need them because, you know, they want to keep Ilya fresh.
So, you know, we'll touch on Labbe.
What do you, you know, do you think Labbe makes his team?
I want him to.
If he doesn't, I'll be pissed.
To be honest.
You know, it's funny.
I was talking to Derek Stepan earlier today, and I think those two had a similar storyline.
Stepan wasn't a shoe-in to make the team out of camp.
Coming out of college, he was a highly touted prospect.
He was a second-round pick, a late second-round pick, and really impressed in preseason in his career.
He then had a hat trick in his first NHL game, which bought him some games.
But Noah LaBate, every single game, even in a game like tonight where he spent a lot of time in the D zone, finds a way to score the overtime winner and step up to make a big-time play.
And you know, listen, does Juso Parssinen deserve a spot in the NHL?
Yes, but has Noah LaBate beaten him in this spot or the race for the spot?
I think so.
And not every prospect develops the same, right?
I don't think he needs time to develop in the AHL.
Derek Stepan told me today, like Mike Sullivan was a key part of his development, and I think the same could be true for Noah LaBate.
So if Noah LaBate doesn't make this team out of camp, I'll be very upset.
But I think this kid deserves everything that he's going to get because he's been so beyond impressive in every single aspect.
Let's wrap this up.
Islanders fall 3 to 2 in overtime to the New York Rangers.
One final preseason game in Philly on Thursday, and then a week from Thursday, it's the real deal in Pittsburgh against the Penguins.
7 o'clock puck drop to open the season.
Rosner Walkout with Johnny Laz of The Daily Face Off.
See you guys next time.
