NYHN Daily: Islanders Roster Moves, Season Questions & More

We are two days away from the New York Islanders season-opener against the Carolina Hurricanes. The Islanders submitted a 23-man roster on Monday, and it should not come as a shock that there is confusion.  As we get set for the regular season to begin, what are the top question marks for Islanders this season? Will Sebastian Aho finally get a chance after a few years removed from the NHL?

These stories and more in today’s daily links!

The New York Islanders submitted a 23-man roster to the NHL, a roster that left many people wondering what was going on. The biggest news from the roster was that Semyon Varlamov and Matt Martin will be starting the season off on Injury Reserve. Two contracts, Kieffer Bellows and Cory Schneider have not been filed with the league just yet, as there will be more roster moves to come once those contracts are submitted. (NYI Hockey Now)

Did the Islanders do enough to replace defenseman Nick Leddy this offseason? Is the Islanders lineup completed or is there more to come in the next few days? How much does the Semyon Varlamov injury impact the Islanders early on and can Anders Lee be the player he was before tearing his ACL? These are the big questions as we enter the 20201-22 season. (NYI Hockey Now)

Is this finally the chance Islanders defenseman Sebastian Aho has been waiting for? The frustrations of playing in the AHL never seem to phase Aho, who through hard work and dedication earned a spot on the opening night roster.  the frustration had never gotten the best of Aho, who went out this year and had a strong camp for the Islanders. It was his attitude that head coach Barry Trotz noticed and part of why he was on the Islanders 23-man roster that was submitted to the NHL on Monday. (NYI Hockey Now)

In a panel of nine beat reporters who cover the Metropolitan Division for The Athletic, the New York Islanders received seven first-place votes. Given the depth of the Islanders, along with the best goaltending tandem in the division, there is a reason for fans to be rather optimistic. One cause for concern is age, as 11 of the 20 players that will play on opening night are over 30. The breakout player to watch for Islanders is Oliver Wahlstrom, who entered the spotlight last season due to his scoring prowess. (The Athletic)

With the Islanders releasing Erik Gustafsson from his professional tryout, it seems that Sebastian Aho will remain with the club, acting as the seventh defenseman. After not playing many games since the 2017-18 season, the 25-year old should see some action this season. Head coach Barry Trotz spoke about Aho’s strong hockey IQ and strong work ethic, reasons for why he is in the situation he finds himself in. (Newsday)

The Boston Bruins announced their opening-night 23-man roster on Monday. Two NHLers, Chris Wagner, and John Moore did not make the final cuts, as both passed through waivers and will report to the Providence Bruins of the AHL. The Bruins will carry eight defensemen to start. (Boston Hockey Now)

When the Pittsburgh Penguins submitted their 23-man roster to the NHL, there were little to no surprises. However, the roster does not seem to be finalized as Brian Boyle, who was brought in on a PTO, has not been officially signed, with reports coming out that a contract agreement was in place. The Penguins face the Lightning tonight, with their game kicking off the NHL season at 7:30 PM. (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)

The Washington Capitals roster will be announced publically today. Nicklas Backstrom will start the season on IR. Forwards Beck Malenstyn and Connor McMichael were sent down to the Hershey Bears of the AHL. McMichael was a name that was expected to make the roster given his strong play last season in the AHL as well as at camp. Hendrix LaPierre remains on the roster and it looks like he will play opening night. (Washington Hockey Now)

After returning to their respective teams for the season, Florida Panthers’ prospects are already off to a roaring start to the 2021-22 campaign. With college hockey starting this past weekend, Canadian junior hockey in its second week of the season, and the Charlotte Checkers starting their season later this month, there are a lot of Florida Panthers prospects to follow. Here are some of the best performances of the week. (Florida Hockey Now)

The Detroit Red Wings have a lot of young talent looking to break into the NHL. It is important to surround that talent with veteran leaders. One veteran who played for the Red Wings last season was Bobby Ryan. He was brought into camp on a PTO, but was released on Monday and will not be back with the club. That points to rookie Lucas Raymond making his NHL debut on Thursday, when the Red Wings kick off their season against the Tampa Bay Lightning. (Detroit Hockey Now)

The Vegas Golden Knights had a magical first season in the NHL. After a rather weird expansion draft, with little expectations for the first-year club, they made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final, before losing to the Washington Capitals. This season, a new team enters the NHL, the Seattle Kraken. Despite the hype surrounding the newest NHL franchise, the Kraken will not be replicating the magic we saw from Vegas in year one. (Vegas Hockey Now)

As we draw close to the Colorado Avalanche’s first game of the NHL season, here are some things to know. First, fans do not need to show proof of vaccination to enter Ball Arena, but will have to wear a mask. The Avalance play their first game on Wednesday, an 8 PM start, rather than the usual 7 PM. Check out the rest of the things to know here. (Colorado Hockey Now)

The San Jose Sharks are in a need of a bounce-back season. Based on the 23-man roster sent into the NHL, this will be a year where the Sharks talent gets to show their worth. 2021 first-round pick William Eklund, 2019 sixth-round pick Santeri Hatakka, 2018 fourth-round pick Jasper Weatherby, and Jonathan Dahlen are in line to make their NHL debuts on Oct. 16 when the Jets visit SAP Center for opening night. (San Jose Hockey Now)

The Vancouver Canucks will be missing Brock Boeser to start the season, as he starts the year on IR. PTO candidate Alex Chiasson is not included, but that doesn’t prevent the club from signing him. It does appear for now that left wing Juho Lammikko, acquired Saturday from Florida, has replaced him on the roster. Lammikko is expected to skate with the club Tuesday morning for the first time. Here is the 23-man roster. (Vancouver Hockey Now)

Auston Matthews will miss the first three games of the NHL season for the Toronto Maple Leafs. The centerman is not feeling 100% after offseason wrist surgery. The Maple Leafs open the regular season against the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday at 7 PM. (NHL)

The Seattle Kraken name veteran defenseman Mark Giordano as the first captain in franchise history. Giordano wore the “C” in Calgary since 2013 before being selected in the expansion draft. Defenseman Adam Larsson and forwards Yanni Gourde, Jordan Eberle and Jaden Schwartz will rotate as alternate captains. (NHL)