The New York Islanders’ preseason rolls on as they take on the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden, with puck drop scheduled for just after 7 o’clock.
The Islanders officially revealed their lineup for tonight’s contest, and it’s full of NHL veterans as one would expect:
The very first thought is that the incredible comeback story for Semyon Varlamov continues in earnest. It’ll be Varlamov’s first preseason game this year, as he and Ilya Sorokin are expected to split tonight’s game.
Advertisement
Varlamov hasn’t appeared in any NHL action since November 2024, and played two AHL rehab games last season after undergoing double knee-replacement surgery. It’s one of the best stories in all of hockey, and this is another box to check for Varlamov on the road to a full NHL return.
Initial thoughts on skaters include what a massive opportunity it is for Cole Eiserman and Kashawn Aitcheson to make statements in this game, with both the Islanders and Rangers opting for NHL-heavy groups in Manhattan.
Here’s how the Islanders will line up tonight:
Defensively, it’s a first game-look at Matthew Schaefer playing on the right side, featuring prominently on a pairing with Adam Pelech, a duo that could end up being a match made in heaven for New York.
Advertisement
Aitcheson’s opportunity is ripe for the taking. He gets a chance to make a statement with Scott Mayfield, both of whom are willing to throw their body around as needed. It’s Aitcheson’s second preseason game after leading the Islanders’ defense in ice time on Sunday in Newark.
Isaiah George also gets another audition, this time playing alongside Tony DeAngelo, a good opportunity for George to play off the smooth-skating DeAngelo.
Offensively, it’s going to be a bit more mixed-and-matched, but based on who’s playing and who isn’t, one guess would be they end up looking like this:
The first and second lines for tonight are exact replicas from yesterday’s practice, and have been together for multiple days at this point.
Advertisement
The third and fourth lines, however, are combinations of things. First, Eiserman slots in for Emil Heineman, and slots in alongside Victor Eklund and Jean-Gabriel Pageau.
For Eiserman especially, it’s a huge opportunity to make a statement on how close he is to being NHL ready.
The fourth line is combination of the recent fourth-and-fifth lines, with six players- Ondrej Palat, Cizikas, Anthony Duclair, Pierre Engvall, MacLean, and Chaffee-all battling for spots in the opening night and on the roster.
MacLean and Chaffee need strong showings tonight to help their cause. It should be an exceptionally physical line with excellent forechecking, something that the Islanders love to have out of their fourth line.
Advertisement
It’s a night for roster battles to begin to sort themselves out. The fourth line, and the bottom-two defensive pairings all have significant ramifications for how things might shape up when rosters come due next Monday.
Read the full article here