Hockey Trotz leads Islanders into first place as All-Star break approaches by Jesse Natale January 23, 2019 February is approaching and the New York Islanders currently sit in first place in the Metro Division with 62 points. With the disappearance of captain, John Tavares, and uncertainty of others, expectations were low for this Islanders team entering the 2018-2019 season. Fortunately, Barry Trotz, and the rest of the coaching staff thought differently. Yes, the expectations consisted of the Islanders hanging around the bottom of the standings all year; but one thing that may have gotten lost in the subtraction of Tavares, was the surplus of young talent that still remained. The fans were aware of guys like Matt Barzal, and Anthony Beauvillier, as they had tremendous seasons the year before. But it’s guys like 24-year-old Ryan Pulock, 22-year-old Michael Dal Colle, 24-year-old Adam Pelech, 24-year-old Devon Toews, 26-year-old Scott Mayfield, and even 27-year-old Brock Nelson, who although extremely young and highly talented, seemed to be headed down a road of uncertainty. Barry and the rest of the coaching staff have taken these top draft picks, and are turning them into the players that they were destine to become. These guys have bought into Barry’s system and it is showing. A common theme seen in years past, is the addition of young talent, but the lack of development. These two factors are now finally coming together and it is a thing of beauty. In addition to these young players finally learning how to play in the National Hockey League, goaltender, Robin Lehner, has been fantastic. The NHL named Lehner the first star of the week last week, posting a 3-0-0 record with a .970 save percentage, 0.67 goals against average, and one shutout. Lehner has made it clear that the players and coaches within the Islanders organization have made him feel comfortable and welcomed. Barry Trotz has done an unbelievable job of bringing the best out of every single player and making sure that everyone is doing their job efficiently. Each individual is aware of their role and what is needed out of them in order to win the hockey game. As Trotz said it himself, “I think we’re just scratching the surface of what we can be.” So don’t be surprised if the New York Islanders continue to dominate, as they look to finish strong in their final game before the All-Star break this Tuesday night against the Chicago Blackhawks. Post Views: 916 The following two tabs change content below.BioLatest Posts Jesse Natale Latest posts by Jesse Natale (see all) Jed Lowrie nearing Mets debut - May 8, 2019 Robinson Cano joins the 2,500 hit club in Tuesday night’s nail bitter - May 8, 2019 Phillies show maturity issues in series against Mets - April 25, 2019 Keuchel? Kimbrel? What will it take for the Mets to replace Jason Vargas? - April 16, 2019 Related TopicsAdam PelechAll-Star BreakAnthony BeauvillierBarry TrotzBrock Nelsonchicago blackhawksDevon ToewsJohn TavaresMatt BarzalMichael Dal ColleNational Hockey LeagueNew York IslandersNHLRobin LehnerRyan PulockScott Mayfield Click to comment You must be logged in to post a comment Login Leave a Reply Cancel replyYou must be logged in to post a comment. Newsletter Subscription Can't Miss Posts! Women in Sports: NHL Network Host, Jackie Redmond by Nicholas Durst | posted on March 4, 2019 From Paramus High School to CBS Sports, Spero Dedes is making waves in sports broadcasting by Sunil Sunder Raj | posted on October 27, 2020 Lochte, Dressel and Ledecky all Chasing Gold at 2021 Tokyo Olympics by Anthony Paradiso | posted on April 18, 2021 You Know I’m Right, Episode 109: The Athletic’s Marc Carig (Audio/Video) by Nicholas Durst | posted on April 19, 2021 Michael Jordan Could Change the Future of Nascar for the Better by Inesh Chari | posted on March 30, 2021 More in Hockey Tim Peel is Discharged After Caught on Hot Mic Tim Peel was Discharged from the NHL After He was Caught on the Hot... NHL, Amazon Web Services Partner to Develop New Stats, Data, and Insights The National Hockey League (NHL) is partnering with Amazon Web Services (AWS) in an... You Know I’m Right, Episode 81: ESPN’s Arda Ocal (Audio/Video) On the 81st episode of You Know I’m Right, Nick Durst and Joe Calabrese are joined by... You Know I’m Right, Episode 80: MSG Network’s Bill Pidto (Audio/Video) On the 80th episode of You Know I’m Right, Nick Durst and Joe Calabrese are joined by... New York Rangers Center, Mika Zibanejad Named NHL Second “Star of the Week” Islanders Puck Talk – All-Star Break Review