New York Islanders: Familiar Names and Surprises in Bridgeport
How are the kids doing out on the farm? Is the New York Islanders prospect pipeline as strong as we’ve been told it is?
We saw flashes of what may come during the pre-season. We saw the future of the New York Islanders, and it looked pretty good.
The forward led by Mathew Barzal and supported with flashy wingers like Michael Dal Colle, Anthony Beauvillier, and Josh Ho-Sang. The defense was just as strong with first round selection and 15th overall Ryan Pulock and Adam Pelech.
Aside from Barzal and Beauvillier, who made the Islanders active roster out of training camp, the others were assigned to the Isles AHL affiliate in Bridgeport. So how’s it going in Bridgeport?
The Sign of Things to Come
After the opening ten games, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers find themselves in 11th out of 30 teams in the AHL with 12 points.
Thirty-five-year-old Bracken Kearns finds himself at the top of the production ladder once again. His 11 points to open the season are heads and shoulders above anyone else on the roster, for now.
Behind him are familiar names like Michael Dal Colle, Josh Ho-Sang, and Devon Toews with six points each to their name. Ok, Toews might not be a familiar name. But if you’ve followed our Top 25 Under 25 this summer, you just might remember his name.
Dal Colle and Ho-Sang have formed a nice little partnership as they continue to play on a line together. They haven’t exactly lit the league on fire, as evidenced by their 11th place in the standings.
But this is the first these two have seen of higher echelon hockey. Before this season both were still playing in the OHL with the Kingston Frontenacs and the Niagara IceDogs respectively.
The sings are positive that these two can succeed at the AHL and bring that success to the NHL in due time. If Brock Nelson and Mathew Barzal are truly injured expect either Dal Colle or Ho-Sang to get the call up to the big club for a taste of the limelight.
These three along side names like Barzal, Beauvillier, Pulock, and Pelech. Are on their way to form the spine of this Islanders team in the next few years. Put their names in your memory bank, you’ll be seeing them again soon.
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