Isles Come To Camp With Playoffs As Goal

Will Reinhart make the team out of camp?

NY POST:

If the playoffs are a legitimate goal – and they are, in the final season at Nassau Coliseum before the team leaves for Barclays Center in Brooklyn – then the most important new cog in the wheel is goalie Jaroslav Halak, coupled with capable backup Chad Johnson. Superstar center John Tavares is still the heart of the team, and still one of the five best players in the league, but even he recently admitted this is the first time in his career the goaltending situation has been solidified going into camp.

My Take: I think The Isles should indeed be contenders for the playoffs this year and while there is a build up as to who will make the team, it's still my belief that the Isles already know who is on this team and will just go through the motions and say all the right things before the start of the season. The goaltending is fixed and should be ready to go, which will alleviate some of the pressure off of the defense. Get ready, it's almost time.

Isles Have Interest In Tim Thomas

From the Boston Globe:

If an NHL club comes calling at this point, it might only be to extend Thomas a training camp invitation, no money guaranteed, with a shot at winning a backup job. Many, if not most, European jobs are locked up by Aug. 1 at the latest. The Islanders and Flyers have been rumored to have interest in Thomas.

My Take: This is indeed going to be a huge camp for the New York Islanders goaltenders. I'll go on record now, it's Kevin Poulin's to lose the backup job and not to beat anyone else out. Anders Nilsson hasn't really played due to an illness & Thomas hasn't played, period. I like the idea of at least bringing in Thomas on a tryout, to increase the competition, but if Poulin does as well as Thomas then there should be no debating that Poulin should get the nod. I would expect him to get 20+ games in this season. 

Coming up tomorrow, my new write up will be on Kevin Poulin and why I believe he should be the back up for the Islanders this season. Don't forget to follow me @Netminder39!!