Patrick Roy didn’t do much to hide his frustration with Maxim Tsyplakov on Tuesday night.
Just 37 seconds after the Islanders had tied the game at one in the second period, Tsyplakov’s turnover deep inside his own zone led straight to a Phillip Danault goal — the eventual game-winner in a 4-1 victory for the Kings over the Isles.
“Sippy had a horrible turnover. Actually two on that same play, when we just scored and made it a 1-1 game,” Roy said. “He needs to be better than that.”
Tsyplakov has been a healthy scratch twice since late January and, in different circumstances, Friday’s home match against Edmonton would look like an opportunity for a third.
Only Roy, right now, might not have the luxury of healthy scratching anyone as a lesson.
After the Brock Nelson trade, the Islanders are carrying just 13 forwards on their roster.
Matt Martin, their lone extra, has played just four games since Dec. 15 and has struggled to make an impact when he has gotten in this season, with just one point and an abysmal 31.99 expected goals percentage at five-on-five.
Faced with the option of playing Martin in Anaheim when Kyle MacLean came down sick on Sunday, Roy instead opted to play defenseman Adam Boqvist as a fourth-line center.
Two nights later in Los Angeles, MacLean was able to go, but if he hadn’t, the plan was to go with 11 forwards and seven defensemen.
So it doesn’t appear the coaching staff views Martin as much more than a last resort.
It certainly wouldn’t be a surprise if the Islanders — currently carrying nine defensemen — called up a forward upon returning to New York, if only just to have another body.
Liam Foudy played a couple of games this year with the Isles, though he didn’t make much of an impression.
Adam Beckman, acquired in a deal for Dennis Cholowski at the trade deadline, has a little NHL experience on his résumé. Alex Jefferies, a Merrimack College product, could be worth a look.
Realistically, though, none of these are great options.
Bridgeport is not teeming with NHL-ready prospects, and has already been eliminated from AHL playoff contention, having struggled all season.
Going 11 and 7 looks like a more attractive option than that — though the injury suffered by Boqvist on Tuesday night might even complicate that.
If Mathew Barzal returns from a left kneecap injury, it would alleviate the problem.
But the absolute best-case scenario there looks like Barzal getting back at the tail end of the regular season, if the Islanders are still in contention.
So it’s not just Tsyplakov who looks safe in the lineup. It’s players like Pierre Engvall and Hudson Fasching who have been in and out all season.
After Engvall struggled on the fourth line in San Jose and Anaheim, Roy moved him to the third line in Los Angeles, saying he wanted to try to give him a spark.
“I hope that Pierre’s gonna play [inside] a little more, drive the net more, bring pucks to the net more, be more involved physically,” Roy said. “Hopefully giving him the chance to play with Casey [Cizikas] and Sippy gives him that spark that he needs to get going.”
Translation: Engvall can’t sit right now, so might as well try something.
This is the post-Nelson reality for the Islanders.
At least on paper, they are still fighting for a playoff spot, but they are doing so with one hand tied behind their back. And if any forward gets hurt, well, that’s going to be a problem.
Lou Lamoriello has already said Calum Ritchie — the highly touted prospect the Islanders got as the centerpiece of their return for Nelson — won’t play in the NHL this season, or even the AHL.
Ritchie could push for a spot at next year’s training camp, but for the time being, he’s not the savior.
For the time being, the Islanders are stuck with what they’ve got.
Leave a Reply