Islanders to find out this week if any players will be named to 4 Nations Face-off rosters
Mathew Barzal of the Islanders moves to the puck during an Islanders game against the Anaheim Ducks on Oct. 29 at UBS Arena. Credit: Dawn McCormick
The Islanders had a day off on Sunday to savor snapping a three-game losing streak by taking a two-goal lead into the third period and exiting with a 3-0 win over the visiting Sabres the night before.
Next up is Tuesday night’s game against the Canadiens in Montreal, and surely that’s where 100% of the Islanders’ focus is.
However, on Wednesday, the full 23-man rosters for the 4 Nations Face-off will be publicly revealed. But with those lists actually being locked in on Monday, players will know whether they are participating in the best-on-best tournament involving Team USA, Canada, Finland and Sweden set for Montreal and Boston from Feb. 12-20.
No Islanders were among the initial six players named previously to each of the four rosters, and there’s a chance no Islanders will be announced on Wednesday.
Here’s a look at the Islanders’ theoretical candidates:
RW Mathew Barzal (Canada): Barzal is still sneaking into some roster projections despite being sidelined with an upper-body injury since Oct. 30. The Islanders have not reported that he’s resumed skating yet.
Even if Barzal were healthy, there would be questions about whether he’d fit into a loaded Team Canada roster that is incredibly deep at center.
Barzal, though, has transitioned to wing, and his elite skating probably would be a good complement to Sidney Crosby, who projects as Canada’s third-line center.
Still, Barzal likely must be considered a long shot at this point.
D Noah Dobson (Canada): Dobson, too, is still showing up in some roster projections as a possible third-pair defenseman.
If this had been last season, there might be no question that he would be included. However, he has struggled defensively at times this season — specifically at one game Team Canada general manager Kyle Dubas personally scouted — and might not be suited to play on a third pair.
Plus, Dobson’s scoring is down, with one goal and nine assists in 25 games after setting career highs last season with 60 assists and 70 points.
F Pierre Engvall (Sweden): Nope. Engvall might have had a glimmer of a hope coming into this offseason — and that’s highly debatable — but a terrible training camp led to his demotion to the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport. Injuries forced his recall but his game remains inconsistent. Coach Patrick Roy made him a healthy scratch against the Sabres, preferring to dress 11 forwards and seven defensemen.
F Simon Holmstrom (Sweden): Nope, also, but for different reasons than Engvall. If the selections were based solely on this week, Holmstrom might have been picked after the first two two-goal performances of his NHL career in back-to-back games. But Sweden is too deep at forward.
C Bo Horvat (Canada): Horvat is a steady, smart player who has been an NHL All-Star, plays a two-way game and produces offensive chances. But Canada is stacked in the middle, so Horvat was never even included on the initial projections.
C Brock Nelson (USA): Nelson again is among the Islanders’ leaders in goals and points and can play on the power play and the penalty kill. Team USA GM Bill Guerin has scouted the Islanders in person at least twice, and Nelson is not shy about how much a selection would mean to him. His grandfather, Bill Christian, and great-uncle, Roger Christian, were on the Team USA squad that won Olympic gold in 1960. His uncle, Dave Christian, was on the 1980 “Miracle On Ice” gold medalists.
Still, Nelson might be a long shot for inclusion.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
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