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As we get closer to hockey’s return, I’ll be previewing the New York Islanders’ series against the Florida Panthers. Yesterday, I looked at which team had the better forwards and today, I’ll be giving some thoughts on which team has the stronger defense group.
The Islanders’ defense has been a huge part of their success over the last two seasons. Ryan Pulock is New York’s star on the back end and is not only the team’s best offensive defenseman but is also probably the team’s second-most reliable defender in his own end, behind only Adam Pelech. Speaking of Pelech, his return is a game changer for New York and between Pelech and Scott Mayfield, the Islanders have two quality shutdown defenders in their top-four. Meanwhile, Nick Leddy and Devon Toews add offensive upside and though neither is rock solid in their own end, the likes of Pelech and Mayfield can offset that problem. With Johnny Boychuk, Andy Greene and even Noah Dobson providing depth as well, the Islanders are in a good spot on the back end.
While the Panthers have the edge up front, it’s pretty clear that the Islanders have the stronger defense group. New York doesn’t have a ton of scoring but hopefully, they’ll be able to capitalize on Florida’s struggling blue line.
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Here’s today’s poll question (results and discussion will be posted in a future article):
OTHER ISLANDERS ARTICLES FROM JUNE
Islanders vs. Panthers: Comparing the forwards Reviewing this week's polls (June 1): Islanders Edition