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Weekly Recap: Islanders Edition (February 14)

February 14, 2021, 1:35 PM ET [147 Comments]
Ben Shelley
New York Islanders Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Follow me on Twitter: @BenShelley_20
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The New York Islanders played three games this week and signed a prospect to an entry-level contract. Here’s a recap of news and notes from the week.


ISLANDERS WIN TWO OF THREE GAMES

After a five-game losing skid, the Islanders seem to be back on track. This week, they secured five of a possible six points, defeating both the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins, and also picked up a point in a shootout loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.


ISLANDERS SIGN ROBIN SALO TO ELC

The New York Islanders signed 2017 second-round pick Robin Salo to an entry-level contract on Friday. The defenseman is likely to spend the majority of the season in Sweden, before coming to North America.



As for our poll questions this week, here are the results, along with my thoughts on how they turned out:



QUESTION: Are you happy with how Oliver Wahlstrom has performed with the Islanders so far this season?

(Votes: 83)

Yes: 83%
Don’t feel strongly either way: 11%
No: 6%

Wahlstrom only has one goal in six games so far but has been fairly involved and isn’t afraid to shoot the puck. He’s worked well with Jean-Gabriel Pageau and while I still think he could potentially use a bit more time in the AHL, you can’t really complain about his game so far.



QUESTION: Are you impressed with how the fourth line has performed this season?

(Votes: 40)

Yes: 63%
No: 23%
Don’t feel strongly either way: 15%

I’ve been a critic of the effectiveness of the fourth line but the line has been off to a pretty good start and has picked up the pace over the last few games. They’re battling hard below the goal line for turnovers and have been able to sustain some pressure in the offensive zone.



QUESTION: What do you think Robin Salo's long-term role will be with the Islanders?

(Votes: 110)

Bottom-pairing defenseman: 40%
Top-pairing defenseman: 34%
Doesn’t make/stay in the NHL: 26%

Pretty even results here. Salo has put up very good numbers in Sweden and the Islanders will likely be in need of left-side defenders in the next couple of seasons, so Salo should get a good opportunity.



***NOTE: We've launched a HockeyBuzz Islanders Twitter account! For anyone interested, you can follow @HB_Islanders for updates on articles, Islanders news, etc.***


OTHER ARTICLES FROM FEBRUARY:

Islanders fall to Flyers in overtime, losing streak extends to five games
Islanders vs. Sabres game postponed
Weekly Recap: Islanders Edition (February 8)
Semyon Varlamov picks up third shutout, Islanders beat Rangers 2-0
Islanders fall to Penguins in shootout
Islanders sign Robin Salo to entry-level contract
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