Comments on: Travis Hamonic is the Islanders’ blue line rock

By: bcisleman

bcisleman — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 23:34:15 +0000

Don’t see DeHaan being ready now…although he will likely see some playing time this season. Key for him is to play and stay healthy. He should see some time this year and maybe be a regular next year.

Reinhart is one or at most two years away, Pelech two, Pokka three.

By: theboysofdallas

theboysofdallas — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 13:23:57 +0000

The islanders have so many good young players now they need to play them and not the dinosaurs like Steve Staois and Jon Sim

By: jl9830

jl9830 — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 13:19:00 +0000

De Haan is not a year away, he’s ready now. And Reinhart, Pokka, and Pelech are a little further than one year away; they’re easily 3-5 years away.

By: bcisleman

bcisleman — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 12:32:39 +0000

Hammer is already a fine young defender who will only get better as he matures. He is paired with another fine young defender, Andrew MacDonald who never really gets the credit he deserves.

Many have focused unfairly on Streit’s +/-. He came back from a year hiatus due to injury, was just named captain, had no effective #2 D, and played in front of some spotty goaltending. What also seldom gets noted is that he has the 2ns highest point per game % among Isle defenders in team history after Denis Potvin. Give him a quality #2 like Visnovsky and if Nabby stays healthy, that +/- will turn around.

The Isles have an array of talented blueliners in the system. Matt Donovan and Aaron Ness are just about ready, Calvin De Haan, Scott Mayfield, Andrey Pedan and Brenden Kichton are a year away and Griffin Reinhart, Ville Pokka and Adam Pelech are 1-3 years away. This defense will get very good in a few years.

By: RoseTintedVisor

RoseTintedVisor — Sun, 12 Aug 2012 23:08:24 +0000

My fave young D to watch. Yes, im a homer Isles fan.