Top Shelf : Islanders Daily : 9/16/13

Credit to : Andy Graziano

New York Islanders fans should know better by now….With training camp in full swing, do not read too much into line combinations and defensive pairings. Head coach Jack Capuano is, as expected, experimenting with a number of different things as he gets a good long look comparative to last season in order to prepare his troops for a full-scale 82 game battle.

Already announcing that the forwards will not ‘change much’ and spots that are to be really won are on defense is all you should be focusing on until approximately a week before camp ends, in which everything will be made much more clear.

For now, it’s all about hockey with the preseason officially beginning on Saturday evening and the Isles preparing to play their first tomorrow night in a split squad in Calgary.

On a deserving day off yesterday, the team was able to get out and about, enjoying the beautiful fall like weather with their families or simply maybe just relaxing at home and taking in some NHL14 or NFL action on the television.

Today, camp shifts back to Nassau Coliseum with groups A and B taking back to the ice followed by another session Friday before the official unveil of Barclays Center with an exhibition tilt on Saturday against the New Jersey Devils.

Other news and notes from around the league yesterday:

• Even though the Devils insist he continues to improve, Jaromir Jagr is still not skating in camp.
• Still in New Jersey, Cory Schneider will start the first preseason game for the Devils.
• Rangers defenseman Marc Staal hopes to play at least 4 preseason games for the Blueshirts as he comes back from a serious eye injury.
• Boston is trying a new wrinkle in camp on the power play, using Zdeno Chara in front of the goal

The Vancouver Canucks continue to face the wrath of the media and fans alike for their continued playoff disappointments. On Friday night, Ryan Kesler shot back in an expletive laced tirade that shows the players are none too happy with the increased scrutiny…

"To be honest, I don’t listen to that s***,” Kesler said. “That’s what it is. It’s s***. We believe in ourselves in the dressing room. All those negative comments we’re not even going to. … To be honest, I shouldn’t have even answered that question. It’s s***."

Goes to prove as we enter our first season as credentialed members of the Islanders media that you most certainly can ask the WRONG question and be potentially faced with that player not willing to talk to you the rest of the entire season. Good lesson to learn and we thank that Canucks reporter for teaching us before we possibly fell victim to the same unfortunate fate. ?

-Andy (@tazman19)

In Case You Missed It

• Nabokov eager to get season started (NBC)
• Dom goes into more detail on the line shifts in Isles Camp (LHH)
• Is Corey Crawford an elite goalie? (Bleacher Report)
• Do the Blues have enough talent to win the Stanley cup? (Bleedin Blue)
• Boston is the first team to make cuts this preseason (Causeway Crowd)

Two Minutes For Tweeting

• I agree Steve. Once Bouchard gets acclimated to the Island and his new linemates, you could see that line soar.

• Um…..no – and that’s all I’m going to say about that (in my best Forrest Gump voice)

• Typically, I would recommend more cowbell, but in this case, I think you just need a dose of Isles hockey for real.

• All Islanders fans might want to grow it out a little bit now so you can refine your style over the course of the regular season because I have a feeling this team is heading back to the playoffs.