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New York Islanders Halak Looking Good

Mar 3, 2016; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; New York Islanders goalie Jaroslav Halak (41) stretches prior to the game against the Winnipeg Jets at MTS Centre. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Fedyck-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 3, 2016; Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN; New York Islanders goalie Jaroslav Halak (41) stretches prior to the game against the Winnipeg Jets at MTS Centre. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Fedyck-USA TODAY Sports /
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New York Islanders goaltender Jaroslav Halak’s offseason started poorly. He finished the regular season early due to injury, and reports emerged during the offseason that Halak suffered a second injury. But it now looks like Halak’s injury woes may be over.

New York Islanders Jaroslav Halak had a disappointing end to the 2015-16 season, to say the least with a season-ending groin injury in a game against the Penguins at the beginning of March.

Before the injury, Halak was playing some very solid goaltending helping the Isles make a run for the playoffs with an 18-13-4 record and a 2.30 GAA with a .919 SV%.

Going down with a groin injury at the start of March and then needing surgery for a reported sports hernia in the off-season, the outlook wasn’t great for the Slovakian netminder looking forward to the new season and the World Cups before that.

Now, video from a goaltending clinic shows Halak teaching kids how to move laterally. Take the heartwarming factor out of it, it’s great to see the present teaching the future. But the importance is seeing Halak just moving about in full equipment.

Halak Getting Ready for Worlds

When the report came out that Halak might face increased injury time the original prognoses was a 6-8 week recovery time. From when the initial reports came out in May the timeline put Halak at full strength sometime around mid-July.

Halak has his eyes set on starting in net for Team Europe at the World Cup of Hockey this September and has for some time now. He’ll go up against teammate Thomas Greiss for the honors.

Being at full strength the nod should fall to Halak over Greiss.

But moving side-to-side at a kids camp doesn’t necessarily mean that Halak is match fit. This was just Halak showing the kids how to make some lateral moves. He wasn’t tracking pucks or going up and down into the butterfly.

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His groin seems well enough to at least put on full gear and to actually move laterally. Much still remains to be seen about match game fitness. But at the very least Halak seems in line to start in net for Team Europe and hopefully for the Isles a month later.

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