New York Islanders Daily: Thompson’s Criticism Of Prospects

The head coach of the New York Islanders’ AHL affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers had some criticism for some of their prospects.

Arthur Staple described the talent in Bridgeport as raw. Apparently the head coach, Brent Thompson feels the same way about some guys on his team.

“They had good camps, but if you saw their first 10 games down here you’d know they weren’t ready,” Thompson said.

“Yeah, they put up some points, but are they showing the habits you need to succeed every day in the NHL? You can cut a corner in the American League and it may not burn you. You do that in the NHL and it burns you, it burns your team that needs to win and it hurts the organization. It’s not a rush for these kids to get them up there. It’s more important to prepare them so that when they do go, they don’t come back.”

More: Islanders Prospect Report

This seemed to be a little bit of tough love from their coach. This quote was in reference to Michael Dal Colle and Josh Ho-Sang. If they play at a high enough level in Bridgeport why not give them a chance?
That’s my feelings on the subject anyway. I understand the risk of calling a prospect up too early, but in a year like this when the Islanders are most likely not going to the playoffs why continue to play struggling veterans when you can give opportunities to younger players so they can grow.

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