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New York Islanders All Long Island Starting Line Up

UNIONDALE, NY - MAY 05: A general view prior to the removal of the rink from the Nassau Coliseum on May 5, 2015 in Uniondale, New York. The New York Islanders have played their last game at the Nassau Coliseum and will begin to play at the Barclay's Center in the Brooklyn borough of New York City next season. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
UNIONDALE, NY - MAY 05: A general view prior to the removal of the rink from the Nassau Coliseum on May 5, 2015 in Uniondale, New York. The New York Islanders have played their last game at the Nassau Coliseum and will begin to play at the Barclay's Center in the Brooklyn borough of New York City next season. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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BUFFALO, NY – JUNE 24: Charlie McAvoy celebrates with the Boston Bruins after being selected 14th overall during round one of the 2016 NHL Draft on June 24, 2016 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
BUFFALO, NY – JUNE 24: Charlie McAvoy celebrates with the Boston Bruins after being selected 14th overall during round one of the 2016 NHL Draft on June 24, 2016 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Defensemen

Charlie McAvoy, Long beach
Anthony Bitetto, Island Park

The Long Island first pairing defenseman starts with the prize of the Boston Bruins system and Zdeno Chara heir apparent, Carlie MacAvoy. The Long Beach native has made quite a name for himself this year.

He put up 26 points in 35 games for Boston University, added another two in four games for the Bruins AHL affiliate, before making his NHL debut in the playoffs. He’d add another three points in six games as the Bruins fell to the Ottawa Senators in the first round.

Talk about a career arch. Starting the year in the USHL and ending it in the NHL playoffs. Boston sees big things for the 6’0″ 19-year-old. When he was still on the board at 14 in the 2016 Draft I’d hoped that Garth would either try to move up or that he’d fall to 19.

No such luck. That story would have been too good I guess. A Long Island native actually playing for the Isles. Amazing.

Bietto now has three years of NHL experience under his belt playing for the NHL’s premier defenseman factory farm; the Nashville Predators. In 29 games this season he put up seven points. Not great production.

But when you team him up with a player like Charlier McAvoy, who cares. Bitetto is the safety net so that an offensively gifted player like McAvoy can maraud forward rather than stay back and protect the net redundantly.

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