New York Islanders: Calvin de Haan Discusses Arena and Injuries

As Calvin de Haan is ready to hit free agency on July 1, he had some quotes on the arena situation and also being hurt last year and having to watch the New York Islanders struggle.

Going into 2017-2018, Calvin de Haan bet on himself, taking a one-year contract instead of a long-term deal. The gamble didn’t pay off when he got injured after 33 games and was unable to play for the rest of the year.

In those 33 games, he had 12 points (one goal, 11 assists) which put him on pace for a 30 point season, a career high out of him. It’s probably not a coincidence that once de Haan went down the Islanders season spiraled out of control.

Now, de Haan is just three days away from free agency and it seems like he can have upwards of ten teams interested. Since he’s one of the more coveted defensemen free agents, he was able to speak with Elliotte Friedman.

First, they spoke about the arena. It’s a narrative that the national media loves to push. This is what de Haan had to say on their home ice situation:

“It’s all I’ve ever known. I know people talk about the arena situation. It is what it is. The ice surface is 200 feet regardless.”

The media tends to make it seem like the players hate playing at the Barclays Center because of the ice, or splitting time next year. With de Haan’s quotes, he doesn’t sound like he loves it, but he also doesn’t sound like it’s the biggest thing in the world to him.

No matter where he plays the rink will be 200 feet long. It’s like the scene in Hosiers when they measure the court, it’s all the same no matter where you play.

Then, de Haan speaks on last season and his injuries. It sounded like he struggled to be on the sideline and unable to help.

“The worst part about being injured was watching my teammates, my buddies, not succeed. When you score as many goals as we do, you should make the playoffs. You want to be out there.”

Preach it, Calvin! It’s what we were saying all last year, and the fact that Garth Snow never improved the defense was a joke. They had historic levels of offense and did nothing about it.

It has to be tough to see the team struggle from afar, and part of the reason they’re so bad is because of the hole that was left due to the injury you suffered.

Next: Understanding Offer Sheets

Maybe with the new regime, de Haan is brought back. It didn’t seem so likely just a few months ago but now with how the draft broke, and the new regime I wouldn’t rule out the Islanders here.