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New York Islanders 3 Veteran Defender to Bring In On Tryouts

WINNIPEG, MB - JANUARY 18: Toby Enstrom #39 of the Winnipeg Jets battles with Matt Duchene #9 of the Colorado Avalanche in front of Winnipeg goaltender Connor Hellebuyck #30 in first period action in an NHL game at the MTS Centre on January 18, 2016 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Marianne Helm/Getty Images)
WINNIPEG, MB - JANUARY 18: Toby Enstrom #39 of the Winnipeg Jets battles with Matt Duchene #9 of the Colorado Avalanche in front of Winnipeg goaltender Connor Hellebuyck #30 in first period action in an NHL game at the MTS Centre on January 18, 2016 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by Marianne Helm/Getty Images) /
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MONTREAL, QC – FEBRUARY 10: Alexei Emelin #25 of the Nashville Predators challenges Brendan Gallagher #11 of the Montreal Canadiens during the NHL game at the Bell Centre on February 10, 2018 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC – FEBRUARY 10: Alexei Emelin #25 of the Nashville Predators challenges Brendan Gallagher #11 of the Montreal Canadiens during the NHL game at the Bell Centre on February 10, 2018 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /

Alexei Emelin

Former Team: Nashville Predators | $4.1 million contract
Age: 31-years-old

I like what Alexei Emelin brings to a hockey team. He doesn’t put up a ton of points, his 17 point career high should prove that statement. But what the 31-year-old Russian brings is a hard-hitting and tough style perfect for this season’s New York Islanders.

There isn’t a better hip-check in the league than Alexei Emelin.

The Islanders want to be hard to play against in 2018-19? How about having Alexei Emelin patrolling the blueline?

He’s not a sexy name that will push the needle forward necessarily for the Islanders. Devon Toews would be that name. But in terms of adding a hard-to-play-against player and someone to play 40+ games and average 16-17 minutes a night, Alexei Emelin is a good option for the Islanders.

At 31 Emelin isn’t done just yet. He’s still has a place in the NHL. He may not have fit with what the Nashville Predators and Peter Laviolette were going for last season. So he became excess baggage to an already stacked D-core and currently sits without an NHL contract.

But for a New York Islanders team that may need some hard-hitting and hard-working blueliners, Alexei Emelin might just fit with what they’re going for in the 2018-19 season.

At the very least Emelin is worth a tryout. Come September if no other NHL team has yet to bring him in Lou Lamoriello and the Islanders should offer him a tryout deal to see what he has.

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