New York Islanders Dennis Seidenberg Not NHL Caliber

It’s clear that Dennis Seidenberg can no longer keep up in the NHL. After two years with the New York Islanders, it seems that his time in the NHL might just be done.

The New York Islanders brought in the German defender after impressing at the World Cup with Team Europe in 2016. He was an initial success for the Isles, putting up a bunch of points in the first half of the season. Until the grind of an 82 game schedule caught up to the then 35-year-old.

The very next season, Seidenberg disappointed in the 2017-18 season with five points in only 28 games played, things haven’t gotten better for Seidenberg.

Now, 37-years-old, he’s with the Isles on a professional tryout rather than a standard player contract. He’s here competing for a spot with the Islanders. And judging by what was on display the other night in Philadelphia, he doesn’t deserve a spot.

Just a Step…or Two Behind

So far during training camp, Dennis Seidenberg has been routinely beaten to pucks, players were easily going around him as they entered the zone, and he was just last to every foot race.

His 15 year NHL career gives him all the experience in the world, but his situational and positional awarness just aren’t where they need to be in a fast game that’s just getting faster.

You have to think that Seidenberg is going to be one of the first few cuts made by the New York Islanders as they trim their roster down to 23 players. As it should be.

Again, there are two trends in the NHL these days, youth and speed. Dennis Seidenberg is neither of those two things. The seventh spot on the Islanders roster should not go to an aging veteran with a ring. The Islanders already have one in Johnny Boychuk. And Boychuk can still contribute.

That seventh spot needs to go to a player who can not only play in today’s NHL, but can challenge the established defensemen on the New York Islanders roster. Think Devon Toews.

Toews has played the last two season in the AHL and has been dominant the entire time. In 106 games he’s scored 67 points, made an All-Star team and won the league’s fastest skater.

Toews has great hockey IQ, is clearly quick on his feet, can headman a play up the ice, and can QB a power play. He deserves to make the roster in 2018-19 over Dennis Seidenberg.

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Dennis Seidenberg has accomplished a ton in his career. He’s played in 859 NHL games and scored 251 points. But above all he got to hoist the Stanley Cup with the Bruins in 2011. Something very few NHL’ers get to do in their careers. He can hold his head up high.