New York Islanders: Lack of Center Depth Is Showing

With Valtteri Filppula’s injury, the New York Islanders are in a pinch in terms of center depth. Tanner Fritz got the call-up.

The New York Islanders lost one of their more important pieces to an injury. Valtteri Filppula is the Islanders third line center and he will now be out for at least a month with his most recent injury putting the Isles in a rough spot.

If you told me at the start of the year that Filppula would have that much of an impact on the Islanders I wouldn’t have believed you. But the Islanders don’t have center depth and now it will be exposed.

Tanner Fritz got the call-up to replace Filppula. Fritz has only played 38 games over his career and he has eight points (3 goals, 5 assists). Tanner isn’t really a third line center, and neither is Tom Kuhnhackl who played the role in practice yesterday.

The only other appealing option would be Otto Koivula. The 20-year-old prospect who has 41 points in 60 games in the AHL. The problem is many believe that he isn’t ready for the NHL just yet.

The Islanders didn’t have much depth at that position, to begin with, but now with the loss of Filppula, the Isles are forced to play the likes of Tanner Friz, Stephen Gionta, and Tom Kuhnhackl in a bigger role.

Look for Lou Lamoriello to address this need in the offseason. For now, the Isles have to pray one of those three guys are able to punch above their weight.

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