New York Islanders Three Forwards That Need to Step Up

Josh Bailey

Josh Bailey has been a little more visible than Brock Nelson has in this series, just not in a good way. And that has to change, quick.

Too often Bailey hasn’t been strong enough on the puck. There were a few times in game two where Bailey wasn’t able to clear the puck from the Islanders zone either because he got stripped during a carry-out, or his clearing attempt was too weak to pass a Carolina forechecker.

That’s just not good enough.

Then there’s his work on the power play. Bailey is deployed on the right side along the half-wall. If he’s got a shot he’s to take it, otherwise, he needs to find a gap and pass it to the next open player. So far he’s doing neither.

He either isn’t getting into open positions for a shot or is reacting too late to open seams in the offensive zone and Carolina can close the door.

Offensively Bailey hasn’t been able to pick up where he left off in the Penguins series. In game one of the second round, Bailey had five shots on net, Petr Mrazek stopped all five. None more important than a big glove stop on a Bailey breakaway.

The Islanders need Bailey to step up.

Like it or not, but Josh Bailey is one of the New York Islanders better players. They need him to become one of their better players if they’re going to have a chance in this series.