Islanders Michael Dal Colle Needs To Sit For Kieffer Bellows

The New York Islanders desperately need offensive help. The easiest thing they can do right now is call up Kieffer Bellows.

The Islanders have a major problem when it comes to scoring. It was put on full display last night when they were shutout on 33 shots by a backup goalie in Toronto. While a trade seems obvious, the Isles can make one switch right now for free.

Call up Kieffer Bellows. With the roster stuck at 22 guys, they have space for one more player. You don’t have to waive anyone, you can call up Bellows for nothing at all.

Bellows has been on an absolute heater down in the AHL. In the Sound Tigers last 16 games he has 12 goals, putting those who called him the “b word” to shame after his slow start. Calling Bellows up makes it pretty obvious for who needs to sit and that’s Michael Dal Colle.

The Islanders have gotten nothing out of him this year. In 29 games, he has just four points (2 goals, 2 assists) and in 61 career games, he has just 11 points (5 goals, 6 assists) a pace of 15 points over a full NHL season.

He doesn’t kill penalties, he doesn’t play on the power play, he doesn’t give you anything 5v5, he is essentially just existing out there on the ice as a body because you have to play three forwards on the ice and two defensemen per shift.

The Isles have been patient with him, he’s a fifth overall pick from 2014, but it’s time to cut the cord. He can’t be playing on your third line if you’re trying to compete and make a run in the playoffs.

According to Natural Stat Trick, Dal Colle has a SF% of 44.7 and a GF% of 45. He’s not giving you enough offensively to justify him being in the lineup.

Ideally, the Isles would call up Bellows and put him on that third line making the lineup look like:

Beauvillier – Barzal – Eberle

Lee – Nelson – Bailey

Bellows – Brassard – Kuhnhackl

Martin – Cizikas – Komarov

It’s not the perfect lineup, but it should give you a higher yield offensively than what the Isles are currently getting out of that third line. Yes, the top six is bad right now, but there’s no inhouse move that is going to drastically change that unit. You have to hope that they begin scoring while adding some scoring help to your virtually nonexistent third line.

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Ideally, you make a trade after this too bolstering up that forward group but for now, there’s no reason for Bellows not being in the lineup on Monday night.