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Islanders three players that need to step up, today

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 28: Anders Lee #27 of the New York Islanders leaves the ice following a 2-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Barclays Center on April 28, 2019 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 28: Anders Lee #27 of the New York Islanders leaves the ice following a 2-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2019 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Barclays Center on April 28, 2019 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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UNIONDALE, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 16: Nick Leddy #2 of the New York Islanders skates against the Philadelphia Flyers during a preseason game at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on September 16, 2018 in Uniondale, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Nick Leddy

He hasn’t been the same player for a few years now. It’s confusing to think of how quickly Nick Leddy went from being the Islanders number one blueliner to a bottom pair player.

Nick Leddy used to be the Islanders most dependable blueliner along with Johnny Boychuk. Not only was he an OK defender but he was a good to even a great offensive defenseman.

But Since December 2017 that hasn’t been the case for Nick Leddy. It seemed that almost instantaneously, Nick Leddy was neither OK in his own end nor was he great offensively. For some reason, it all just kind of went away.

There was no injury. And the drop off wasn’t gradual. It just happened all of a sudden.

The Islanders need the old Nick Leddy back.

They need Leddy to play decent minutes on the back end, be accountable and responsible in his own end, and sprinkle in some production. They need the guy that could carry the puck out from the defensive zone and into attacking situations. They need the defenseman that, along with Johnny Boychuk, turned the Islanders into a playoff team.

If the Islanders are going to be competitive down the stretch they need Nick Leddy to be at his 2016-17 best. A year where he scored eleven goals and 46 points. A year where he scored 14 points on the power play.

Over his last 20 games, Nick Leddy has a total of three points. Just three. Through 51 games this season he has four points on the power play. We’re also seeing a Nick Leddy who’s progressively lost in his own end of the ice for uncomfortable portions of games.

That’s got to change, and quick.

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