Former Islanders Thomas Greiss uses a familiar move in shootout

One of the last big memories of Thomas Greiss in a New York Islanders jersey is that big poke check on Sidney Crosby on a breakaway in overtime. On that play, Greiss pulled out that spectacular move to mistify just about everyone watching on and off the ice.

In case you either (a) forget it or (b) want to see it again here is that poke check in all of its glory including the call by Islanders play-by-play man Brendan Burke:

Chills. I can't believe that save was some four years ago now. Seems like it was just yesterday where Greisser stole a goal off the stick of one of the game's best players with that...unorthodox stop.

With that stop, Thomas Greiss sent notice to the rest of the NHL that he had that move in his bag of tricks. The key to any move like this is to not use it frequently. Well after waiting some four years, Greiss has used it again.

The shrug and the fact that it happens against the New York Rangers is just....*Chefs kiss*.

Since leaving the Islanders and joining the Detroit Red Wings, Greiss holds a 0.908SV% and 2.87GAA with a 16-22-9 record. Those numbers aren't great. But Greiss wasn't brought in to push the Red Wings into a playoff spot or even push for a championship.

He was brought in to bring some veteran leadership for the team and for the goalies of the future within the organization. Alex Nedeljkovic, who was brought in last year is that goalie of the future benefiting from Greiss's experience.

In his five years with the Islanders, Greiss held a 101-60-17 record while averaging a 0.915SV% and 2.70GAA as well as a Jennings trophy in 2018-19. Not stellar numbers in general, but that overlooks how important Greiss was or the important role he served in those five years. Seeing him pulling out these wicked moves four years later brings me back to when he was at the top of his game.