Robin Salo's strong run to end AHL regular-season reason for Islanders call up

There's a big lull in the schedule for the New York Islanders AHL affiliate the Bridgeport Islanders. After clinching a playoff spot on the before-last day of their regular season, they'll have to wait a while before they're back in action.

Robin Salo won't have to wait that long before he's back on the ice playing. On Tuesday the Islanders called up Salo to fill a temporary gap in the lineup with Zdeno Chara out of the lineup.

New York Islanders call up Robin Salo

The year has gone well enough for Salo at the AHL level. In 40 games during the 2021-22 season with the Bridgeport Islanders, Salo has four goals and 20 points. Four of those have come in the last five games.

That scoring streak and more consistent impact at the AHL level are why the New York Islanders called him up to the NHL. As Barry Trotz has indicated in the past, the NHL Islanders will check in with the Bridgeport staff for their opinions on who to call up; Who's playing well enough to get a chance in the NHL? Thanks to that more consistent effort from Salo he's that man this time.

That recent scoring form is a much-needed consistent effort for Salo. Because before those four points in five games, Salo went scoreless in twelve of fourteen games. (He had four points in those two games, including a three-point game.)

Salo was struggling for form for a good stretch of the season. That struggle meant he was overlooked when the team needed defensemen to step into the NHL lineup on an injury basis.

That isn't the case now. With Zdeno Chara sitting out the team's final away game, Salo was brought in to see what he can do and more specifically what he's learned over the last few weeks playing under Brent Thompson.