Samuel Bolduc needs to step his game up if he hopes to remain with the NY Islanders this season

MINUS

While Bolduc has the size and strength to become an everyday defenseman in the NHL, he hasn't yet learned to utilize that part of his game. He's been soft in corners and soft on the puck to this point in his career - something Noah Dobson has only recently become better at. When matched against the opposition's top line, especially on the road when the home team has the second change, teams can exploit Bolduc's unwillingness to engage physically.

From any interviews or even at the Islanders night with the fans, when the players spoke to season ticket holders at UBS Arena, it's apparent that Bolduc is a kind, soft-spoken person, who hasn't yet learned to flip that switch on the ice.

He's shown very few glimmers that he can be trusted to play every night, and as the seventh defenseman, he is the Islanders' best option at this point if and when injuries occur. It's tough to say the organization would be comfortable sending him out there every night if they hope to contend in the Metro Division.