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Good Morning, Islanders Country.
The NHL Hockey Operations Department (sounds official!) will unveil 32 All-Stars during ESPN’s broadcast of the Washington Capitals and Columbus Blue Jackets game later tonight. One representative from each team will be selected, including four goalies (one from each division).
So who was selected from the Islanders? There’s a strong case for three players, Mathew Barzal, Brock Nelson, and Ilya Sorokin - perhaps an outside case for Noah Dobson as well.
Barzal has the name recognition and look. He was also the 2020 fastest skater and, as we’ll detail later, is in one the best scoring stretches of his career. After leading the team in scoring last season, Nelson is just five assists away from matching his career high and has been on a point-per-game pace all year. He was the team points leader until Barzal’s three-point performance on Tuesday.
Then there’s Sorokin, whose 14-12-1 record misrepresents his outstanding play this season. His 2.26 GAA and .926 SV% are both the best in the Metropolitan Division, which is why he is who we expect him to be going to the All-Star Weekend in Sunrise, Florida, on Feb. 3rd and 4th.
For whoever doesn’t get picked tonight, the NHL will open voting for fans to select 12 players (two skaters and one goalie from each division) to complete the 44-man roster for the All-Star Skills and All-Star Game. For the first time, #IslesTwitter can give their guys a boost. Every time a person tweets a player's name or handle with the #NHLAllStarVote, that data will also count.
Just as we know an Islander will be going to the game, we know another one will need the fans’ help to get to the All-Star game; the question is, which one(s)?
Coming up, the Isles aim to slow down Draisaitl and McDavid for a second time this season, and Barzal’s game has been off the charts as of late. Plus, hoping to get off the playoff bubble; time hasn’t been on Aatu Räty’s side, and why the Islanders logo is perfectly imperfect.
Let’s dive in.
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