Bridgeport Islanders Discussion 2023-24: Youngblood
- Thread starter PK Cronin
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JRD76
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- Aug 11, 2013
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Look out folks, Eetu Liukas is heating up. 4 points in last 2 games 
- May 17, 2011
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the timing would have been perfect for Roy to take in a game with Lou and Desrosiers
find a condo to rent mid-week so he's not living out of a hotel then spend a day in B'port
Glorydays22
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- Nov 21, 2011
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I like this guy. I'm really pulling for him. Yes I know he'll probably only be a 4th liner, but we need to replace Clutter and MartinLook out folks, Eetu Liukas is heating up. 4 points in last 2 games
The Real JT
Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss. :(
Look out folks, Eetu Liukas is heating up. 4 points in last 2 games
I’m watching the stat line like most here and sure it would be great if he ended up as a fourth liner.
Now the reality check: He had 2 productive games to increase his point total to 7 in 31 games at Bridgeport this season.
Meanwhile the 3 veterans on the “Identity line” were all playing in the NHL at the same age that Liukas is now at (21). Sure he needs some time to adjust to the North American rinks and style of play but he’s barely a B- prospect at this point.
In midseason, he got called up to Färjestad for 3 games, where he'll be playing full-time as of next season, at least according to his current contract situation.
In the 13 games since coming back, he's got 4-4-8. One of those goals was the shootout winner in OT, which as opposed to the NHL, counts as the game-winning goal and thus, is added to the player's statistics (never understood why the NHL doesn't just view such a game-wining goal like a penalty shot and add it to the player's totals).
Before that, he had 14-7-21 in 26 games, indicating a slighlty better pace.
Still, his 18 goals are good for 4th in the league and make him the top goalscorer among all Swedish players. So, there's that.
The top goalscorer is a Canadian with 25 goals, also in 39 games.
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Glorydays22
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- Nov 21, 2011
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I totally agree with everything you said here. It's his first year in the states. But I'm hopeful. I watched a bunch of his highlights last year. He has the mind , body and motor for a nice 4th liner who will bring grind and toughness.
When I think about Bridgeport and how the team has been run in the Lamoriello era, I don't look into the stats and even ice time all that much when it comes to our young guys being added to the flow and brought in somwhat slowly.
Every season, there are gobs and gobs of fowards hanging around down there and half of them, often our own young prospects, aren't really getting a regular shift per se. Not at the beginning. It can be frustrating for some fans, and perhaps misinterpreted by others.
I used to see this back in the day with the Albany River Rats when they were the affiliate of the Devils in the mid-90s. There were guys there who I'd watch and I'd think, "Hmmm, this kid looks like he can play, but he's not getting the time of ice time or even regular role the eye test would indicate he should be getting."
I was just a college kid, so my "eye test" can be taken with a grain of salt.
Some examples back then were Dmen Cale Hulse and Jaroslav Modry, bruiser Kryzstof Oliwa, and then a kid named Sheldon Souray. Another one was Sergei Brylin, but that was only at the beginning of his first season in North America. I thought he looked amazing from day 1, but they really took things slow with him from SEP to DEC of that rookie season.
Ultimately, in hindsight, it seems to always have proven to have been the right paths for these guys.
Thus, I'm not really all that worried about the relatively slow "progress" we're seeing from Liukas and even Maggio.
PK Cronin
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- Feb 11, 2013
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Potvottier
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- Jan 3, 2024
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Nice. I think we'll see him come up for one or two game look, at some point this season. Give him a taste.
mm11
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BelovedIsles
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- Oct 22, 2005
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He sells his SO/breakaway goals with the head fake.
Hoping he gets a chance at some point, if not this year next. Doubtful they would insert him during a playoff run though.
Looks like Iskhakov sold himself well at what looks to have been a very fun event:
theahl.com
Had a couple of points/goals here.
2024 AHL All-Star Challenge
theahl.com
Had a couple of points/goals here.
Wouldn't mind a PP2/SO specialist. But the only way to do that is to give up on rolling 4 lines. You can have one of Cizikas or Pageau center the third line, and sprinkle the other throughout the lineup. That might help with the one winger short problem. Only problem is that the Islanders are at least 2 wingers short.
The Real JT
Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss. :(
Just saw this clip from Friday night’s Baby Isles game. Sweet move by Maggio.
Little Isles win 2-1 in OT.
Maggio with both goals tonight, the first one coming late in the third.
Maggio with both goals tonight, the first one coming late in the third.
I went there yesterday. Skarek allowed a hellacious OT goal after the team fought back to tie at 1, then dominate most of the 3 on 3 OT.
BelovedIsles
Registered User
- Oct 22, 2005
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Pretty goal. Skating didn’t look to be a weakness in that clip.
Have I noticed correctly in recent weeks that Tikanen has been looking pretty good and the team seems to play better in front of him?
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I thought the opposite, the team lately has played more low event games and Tikkanen is making the saves that Skarek and Appleby don't.
I don't get why Bridgeport is rotating 3 healthy goalies. They should be focusing on getting Tikkanen as many starts as possible,
doublechili
For all intensive purposes, your nuts
- Apr 11, 2006
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