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Mathew Barzal, Anthony Beauvillier Make New York Islanders Season-Opening Roster

Pulock, Pelech sent to Bridgeport as the Islanders inch toward the salary cap

By Dominik
New York Rangers v New York Islanders
Beauvillier: Going to the dirty areas
Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images

After impressive training camps that virtually forced the team’s hand, 19-year-old 2015 first-round draft picks Mathew Barzal and Anthony Beauvillier have made the New York Islanders’ season-opening roster for 2016-17.

That doesn’t mean they’ll stay there all season — each can be returned to their junior teams (WHL Seattle Thunderbirds for Barzal, QMJHL Shawinigan Cataractes for Beauvillier) before their 10th NHL game without triggering the first year of their NHL contract — but it does signal how impressed the Isles have been with them and what it means for the future.

Once P.A. Parenteau hit waivers, the other dominos appeared to be set. But it’s not just Barzal and Beauvillier’s performance (nor Parenteau’s, which shifts across the water now that he was claimed by the New Jersey Devils) at work here. Joshua Ho-Sang’s oustanding camp gives confidence that, even if Barzal or Beauvillier are later returned to their junior team, the Isles have Ho-Sang waiting in the wings with AHL Bridgeport.

The other dominoes to make room for today’s 23-man roster declaration included 40-year-old Eric Boulton beginning his annual dance on Injured Reserve (where he joins Mikhail Grabovski, whose career after successive concussions is in jeopardy), and the assignment of Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock to the Sound Tigers.

That means the Islanders open the season with 14 forwards, six defensemen and three goalies. Speaking of which, Newsday’s Mark Herrmann reported that Jaroslav Halak is a question mark for opening night — not because of injury, but rather illness. Hope he got his flu shot.

Here is the roster, which GeneralFanager says leaves the Isles with $1.388 million in room under the salary cap to start the season (though there is the chance to carve out more if Grabovski ends up on long-term IR):

Forwards:

  • Josh Bailey
  • Mathew Barzal
  • Anthony Beauvillier
  • Jason Chimera
  • Casey Cizikas
  • Cal Clutterbuck
  • Nikolay Kulemin
  • Andrew Ladd
  • Anders Lee
  • Brock Nelson
  • Shane Prince
  • Alan Quine
  • Ryan Strome
  • John Tavares

Defensemen:

  • Johnny Boychuk
  • Calvin de Haan
  • Travis Hamonic
  • Thomas Hickey
  • Nick Leddy
  • Dennis Seidenberg

Goaltenders:

  • JF Berube
  • Thomas Greiss

Jaroslav Halak