The New York Islanders and the Vancouver Canucks share numerous similarities. The entrance places of work hold issues in-house, the pinnacle coaches get probably the most out of their rosters with Rick Tocchet successful the Jack Adams Award final season, Patrick Roy being a robust candidate if the Islanders overachieve, and Bo Horvat performed for each groups.
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The massive factor in frequent is the blue line. The Canucks and the Islanders have nice defensemen main their groups and making them aggressive. The Canucks, nonetheless, have a duo in Quinn Hughes and Filip Hronek that the Islanders wish to have in Noah Dobson and Alexander Romanov.
Hughes Matured Into an Elite Defenseman
When Hughes grew to become an everyday within the 2019-20 season, he was 20 years outdated and an important passer however not an important defenseman. He may discover open skaters and transfer the puck into the offensive zone, one thing mirrored in his 143 assists in his first three seasons (in comparison with solely 19 objectives). Likewise, his velocity made him a promising skater within the Canucks lineup, one which they might mildew into an important defenseman. The issue was he struggled on the defensive finish of the ice and opponents didn’t worry his shot within the offensive zone.
Hughes began to enhance defensively throughout the 2021-22 season with 5.0 defensive level shares and he rounded out his sport within the 2023-24 season. He received the Norris Trophy final season not simply because he may take the offense to the following stage with 17 objectives and 75 assists but in addition as a result of he may defend, with 6.5 defensive level shares and 55 blocked pictures. At 25, he’s in his prime and exhibiting no indicators of slowing down because the workforce’s greatest participant, main the Canucks in factors together with defensive play.
Dobson’s profession has had an analogous trajectory. He’s confirmed he can create offense, with 40 objectives and 157 assists in his profession however his play defensively is inconsistent. That is the season the place he can show he’s an elite defenseman and in the identical tier as Hughes. Up to now, the season has been a disappointment however he has 66 video games to show issues round and assist the Islanders skyrocket within the standings.
Hronek & Romanov Stability Out The Prime Pair
When the Canucks acquired Hronek on the 2023 Commerce Deadline, they gave up a first-round draft choice to take action (curiously, it was the first-rounder they acquired within the Horvat commerce). The transfer appeared loopy on the time since Hronek was good however not price that worth. Trying again, that deal was a cut price. He’s been the perfect defenseman for the Canucks, balancing out the highest pair along with his nice play defensively.
Romanov has accomplished the identical for the Islanders. Like Hronek, he additionally price the workforce a first-round choice and equally, has confirmed to be a worthwhile addition regardless of the worth tag. Romanov is the stay-at-home defenseman who permits Dobson to play extra aggressively and offensive-minded. He’s day-to-day with an damage (and has been for a couple of weeks) however when he returns, he’ll be the highest defenseman on the Islanders.
Each nice protection wants a stay-at-home defenseman who compensates for the scoring defenseman. The Edmonton Oilers and the Florida Panthers had been Stanley Cup finalists that includes nice scoring defensemen (Evan Bouchard and Brandon Montour) however additionally they featured exceptional stay-at-home defensemen (Mattias Ekholm and Gustav Forsling). Each the Canucks and the Islanders have these defensemen on their high pairings and it goes a great distance.
The Ripple Impact of a Nice Prime Pair
The Canucks had been top-of-the-line groups within the Western Convention final season, ending with the highest report within the Pacific Division. Lots went proper with the ahead unit discovering nice chemistry within the high six and the depth coming into kind as properly however numerous the success might be credited to the highest pair.
When a workforce has an important defensive pairing they’ll lean on, and permit it to tackle extra ice time, it makes the remainder of the defensive unit higher. Instantly, the depth skaters aren’t requested to hold the burden and as a substitute, they’ll step up in a lesser function. On high of that, it helps out the offense, particularly if one of many defensemen could make an impression on the level.
The Canucks have a pair that may try this with Hughes and Hronek making an impression in all sides of the sport. The Islanders hope that sometime their duo can do the identical. For now, they’re a middling workforce within the Japanese Convention however when Dobson and Romanov are enjoying at a excessive stage, they may turn into top-of-the-line groups within the convention.
