Adam Pelech, Scott Mayfield and Mike Halmo were back in today Tuesday after playing in the Islanders’ exhibition game Monday. They all slotted into what we called Monday’s Group 1, which Tuesday skated second. Got that? Good, that makes one of us. Pelech and Mayfield skated as a pair, as usual. Halmo joined the line with the Jones brothers and Tyler Barnes as a fourth. Kyle Burroughs had the red no-contact jersey off and skated in blue as a defenseman in Group 2. Tryout forward Andrew Johnston joined them, a fourth with Schiavo-Josh Holmstrom-Sylvestre. Chris Gibson was the goalie who took both shifts today.
Very little of all that will matter past Thursday’s preseason game at Wonderland (we said in print, but haven’t said here: $10; Cromwell on Sunday is reportedly $5 if you’re trekking), but there’s your personnel update for the moment.
Brent Thompson said he has been happy with the level in the first couple of days up here. It’s a deep camp in a lot of ways, and as he said yesterday, there could be some tough decisions at the edges. But at the same time, things can change daily: Thomas Hickey left last night’s game early, and the Islanders said today that he’s expected to miss four weeks with an upper-body injury. That may open a door for Ryan Pulock in the top seven. The team also said likely Sound Tigers forward Louis Leblanc will miss a week or two injured, as will Steve Bernier.
Meanwhile, the last veteran Bridgeport free agents from last year have new homes: Colton Gillies is off to Slovakia (hat tip: Elite Prospects), while Carson McMillan signed with Idaho. (Tanner Eberle is in camp with Iowa.)