PHYSICAL PLAY PICKING UP
Bridgeport Islanders Head Coach Rocky Thompson - who is running practices at Rookie Camp - has liked seeing the checking and physicality pick up over the past two days, starting with Saturday's scrimmage.
He's not looking for big open ice hits, but said it's good to get a feel for the physical play - something hard to replicate in summer training - ahead of the exhibition slate.
"When those first exhibition comes that they will have felt a few bumps and stuff in a safe environment," Thompson said.
ROMANO STANDS OUT FOR STRETCH PASSES
Luca Romano - the Isles 2025 third-round pick - stood out to Thompson for his passing ability.
The coach called Romano a "very good passer" citing his ability to connect stretch passes, which are one of the keys Thompson said will unlock his team's ability to get up the ice and play fast.
"You had to make long passes, and the ice was already roached. That's when you can really tell who a good passer is," Thompson said. "As a good passer, it doesn't matter if the ice is bad, their puck is still going to get on target. It's still going to be flat, because fundamentally, they pass the right way. And that kind of stuck out for me with an individual was [Romano]."
FIRST STAR HONORS FOR ODELIUS
After losing a small-area game at the end of Sunday's skate, the players in white jerseys took their mandatory laps while the players in blue jerseys lined up for the stretch.
However, defenseman Calle Odelius took an extra solo lap around the ice before lining up to stretch.
Why? Odelius was dubbed the "First Star" of Sunday's skate, which is an honor picked by the group - but comes with a rip around the rink. Asked why he got the honor, the Odelius figured it was because he was part of the white group that had just done laps, but the Swede took it in stride.
