Islanders Training Camp Notebook

New York Islanders training camp is well underway. Follow our website and our social media for the most up-to-date information, videos and pictures from camp.
Here are some news, notes and quotes from Islanders training camp:

Day 15: Tavares Centers Ladd, Parenteau on top line

Day 12: Tavares Returns, Clutterbuck In Vs. Rangers

After winning the World Cup of Hockey on Thursday, New York Islanders captain John Tavares was back on the ice on Tuesday skating with the team.
"It's fun to be back and be in the lockerroom," Tavares said. "I felt like I was missing out a little bit, so great to be back and having some fun."
Tavares wore an orange jersey with no nameplate on Tuesday, skating as an extra on a line with Ross Johnston, Steve Bernier and Colin Markison. Tavares skated against Andrew Ladd during a few battle drills at the end of practice, the first glimpse of the captain skating with the free-agent acquisition.

Cal Clutterbuck is set to make his preseason debut on Tuesday night against the Rangers. Clutterbuck had been nursing a lower-body issue during the first week of camp, which kept him out of the Islanders first five games.
"I feel good," Clutterbuck said. "It'll be nice to get out there and get the first one out of the way. There are always some nerves that go with getting the first one out of the way, but once the puck drops and the game gets going, you fall back into your old ways and it becomes second nature."
"It's been a long-time coming with guys playing three or four games now, so I'm excited to get out there."

Day 10: McAdam Loaned, Two Released

Eamon McAdam was loaned to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Patrick Cullity and Connor Jones were released from their NHL PTOs. The rest of the Islanders were given the day off.

Day 9: Greiss Returns, Kearns and Holmstrom Clear

Bracken Kearns and Ben Holmstrom cleared waivers and were assigned to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Thomas Greiss returned from the World Cup of Hockey to skate on Saturday morning.

Day 8: Prince DTD, Transactions Abound

The New York Islanders sent six players home from training camp on Friday. Bracken Kearns and Ben Holmstrom were placed on waivers; Loic Leduc, Carter Verhaeghe and Kyle Schempp were all transferred to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL) and Josh Winquist was released from his professional tryout (PTO).
As for the Islanders, Shane Prince did not skate Friday and is considered day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Day 7: Kulemin Returns

After playing for Russia at the World Cup of Hockey, Nikolay Kulemin was back skating on Long Island Thursday for the first time at Islanders training camp.
Kulemin finished with a pair of assists in four games at the World Cup before Russia fell to Canada in the knockout round. The Russian said the World Cup was a great experience, but he's glad to be back with the team getting ready for the season. Having already played seven games and gone through Russia's training camp, Kulemin said that he feels like he's in good shape for Islanders camp.
"I've already played a few games, so I feel like I'm in good shape," Kulemin said. "I'm not behind, that's a good thing. I've been training for a while, so it's good for me and it's easy to get back in with the team."
The Russian skated with Cal Clutterbuck and Casey Cizikas, as the lines shifted for group 1 at Thursday's skate.

Lines

| | | --- | | | | Ladd-Barzal-Parenteau | | Kulemin-Cizikas-Clutterbuck | | Dal Colle-Quine-Beauviller | | Bernier-Gionta-Johnston-Winquist |
Boychuk and Clutterbuck skate
Johnny Boychuk and Cal Clutterbuck were both on the ice for the entire first session on Thursday. Boychuk (upper) and Clutterbuck (lower) both sat out this week's preseason games and had missed portions of practices last week.

Day 6: Quenneville, Vande Sompel and Wotherspoon To Junior

The Islanders sent three players back to their junior clubs on Wednesday, transferring Parker Wotherspoon to Tri-City (WHL), David Quenneville to Medicine Hat (WHL) and Mitchell Vande Sompel to Oshawa (OHL).

Day 4: Grabovski Placed on IR, Three Players Signed to PTO's

Mikhail Grabovski was placed on the team's IR list with an upper-body injury retroactive to Mar. 16, 2016. Grabovski did not pass his physical, so he is listed as injured, non-roster.
Steve Bernier, Connor Jones and Patrick Cullity all signed professional tryouts (PTO's) on Monday. Bernier spent the 2015-16 season with the Islanders, scoring one goal and five assists in 24 games. Jones, a forward, spent last season with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, scoring 13 points (6G, 7A) in 51 games, while Cullity, a left-handed defenseman, split the season with the Sound Tigers and ECHL Missouri Mavericks. Cullity had a pair of assists in 31 games with Bridgeport and scored eight points (3G, 5A) in 33 games in Missouri.
The two groups were mixed and matched due to Monday night's preseason game against the Philadelphia Flyers, with the players playing skating as group 1 and everyone else as group 2.
Click here to see the roster for tonight's game.

Day 3: Boychuk Returns, Clutterbuck, Gionta Leave Practice With Lower-Body Injuries

Johnny Boychuk returned to practice at Day 3 of training camp. Cal Clutterbuck was on the ice to start practice, but like Saturday he left early with a lower-body injury. Stephen Gionta also left early with a lower-body injury and both are considered day-to-day, per head coach Jack Capuano.

Day 2: Boychuk Misses Practice, Clutterbuck Leaves Practice, Capuano Returns

Johnny Boychuk missed Day 2 of Islanders training camp on Saturday with an upper-body injury. Head coach Jack Capuano described it as a nagging injury and sent the defenseman to be evaluated by a doctor.
"He's got an upper-body injury, that's all I can say about him right now," Capuano said. "It was more us wanting him to see a doctor here today and get re-evaluated to make sure it isn't anything serious and if it's not, I don't expect him to miss a lot of time, but again you don't know what's going to come out of the result."
Cal Clutterbuck left Saturday's skate with a lower-body injury, but Capuano had not spoken to his training staff before speaking with media and offered no update.
Capuano was back with the team after wrapping up an assistant coaching post with Team USA at the World Cup of Hockey. Capuano was in charge of the penalty kill after the Islanders had the league's fourth-best shorthanded unit last season.
"It was good, I know we didn't get the results we wanted, but it was a great experience," Capuano said of his time at the World Cup. "At the same time, it's great to be back here with our coaching staff and our players and getting ready for the season."

Day 1: Barzal Centers Ladd and Parenteau

Islanders 2015 first-rounder Mathew Barzal centered a line between Andrew Ladd and PA Parenteau on Friday, giving the prospect a chance to skate with a pair of established veterans.
"It was pretty cool to start the day seeing that I was skating with Andrew Ladd and PA Parenteau," Barzal said. "But once you're out there you're just making the right plays, not just forcing pucks to those guys, but they're pretty unreal and so smart."
It was pointed out to Barzal that the white jersey - which represents the first line in practice - is usually reserved for captain John Tavares, who's away at the World Cup of Hockey. His thoughts on keeping the seat warm for the captain?
"Obviously they're pretty big shoes to fill," Barzal said. "But I'm just taking it day-by-day and whoever I'm with I'm just going to go out and play my game and try to work hard out there."
Assistant coach and assistant general manager Doug Weight said the Islanders want their first-round picks to skate with veterans to get a sense of how they practice. While Barzal skated with Ladd and Parenteau, Anthony Beauvillier skated with Cal Clutterbuck, Michael Dal Colle skated with Casey Cizikas and Joshua Ho-Sang skated with Jason Chimera.

Day 1 Groups and Lines:

Group 1

| Lines and D-Pairs: | | --- | | Ladd-Barzal-Parenteau | | Dal Colle-Cizikas-Quine | | Prince-Beauvillier-Clutterbuck | | Johnston-Gionta-Holmstrom | | | | Hickey-Boychuk | | de Haan-Pulock | | Toews-Burroughs | | Finn-Graham | | | | Berube & McAdam in goal |

Group 2

| Lines and D-Pairs: | | --- | | Lee-Strome-Bailey | | Chimera-Nelson-Ho-Sang | | Verhaeghe-Kearns-Fritz | | Boulton-Schempp-Markison | | | | Mayfield-Leddy | | Pelech-Hamonic | | Wotherspoon-Leduc | | Quenneville-Vande Sompel | | | | Gibson & Williams in goal |