New York Islanders Pregame Availability | 11/04/25

New York Islanders Pregame Availability | 11/04/25

You’ve been off to a pretty good start this year scoring wise. Is there anything in particular that that’s been working well for you there? Pucks are just finally going in. Yeah. No, I think it’s just Yeah, it’s a matter of, you know, myself obviously getting in those scoring areas, but at the same time bearing down when I have those opportunities and um yeah, I’m just trying to, you know, put the puck in that whenever I can and thankfully they’re going in right now. Just got to continue to keep doing that. You know, I I think you’re two for two scoring when uh Team Canada has somebody there. Yeah. I mean, yeah, I think that honestly when that when that obviously that’s just um you know, a bonus for sure. Um but at the same time, you know, it’s last thing on my mind, you know, wondering who’s going to be in the stands, but obviously, you know, anytime you get to play a good game in front of uh in front of that kind of, you know, that brass. I mean, you know, obviously it’d be a dream to represent your country and, you know, obviously I want to be on that that team Canada team and, you know, I’m just trying to go out there and play my game and not worry about it too much. But are you aware of when they’re watching or is a part? No. Yeah, I’m not aware. I mean, I think I think that’s kind of the the beauty of it. I think they they’re trying to catch you off guard and you know, you know, I think it’s just a a matter of, you know, consistency in your game. Um, you know, whether they’re there or not, you got to be consistent every single night. Somebody’s watching. And I think for me, um, just playing my game, doing what I do best, uh, playing that 200 foot game and and contributing offensively, um, when I can. I think, um, you know, I kind of like to think I know my role, what my role would be on that team and just trying to do it the best of my ability. What have you seen from Richie so far? I think he’s been great. I mean, um, you know, he’s so calm and cool, collected with the puck, has so much poise with it, and he’s fit in great um, you know, with Palms and and and Joe when they played together so far. So, he’s just continued to keep getting better and um no, he’s been good so far. Do you know that he was probably going to play play a part of this team in training camp? Yeah. No, I think he had he obviously had a really good training camp. He got hurt there, you know, obviously. But um yeah, no, he’s like I said, I think what stood out was his just his poise with the puck. Um his ability to make plays and he’s he’s phenomenal on the power play and the half ball, too. He’s he makes a lot of, you know, nifty little plays that that go unnoticed and um you know, he’s just going to, like I said, he’s just going to continue to keep getting better. for me. So, oh, go for it. He said during training camp that he’s been working on his defensive side of the game. For you, what’s the process like in terms of when you were maybe 20 years old, working on that side of your game? Yeah, I mean, it’s it’s I think it’s obviously something that everybody can get better at, but I mean, I think just uh having a good stick and being in the right positions and the rest will take care of itself. You know, when he gets when he gets the puck, he he’s great at making plays. So, I think it’s just a matter of being in the right spots at the right time, supporting the defenseman when you’re coming back and you’re being the low guy. um you know, it’s just like it’s just going to come naturally to him when he starts to to figure that out and he already has. He’s he’s been playing great on the defensive side and he’s just gonna, you know, um continue to keep getting better at it and um you know, we’re lucky to have him. So, of course, a really complete game for your group against Columbus on Sunday. What are some of those positive things to build on that momentum into tonight? Um I I think we got to take it one one game at a time here, but we had a great start. Uh I think that’s all we should focus on is uh what we can do to get to our game as as soon as possible. and we did it the other night and that’s what we’re looking to do today. And post game, you told me about just the process it takes to get used to a new system on the PK. What goes into adjusting and what confidence does it give you guys to be perfect in the last three games? Well, I think that’s the biggest thing is the uh the confidence it brings. Hey, I think we’ve been doing a a good job of uh the coaching staff kind of stressing that first penalty kill of the night. Uh making sure that we’re on our toes, we’re sharp. Um and then it kind of gives you the confidence as as the game goes on. Um, and I’ve seen it from the other side, too. You have a a power play early on. Um, and that first one doesn’t go well. All of a sudden, it’s a, you don’t know when you’re going to get another, and b, it’s frustrating from a point of, uh, you want to give your team some momentum. So, I think as a penalty kill, uh, as a group, we’ve done a pretty good job of of trying to focus on getting that first kill and and letting it go from there. I want to ask you about Kale Richie. He said that you and Drewanne talk to him all the time, shift after shift, that communication. How much of a difference does that make for for a 20-year-old center? Yeah, I mean, he’s obviously we know how talented he is. Um, he sees the ice really well. He’s got the skill to make the plays and um I think for us it’s uh me and Drew have obviously played for a while and we just want to focus on on making sure he’s playing his game um there’s a reason he’s in this spot and uh the more we could talk to him and help him and um I think it’s just going to make us more effective as a line. What what’s um is there anything about Richie’s game that’s that’s surprised you that maybe you didn’t see in camp or that that’s progressed from where it was in camp? I think the biggest thing is the poise he plays with. Um I think when you’re young and kind of trying to make a name for yourself, you you want to show off that skill and and maybe not that trying too hard is the is the word for it, but there’s a little flash that um can get you into trouble at this level. Um, and I think the poise he plays with gives him an opportunity to present that skill. Um, and and as a 20-year-old, that’s uh pretty impressive to to be able to step in and I don’t know, is it 10 or 11 games into his NHL career? Uh, be able to to play with that kind of poise. How’s he fitting into the room just off the ice? Great. He’s quiet. Um, kind of keeps to himself, but uh him and him and Sha feed off each other and uh you can see them giggling all the time. So, it’s uh it’s good. They’re they’re both a great addition to our room. With um your fourth line, obviously fourth lines have changed maybe in the NHL over the last couple years. What do you want from your fourth line? Well, I mean, I hate to call it a fourth line, first of all, but energy. Um I felt like one thing I really love about our game against Columbus is we were hunting everywhere on the ice and shift after shift after shift. So, that’s the type of energy you want to have and that’s what you want from all the lines. What’s standing out to you right now about the way Bo Horvad is is kind is scoring and and the way he’s playing more generally? Well, I will say this. I mean, uh, he’s an important player on our team. There’s no doubt about it. But he’s also a leader on our team. And the way that he’s, um, playing right now, the way that shows for every game, I mean, that’s the leadership that this team needs. And, um, last two games he’s been playing with Barzi and seems to connect really well. And obviously they played together in the past, but probably help a lot. But I mean, it’s nice to see them uh play the way they played. Even going back to training camp, you talked about the commitment the guys have to learning new systems. What have you seen in terms of the progress they’ve made on the the PK in particular? Yeah, PK was has been um knock on wood, but really good lately. and and um guys are are um the big difference to me is the a is the confidence of course but also I mean the triggers I feel like we’re we’re jumping fast and and and we are very connected on on our pal killing and I think that really helps a lot but Boogie’s been doing a really good job with the guys and the guys are buying into what uh he’s been trying to do and and there’s also like the block shots like I’m thinking about Pual block shot against uh Ovinckin and in example in in Washington. I mean the commitment or or hard we work to get the puck out of the zone the the the the dove that uh Bo did in that game as well. And the last game was a huge kill. You know, it’s it’s a tie game. You’re going into what end of the second period. You have a big kill to do. And I mean the guys did a really nice job. And I’m going back to Washington. I mean we scored a big goal that had a 1-1 game. So these are I think there’s are making a difference in the game. There’s no doubt. When you talk about the the triggers, is that like have you changed what the triggers are? Are the guys or are the guys reacting better to them than they were in the past or is that a little bit of both? I feel like we’re more free, you know, like we’re we’re we’re reading the plays and and I think it goes with confidence. That’s that’s how I see it. I mean, when you get burned on those triggers, you you’re becoming like a little nervous, but right now, I mean, we’re doing well. So, I think it brings a lot of confidence and and and helps in that regard. Well, Mary said that there’s been an emphasis on getting that first kill in a game. What’s the importance of of setting the tone in that regard? It is. It is. And I think it brings a lot of confidence for any team actually. You’re you’re giving the first goal and PK, everybody’s like, “Oops.” And and I think it and also it I really feel it it gives momentum to your game as well, you know, like we talk about it like when we play there. I mean two penalties early in the second period, this score on that second one. I think if we would have killed it would have gave us some momentum but by giving the goal gives momentum to the team that just scored. So they are key in the game. Absolutely. What did the uh Bruins do a week ago in Boston that you can’t let them do tonight? Um they they they did a really nice job on their entry and and um and also I mean uh hitting on their OCP hitting the the those seam pass and uh they scored Pastor K score on that one. They had a actually they scored two of those goals on situation pretty similar situation. So we’re going to have to be very good in our Dzone coverage and and making sure that when their these are interchanging our forward our wingers has good reads. So we’re going to have to be good. But the area we’re going to have to continue to be very good at is forcheing. If we could forche them and and and I think that’s going to create some good scoring chance for us and puck possession. What what did you and Matthew know about Jonathan Duan, you know, when you signed him here as a free agent? And, you know, did you think he could because he has somewhat of a relationship, I guess, with Richie, did you know you could sort of foster that a little bit? Um, well, first of to answer your question at the beginning is, uh, I always been a fan of him. Um, he was in Halifax. I mean, remember the year we were up three nothing in the series, him and McKinnon came back and won the series in seven games. So, I always been a fan of his. Um, obviously, I mean, he was in Tampa, I went to Montreal, Colorado, and now he’s here. But, um, I I I I am so happy with him because I I I see the commitment, the maturity in his game, first of all, but also the commitment that he’s making to play so well defensively. So, I did not know that they played together in Colorado, Richie and him. But I will say this, I am very comfortable putting him with that with him because he’s a vet. Him and and Palm are two very good vet. I think the kids going to learn so much out of these two guys and and I think that that that’d be great for if I was a rookie, I would love to have two mentors like this. I mean, come on. the these guys have, you know, Ponzi and him have been in the league for so long and and then then they know the league and and I think they just going to make him better and he’s part of our f our now and our future. So, it’s nice to have that.

Hear from Bo Horvat, Kyle Palmieri, and Head Coach Patrick Roy ahead of tonight’s game vs Boston.