Vitek Vanecek is in the unenviable position of having his fate largely out of his control.
asserted
fate → have → control
The netminder, who signed with the Islanders on a one-year, $1 million deal this offseason, doesn’t need to beat out Semyon Varlamov so much as he needs the organization to decide that carrying a third goaltender on the roster is necessary due to the combined risk of Varlamov’s health and losing Vanecek on waivers.
asserted
carrying → sign → waivers
That was more or less acknowledged outright by coach Pete DeBoer following Sunday’s 2-1 preseason defeat to the Devils, in which Vanecek played the duration and turned aside 20 shots.
asserted
Vanecek → acknowledge → shots
“It’s been discussed, and it does handcuff you,” DeBoer said when asked about the possibility of keeping three netminders on the 23-man roster.
asserted
DeBoer → discuss → roster
“I think that’s all gonna depend on how Varly’s doing, how he’s feeling and things like that.
asserted
he → think → that
I don’t think, in talking with Mathieu [Darche], that we want to go there, but it’s on the table if we have to.”
asserted
we → think → table
Varlamov, who should see action in two of the last three preseason games, has shown nothing in camp that indicates he won’t be ready.
asserted
he → see → camp
He is moving well, stopping shots and looking like himself.
asserted
He → move → himself
The Islanders are not going to deny him the chance to back up Ilya Sorokin as long as that holds true.
asserted
that → go → Sorokin
Varlamov has astonished the entire organization with his dedication to returning to the ice following two partial knee replacements.
asserted
Varlamov → astonish → replacements
The Islanders are not going to be the reason his attempt fails.
asserted
attempt → go → ?
Nobody knows what the demands of an 84-game season — the travel, the practices, the 25 to 30 games the Islanders hope to get from their backup spot — will do to Varlamov’s knees.
asserted
Islanders → know → knees
There are no comparable cases to what Varlamov is attempting.
asserted
Varlamov → be → what
This also comes in the context of the Islanders having overused Sorokin in the past two seasons.
asserted
Islanders → come → seasons
The lack of a viable backup while Varlamov was hurt was one of the biggest factors in the Islanders missing the playoffs both seasons.
asserted
Islanders → hurt → playoffs
Vanecek held an .883 save percentage in 22 games with Utah last season — a good deal worse than David Rittich’s .894, a mark the Islanders never trusted down the stretch.
asserted
Islanders → hold → stretch
If Varlamov (or, for that matter, Sorokin) is hurt, the situation won’t be great no matter what.
asserted
situation → hurt → matter
He is a known commodity, and the Islanders can at least feel like they know what they will get from him.
asserted
they → know → him
They can’t say the same for Joshua Kotai, though the AHL Hamilton prospect — likely next up on the organizational depth chart — has put together a solid camp.
asserted
prospect → say → camp
“I’m not thinking about it too much,” Vanecek said of the big-picture situation after Sunday’s match.
asserted
Vanecek → think → match
“Just doing my best, and then we go see what’s gonna happen.”
asserted
what → do → best
The easiest way to solve the problem would be for Vanecek to pass through waivers unclaimed.
asserted
Vanecek → solve → waivers
But that’s not a guarantee in a league where nearly every team needs goaltending, and the Islanders won’t know ahead of time whether it’ll happen.
asserted
it → ’ → time
The last thing they need is to lose Vanecek to waivers, watch Varlamov break down and then have the decision thrown back in their face.
asserted
decision → need → face
Could the Islanders justify sending Victor Eklund down to keep a third goaltender?
uncertain
Islanders → justify → goaltender
These are not easy decisions, and they are being made harder by the continuing realization that not only does Eklund look like he belongs, but prospects such as Kashawn Aitcheson and Cole Eiserman also continue to impress.
asserted
prospects → make → Aitcheson
Organizational depth is a good problem to have,
asserted
depth → have → ?
The Aporia
