Defenseman Isaiah George returns from injury, injecting speed and defensive prowess into Bridgeport. Will he earn a call-up to bolster the Islanders' blue line?
New York Islanders defense prospect Isaiah George returned to game action this past week for the Bridgeport Islanders after missing a month with an upper-body injury.
In his two games since returning, George has recorded an assist, four shots, and a plus-one rating, as Bridgeport swept its Canadian back-to-back, defeating the Laval Rocket 2-1 before knocking off the Belleville Senators 4-3 in overtime.
Prior to his injury in Bridgeport, George was playing a strong brand of hockey for first-year head coach Rocky Thompson. Despite not being the first recall option for the Islanders when Alexander Romanov went down with the first of his two injuries—the second being season-ending—the expectation was that George would get the next opportunity, given what he showcased last season.
However, when Romanov went down again, George wasn’t available, prompting the recall of Travis Mitchell. The Cornell University graduate has played in eight of the last nine games—Adam Boqvist got the first of a back-to-back in Tampa last weekend—providing a steady presence.
While Mitchell’s play isn’t concerning—he’s done a fine job keeping things simple alongside Scott Mayfield—the concern lies in his usage.
Mitchell has averaged just 11:06 per game and was taken out of the rotation in the third period of the Islanders’ 3-2 shootout win against the Lightning after logging only 9:35 of ice time.
A lack of ice time for one defenseman inevitably means heavier minutes for the other five.
Could George be recalled to take Mitchell’s place at some point soon, adding a speedier, shiftier element to the Islanders’ bottom pairing?
George, 21, earned a 33-game stint with the Islanders last season, recording five points (one goal, four assists) while averaging 15:39 per game.