Anders Lee Jam Kancer Over the first three days of New York Islanders [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/features/new-york-islanders-tanner-fritz-2016-17-forward-bridgeport-islanders-2] training camp, a few storylines seem to have taken on lives of their own. I'm here to discuss the two main ones and explain why people need to carry a realistic approach as camp continues. DURANDEAU PLAYING ON TOP LINE Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAwOTgwNDAzMTQwNDM3Mzkz/durandeau.jpg] From the first day of Islanders training camp, head coach Lane Lambert placed 23-year-old Arnaud Durandeau [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/features/new-york-islanders-arnaud-durandeau-prospect-training-camp-nhl] alongside Bo Horvat and Mathew Barzal. "He's been great. I mean, he's got so much speed and skill," Horvat told The Hockey News. "Obviously, Barzal has that, too. So, just trying to keep up with those two down the middle has been a challenge. It was a line that stayed together through the first three days, which brought about a ton of conversation. Could this be the line that starts the season? Who does Anders Lee play with now that Durandeau is there? Pump the breaks. After the first day of camp, Lambert shared that the approach would be to have prospects skate alongside NHL vets. That's the point of having the youngsters at camp. We have seen that with Matthew Maggio [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/features/matthew-maggio-new-york-islanders-prospect-rookie-camp], who has been skating alongside Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Anders Lee. Prospects William Dufour [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/features/william-dufour-new-york-islanders-prospect-rookie-camp-training-camp] and Ruslan Iskhakov [https://www.nhl.com/news/islanders-prospect-ruslan-iskhakov-driven-to-play-in-nhl] have been skating with Brock Nelson. There's no question that Durandeau has been a standout at training camp, using his speed and shiftiness to create time and space for himself and, more importantly, burying the chances he's been given. That last part was missing from his four-game NHL stint last season, where he got nine shots on goal but couldn't find the back of the net. And as much as the Islanders need a top-line winger to solidify that duo, Durandeau isn't the likely player to get that first chance once the season begins. Despite Pierre Engvall's success with Nelson and Kyle Palmieri, his speed may be of value for that first-line position. We could also see, at some point, Oliver Wahlstrom get a chance up there, whether he plays on the left of Horvat or the right. It isn't crazy to think that Julien Gauthier [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/features/julien-gauthier-new-york-islanders-jean-gabriel-pageau-lane-lambert-2] could get a shot, too, given his speed, or a Maggio at some point. That doesn't mean if Durandeau doesn't excel in Bridgeport early on, he can't be the first call-up if an injury happens or someone isn't playing up to par. Quite frankly, Durandeau should be the best forward down in Bridgeport if he doesn't make the NHL roster, which, again, is the likely spot for him to start. Then again, a la Hudson Fasching, some players force coaches to make difficult decisions, and Durandeau told me he's trying to steal a spot. GEORGE READY FOR THE BIG SHOW Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjAwOTgzNzg0MDg1MDA1OTg2/george.jpg] It was impossible to ignore what 19-year-old Isaiah George [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/features/new-york-islanders-isaiah-george-prospect-training-camp-ryan-pulock] showed during rookie camp. The young defenseman was the best skater at camp and, overall, was the best player. During the first few days of training camp, George continued his strong play alongside Ryan Pulock, who called his game "poised'. Lambert said, "Every day I watch Isaiah play, there's just a little bit more that you like about his game." As for the plan with George and figuring out when he would go back to juniors, Lambert said the following: "That's what training camps are for. People take opportunities, and we'll see what they do with them." But, again, let's pump the brakes. Because of his age, George cannot play in the AHL, so he would have to make the NHL roster or be sent back to juniors. READ MORE: Prospect Isaiah George Applying Pressure on Islanders Defense [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/features/new-york-islanders-isaiah-george-prospect-training-camp-ryan-pulock] Once sent back to juniors, barring some crazy injury circumstance allowing them to recall him (highly unlikely), George would need to remain with the London Knights until their season ended. Then, as we saw with Maggio last season, he can join the Bridgeport Islanders and begin his professional career. The Islanders could give George a nine-game stint and return him to juniors with no penalty. Or they could let him play 10 or more games, which would burn a year off his entry-level contract, which isn't ideal. Regardless of how George looks through preseason and the rest of training camp, the likely result is that he goes back to the London Knights for his final season, where he will be the No. 1 defenseman. He's never played professional hockey before and has never suited up against NHL players, as he missed his first training camp with the organization due to a lower-body injury. George is a raw prospect who is still looking to add more offense to his game and bulk up in size. Sure, the Islanders played Noah Dobson at 19, but defensemen take longer to develop, and there's no reason to rush George, especially with two NHL-caliber defensemen, Samuel Bolduc and Sebastian Aho, fighting for that final sixth spot. The assumption is that George will get into one preseason game this week, allowing him the chance to show his potential outside of an Islanders practice. George impressing in preseason would be amazing for the organization, knowing that their 2022 fourth-round pick can be a big piece of the Islanders' future.
