It couldn’t have been more clear that Doug Weight is not going to allow the fact there are three goalies currently on the Islanders’ roster to disrupt his team yet again. So much so, the always accommodating coach cut off a question — soon to apologize — when asked about it Saturday afternoon before his team took on the Bruins at Barclays Center in a game with monumental playoff implication.
“It’s not an issue,” Weight said sharply.
Former starter Jaroslav Halak was recalled from his exile at AHL Bridgeport to start in Friday night’s 4-3 shootout win in Pittsburgh, the first NHL game Halak had played since clearing waivers and being assigned back on Dec. 30. He joined recently minted starter Thomas Greiss, who was set to start against Boston in a match between two teams fighting for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
And that left Jean-Francois Berube on the outside looking in, unable to be sent to Bridgeport because his contract status and now unable to fully participate in practice, as Weight is not limiting much-needed ice time down the stretch for the two goalies who are going to play and are going to have a huge impact on if the Islanders make the playoffs.
“There’s two nets, and there will be two goalies at practice,” Weight said. “If there is another guy out there, it’s only when those guys want to get out of the net, whoever is playing the next game. It’s going to be a little different than it was earlier in the year. I’ll deal with that internally, but it’s not going to be an issue.”
There were more declarative statements from Weight, who seemingly is becoming far more comfortable behind the bench with his title as interim head coach since he took over for the fired Jack Capuano on Jan. 17. With eight more games remaining after Saturday night, Weight is planning on using Greiss and Halak in whatever way gives his team the best chance to win.
But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a clear-cut starter.
“I told Thomas he’s our No. 1 guy,” Weight said. “So Jaro came up, played a great game for us. He’s earned his right. So has Thomas. I think we play Monday, Thursday, Friday, so that’s when you need to have that backup that can go in. But as long as they keep playing like they’ve been playing, I don’t think it’ll be a big issue.”
Greiss, 31, was just rewarded with a three-year, $10 million extension that kicks in next season. The big reason Halak, 31, wasn’t claimed off waivers is he still has another year on his deal carrying a $4.5 million cap hit. Surely, general manager Garth Snow will continue this summer to pursue trading Halak, whose agent, Allan Walsh, started the hubbub when he tweeted about the lack of ample practice time early in the season.
Meanwhile, the 25-year-old Berube is set to be a restricted free agent, and has been in a tough position since the Islanders claimed him off waivers from the Kings before last season.
“It’s nothing anti-J-F Berube,” Weight said. “He’s a wonderful kid. Fact is he’s played eight games in two years. It isn’t even fair to him. I still think he can go in and play. But right now, we’re going to play it game-by-game and Tommy and Jaro will probably share the duties.”
This also is about the Islanders attempting to salvage a season that was teetering on the cliff of extinction before Capuano’s firing. Bringing up Halak, for however many games he might play, gives them the best chance to win on a nightly basis. That is something Snow and Weight know, and now they’re going all in for a final push.
“Listen, it’s one big poker game,” Weight said. “You’ve got to play every card in your deck.”