When the Islanders played the Senators in mid-March of last year, Kyle McClain went looking for Bob Jones.
It had been a while since MacLean had spoken to his old coach from his junior days — they'd emailed occasionally, but that was it — and MacLean went undrafted during his time with the OHL's Oshawa Generals, but now is with the Oshawa Generals. They are islanders and have had some success.
This would have been a great moment to share that and reminisce with Jones, the Senators' assistant coach.
But MacLean was unable to speak with Jones, who died of ALS in August at age 54.
Jones remained on Ottawa's staff after being diagnosed with the disease in December 2022, but had a reduced role in recent months of last season. Ms. MacLean did not have a chance to meet him that night.
“I wish I had stayed in touch with him more,” MacLean told the Post before the Islanders lost 4-3 in overtime to the Devils at UBS Arena. “Text here and call here and there. Jonesy, he was a good coach.”
Thursday night's game in Ottawa was MacLean's first game as an NHLer, and naturally his thoughts turned to the man who coached him as a young junior player.
“It taught me a lot about game development,” MacLean said. “It helped me understand how to play defense, penalties, etc.
“It's good to do this when you're young.” [someone] — I also felt like he was always in my corner. And he was always looking out to help my career. ”
Jones had health issues unrelated to ALS that kept him away from the team for part of McLean's third season, but the games against Oshawa from 2015 to 2018 coincided. There was a period when MacLean competed for playing time from the time he was 16 years old. One of the team's assistant captains.
“He would come into the theater room or the video room, probably after a loss, and start telling jokes to lighten the mood a little bit,” McClain said. “He's also a strict coach. It was definitely scary at times, but it was nice to see that side of him as well, which eased the atmosphere and brought everyone together.”
McClain never got the chance to enjoy his sudden addition to the Islanders' lineup, his newly signed NHL contract, and his strong performance in last season's playoffs with Jones. But he knows there was a line to be drawn between his first few years as a junior and now, and that Jones helped track it.
Alexander Romanov skated alone Saturday morning and is expected to accompany the team on a five-game road trip that begins Tuesday night in Edmonton, a positive sign as he deals with an upper-body injury. are. Romanovs are considered everyday.
The Islanders have changed Mike Riley's schedule from daily to indefinite. When asked if Riley, who passed out after being hit by Jordan Greenway last Friday, is recovering well, coach Patrick Roy said he couldn't answer.
