There was a faint smile on Patrick Roy's face when asked about Pierre Engval's performance on Thursday night.
He sat in silence for five seconds, then asked his own questions.
“Do I have to answer that?” he said.
To be fair, the head coach said he was giving Engvall (who was unscathed the last two games) a “fair chance” by putting him on the second line with Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri. About 12 hours later, everyone there knew. Apparently Engvall blew it away.
Not only was Engvall unable to get around the net that Roy had repeatedly mentioned was something that could keep him in the lineup, but he also failed to establish any physical presence, and was unable to establish a physical presence at all, with Yanni Gould in the build-up to Dunn's second-period goal, which served as a swinging gate and lost Vince Dunn.
Many Islanders had a bad night in Thursday's 5-2 loss to the Kraken.
But Engvall is likely to feel the impact most.
He played just one more shift the rest of the second period, then spent the third period on the fourth line.
After Thursday, it wouldn't be surprising if he becomes a healthy injury again or goes on waivers.
“I don’t think we saw the spark that we were hoping for,” Roy said. “I'll leave it [at] this. That was a difficult question. ”
Even if Engvall remains on the roster for now, I can't help but feel like he just blew his best chance to be on the roster long-term.
The Islanders have a looming cap crisis once Anthony Duclair and Matt Barzal are healthy.
Each time that happens, and Barzal is sidelined with an upper-body injury and has yet to start skating, it would likely extend beyond the original four-to-six week schedule, but the Islanders will be responsible for about $3.3 million from the nationals. need to. Book.
If they send Engvar, the mission will be much easier. If he stays in Bridgeport, that cap hit increases from $3 million to $1.85 million.
In other words, even if the Swede doesn't make the lineup, he'll still get time in the NHL.
And you're not going to get a better chance than Roy gave you on Thursday.
The Islanders held a moment of silence for Massapequa High School player Connor Cashin before Thursday's game.
Cassin, 17, collapsed Saturday during a charity hockey game in Bethpage and later died.
Adam Pelech (jaw) rejoined the Islanders wearing a non-contact jersey for Thursday morning's skate, taking the ice with the team for the first time since being injured on Nov. 1.
