(East Meadow, New York) In the summer of 2022, the Canadian chose to let go of Alexander Romanov in order to then be able to get his hands on a young attacker, Kirby Dach.
From Montreal, this transaction seemed like a victory for the Canadian, although Dach’s exploits are still pending for health reasons. But the Islanders, who inherited Romanov as part of this swap, are perfectly satisfied with this harvest.
So satisfied, in fact, that Romanov has become a top-pairing defenseman, skating alongside Noah Dobson these days.
“A very good player and a very good guy,” Romanov commented Thursday afternoon at the end of the Islanders’ training in the suburbs of New York. I think we make a good duo; he supports me on offense and in return, I can support him in defensive coverage. I would say it’s a good mix. »
At 24 years old, the former second-round pick of the Canadiens in the 2018 draft has difficulty making his own assessment. Is he having the best days of his young career? The numbers tend to suggest yes, but he’s not so sure.
“It’s my humble opinion, but I would say that it doesn’t matter to me to try to know if I’m having my best season right now,” he replied. The only thing that really matters is the team and the place we want to get in the playoffs. »
To this end, Thursday night’s match against the Canadiens will not be an opportunity for him to fall into nostalgia and cry thinking about the good times and the two seasons he was able to spend in Montreal. “I have already taken part in several matches against the Canadian since… I only focus on the victory and the series, it does not really bother me to know who we are playing against,” he will say on this subject.
Romanov, like just about everyone on the Islanders, believes that the arrival of Patrick Roy in January changed the course of the days around here, and the course of the evenings too. “Because he brought us energy and discipline… his hiring was important for us. He brings us his experience. He is a legend who has won several Stanley Cups. »
So over here, while the training center store sells jerseys for Noah Dobson, the club’s second scorer with 70 points, his 21-point partner goes a little more unnoticed.
But that doesn’t mean Alexander Romanov hasn’t stopped improving.
“I approach it this way: my next game will be my best game, and my next presence on the ice will be my best presence on the ice,” he added. I want to keep moving forward, just like the rest of the team. »