The New York Islanders are off to an encouraging start to the season, but one lingering storyline continues to raise eyebrows: the struggles of Alexander Romanov. And at this point, it’s fair to ask the uncomfortable question - is it too early to be worried?
On paper, Romanov should be entering his prime. At 25 years old and fresh off signing an eight-year extension this summer, the Islanders invested in what they believed he would become: a hard-hitting, defensively reliable, top-four cornerstone. Instead, through the first stretch of the season, he has looked nothing like that player.