Isles Activate Strait/Nabakov From IR

Earlier today, the Islanders activated both goalie Evgeni Nabokov and defenseman Brian Strait off injured reserve.  To make room for Nabakov the Islanders sent goalie Anders Nilsson to Bridgeport.

Nabokov has been out for nearly a month after suffering a groin injury in the Islanders 5-4 shootout win against the Red Wings last month.  Meanwhile, Brian Strait has been out for around six weeks suffering from an upper body injury.  This is Strait's second major injury in consecutive seasons.

With the return of these two, another Islander player found his way to IR.  The Islanders placed defensemen Radek Martinek on IR today with a back injury.

I can't understand why people continue to talk up Strait and Nabokov as guys will come back and miraculously cause us to play better.  While Strait might be better then someone like Carkner, it really isn't saying much given Carkner's obvious defensive deficiencies and his inability to log a respectable amount of ice time for a defenseman.  With Nabokov, his pre injury numbers are on the same level that Poulin has been.  While Nabakov does have the potential to be better as we saw at the end of last season.  To expect that out of him given his age and other mitigating factors is expecting a lot.  While it is good to be hopeful, people need to think back to the pre injury play of both of these players because doing anything else is just setting themselves up for disappointment.