ON THE RISE, UNDER THE RADAR
Frans Nielsen & Andrew MacDonald eyeing breakout campaigns in 2010-11
Thursday, 08.26.2010 / 9:19 AM
/ News
By Jesse D. Eisenberg
Print
When considering the fate of the New York Islanders’ 2010-11 season, fans and analysts alike have been quick to point towards potential break-out campaigns from emerging stars John Tavares, Kyle Okposo and Josh Bailey as the primary factors involved in the club’s chances at a return to the post season.
The viewpoint aligns with General Manager Garth Snow’s blueprint of building a young core through the draft and it also reflects the public’s fervor for first round talent, but the attention surrounding the Islanders’ first round trio has kept another pair of emerging youngsters under the radar.
Twenty-six year-old Frans Nielsen and 23-year-old Andrew MacDonald played central roles in 2009-10 and both appear to be primed to take their games to the next level this season.
“Of course Okposo and those guys get a lot of attention, but they deserve it,” said Nielsen, the Islanders’ third round pick (87th overall) in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. “I’ve been here since they started the rebuild and hopefully I’ll be here for a lot of years to come, so I feel like a big part of it.”
Nielsen has been a top-five scorer on the Islanders in each of his first two full NHL seasons. Last year, he notched career highs in goals (12), assists (26), points (38) and games played (76), while averaging more ice time than any Islanders forward not named Okposo or Tavares.
The Herning, Denmark, native began his professional career at a young age, entering the Danish league in 2000-01 as a 16-year-old. Nielsen went on to play the next five seasons in the Swedish Elite League, before making his North American debut in 2006-07 with the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport. That same year he became the first Danish born player to play in an NHL game, but Nielsen spent the majority of his first two North American seasons developing in the AHL.
“He’s one of those two way players that’s under the radar,” said MacDonald, who has played with Nielsen in both the AHL and the NHL. “His passing abilities and stick handling and his offensive creativity sometimes go unnoticed. If you watch him out there, his poise with the puck and his positioning, defensively and offensively, are quite sound. You’re not going to find a better two-way forward that people might not appreciate as much.”
Nielsen’s offensive numbers are even more impressive when considering his nightly defensive responsibilities. The 5’11”, 172-pound centerman is often matched up against the opposition’s top offensive line.
“When you play against guys like Crosby and Ovechkin, it’s a big challenge,” said Nielsen. “It’s something I look forward to every night. It started during the season last year that I was put in that role a little more and hopefully I can play against top guys for the whole season this year. That would be fun.”
MacDonald also defended his share of top forwards last year, spending much of his first full NHL season as a top-pair defenseman along side Mark Streit. His strong campaign has entrenched him into a prominent role within the organization’s youth movement.
“I would like to think of myself as one of those guys in the young core,” said MacDoanld. “I’m not a guy that likes to attract a lot of attention and I think my game kind of shows that. I just play a simple game and stay positionally sound and move the puck when its time to move it. To be known as one of those guys is pretty special and I’m pretty happy that I can contribute.”
The Judique, Nova Scotia, native’s career has been on a swift rise ever since he was drafted by the Islanders in the sixth round (160th overall) in 2006. In three years of professional hockey, MacDonald has spent one season each in the ECHL, the AHL and the NHL.
Nielsen has witnessed MacDonald’s transformation first hand from the minor leagues to the NHL.
“He went down to the East Coast at one point to get games down there and to play a lot, and since he came back, he’s built up so much confidence,” said Nielsen. “He just kept getting better and better every game. It’s been fun to see him improve. He’s a good skater, he’s got good hands and you can use him in all situations. He’s been a great player for our team.”
Having raised his game so dramatically from one year to the next, it’s hard to put a ceiling on what MacDonald might achieve in 2010-11.
“I think the main thing is to keep getting better every year and keep learning. I think all along that was the biggest thing that I did,” said the 6’-1”, 188-pound defenseman. “As you get used to each league you gain confidence and you grow as a player. Hopefully going into this season, I’ll continue to carry on the success that I’ve had.”
One area of MacDonald’s game that didn’t fully transfer to the NHL in his first season was his offensive production. In his second and final season of Junior hockey with Moncton, MacDonald ranked third on the team with 58, and in his second season of professional hockey with Bridgeport, he led all Sound Tigers defensemen with 33 points. Will a second full season in the NHL spell a similar jump on the score sheet?
“I’ve always been able to put up some decent numbers, but I may or may not be in an offensive role this year and I’m completely fine with that,” said MacDonald. “I’m just extremely happy to be part of the team and, whether it’s penalty killing or power play or whatever, I’m willing to step up and do whatever they want me to do.”
As the Islanders continue to rely heavily on this young duo to contribute on both sides of the puck, the two-way tandem is sure to play a major role in the developing club’s 2010-11 season.
The viewpoint aligns with General Manager Garth Snow’s blueprint of building a young core through the draft and it also reflects the public’s fervor for first round talent, but the attention surrounding the Islanders’ first round trio has kept another pair of emerging youngsters under the radar.
In order to view this page you need JavaScript and Flash Player 9+ support!
Twenty-six year-old Frans Nielsen and 23-year-old Andrew MacDonald played central roles in 2009-10 and both appear to be primed to take their games to the next level this season.
“Of course Okposo and those guys get a lot of attention, but they deserve it,” said Nielsen, the Islanders’ third round pick (87th overall) in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. “I’ve been here since they started the rebuild and hopefully I’ll be here for a lot of years to come, so I feel like a big part of it.”
Nielsen has been a top-five scorer on the Islanders in each of his first two full NHL seasons. Last year, he notched career highs in goals (12), assists (26), points (38) and games played (76), while averaging more ice time than any Islanders forward not named Okposo or Tavares.
The Herning, Denmark, native began his professional career at a young age, entering the Danish league in 2000-01 as a 16-year-old. Nielsen went on to play the next five seasons in the Swedish Elite League, before making his North American debut in 2006-07 with the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport. That same year he became the first Danish born player to play in an NHL game, but Nielsen spent the majority of his first two North American seasons developing in the AHL.
“He’s one of those two way players that’s under the radar,” said MacDonald, who has played with Nielsen in both the AHL and the NHL. “His passing abilities and stick handling and his offensive creativity sometimes go unnoticed. If you watch him out there, his poise with the puck and his positioning, defensively and offensively, are quite sound. You’re not going to find a better two-way forward that people might not appreciate as much.”
Nielsen’s offensive numbers are even more impressive when considering his nightly defensive responsibilities. The 5’11”, 172-pound centerman is often matched up against the opposition’s top offensive line.
“When you play against guys like Crosby and Ovechkin, it’s a big challenge,” said Nielsen. “It’s something I look forward to every night. It started during the season last year that I was put in that role a little more and hopefully I can play against top guys for the whole season this year. That would be fun.”
MacDonald also defended his share of top forwards last year, spending much of his first full NHL season as a top-pair defenseman along side Mark Streit. His strong campaign has entrenched him into a prominent role within the organization’s youth movement.
“I would like to think of myself as one of those guys in the young core,” said MacDoanld. “I’m not a guy that likes to attract a lot of attention and I think my game kind of shows that. I just play a simple game and stay positionally sound and move the puck when its time to move it. To be known as one of those guys is pretty special and I’m pretty happy that I can contribute.”
The Judique, Nova Scotia, native’s career has been on a swift rise ever since he was drafted by the Islanders in the sixth round (160th overall) in 2006. In three years of professional hockey, MacDonald has spent one season each in the ECHL, the AHL and the NHL.
Nielsen has witnessed MacDonald’s transformation first hand from the minor leagues to the NHL.
“He went down to the East Coast at one point to get games down there and to play a lot, and since he came back, he’s built up so much confidence,” said Nielsen. “He just kept getting better and better every game. It’s been fun to see him improve. He’s a good skater, he’s got good hands and you can use him in all situations. He’s been a great player for our team.”
Having raised his game so dramatically from one year to the next, it’s hard to put a ceiling on what MacDonald might achieve in 2010-11.
“I think the main thing is to keep getting better every year and keep learning. I think all along that was the biggest thing that I did,” said the 6’-1”, 188-pound defenseman. “As you get used to each league you gain confidence and you grow as a player. Hopefully going into this season, I’ll continue to carry on the success that I’ve had.”
One area of MacDonald’s game that didn’t fully transfer to the NHL in his first season was his offensive production. In his second and final season of Junior hockey with Moncton, MacDonald ranked third on the team with 58, and in his second season of professional hockey with Bridgeport, he led all Sound Tigers defensemen with 33 points. Will a second full season in the NHL spell a similar jump on the score sheet?
“I’ve always been able to put up some decent numbers, but I may or may not be in an offensive role this year and I’m completely fine with that,” said MacDonald. “I’m just extremely happy to be part of the team and, whether it’s penalty killing or power play or whatever, I’m willing to step up and do whatever they want me to do.”
As the Islanders continue to rely heavily on this young duo to contribute on both sides of the puck, the two-way tandem is sure to play a major role in the developing club’s 2010-11 season.
