Islanders Showcase Future

Blue and orange took over Syosset Thursday night and the buzz was palatable. The New York Islanders showcased top draft pick Griffin Reinhart at its annual prospects scrimmage at . 

The parking lot overflowed onto Underhill Boulevard as fans packed into the rink.

Reinhart, 18, was selected fourth overall in the NHL Draft on June 22 and this was the public’s first chance to see him skate in an Islanders jersey. The 6-foot-4, 207-pound defenseman from North Vancouver is big, fast and can shoot (36 points in 58 minor league games this past season).

He’s also the son of former NHL standout Paul Reinhart, so his pedigree points to a promising future.

But on this night, Reinhart was mostly a beacon to a future for a franchise whose status on Long Island remains unsettled after to build a new arena last August. The lease at Nassau Coliseum expires in 2015.

On the ice at least, the building blocks appeared sturdy.

Reinhart skated a few shifts, and after the two-period contest drew to a close, he wowed the crowd by beating the goalie in a post-game shootout.

“You’ve got to be a lot bigger and stronger here, and it’s a much faster pace,” Reinhart told the media. “Everybody’s a good player out there and that shows how hard you’ve got to work.”

The organization will donate proceeds to the Islanders Children’s Foundation. There were only 250 tickets available for the scrimmage due to seating capacity and the Islanders said it raised $5,000.