PITTSBURGH — Barry Trotz’s simmering concern over Oliver Wahlstrom’s play came to a boil on Thursday when he scratched the young forward for the Islanders’ 6-3 loss to the Penguins, replacing him with Kieffer Bellows.
The move likely would have been made when the Islanders hosted the Penguins on Tuesday, but Bellows was ill that day, so Wahlstrom played briefly before getting benched after 8:27 of play.
Trotz said after the morning skate at PPG Paints Arena that he had watched film with Wahlstrom to go over things. Then he struck a supportive tone with reporters, citing the lengthy schedule for a 21-year-old who played nine regular-season games two seasons ago, 44 last season and 66 so far in 2021-22.
