Puck drops on Islanders camp

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The New York Islanders dropped the puck on their 2016-17 training camp at the Northwell Health Ice Center at Eisenhower Park last Friday with some familiar faces, new faces, and even a familiar face back for another tour with the franchise.

The last time veteran P.A. Parenteau suited up for the Islanders — he was with the team from 2010-2012 and played on a line centered by three-time All Star John Tavares — the expectations were low, and the facilities weren’t in much better shape.

This time around, while he may yet return to a familiar spot in the lineup — alongside Tavares — the significant changes in atmosphere and venue were not lost on Parenteau. “It’s a completely different squad obviously that’s much deeper and won a couple of playoff series,” he said after the team’s first practice. “It’s been very good the last three or four years and the expectations have changed.

“I’ll tell you this [Northwell Health Ice Center] is as good as what I saw in Toronto. It’s pretty impressive what they did. It’s a game-changer to have a facility like this. You’ve got everything you need — a nice gym, nice locker room, great ice. It’s going to be awesome.”

Paranteau, coming off a 40-point season with Toronto (20 goals, 21 assists) is one of several new faces who took the ice last Friday. He was joined by veteran forward Andrew Ladd, a two-time Stanley Cup winner (Carolina, Chicago) during the early session, with forward Jason Chimera hitting the Northwell ice with the afternoon grouping. “It’s exciting,” Ladd said. “Just being here a short time, you understand the passion the fans on the Island have for the Islanders. I don’t think I really had that understanding until I came here.”