Adam Beckman Adds Spark to the Bridgeport Islanders

With the Islanders trailing 2-0 in the second period, Beckman assisted on a Samuel Bolduc goal, and then in the third period, he found the back of the net. In a season that’s been a disaster, he’s a bright spot and one the fans can watch for in the final few games of the season with the hope that he can add a lot to the offense.

Beckman as a Tweener

The best way to describe Beckman is a “tweener”. In the AHL, there are plenty of extremes. Skaters with speed but no size. Skaters with physicality but not much skill. Players with skill but not a lot of hockey sense. Goaltenders who are small and athletic or goaltenders who cover most of the net but lack athleticism. Beckman has a little bit of everything.

Beckman adds a scoring presence to the lineup, as he scored 14 goals with the Utica Comets and found the back of the net in his first game with the Islanders by tapping the puck into the goal on a Bolduc pass. He’s also going to create scoring chances with his passing, which has allowed him to find 21 assists this season.

It’s not just the skills that classify Beckman as a “tweener” but where he is in his career. “I’m kinda in that tweener phase. I’m not a wily veteran but I’ve played in a lot of games, and hopefully I can bring that energy,” Beckman noted after the latest game. The Islanders are a team with a lot of veterans but also a handful of young skaters, with more coming up through the farm system. It makes him a valuable part of a team that’s trying to turn a corner, not just this season but in the future as well.

Connection With Chris Terry

Terry is a great player on a bad team, then overlooked in the AHL. He’s one of the few skaters in the league with 50 points, and he added two more in the recent 3-2 loss to the Marlies. He’s a veteran who formed strong chemistry with a lot of players on the Islanders.

“I knew about Chris Terry, a lot about his game,” Beckman mentioned after the game. Now he gets to play on the same line as him. “I think the big thing for him is his intelligence. He’s such a smart player. For me, it’s about matching that but also bringing speed,” Beckman continued. Terry is a player that brings out the best in his linemates, and it’s going to give the Islanders a reliable duo on the top line.

Beckman was on the Comets earlier in the season and played for the Iowa Wild previously, allowing him to see what Terry brings to the lineup. “I played against Chris and just got to see how good of a player he was, so getting to be on the same line as him was awesome, and hopefully we get to build on it,” Beckman stated after the latest game. The duo is off to a great start, and the final few games will be all about seeing what they can bring for the foreseeable future.

Beckman Adds Energy & Speed

The Islanders’ offense averages only 2.66 goals per game, and it needs a spark (the last time they scored four goals in a game was their 4-2 win on Feb. 16 against the Providence Bruins). That’s what Beckman provides for a team that needs it. “My overall energy that I bring and all the areas of the game,” he noted after the game when asked what his best attribute is, and he continued that “it’s about just kinda putting it together on the ice.”

Beckman isn’t going to get this team to the playoffs or even turn the season around. However, his play will provide hope for the future. The Islanders are looking ahead to next season, and he’s the type of skater who brings a burst of energy that is needed, especially as they add more youth to the lineup.