The New York Islanders spent a third-round pick to acquire forward Shane Prince from the Ottawa Senators on deadline day, and the club isn't wasting any time throwing him into the spotlight.
The 23-year-old will make his Islanders debut on the first line alongside Ryan Strome and captain John Tavares as they face the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday, head coach Jack Capuano told Newsday's Arthur Staple.
"(Prince) is a player we feel can rotate up and down the lineup to different lines and has some untapped potential," added general manager Garth Snow. "He can help us now and hopefully in the future."
The Rochester, N.Y. native has spent most of the season on a line with grinders Zack Smith and Chris Neil, but will finally get a chance to show if he can produce in a scoring role.
The Prince acquisition was a surprising one for the Islanders, as it was rumored the team was trying to acquire Tavares' former linemate P.A. Parenteau from the Toronto Maple Leafs, but were ultimately unwilling to give up a second-round pick.
The rookie has three goals and nine assists in 42 games.
