When Marek Zidlicky was signed by the Islanders to a one-year, incentive-laden $1.5 million contract just before training camp, it seemed like an afterthought.
At 38 years old, the former Devils defenseman was there to add some veteran depth, maybe help out on the power play a bit and show to the ropes to some of the young, budding blueliners on whom whom the Isles have staked a lot of their future.
Turns out Zidlicky has been a lot more, now set to play his in his fifth straight game to start the season and continue manning the point of the first power-play unit when the Sharks invade Barclays Center on Saturday night.