Cheers to Mark Streit, 2010 Swiss Olympian
by Dominik on Dec 30, 2009 11:35 PM EST
in This, That & What-Not
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PrintIt's a surprise to no one, but long-time Team Switzerland leader and Islanders #1 defenseman Mark Streit has officially been named to the Swiss 2010 Olympic hockey team. No announcement on who wears the letters as of yet, but I'd be shocked not to see the "C" appear on his sweater again, too. Streit is now the elder statesman on the team.
As an Islanders fan who has watched Streit struggle to replicate his 2008-09 Norris-consideration form, I don't relish the thought of him spending the Olympic break logging heavy minutes for an underdog team against the most talented competition in the world. As a human and a Streit fan, though, I have to say: Congratulations Mark, and go get 'em.
Couple of interesting angles to the Swiss team, as reported at nhl.com: First, their coach Ralph Krueger -- a Winnipeger who's coached Switzerland for 13 years -- will be stepping down after the World Championships in May.
Second, this edition will feature Canadian-born Hnat Domenichelli, the 1994 Whaler draft pick with the funny name who saw time with the Flames (he was traded to the Flames for the late Steve Chiasson), Thrashers and Wild but since 2003 has been living what I can only imagine is a fantastic life playing pro hockey in Switzerland. If that life of hockey, Swiss skiing, and general sweetness doesn't rock enough, he gets to return to his homeland's Olympics as an Olympian himself. Nice work if you can get it.
The only revelation left, as far as Islanders Olympic candidates go (heh, unless you count Sweden's Mattias Weinhandl), is Team USA, whose announcement (with Kyle Okposo?) will come during the Winter Classic telecast.
Not only but also: Sound Tiger Mark Katic has been named to the AHL's All-Star game for the second year in a row. Last year he was joined by Andrew MacDonald, who's doing just fine at the NHL level.
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Since Team USA always lets me down, I’m cheering for Team Switzerland when it comes to Hockey. Unless by some miracle Okposo ends up on Team USA.
"So basically, the Stats make no sense whatsoever."
Not holding much hope
I don’t have much hope for an upset in the medal rounds (though even the Sweden-Finland final in 2006 was a nice surprise). But if Switzerland could make some Cinderella noise, that would be awesome.
Lighthouse Hockey: Eyes on Tavares, mug full of Moulson.
Looking at the squad – I’m doubt this is a team that is going to win based on offense. Cinderella will likely have to be in the form of a hot goaltender.
Maybe if Hiller goes all Spring 2009 on them…
Lighthouse Hockey: Eyes on Tavares, mug full of Moulson.
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May 24, 1980: Tonelli to Nystrom. At long last, the steady build of the New York Islanders from expansion doormat to surprise semifinalist to annual contender reaches the promised land: Buoyed by a late season trade for Butch Goring that gave the team the depth up the middle GM Bill Torrey had been seeking, the Islanders knock off the Philadelphia Flyers in six games.
The victory justified the faith in coach Al Arbour who guided them from their second season to their first Stanley Cup seven seasons later. The Islanders would not be the first expansion team to win the Stanley Cup, but they would be the only one capable of a dynasty.
1980-81
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May 21, 1981: This time it was much easier. After falling to "only" 91 points in the 1979-80 season, the Islanders returned to their division title tradition, piling up 110 points -- a whole 13 points over second-place Philadelphia.
Between the quarterfinals (where they beat the upstart Oilers in six games) and the finals, the Islanders reeled off eight consecutive wins -- with a four-game sweep of archrival Rangers in between. As they defeated the Minnesota North Stars in five games for their second Cup, their goal difference in the final was a combined +10.
1981-82
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May 16, 1982: Another year, another landslide title. The Islanders won the Patrick Division by a whopping 26 points over the second-place Rangers, and were seven points clear of their nearest competition for the President's Trophy, the still-not-quite-ripe Edmonton Oilers.
A first-round scare against the Pittsburgh Penguins turned in the Isles' favor thanks to John Tonelli's heroics, and a true dynasty was on its way: Past the Rangers in six games, then an eight-game sweep of the Quebec Nordiques and Vancouver Canucks to run away with the Stanley Cup.
1982-83
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May 17, 1983: Not so fast, whipper-snappers. The Edmonton Oilers' steadily rising challenge for league supremacy took them all the way to the finals for the first time, where the New York Islanders summarily dispatched them in a four-game sweep. For the Islanders, the Dynasty was secured. For the Oilers, it was a powerful lesson in where talent ends and the demands of playoff hockey begin.
Four years, four Cups, 16 consecutive playoff series wins (a record that would grow to 19 until the rematch with the Oilers the following year). Mike Bossy scored 60 goals yet again, and Wayne Gretzky became acquainted with Billy Smith's crease.
