A seven-game losing streak brings you "people are talking" speculation on the coach's job from the local Speculator-in-Chief, followed by the inevitable refutation from one source to the local beatwriter [sub.]. No doubt the cycle continues until a couple of wins pauses it ... until next time. Yet it's hard for me to picture Garth Snow going this far into his rebuild without riding this rut out, so forgive me if the coaching position is not my daily topic. When they've played 10 home games (Dec. 2 vs. the Rangers), it will be interesting to see how things look.
Of immediate concern is whether the Islanders can capture their improved team play in the Flyers game (loss #7 on this streak) and apply it on a tough West Coast swing, and that is ... well it's an open question, isn't it? See for yourself: Wednesday's game vs. the Ducks is on NHL Network (U.S. and Canada) in addition to MSG+, so diaspora plan your viewing accordingly (and, alternatively, let us know if you'll be at any of the California games -- no, not that California Games, although that's cool too).
Our weekly round-up and temperature check around here is at the bottom of this post and the left margin of the homepage. The "fan confidence" score was 46 last week, so pile a few more losses on and again ask the question: "How confident are you in the Islanders' playoff chances?"
You May Have Missed- Bonus external link: Danny Briere's suspension was equal to or less severe than every Globe and Mail hockey writer opined it should be (before it was announced). Interesting.
- An interview with the author of a book on Danish ice hockey's growth with players like Frans 51
- The "airing of grievances" post in which I suggested the biggest worry is the injury-depleted defense, but a majority of you voted that it's at forward where the shaping up needs to be done.
- My [electronics of some sort]-sponsored rant about the trouble fans have navigating blackouts and access to your favorite NHL team's games, even when you put down a healthy chunk to try to watch them all.
- A new power ranking that's actually a "power" ranking.
- mikb taking a California sportscast's Kings logo confusion to its logical and hilarious conclusion.
- WebBard's weekly prospect round-up.
- Among FanPosts, Francesca's translated interview with Nino Niederreiter, and JPinVA continues to faithfully update his FanPost tracking the race of current Islanders draft picks to score 100 points in the NYI uni. Kyle Okposo still leads the pack, but the longer he's on the shelf the more interesting that race to 100 gets.
- In FanShots and mentioned elsewhere, Anders Lee's college career has started off as well as can be hoped, earning him CCHA Rookie of the Month honors.
About Last Night
Many regulars know there is another love in my life, another team. Either to double or to mitigate my fan misery, my father reared me on both. I've always explained that the reason these two loves in separate towns could co-exist without an ugly fight is that they have rarely in my lifetime competed for the same spoils. Seems one team is always up while the other is down. Sure enough, this month one outfit is on a seven-game losing streak while the other is on a seven-game winning streak -- extended last night by victimizing the Rangers at the Garden. Fan bigamy: Double the opportunity to torture the Rangers.