Uphill Test: Islanders' final 20 games
by Dominik on Feb 28, 2010 9:19 PM EST
in This, That & What-Not
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PrintFor NHL-only fans, the long Olympic nightmare is over. For general hockey lovers, the letdown and hangover after a pretty riveting Olympic final now begins.
For Islanders fans, that means 20 more games in Rebuild: Year 2. It means hopes of some trade deadline resolution, some rebound in John Tavares's rookie season (including a second 20-goal scorer), and the healthy return of Jack Hillen and Josh Bailey, as well as Tim Jackman. The roster on the ice for practice Monday morning may be different from what we see later this week, and quite different from the one that finishes the season.
Despite the continued playoffs lip service that is a requirement of getting out of bed each day and doing your job as a competitive professional athlete, the Islanders basically made their bed with a 2-8-0 run before the break: They sit in 13th in the East, six points and five teams out of 8th. One saving grace they may have is a wealth of rested non-Olympians, and perhaps the easy pressure of low expectations. But the opponents who await them are substantial:
- Combined record of remaining Islanders opponents: 631-476-122, or a .563 points pct.
- Islanders record against those remaining opponents: 18-26-6, or a .420 points pct.
- Record needed to reach a modest playoff bubbly 88 points: 15-5-0
Maybe they can play a bit of spoiler; maybe they can get hot and reignite playoff dreaming one more time; maybe they can elicit a bit of "this team will be dangerous in a few years" buzz. However it goes, I'm way past ready for NHL games to resume.
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I wonder how closely Bettman and the NHL will be watching these last twenty games. As in maybe these games are a factor in the NHL being in the next Olympics or not. If a few popular teams (or teams who get higher ratings) get knocked out of the playoffs by a team like the Islanders (who had minimal players at the Olympics) will they be less likely to send them next time. Or even if a team like Vancouver, Buffalo or Pittsburgh drops down far enough seed wise that it knocks out a marquee team early.
Just food for thought.
Please NBC, Fire Milbury, Hire Roenick Full time!!!
It’ll be interesting. I still can’t believe some teams play tomorrow (Monday). I bet it would enter the conversation if a big team or its big stars struggled down the stretch. But I can’t help thinking it all comes down to money, broadcast considerations/rights, and wielding it as a negotiating card for the next CBA.
I’d love to know what Bettman and owners like Leonsis truly think of Olympic participation, but I doubt we’re ever going to get that opinion purely divorced from CBA negotiating tactics.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
JT really fell off the map in epic fashion in 2010. If he hadn’t, he’d certainly be the Calder favorite. As it is, this will be a Tyler Myers vs. Matt Duchene’s showdown.
Yet, if JT gets hot for a stretch, he can closer the gap on Duchene. It’s a shame, because if he hadn’t shit the bed in 2010, he’d be the run away favorite.
Iginla lost the Calder to Berard, right?
The Calder isnt everything. :)
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Mar 1, 2010 8:31 AM EST up reply actions
Cough
Berard had 48 points as a Dman on an awful team.
Iginlia had 50 points as a forward on an equally bad team.
Please NBC, Fire Milbury, Hire Roenick Full time!!!
Not sure what the “cough” is for.
My point was simply that most men who ultimately turn out to be fantastic players do not win the Calder. Only one kid every season can.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Mar 1, 2010 12:53 PM EST up reply actions
I take the Earl Sleek approach
Without the Calder in his trophy cabinet, maybe that lowers JT’s second contract asking price juuuust a bit. Hey, for a cap floor team, stuff like that matters.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
I honestly don’t know what I want more – confidence for the youngsters by being respectable or the optimisation of getting a stud at the draft.
I'll be greedy
Hope every bottom-feeder team (including the Islanders) goes on a tear — raising the level of the lottery teams — and awful ref calls and Colin Campbell rulings deprive the Isles of crucial face-saving points in the final weeks.
So yeah, I don’t know what I want either.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
They can lose every game from now until game 82 as long as John Tavares scores a goal in every game. Otherwise, they must win…. no I am joking, but I am truly hoping for a re-energized JT for the last 20 games.
by Iron Islander 77 on Mar 1, 2010 7:39 AM EST reply actions
BTW, we are on national TV next Tuesday against the Flyers. I hope all of you get Versus, cause thats what we’ll be watching!!!
GO Isles!! We need 15 wins!!!
Get out of the sticks, Charles, move to Queens!!
Well its on Versus, and since 90% of the time Versus only shows Flyers games, I’m going to guess we’re playing the Flyers again.
Please NBC, Fire Milbury, Hire Roenick Full time!!!
Yeah, Versus basically only shows the Isles when the Flyers have to play them.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
AAAAAAIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!
Islanders vs. LOST? I HATE when that happens! Oh, well, last time next Tuesday (barring the playoffs…..)
be nice but
I would like us to make the playoffs so these young guys can taste it, but it seems unlikely. but not impossible, if they go on a run like they did in Jan, they may be in.
more important lets hope
JT scores a few and gets his confidence back
- DP plays and stay healthy the rest of the way
- Josh Bailey continues playing lik ehe did before the injury
- our young D continues to grow
Unless the field in front collapses
this team will not make the playoffs. In all likelihood, they will finish ahead of only Toronto and Edmonton and have the #3 overall. What, if anything Garth is able to do at the deadline will complete the picture for LA.
Would it be wrong to point out that the Islanders record against the remaining opposition is 420? Not that I condone such practices or times of personal reflection but…that is still pretty funny.
U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!
I figured that it might speak to the effort that you get from here until the end of the season. Especially if they lose Sutton and Rollie. I am just fearing the BLOWOUTS! If you lost the biggest guy on your team and you know that you are not going anywhere good/worth mentioning why would you compete? We already have 2 young guns returning from injury and we don’t people hurt for the start of next season…sooooooo… I am guessing this is the part of the horror show that you just tell all the squemish to avert their gaze and pray for the health of the team.
U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!
that just means we get — wait for it — ‘smoked’ by the competition
(buh dump bump)
why isn't #16 hanging in the rafters?
You never know — we could be a dangerous spoiler lying in the weeds. :rimshot:
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
any way you look at it my expectations aren’t too high for the rest of the season. In fact I am guessing that the team will probably roll over for the rest of the games
Does anyone else have the munchies now?
U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!
Yeah mine too. I’m just looking forward to a couple of surprise wins where a relative youngster has a big game and gets me dreaming over the summer. Seems that’s how last year’s stretch went, anyway.
Munchies? I’ve barreled through three bags of chips since you first noted the 420.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
did u really link a 10 minute song there? i dont know that band, i prefer ween when i’m in one of those kinda states of mind
why isn't #16 hanging in the rafters?
I couldn’t find the regular version of the song but it is really funny. This live version was the only version of the song that I could find. It really is funny but, yeah, 10 minutes is kind of long.
U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!
I gave it a good skim, appreciate the intent. Made me crave a night of live music, actually.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
Come to Austin. We’ve got plenty of that here. Actually there are some really talented musicians here.
Another year of watching everyone else in the playoffs. :(
I know!
Never made the visit, actually, but I’ve heard great reports. Friend tempts me for SXSW every once in a while, but I need extra motivation for festivals.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
Actually there are some really talented musicians here.
isn’t Tim De Laughter of polyphonic spree (tripping daisy b4 that) from austin?, or is it just from TX
and dom, i think TX is now officially the fattest state in the US so maybe you want to re-think that visit, if you’re planning on going sight seeing
why isn't #16 hanging in the rafters?
I am not sure on that one. But I know that the Revolting Cocks are from here and Al Jourgenson from Ministry comes here all the time. Vast seems to play here quite a bit as well. I highly recommend seeing them if you have the chance.
For those who are not into the Industrial genre there are a number of guitar based bands. Of all of them I like Eric Johnson the best. You have Antone’s club which puts on a variety of GREAT shows.
Of course you always have to point out that Stevie Ray Vaughn is from here as well. There is a statue of him around town lake. The city/town is really into live music. They tried to get a stage built at the new airport but then 9/11 struck that nixed that idea. Aside from the tax payer $ going towards that project it could have been very cool.
Another year of watching everyone else in the playoffs. :(
Nueve Nino A Nieve
I am pretty sure the Isles would benefit from being in the top five and grabbing somebody like Fowler. After watching the WJC I wouldn’t mind them playing their way to about ninth where some project Nino Niederreiter will be taken. A swedish born kid who plays like a Finn and may have a little more “finish” than our current Finnish Duo.
Any 411 on him Hans?
Nino is Swiss
The Isles need a talented big forward for their second line and…to my mind….he is it. Went to Prince George to see him play against the Cougars. He keeps his feet moving in the defensive zone, always responsibly watching his man and always ready to break up the ice….kind of like a barracuda always circling and waiting for the kill. Terrific shot, terrific passer. Forechecked on the Cougar goalie who was by himself. From behind the net, the goalie attempted to golf the puck over Nino. Nino, coming full tilt, catches the puck in mid air with his stick and almost directs it into the net. The elderly couple next to me had been going to Cougar games forever and had seen a number of NHL stars on their way up. The woman’s jaw dropped and she turned to her husband and asked, “Did you see that?” He is also quite the character. He was tripped breaking across the PG blueline, but was also called for a dive. The PG player just sat in his box and looked up at the clock. Everytime I looked over at Nino, however, the penalty box official was slapping his knee and busting out laughing. Put that together with the Kadri deal, and Nino looks like quite the character indeed. Draft him and he and Avery should have quite the battles together.
My apologies
… this is an occupational hazzard for an Evelyn Wood Graduate… Back during the WJC I just read SW… missed the “itz” and assumed “eden”. .. and I guess it stuck that way… like al dente pasta to a greasy wall.
Jeez… you guys sure do jump on a brother. :-)
But that does explain why he doens’t play like a Swede… too small a cogent sample for me to say, “he plays Swiss”.
as soon as i read playing against the Cougars, my mind went into the milf-genre gutter…
since the WJC’s nino’s production has taken a little dip, probably because he made such a splash out there and teams are now gameplanning him more, but in 22 games, he has 11-4-15 and is EV in +/- (prior to wjc’s he was at 23-18-41 in 37 games with a +7)
why isn't #16 hanging in the rafters?
Cue “scouts say he looks bored out there” meme in 3…2…1…
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
according to the WHL website
he is +7 for the year and +1 for February. He has slowed up a bit in the scoring, but he just had a goal and an assist last night and is 34-22-56 in 59 games.
not ripping him bc, just statting it out pre and post wjc, it’s still a goal every other game, he never disappeared either, just slowed a bit
why isn't #16 hanging in the rafters?
Fine. I guess my point is that
he has met every challenge with flying colors. Also that he is really the only big forward who is likely to go in the first round…certainly in the early first round. The only forward within 10 pounds of him is McFarland and he tends to disappear for long stretches. What I saw on February 13th is a forward with size and all kinds of talent who, even in a slump, is doing everything right.
so far so good for the kid, he’s worked his way up 20-30 spots from this time last year (more or less depending on the scouting list you look up) he deserves the credit
that being said, connolly’s been hurt and still in top 6 so i completely see us rolling the dice on him and then watching him and ricky rehab together for the next 12 years :-)
why isn't #16 hanging in the rafters?
Watching them rehab together you mean
We need a big talented forward for our second line. Nino’s the guy. BTW, Connolly was still on IR when I saw them play and his team was eliminated from the postseason that night…in February! Yeah, he really lifted his team. Nino, on the other hand, is seen as one of the prime reasons a previously moribund team is one of the leading teams in the WHL.
geezus bc, the kid played 12 games this year (7 goals) impossible to lift a team if you don’t play… y do you turn everything into a NINO vs _ _ _ _ _ scenario, i’m not the one who’s left him as the #6 overall prospect while he’s been out either… so it must say a lot about his skill
i made a joke about the isles drafting him so ricky has a rehab partner and you go and rip him and his team to boost up nino…
what happens if the rangers take him?
do you then hate him, or like the rangers?
why isn't #16 hanging in the rafters?
The Rangers getting Nino is the nightmare scenario
I am sure that Connolly is talented but he is not the guy we need and I woulkd be wary of any player who has been on IR as long as he has.
i dont want him either unless they get an extra pick and take him later
why isn't #16 hanging in the rafters?
Yeah, he sounds tantalizing, and he also sounds like a guy who, if drafted by the Islanders, would just see his injury woes continue. Regardless of their talk that “it’s not permanent damage” or whatever, hip problems at this age is too much of a red flag to pick him where they have him ranked.
Lighthouse Hockey: Under contract through 2021, knees and hips be damned.
he still has a chance to play a few games, but i still can’t imagine gm’s risking top 20 picks on him with his baggage
why isn't #16 hanging in the rafters?
It's hard to believe that he could be out this long and not slip big tim
I am guessing that a team like the Caps or Chicago takes a flyer on him late first if they haven’t traded their pick.
for example,
I have been high on Teemu, who was once right about where Connolly is now in the rankings, but he has had such injury issues that he may even fall to the second round.
If I WERE to go for a defender first,
I think I would go for Gormley. He is more the prototypical Snow-Gordon defenseman who anticipates opposing forwards moves and always knows what he is going to do with the puck.
Do you reckon the Isles should trade down if they get top 3 then BC, ’cause both Gormley and Nino are appearing to be drafted between 5-10 overall?
It would be the dream to get both of them
Only way I could see would be if Seguin were on the board when we picked and the Ducks were willing to trade up their two first rounders and maybe their second rounder for him. It would depend on what assets Garth accumulates now and on where the Ducks and Philly finish. The other thing is that Gormley, for example, has been rated over Fowler and Gudbranson by some scouts. It could be that some teams might have him or Nino as top five picks. It would be nice to get them both though.
It would be nice to get them both though
Agreed. Although 1st rounders are being held onto like gold this year.
The Ducks need a star quality second line C and have cap issues
If trading up would get them Seguin, I believe they would do it. Then it would depend on where the Philly and Duck picks are. If the Isles collect a couple more picks now, get the Ducks second in the deal, and if those two picks have sunk close to the top ten, it might be doable.
Then if we can wangle a first rounder for Roly, we could also pick up McIlrath and use a later pick for Yasin Cisse. That would be a draft that might just complete the core.
from NY Islanders' web site
Team Canada not only won today in Vancouver but also at the Nassau Coliseum as Canadian players faced-off against the US/Euro born players. Despite Rob Schremp’s four-goal effort, it was newly resigned Andrew MacDonald burying the game-winning goal past Rick DiPietro to seal the win for the Canadian Islanders earlier today.
The Islanders will skate tomorrow before the season resumes when they face-off against the Chicago Blackhawks.
Get out of the sticks, Charles, move to Queens!!
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1979-80
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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.
