P.M. Links: Revisiting Schremp, reviewing Islanders plans

I mentioned this in the post-injury ode to Rob Schremp, but after reading some league-wide takes on Schremp's season, I think it's worth repeating: Schremp had 20 points (6g, 14a) in his final 26 games (excluding the game in which he was injured in only four shifts). Encompassing both winning streaks and losing streaks, that could be important in predicting what he'll bring next season, assuming his knee heals correctly.

People look at his season-long stat sheet and conclude, as Erik Duhatschek did (with praise)...

He had 25 points in 44 games, respectable totals given his ice time; and most importantly, was just minus-four, not bad on a team where five players were minus-13 or worse, including Tavares at minus-18.

...but that sort of overlooks an initial adjustment period for Schremp. He was tried first at left wing, then Scott Gordon concluded he could only work at center -- and before Josh Bailey was moved to wing, that meant very limited opportunities. In fact, Schremp appeared in only two games between Oct. 22 and Dec. 9. Add it up with his often second-choice linemates, and this season may not have been the .77 pts/GP pace of his final 26 games, but it wasn't just the .57 pts./GP pace that his overall totals would tell you, either.

(And if you want to get really cute, that minus-4 was spiked two games before his injury by Schremp's minus-3 in the Atlanta game, where every Islander looked bad.)

Other Random Items of Interest:

• Two Islanders games this weekend, beginning with the Devils tomorrow night. Lots of lottery-affecting games tonight and beyond, so we'll update the table later. The Thrashers host the Rangers in a big "Are we playoffs or are we lottery?" tilt tonight.
  
• That Duhatschek piece at the Globe and Mail also seemed to confirm that the playoff play-in proposal, like so many contracts before it, was a Charles Wang idea. Duhatschek's 8 vs. 9 counter-proposal does not please me.
• For posterity's sake, and also if you missed them: Chris Botta transcribed the pretty informative Garth Snow "rebuild update" interview on MSG, and he also had some post-practice quotes from Scott Gordon about the team's progress. I like that Gordon has left the standings up on the wall as a reminder to the players of what has slipped away.
• Eric's Stat Trick includes the fact this is the first time all season the Isles have allowed powerplay goals in six consecutive games.
  
• Also at the Globe and Mail: I thought this would be an overly dramatic reaction, but Allan Maki makes an interesting case that the fan, media, league and player reactions after the Cooke/Savard hit and non-suspension have created a dangerous atmosphere for the Penguins-Bruins rematch Thursday. With Savard likely out for the season, if I were a Bruin I'd go several steps further than my personal norm to try to take Cooke's head off.
• Chris Chelios discusses his return to the NHL in rapidly descending Atlanta. [nhl.com]
• On Monday, many Flyers fans talked themselves into "the maturation of Daniel Carcillo." So naturally by the end of the week he'd shoved a linesman and risked suspension. (He lucked out.)
• In awe of the fall of Jonathan Cheechoo. [View from My Seats]
  
• The Flames are 5-0 in their retro unis. Why was it that they ever changed from those beauties? Oh yeah: Money. Ye hockey gods, bring me the vivid colors of yesteryear -- and cast "none more blacker" away to its Boston home.
• Gabe does stats, but he knows how to push the emotional buttons, too: The biggest hockey brawls of the last 23 years.
• The Flyers are already thinking extension with Michael Leighton. But what will they do when fans eat him alive after a bad Game 6?
  

Happy two-game weekend. With back-to-backs, which goalie starts which game?