Cuts: With 18 Islanders Sent to Bridgeport, Few Decisions Remain
by Dominik on Oct 2, 2011 1:55 PM EDT
in Roster Manoeuvres in the Dark
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The first and biggest round of Islanders cuts came Sunday morning without many surprises but likewise without finality for the opening night roster Oct. 8.
Among the intrigue: Tryout Jay Pandolfo remains, while Micheal Haley (who was curiously in a separate announcement) was among 18 assigned to Bridgeport.
The goaltending is as expected, with the three oldest goalies remaining. The defense is largely as expected, though Dylan "Injury Insurance" Reese is among the eight still in camp. At forwards is where, as expected, a battle of bottom-six forwards wages on. There are technically 17 left at forward, though a few juniors are likely still around just to soak up the NHL experience. Here's how everything stacks up as skating resumes Monday:
Injured Reserve: Rhett Rakshani, Jeremy Colliton, Mark Katic. Training camp injuries, all of them. Katic and Rakhshani are long-term, the length of Colliton's injury is less clear. None were likely to make the NHL squad anyway.
Forwards (17)
A few of those guys can or might move around -- Comeau was experimented at right wing (again), Kabanov shoots right but is often listed as a left wing. And of course Josh Bailey has played left wing while Brian Rolston has experience at center and both wings.
If you figure Strome and Kabanov are destined for reassignment, that cuts the list down to 15. To get it to 13 Pandolfo doesn't (yet) have a contract, Frischmon has cleared waivers and Martin or Gillies can be sent down. This week may be tinkering at the fringe and monitoring the progress of injuries.
As for Bridgeport, this means they get a nice collection of forwards who will vie for first callup, including Justin DiBenedetto, David Ullstrom, Tyler McNeely, Tim Wallace and promising young Casey Cizikas. I'm not sure if that qualifies for a strong AHL squad or not, but I hope it at least translates into strong injury insurance for the big club.
Defense (8)
Mark Streit - Steve Staios
Andrew MacDonald - Travis Hamonic
Mark Eaton - Milan Jurcina
Dylan Reese - Mike Mottau
Well here's a nice sign: Hyped prospects Calvin De Haan, Matt Donovan and Aaron Ness are all headed to Bridgeport. There is no rushing involved. No immediate baptisms. With the nature of NHL bluelines, no doubt they'll get the opportunity as injuries happen, and if their AHL performance merits consideration.
Of course, Reese sticks out there a bit, but if the Islanders aren't carrying two extra defensemen (unlikely given the three-goalie monster), Reese's continued presence could be as simple as having even pairs for practice this week and insurance if someone comes down with a Jurcina bug.
Goaltending (3)
NHL: Rick DiPietro, Evgeni Nabokov, Al Montoya
AHL: Kevin Poulin, Anders Nilsson, Mikko Koskinen
That's how everyone I can think of has seen it shaking out all along. I suppose if someone made an offer they can't refuse for Nabokov or Montoya, the Isles would listen. But unless you're GM in Colorado, goalies don't command a good price on the trade market, and all three NHL goaltenders have question marks based on recent history. The crease triangle is likely to get more reps into the regular season.
Note for the commenting regulars: Some post-cut discussion also happening in last night's post-game thread and in this FanPost.
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Question...
Reese’s continued presence could be as simple as having even pairs for practice and insurance if someone comes down with a Jurcina bug.
Doesn’t Jurcina have the Jurcina bug right now? Thought he has groin and knee issues.
Yet another Moulson brother-in-law.
by ICanSeeForIslesAndIsles on Oct 2, 2011 2:26 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Yeah
Though I think I heard he was skating again.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
Staios
is #7 and stays with the team. Reese probably stays in BP and is around in case of dings and dents here and there if Staios is already filling in.
"Failing upwards! How come I can’t ever seem to do that?" - AP77 on Strang's ESPN Job
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
I mean are we actually "talking" about this or are we just --
No. We’re just “talking” about it.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
by Dominik on Oct 2, 2011 3:04 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
First prize is a car
Second prize is a nice set of knives.
Third prize is you’re in the AHL.
by Isles2011 on Oct 2, 2011 5:25 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
The NHL is for closers
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
by Dominik on Oct 2, 2011 5:26 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
You just cost me $6,000
Six
Thousand
Dollars
Because you drove here in a Hyundai and I drove here in an $80,000 BMW
THAT’s my name.
(How was this not green yet? I think I’ve memorized this entire movie)
"He's depriving some small village of a pretty good idiot" - Mike Milbury on Ziggy Palffy's agent. On Twitter: @Dan_of_Science
I would recap the entire season in GGGR quotes
If it wouldn’t drive people away and, who knows, get me in trouble for exceeding fair use.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
Any update on the Niño groin ?
Jeez that didn’t sound right
But is there any updates. Dont want him rushed if he’s not 100%
by Torch7 on Oct 2, 2011 2:36 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
I like how my phone puts the tilda on Nino. Without consulting me!!!
by Torch7 on Oct 2, 2011 2:37 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 1 recs
Just daily treatmeñt
Sounds like treat, re-evaluate each day.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
Did Wishart clear waivers?
Is he one of the guys sent to BP?
James T Paulson
ok good
kid has too much upside IMO, was worried he would not clear waivers
James T Paulson
by Jtpdolphins2009 on Oct 2, 2011 2:59 PM EDT up reply actions
It was the issue TMC outlined
Wishart cleared because any team that claimed him would’ve had to keep him in the NHL or expose him again.
by Nick (LetThereBeLighthouse) on Oct 3, 2011 1:33 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Hi Nick!
Nice to see you around here.
Yet another Moulson brother-in-law.
by ICanSeeForIslesAndIsles on Oct 3, 2011 9:25 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Very disappointed in Haley being sent down.
If this is followed by Martin getting sent down, then we are without question one of the softest teams in hockey. I’m as bullish on our yourg talent as the next guy, but in this sport you can’t field a defenseless lineup. Other teams will take advantage of that, and get in your head. JT and the rest of our boys might as well start the season with targets on their backs instead of numbers.
Yeah i agree.
Which i thought is the reason guys like Haley were finally brought up to the big club to begin with.
Yet another Moulson brother-in-law.
by ICanSeeForIslesAndIsles on Oct 3, 2011 9:27 AM EDT up reply actions
lack of RW depth
It’s very obvious here they lack some serious depth at RW. Most of the bubble/extra forwards (Martin, Pandolfo, DiBenedetto, Haley, maybe Frischmon if used on the wing) would prefer the left side, but have a tough time making the roster because the two best bottom-6 guys (Rolston, Comeau) both prefer the left side, too. And for those two of course there’s no spot open on the two top-lines because Grabner and Moulson are their two best scoring wingers. If one of them was RW it would be quite a bit easier because PA or maybe even Okposo could be used effectively in a 3rd line role.
However, at RW already #3 in the depth chart (Nino) is a bit of a question mark and it’ll be some kind of experiment for the 4th spot or of course both if Nino is out longer or will disappoint in the first 9 games. Maybe, after all, dressing Gillies and just double-shifting Okposo and PA as much as possible would make sense. Or, you know, Comeau could adjust and finally be effective at RW. Or they could just have signed Michal Repik. Or maybe Frischmon can play RW?
Has anyone done any research as to the difficulty of switching from RW to LW or vice versa?
I’m not talking about simple statements, as I"m pretty sure Ben knows. I mean for example, what the positional adjustment is: for example in baseball, research has shown that the cost in fielding of switching a player from one position (say SS) to another position (say 1B) is X amount of runs.
Never seen any positional adjustments in hockey though. How hard is it?
Writer at Beyond the Box Score and The Hardball Times
Pitchf/x enthusiast.
There really isnt a difference
Just if you are a leftty playing right wing you are on your backhand on the breakout.
Right, I get that, but what's the practical effect? How much does it suppress his offense. Defense?
Writer at Beyond the Box Score and The Hardball Times
Pitchf/x enthusiast.
don't know about any specific data/report to cite...would be interesting though
but it is something coaches and scouts say all the time…some guys just are not as effective defensively on their backhand, and a lot of offensive wingers like the offwing for the shooting angles, particularly on power play…on Defense, again, you commonly hear coaches and scouts say that some Dmen struggle playing the opposited side, struggling when clearing pucks on the back hand rather than forehand…
if you can find or produce something like this garik, not sure if it is even possible, but it would be interesting
by CanadianIsleslifer on Oct 2, 2011 10:29 PM EDT up reply actions
As if i had time.
I don’t doubt there’s an effect. I’m just curious how much. It could be that players on average aren’t as affected by it as we might think – or it could be an extreme effect. I always think of players as “Wingers” or “Centers”, and don’t split by side, so I’m curious.
Writer at Beyond the Box Score and The Hardball Times
Pitchf/x enthusiast.
There was a recent post on Defenseman playing "off-D" to determine whether the offense outways the defense.
I do not recall if it took into account learning to play you opposite side or just looked at how the increased offense playing the opposite point, offset the diminished defense.
Nassau Coliseum lost a veteran and an original Islander fan. ACC 1918-2011
I think like off-hand D-men, the adjustment really depends on the player
I’m sure even if there were an aggregate study (I haven’t seen one) of the switch overall, it would still pivot on the particular habits and attributes of a player in any individual case.
Not trying to say “it all depends,” but … to name just a few factors: some guys know how to pass, get their shot off, make a move to back up the D (and create time/space), receive a pass on either hand, scoop the puck from a dump-in/ring-around, play the puck from their skates, use their body along the boards, avoid a check (or receive a pass without getting creamed) etc. from one side better than the other. For lack of a better word, some wingers have “cheats” that work much better on their more comfortable side and you put them to the opposite sides and those cheats disappear, or at least they think they disappear because they’ve never been forced to adapt them.
Ilya Kovalchuk is a divisive case, but here’s an extremely talented guy who thinks he has no business being tried on the opposite wing. For this reason I’d love if Kabanov got exposure on both sides as he develops.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
Oh I agree.
But the general trends are still nice to know for predictive purposes. Baseball is the same way (some guys are weird and perhaps can play 2B better than 1B even though the former is harder) – but it’s useful for replacement and projection purposes.
Writer at Beyond the Box Score and The Hardball Times
Pitchf/x enthusiast.
Rolston would be a fun case study
Of course, I don’t know how we’d dig up when he’s been on LW and when he’s been on RW (to say nothing of separating when he’s been center and when his points have come from the point on the PP). So many moving parts, still so little clear data.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
playing off wing...
it can be advantageous. if you are on the off-wing, and you are on the proper side of the ice (ie, righty shot LW on the left side of the ice), the puck/stick will be in the middle of the ice on your forehand, giving you a better shot angle straight-on on the net. When you play your natural wing and are on the correct side of the ice, your forehand is on the boards side, thus giving the goalie a slight advantage by cutting down your shot angle on the forehand.
If i recall correctly, the Soviets often had wingers play off-wing.
Off wing...
I agree with nullzero on the offensive side, But on the other hand I think it’s a big disadvantage playing in the defensive zone. If the defensemen has possession at the blue line and attempts to shot or pass the off winger trying to make a play will have his stick on the opposite side and clearing the puck in the defensive zone while working the boards put you on the backhand. I loved playing left wing (my off wing) but definitely had to make adjustments in the defensive end. You also wind up an easy target for a check if your backhanding near the boards instead of bracing for the hit to protect yourself.
In loving memory;Dad thanks for making us Islanders fans, ACC 1918-2011
just thought about the stick-side thing too, offense on defense – if the D is on it’s natural side, then you also have the off-winger’s stick on the opposite side, which would seem to be another advantage for the off-wing.
this is alomst going in the direction of pitchers & batters and who has the advantage when.
I think there are myriad little differences on offense and defense
That depend on the player. I once thought it shouldn’t matter at the NHL level — these guys are trained pros — but over the years paying closer attention I’ve come to think every winger’s toolbox is different.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
rec'd I tend to think my own observations on this one are the same as Dom
some of it may be between the ears, and some of it skill…i don’t even know how you could come up with a formula that would even provide an adequate measurment. take a guy like Datsyuk in Detroit who seems to be able to play off wing defensively without flaws, or, a seemless transition back and forth. Other guys – coaches will force them to their natural wing b/c their defense suffers too much, and i think most coaches are of the old school, defense wins games.
One observation is that you tend to see more offensive forwards play off wing than defensive forwards…Kelly Miller was one defensive winger who seemed fine on the off wing.
Another observation is that you tend to see more left D playing the opposite side than right D, but that could be just a reflection of more left D in the NHL.
Also, most wingers tend to prefer one side over the other…not nearly as many “swingers” as om labelled them…play both wings equally.
by CanadianIsleslifer on Oct 3, 2011 2:33 PM EDT up reply actions
On defense it becomes in part the ability to use the backhand.
There are far more lefthanded players than right so I think you are correct on the Defense ledger. Playing your “off” hand on defense means you have to play the puck on the backhand more often when chasing the puck in the zone to play if off the glass.
I think another factor into the whole off-wing is whether you have a right handed or let handed center. If you have a right handed center, I’d much rather play my off wing and receive his forehand passes than a backhand pass. In other words, a good center may make the transition to off wing that much easier.
Nassau Coliseum lost a veteran and an original Islander fan. ACC 1918-2011
See: Mark Messier scoring one of his many in his "off Wing"
I realize he was a center, but the point stands
STOP effin' messin' with my FnGO!!
by Nova Scotia Isles Fan on Oct 2, 2011 8:19 PM EDT up reply actions
True....
Offensively it can be an advantage, especially skating down with speed, that also puts the defensemen stick on the opposite side (on less he’s playing the side as well) towards the boards while the shooter has a better angle and more net to shot for.
In loving memory;Dad thanks for making us Islanders fans, ACC 1918-2011
I'd like to add...
Just like baseball, some players can switch hit some cannot, playing your natural wing usually is what’s most comfortable.
In loving memory;Dad thanks for making us Islanders fans, ACC 1918-2011
by bossy2219 on Oct 2, 2011 8:28 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Very good comparison
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Oct 2, 2011 8:46 PM EDT up reply actions
There was
a study done for dmen I think at some point that I linked to over the summer. If I remember correctly, they found that with enough practice there was little difference, and even some improvement playing on the off side. I’ll try to look for it tomorrow.
Found that link. Dom actually linked it, I just read it. Was originally via Copper n Blue. not exactly what you’re talking about, but I imagine some applicable ideas.
Rolston played RW I think for the majority of the season last year, so we could flop him.
What do you mean they won 4 cups in a row? Is that possible?
I don't think so
I think he mostly was used at LW together with Elias-Zubrus in the 2nd half – when he played his best hockey. Also, Lamoriello is talking about him here: "Brian is a player that you have to put on the first two lines and left wing really is his best spot and our two left wings are Zach Parise and Ilya Kovalchuk, so it’s pretty tough. …"
They played Zubrus at the RW then and Rolston on the LW, I thought it was the other way.
What do you mean they won 4 cups in a row? Is that possible?
What's up with Rolston recently? Injured? Day-to-day?
What do you mean they won 4 cups in a row? Is that possible?
He's been practicing
He’s supposed to be close.
No Sleep 'til....
FTR, looking at the roster like so:
If we’d really play Pandolfo on 4th line, why not give KK a 9 game tryout instead?
Writer at Beyond the Box Score and The Hardball Times
Pitchf/x enthusiast.
What line would you like to try him out on?
What do you mean they won 4 cups in a row? Is that possible?
3/4.
I’m not one to believe there’s really any stigma attached to being given a role on the 4th or 3rd lines, and putting him alongside Reasoner and lets say Rolston is actually decent support compared to Isles’ 4th lines of the past.
Writer at Beyond the Box Score and The Hardball Times
Pitchf/x enthusiast.
They also might be giving KK a longer tryout
To show Roy that he’s worth having on a QMJHL, or as a tryout to get traded to another team as Roy has said he didn’t want him.
"Failing upwards! How come I can’t ever seem to do that?" - AP77 on Strang's ESPN Job
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
Wouldnt it be better if Roy DIDNT want him?
So trhey could get him out of Juniors and into the AHL?
"Mario Lemiuex… I used to respect you."- Turgeon1992
I don't think
it can work like that. Dom would know, but due to the CBA it’s NHL or JRs
"Failing upwards! How come I can’t ever seem to do that?" - AP77 on Strang's ESPN Job
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
sorry
I assumed that if the player was released by his junior team then he could enter the AHL younger than 20 years old. whoopsie
"Mario Lemiuex… I used to respect you."- Turgeon1992
Correct
If a junior team doesn’t want the player, the NHL team can assign/loan him to the AHL.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
Thanks Dom
I can never remember the finer aspects of the CBA
"Failing upwards! How come I can’t ever seem to do that?" - AP77 on Strang's ESPN Job
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
In my book
There are no finer aspects of the CBA. Only irritatingly microscopic aspects.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
IT can sometimes work like that
Because he is a European player, and the teams have limits on how many they can ice.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Oct 2, 2011 11:12 PM EDT up reply actions
Pretty sure
Roy owns a different team than the one that drafted KK. KK is on Joel Bouchard’s team I believe.
He was originally drafted
by Montcon and then traded to the Lewiston Manieiacs, who have since folded. The team was dispersed in a draft and Kabanov was drafted by Roy’s team (Montreal Juniors I believe), apparently without Roy’s input/approval
"Failing upwards! How come I can’t ever seem to do that?" - AP77 on Strang's ESPN Job
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
by Mark D on Oct 3, 2011 7:45 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Someone over the summer said Montreal Juniors and I never double checked it. I hold mystery person accountable due to my concussions.
"Failing upwards! How come I can’t ever seem to do that?" - AP77 on Strang's ESPN Job
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
No, the sale just happened the past few months. They were still in MTL when he was drafted.
I just looked, and Roy actually owns Quebec Ramparts, so I’m not sure where the Roy doesn’t like KK rumor comes from at all now!
I am so confused
And I don’t speak French.
The only way to solve this is to let Kabanov play in the AHL. Motion passes!
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
I would love that...
His team is Blainville Boisbriand Armada. Who are their Euros? Are they at quota? If they had to let a Euro go to the AHL, would Kirill be their choice? Or would they want to hold on to him and release a different Euro? I dont know if the organization having Isles ties would help or hinder that decision. I just dont know much about the QMJL.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Oct 5, 2011 12:33 AM EDT up reply actions
Thats something
But are there any more doing what Kirill is doing and hanging with their draft teams right now? If none, then he has a spot. But if there is anyone else, it could cause decisions to have to be made. Something tells me there is at least one more, and that might be why Kirill said on FB that his agent is trying to work out where he is going to play. If there were no other Euros, wouldnt it be a given that he was gonna play there if he doesnt make the NHL?
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Oct 5, 2011 10:18 AM EDT up reply actions
This is where the dearth of actual reporting on the team becomes really annoying.
If there was one regular beat writer, we would likely know all of the angles on this.
Yeah.
Maybe Isles fans should ask Staple or maybe that dude at the Post who is being rather beat writer-ish and see what they have to say? Thats all we got, gotta work with it.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Oct 5, 2011 1:06 PM EDT up reply actions
I don't know
Kabanov honestly looked a bit better than I expected, but I still think he’s nowhere near ready. Anyway, I’d never connect that decision to Pandolfo or who’s available generally for the 4th line. If you think Kabanov would really deserve these 9 games or it would help his development then just do it. If not, don’t do it. And as far as I can tell that would be a no.
As for Pandolfo, he would be worth signing if they think he’d improve their 4th-line depth considerably – if he still brings more overall than Martin, Haley, DiBenedetto or Frischmon. Because those are the guys who’ll be in the lineup (past game #9) if someone gets injured or they don’t dress Gillies. And this seems to be difficult to evaluate. I’d guess he’s still better overall than Martin or Haley, but obviously lacks the toughness. From what I noticed in these pre-season games I thought Pandolfo didn’t do much out there at all and Frischmon instead was their most noticeable forward outside the regulars. But I have no idea what Frischmon could do on the wing.
Frischmon on wing
Wonder if that’s why he’s still around? Because he looked good, and they want to try how he fits into the wing mix? Or maybe it’s just a reward. (Surely they don’t see him at center in this lineup?)
I suppose if you’re 30 and you’ve 3 NHL games to your name, you will try any position they ask.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
black horse candidate
to be the starting goalie by the end of the year
"Failing upwards! How come I can’t ever seem to do that?" - AP77 on Strang's ESPN Job
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
You say that like Cody Rosen doesn't exist.
Cold.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
by Dominik on Oct 2, 2011 4:39 PM EDT up reply actions 4 recs
My goal
is at some point to get a Cody Rosen Autograph. I knew I should have went to the Rookie game. Oh well, there’s always next year
"Failing upwards! How come I can’t ever seem to do that?" - AP77 on Strang's ESPN Job
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
yep
That may be it. And I like it. I’ve been impressed with his play. He seems to skate quite well, provide some energy – and maybe when you’re watching such a player just a couple of times you might tend to overrate him a little, but from the glimpses I’ve seen and read about him, he seems to be very solid defensively indeed.
I don't think a 9 game tryout will hurt his development.
Writer at Beyond the Box Score and The Hardball Times
Pitchf/x enthusiast.
It doesn't even have to be 9 games
That’s just the max. I say give him a couple. Get him excited & motivated.
No Sleep 'til....
haley
very disappointed he didnt make it.i prefer him over gillies and i guess this means martin is a lock. given the opportunity,i believe haley can contribute in multiple areas.he did score 2 goals last year in limited time. i also would prefer not to deal with the drama of his recall prior to penguin games.just keep him up and scratch him as necessary
by Lakewood Islander on Oct 2, 2011 5:56 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
Gillies scored 2 goals in limited TOI as well.
just sayin’. Trevor Gillies- “NHL goal scorer”
Thou shalt not recognize false enemies, they are the Rangers, you shall have no other enemies before them.
AND "Thank you Dale Tallon"
by since70too on Oct 2, 2011 6:31 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
To be fair, both of Gillies' goals were defelctions whereas Haley's involved him streaking out on breakaways.
Writer at Beyond the Box Score and The Hardball Times
Pitchf/x enthusiast.
Ah, but when Gillies tells his grandkids he scored GOALS in the NHL
Who is gonna’ remember he didn’t take the shot?
And, think “deflections” might even make the sound prettier than they were.
Thou shalt not recognize false enemies, they are the Rangers, you shall have no other enemies before them.
AND "Thank you Dale Tallon"
True but the best deflection all last season
was the one off of Sim’s ass
Hoping that Haley comes around more than once every 75 years.
all i know is...
saturday needs to happen now. just get em on the ice and make me a very happy hockey fan.
"son of a bitch i'm sick of these dolphins"
- Steve Zissou
by gukid17 on Oct 2, 2011 6:37 PM EDT reply actions 6 recs
Hear hear
No kidding.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
Yes Absoultely!
I can’t wait to attend my first hockey tailgate.
Now, kids, being eaten by a crocodile is just like going to sleep; in giant blender.
The game will be awesome too.
Now, kids, being eaten by a crocodile is just like going to sleep; in giant blender.
Jurcina
I would feel much more comfortable with Jurcina in the opening lineup than Reese or Mottau. Especially Reese. I like Eaton and Jurcina as the 3rd pair…. If Donovan continues to impress the next couple months, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was the first call-up.
Pandolfo was skating well last night, but I’m still surprised he outlasted Haley.
by North Dakota Red Eagle on Oct 2, 2011 8:17 PM EDT reply actions
I think they know Jurcina is made of paper
it’s one of the reasons Staios won a job.
"Failing upwards! How come I can’t ever seem to do that?" - AP77 on Strang's ESPN Job
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
They replaced a guy made of paper
with one made of brittle wood?
Hoping that Haley comes around more than once every 75 years.
Brock Nelson Named forst star for UND!!!!
http://www.fightingsioux.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=13500&ATCLID=205307387
In loving memory;Dad thanks for making us Islanders fans, ACC 1918-2011
:) nice
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Oct 2, 2011 8:57 PM EDT up reply actions
The Reverend
Is god’s first star on a nightly basis
by mdelbags on Oct 2, 2011 9:16 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
Well, he's still "forst" star in our hearts anyway
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
Can we all agree at this point Garth's performance this offseason was an epic fail?
HIs stated goal at the outset was to add a top 4 defenseman. Not only did he fail to do so but he actually swapped out two defensemen (Hillen and martinek) for an inferior one (Staios).
While our D will be better this year due to the return of Streit, that has nothing to do with Garth. As far as I know Garth had no role in sewing up Streit’s shoulder.
Reasoner/Rolston were nice additions and the draft went well but judged by his stated goal, his performance was a failure, plain and simple.
Snow is lucky the Isles don’t get a lot of press coverage because if they did, the press would be calling for his head.
by DP'sknee(andhipandflubugandotherknee) on Oct 2, 2011 9:24 PM EDT reply actions
There is still time to trade
Things open up a bit as teams finalize rosters. Stating that he wants to add a top 4 D-Man does not mean it has to get done. I’d rather him get nothing than trade away half the farm to pick up someone.
I’m not buying that Staios is worse than Hillen and I couldn’t even tell you if Martinek is better than Staios at this point because Martinek is coming off another horrific injury.
Surely the offseason could have been better but I wouldn’t call it a fail at all. He gets our core signed for a long time. The players brought in are better than who left. He drafted outstanding again. The team continues to move forward. Maybe we can still flip Nabby for a top 4. Maybe not. But its a bit harsh to call it an epic fail because he hasn’t found someone at a reasonable price.
No Sleep 'til....
The only thing I don't quite get
Is letting Hillen go, especially being a cheap RFA.
Me either. They must not have liked him very much. To my eyes he seemed like a good defenseman with
excellent speed. Oh well.
Garth failure?
He may not have gone outside the team to make a major improvement but he certainly didn’t hold them back and the natural momentum of this team is up. Garth could (maybe should) do nothing other then hold the “core” together and this team will continue to improve.
Compared to many other “big time” GMs (Burke, Sather Sutter, Homgren and the historical crowd pleaser MM) Garth’s a genius
PS
No credit for the draft and hold- prospects in the pipeline?
by neologizer on Oct 2, 2011 9:49 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Fair point all regarding the resignings of the core
And that’s far more important to the franchise long term than plugging a hole on defense. (And I did mention the draft).
That being said, my point is since the end of last season Garth has repeatedly stressed the team’s currrent prospects for success and that a key deficit that needed to be addressed for this team to advance is defense. And he did nothing to address it. Judged from that perspective, the offseason was a failure.
I don’t buy the argument that Staios is better than Martinek. Staios has a history of injuries as well and Martinek’s production has been consistently superior to Staios’s.
My speculation is that Garth let Marty and Hillen go in anticipation of a deal (or range of potential deals) that didn’t pan out leaving him in the lurch. This is what I call a failure.
by DP'sknee(andhipandflubugandotherknee) on Oct 2, 2011 10:05 PM EDT up reply actions
He did try for the (the not so Big) e
Although he didn’t get that job done
I have trust in Garth Snow
And to me, him not trading for a top 4 dman just means that so far the only trades available didnt work so well in our favor. I mean were all hoping to get a top 4 D-man, but what if were the ones getting the short end of the stick. Like say the best offer he could get was a 1st rounder, Dehaan and Kabanov for Ryan Suter and a 2nd rounder, would you make that trade? i wouldnt
"Mario Lemiuex… I used to respect you."- Turgeon1992
by Zhora on Oct 2, 2011 10:14 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
The excess cap space....
Is a bit crazy though….$14+ million. If they actually could contend for UFAs at market value….they could be a juggernaut
Not necesarrily
2 summers ok we tried overpaying for Martin and i think Hamhuis by a very good amount. We cant force players to sign here, and they wont until we start winning
"Mario Lemiuex… I used to respect you."- Turgeon1992
by Zhora on Oct 2, 2011 10:47 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
That's what I'm saying
If the Isles actually make the playoffs this year on the cap min……just think what could happen!
It's also possible that a trade simply wasn't there
Snow tried free agency and was rebuffed. Sent out invites to camp and only Staios bit and now he has a contract. Maybe there’ll be a late waiver pick up in the near future.
But if he calls GM X to ask about player Y and hears something along the lines of “Sure, you send me Grabner, Comeau, Niederrietter, and your next two first rounders and he’s yours!” then I’d rather he wait. Garth has shown he’s nothing if not patient. When the deal’s there, i have faith he’ll make it. I just hope its the right one.
"He's depriving some small village of a pretty good idiot" - Mike Milbury on Ziggy Palffy's agent. On Twitter: @Dan_of_Science
by PGI on Oct 2, 2011 11:02 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
He did try to add the dman
but he can ‘t force anyone to sign here. Dude (whose name shall not be typed by these hands) chose Buff and less cash over LI and the big Wangbucks. It was a bold attempt with the trade and all. I think we were all hoping for a move like that to help speed the rebuild along, but Snow is still handcuffed trying to bring in talented guys that have other options. He has whiffed in this area repeatedly, but I am not ready to say it is his fault. It’s the areener, the losing, the league wide perception of the organization as a joke, etc.
Winning changes all of that. But for now, another year in the slow and steady rebuild boots up. I, for one, am pretty exited, and overall I’m pleased with Garth’s offseason moves. I do question why we have Staios here instead of Martinek, and I do think this team is woefully soft physically. Martin better not get sent down, although I do believe it is what’s best for him.
by CloseCallJiggs on Oct 2, 2011 10:09 PM EDT up reply actions
you are kidding right?
He tried for the top 4 Dman and the guy chose to go somewhere
At that point you do not sell the farm to get 1 position improved. Due to that I think this summer was a success actually. Do not look for the quick fix, it will not happen with Garth until we are 1 player away from a cup. If you do expect that from him, than you have not been paying much attention to how he does his business. That quick fix, hasty reaction type of deal is not nor has never been his style and personally I love that.
James T Paulson
by Jtpdolphins2009 on Oct 2, 2011 10:49 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Trying and doing are 2 different things though. Garth "wanted" to add a top 4 d-man this year, he didn't. That is a failed attempt at doing what he wanted.
Although he still has a shot, but last year Garth got Wiz, and Wiz would have been a giant breath of fresh air compared to the staios signing.
Think of it this way, do you believe that Garth couldn’t find any other RH d-men that would have been better then Staios to add to our top 8? I’m sure even a 3rd/4th round pick could have found a solid bottom pairing guy at least. Wouldn’t you have even preferred Martinek over Staios?
What do you mean they won 4 cups in a row? Is that possible?
what did you want him to do?
He offered more money and the guy still wanted to go somewhere else
Did you want him to give him part ownership of the team or a gold car or something?
There is only so much you can do
James T Paulson
by Jtpdolphins2009 on Oct 2, 2011 11:01 PM EDT up reply actions
Who are you talking about right now? Martinek or Wiz?
What do you mean they won 4 cups in a row? Is that possible?
yes Ehrhoff
A situation like that could have easily ended in Garth overpaying for someone that is not top 4 quality
He did not do that and for that I am happy.
This team has still not broken through and showed they can win consistently and until they do Garth is going to have a VERY tough time landing any big name free agent. You just have to accept that fact and not blast for not pulling off a miracle.
James T Paulson
by Jtpdolphins2009 on Oct 2, 2011 11:05 PM EDT up reply actions
"Ehrhoff" was offerred less money. Not more. And garth didn't try hard enough if we think Staios is was a great addittion.
Martinek resigned would have been better. Trading for any decent bottom d-man in the NHL would have been better. I’m not saying Garth needed to find an Ehrhoff, just saw a top 4 d-man as a “goal”, Ehrhoff as obviously the ceiling of that “goal”, and then Staios being an extreme consolation prize. I would have preferred seeing a Mottau signing like last year over a Staios signing. Staios sucked as a bottom pair d-man the last full season he had, which was 3yrs ago. And after that he’s only gotten worse.
What do you mean they won 4 cups in a row? Is that possible?
ok 2 questions then
Was the amount Garth offered made public?
Also do you not think that Buffalo overpaid for Ehrhoff? Because I do
James T Paulson
by Jtpdolphins2009 on Oct 2, 2011 11:09 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
well in terms of the contract
seems to me that Ehrhoff wanted that long term deal
Isles have had enough of those, would you have been happy signing Ehrhoff for 10 years?
James T Paulson
by Jtpdolphins2009 on Oct 2, 2011 11:11 PM EDT up reply actions
Ehrhoff was overpaid tremendously. He's vastly overrated at face value of his offensive stats.
But that’s not Garth’s fault. Garth’s fault was showing everyone that he wanted Erhoff, then went quiet the rest of the offseason and settled on Staios. “That” is the main problem. You want a top 4 d-man, you tell everyone about it, and then you can’t find anything better then a #7/#8/#9 d-man to help us? I find it hard to believe there were no other cheap/available options out there other then Staios. I would have preferred giving McCabe $4mil for 1yr then that.
What do you mean they won 4 cups in a row? Is that possible?
by OzzyFan on Oct 2, 2011 11:14 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Toronto got a decent defenseman for nothing
Cody Franson for a bag of pucks. Other teams made acquisitions to improve their defense. We got Staios. I’m not saying Garth didn’t try but that he did not actually improve the D, which is what GMs are supposed to do.
by DP'sknee(andhipandflubugandotherknee) on Oct 2, 2011 11:06 PM EDT up reply actions
We havent even played a minute of hockey
how about we wait a little bit before we judge though
James T Paulson
by Jtpdolphins2009 on Oct 2, 2011 11:07 PM EDT up reply actions
I'm not saying that we won't be competitive this year
Just a simple observation that Garth failed to address the team’s acknowledged weakness during the offseason.
by DP'sknee(andhipandflubugandotherknee) on Oct 2, 2011 11:11 PM EDT up reply actions
Face value without Streit is horrible for our defense though.
-Mottau=coming off surgery
-Eaton=coming off surgery
-A-mac=coming off surgery
-Streit=coming off surgery
How are you happy with our defense if half or our projected top 7/top 8 are coming off season ending surgeries? That’s a fail at upgrading the defense.
What do you mean they won 4 cups in a row? Is that possible?
615 man games lost to injury
150 more than any other team.
I say get a new training regiment, until we see half of those man games lost to injury in a season, we many not know how good this defense is
We used 15 Dmen last year, if we can cut the injuries down I think that by itself improves this team quite a bit.
James T Paulson
by Jtpdolphins2009 on Oct 2, 2011 11:13 PM EDT up reply actions
Half an AHL-D
A not insignifcant # of games last year featured 2 or 3 AHL level D-men. Also people may forget Hamonic was a rookie and MacDonald wasn’t far from one.
Yeah, but we were still the 4th worst goals against team in the NHL last year.
Do you expect us to jump to the league average with the addittion of Streit and Staios? Especially considering A-mac might not be 100% till November and Eaton/Mottau/Jurcina are coming off injuries or surgeries to start the season. We are again in a really crappy defensive situation.
What do you mean they won 4 cups in a row? Is that possible?
Our d-man before last year:
Eaton=decent middle pair d-man
Mottau=Ok bottom pair d-man
Jurcina=Career #7/#6 d-man
Martinek=Gone, but more then capable of a bottom pairing assignment when healthy
Garth didn’t really give us a solid d-man before the injuries last year. And this year it’s even worse given all the guys that we have coming back from injury and no real addittions to solidify our defense into a decent one.
What do you mean they won 4 cups in a row? Is that possible?
I was wrong, we at least got Wiz last offseason. So yes, Garth did better last year at fixing our d situation then this year.
What do you mean they won 4 cups in a row? Is that possible?
Or Liles, which is really an ehrhoff-lite, for a 2nd round pick. You think garth could have found something like that if Burke could.
What do you mean they won 4 cups in a row? Is that possible?
Yeah but everyone WANTS to play for toronto
Especially JT…. counting off those days till his contract is up and he can go north
Does Florida have any promising young D men
that still need to hit the waiver wire? or anyone else for that matter?
i think the D is improved
Streit plus Hamonic is a year older.
Martinek is made of glass, sometimes it is just time to turn the page….i think Hillen is a different story, but Isles need to get bigger on D, so maybe having Streit and Katic around with De Haan, Donovan and Ness on the farm render Hillen expendable. Surely, no NHL team would ever ice all these small puckmovers at the same time…I’m more inclined though think maybe Hillen might have been a better depth D, i doubt he could ever be sent down though as he wouldn’t clear waivers….but i really think at least some of the “we should have kept Martinek” camp is a homer thing. That isn’t to take anything away from what Martinek did in the past, I just don’t see his lost play as anything that will impact the season’s final outcome.
by CanadianIsleslifer on Oct 3, 2011 12:11 AM EDT up reply actions
Marty had a serious consussion
and we had 5 games like Hillen – including Katic who got hurt
Hillen wasn’t the answer
we need some a big bruiser – guessing we may still get one
I have to see it as a push at best to small failure. Definitely consider it a "failure" if the playoffs are a serious goal this year because Garth didn't create a should be playoff team.
-Garth wanted to make the D better as you said. Adding Staios and subtracking Martinek “and” Hillen=Loss in my book. If you were to ask me who I would rather to start this season next to Streit in a pairing, Martinke or Staios? I’m taking Martinek 8 times out of 10. If it wasn’t for Streit, our defense would have gotten worse from last year(starting wise). Martinek wasn’t Martinek last year, but he sure as hell could play a #4 role at a decent level when healthy.
-The Draft=looks good now, no idea how garth did till years into the future. Push.
-Extending youngsters=good job.
-Adding depth to the bottom 6=Rolston + Reasoner=good job.
It wasn’t a horrible offseason, but still wasn’t a great offseason. I’d say in between. And if the playoffs were an actual landmark goal this year, I’d say Garth failed at icing a team that “should” make the playoffs this year.
What do you mean they won 4 cups in a row? Is that possible?
For what it's worth
Garth said playoffs were a goal (and he always does). But more than that, there were several items in Newsday and elsewhere where the team made it clear that they were concerned about reliving the injury plagued 10-11 and wanted to make serious efforts to improve the team.
by DP'sknee(andhipandflubugandotherknee) on Oct 2, 2011 11:15 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, but I can't think playoffs are a hard goal with what Garth has done. You'd think he'd do anything else possible to land a better d-man if that were the case.
Our D situation to start the season makes you shake your head when you look at it and hope for the playoffs.
What do you mean they won 4 cups in a row? Is that possible?
Can we all agree at this point Garth’s performance this offseason was an epic fail?
Nope.
Great draft (IMO) locking up great young players for fair contracts, not burdening the team with players they will be stuck with, etc.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Oct 2, 2011 11:14 PM EDT up reply actions
I agree with TMC on this one
if your owner argument for calling it a fail is failure to land the big top for D and letting Hillen and Martinek go, I don’t think that is much of an argument…i don’t doubt for a second that Snow has, and continues to explore all available avenues…and the Isles most certainly have the players to acquire anyone in the NHL today, but if he grossly overpaid via trade, getting the team closer to the playoffs but further from the cup, that would be a far greater failure…so in essence, what i am hearing is it is either you pay your counterparts price or your a failure…i just don’t agree….sometimes, the best trade is the one you never made…see Chicago and Brian Campbell whose contract made him unmoveable until the guy who signed him traded for him in Florida…Chicago had to move a lot of guys they would have rather kept over Campbell from the cup winning team in order to stay under the cap.
by CanadianIsleslifer on Oct 3, 2011 12:18 AM EDT up reply actions
LOL
I don’t think we can “all agree” on any point.
But no, I’d call it fall short of an epic fail. I’m actually amazed how much the expressed desire for a Top 4 upgrade morphed somewhere into a promise of “top 4 or bust.”
I’d call it par: He made needed upgrades in the bottom six, and at least has some goalie insurance (signing Vokoun would’ve been nice, but not truly attainable). If you really included the draft in the summer report card, then I’d put him above par (er, “under” par?). If normal press would call for his head for this summer, it’d be another reason for me to stop reading papers.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
Because teams were so wild to add Hillen and Martinek to their Roster?
Martinek obviously got a contract a lot sooner then Hillen, but Columbus also believes that Wisniewski is going to be a cornerstone defenseman for them for a long time… So let’s just say their scouting is questionable…
Hillen might once again be in a position in which he only see’s NHL playing time due to injury.
Did Staios replace Hillen/Martinek? No, he’s just a nice little pickup. Who replaced Hillen/Martinek? Ness/DeHaan/Donovan/Klementyev/Wishart and the fact that the team is loaded with youngsters whose ceiling makes comparing them to Hillen like comparing the Empire State Building to a Wawa in Trenton.
"Failing upwards! How come I can’t ever seem to do that?" - AP77 on Strang's ESPN Job
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
by Mark D on Oct 3, 2011 7:52 AM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
this
thank you
I don’t get the obsession with Martinek coming off a serious concussion & Hillen who we have many other versions of
I don't blame anyone for missing Martinek
I mean he’s been with the team for 10 years, it’s sad to see him go. But the reality is that even with his relatively healthy season last year, he’s still someone you have to worry about with injuries. I don’t think the Isles would have extended Jurcina if they had the chance at the end of the season instead of early on. I think they were going on the belief that Jurcina had gotten over his injury hump, which he hasn’t. But you really can’t carry 2 NHL defenseman who get hurt when the wind blows the wrong way.
"Failing upwards! How come I can’t ever seem to do that?" - AP77 on Strang's ESPN Job
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
And you believe Staios is healthy enough to jot down for 60gms this year?
What do you mean they won 4 cups in a row? Is that possible?
Maybe not
but would Radek have signed for 1y, 800K? I dont think so… I think that would have been seriously lowballing him in money and length.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Oct 3, 2011 3:17 PM EDT up reply actions
but
He’s getting 1.6 when we win the Cup this year
"Failing upwards! How come I can’t ever seem to do that?" - AP77 on Strang's ESPN Job
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
by Mark D on Oct 3, 2011 4:11 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
touche'
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Oct 3, 2011 4:37 PM EDT up reply actions
he doesn't have to be
if Jurcina can go for 40.
"Failing upwards! How come I can’t ever seem to do that?" - AP77 on Strang's ESPN Job
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
So essentially, depth but not an upgrade.
What do you mean they won 4 cups in a row? Is that possible?
Wawa in Trenton?
Don’t go there at night. Not a good neighborhood.
Was this actually a stated goal? I know it’s been rumored to have been, and his actions with Erhoff point in that direction, but not sure he actually said it.
It was relayed, via paraphrase I believe, in one article
Around postseason wrapup time.
I guess that could be seen as a “sure we’d like to improve” type comment, or in Snow-speak it could be the equivalent of taking out billboards in Times Square.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
I'm a bit sad about Haley
I love when he enters beast mode….
by 54_Fighting on Oct 2, 2011 9:30 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
He'll be back.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Oct 2, 2011 11:15 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I didn't know Haley was the terminator...
But it all kind of makes sense now.
by Isle in Topanga on Oct 3, 2011 1:13 AM EDT up reply actions 4 recs
I need your Uniform, Skates, and Hockey Equipment
“You forgot to say please!”
not long later…
Hasta La Vista, Baby Mario!
Come with me if you want to make the playoffs
Hoping that Haley comes around more than once every 75 years.
by ilopan on Oct 3, 2011 4:47 AM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
Hahahaha!
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Oct 3, 2011 4:37 PM EDT up reply actions
On the goaltending situation...
“I suppose if someonemade an offer they can’t refuseoffered a used puck bag, a roll of stick tape and a conditional draft pick for Nabokovor Montoya, the Isleswould listenshould take it and get the Stay Puffed Marshmallow Goalie the hell outta here.”
Fixed that for you. If somebody- anybody at all- wants The Nabbit, let ‘em have him, because he’s not an NHL goalie anymore, he’s a washed up, fat old geezer.
John Tavares: Loyalty. Character. The power to put every sports writer in Toronto on anti-depressants just by signing a piece of paper.
Nabby
a nice experiment
he can be our 3rd man out – or we can trade him – he could be a useful part in that regard
Panthers have anyone we want on D for Nabby + Bailey + a prospect?
As frustrating as Bailey is, I'm not willing to trade him just yet.
Also not big on giving up a prospect just to get rid of Nabby.
Nabby for whatever we can get. That’s about as far as I’m willing to go. He’s not going to be Rolo Part 2; Rolo can actually still play and play well. Nabby’s little more than a warm body between the pipes at this point that’ll cost the Isles every time he gets a start.
I don’t trust him to actually play here; he never wanted to be here and he seems like the kind of guy who’d jake it just to get out of here.
John Tavares: Loyalty. Character. The power to put every sports writer in Toronto on anti-depressants just by signing a piece of paper.
by BrassBonanza10 on Oct 3, 2011 7:18 PM EDT up reply actions
Kulikov and Gudbranson. But I'm not sure how much any team values Bailey or Nabby right now, likely very lowly.
What do you mean they won 4 cups in a row? Is that possible?
Prepare your rage, Isles fans
ESPN power rankings and TSN projections due out later today.
by DP'sknee(andhipandflubugandotherknee) on Oct 3, 2011 10:59 AM EDT reply actions
Leafs D Matt Lashoff
Placed on waivers. Thoughts anyone?
by DP'sknee(andhipandflubugandotherknee) on Oct 3, 2011 11:16 AM EDT reply actions
He's not impressive in my book
Supposedly tough, but doesn’t appear to be very schooled at defense. I’d rather have Wishart, and it looks like Wishart won’t even be on the NHL squad to start.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
I don't wwant anyone the Leafs cut
they suck
by Cary K on Oct 3, 2011 5:32 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
Has it been seven seasons already?!
Wow.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
3 years ago - maybe
Lashoff was supposed to be a future top liner – but has failed to meet expectations – former 1st rounder, big, pretty fast – but it just hasn’t worked out on the NHL level- he has the raw talent, but I think would be a project and not a plug-in-play defensemen – I don’t think he would help the team in the near future even if he eventually worked out.
interesting quotes from capuano re final roster decisions
"
"Right now I’m happy with the guys we have, they’ve worked hard. But, I’ll tell you what: Just because there were transactions made [in sending 19 players to minor-league Bridgeport over the weekend], a lot can happen from now until Saturday night" when the Islanders open the season against Florida."
Sounds like he’s not ruling out recalling any of the 19 sent down on Sunday. Likely some bluster there (Cappy seems to do a lot of that).
by DP'sknee(andhipandflubugandotherknee) on Oct 3, 2011 7:02 PM EDT via mobile reply actions 2 recs
Yeah
He seems to mix in his share of “earn your job everyday” talk. Which I’m cool with, in moderation, if it doesn’t get stale. So far so good.
The major test I’m looking for is if he sticks to “guy who stops the puck is the guy who will play” assertion.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
by Dominik on Oct 4, 2011 12:47 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
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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.
