Mark Streit and Dylan Reese: Important for different reasons
by Mark D on Dec 24, 2011 8:01 AM EST
in Big Picture Musings
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Mark Streit and Dylan Reese are two names you don't often hear together. One of them is a legend of Swiss hockey and the other gets in half price at Hershey Park. If not for them both being part of the Islanders organization their names would probably never be mentioned in the same paragraph. Yet both of them in their own way are a part of the answer for the Islanders. At least if that answer involves being competitive for a playoff spot.
Streit's Struggles
The early season struggles of Mark Streit has most Islander fans worried. His minus-13 is tied for worst amongst Isles defenseman (and second-worst of all skaters), with Streit's most common partner Milan Jurcina also at minus-13. Streit has already had 4 games in which he was a -3 or worse. For comparison in his first two Islander seasons he only had a -3 or worse in 5 games. The biggest worry though is this comes after he was given the C, and in his age 33-34 year (Dec. 11) he is one of the Islanders oldest players to be in their long term plans.
ThAfter missing a year of hockey, you could expect some bumps in the road. Last season Kyle Okposo missed half the season and didn't look right until early March. He was also eased back into the lineup, and had nowhere near the responsibility he had the previous season. While in 2009-10 Okposo had been averaging 20 minutes a game, last season he was down to 16 minutes. He also wasn't put immediately back on the first line, but instead joined Frans Nielsen and Michael Grabner who were defensively sound.
Unfortunately the Islanders can't afford to do that with Streit, at least if they expect to compete for a playoff spot. They could have possibly eased off his minutes this season, but unfortunately the injuries and struggles of Andrew MacDonald left them without a strong second D pairing. Part of the flirtation with Christian Ehrhoff might have been to take some pressure off the returning Streit. Alas, Ehrhoff found Buffalo more appealing in winter.
In time Streit is due to return to form. When the team has such a thin margin of error between winning and losing, it magnifies every mistake made on the ice, such as last night's misread on the 2-on-1 that resulted in a Maple Leafs shorthanded goal that turned the game. At the same time in his first two seasons as an Islander Streit played near perfect hockey. It's unfortunate that the Islanders have to lean on him so heavily while he is struggling. Without other options to turn to though, Streit and the Islanders are just going to have to play through it and hope for the best.
I don't think this is a sign that Streit is heading into a decline. Much like the discussion of Dwayne Roloson's age going into last season, it may come down to games played. Streit currently sits at 393 NHL games played. In 9 seasons in the Swiss league he totaled 365 regular season games and 106 playoff games. Chris Phillips for example is 33 this season and already has 980 regular season games played. It is too early and too soon to declare that Streit is already a declining player. But his performance in his first three months since returning from injury makes him look that way.
Don't Call it a Comeback
Meanwhile, Dylan Reese has been surprisingly good this season, at least in comparison to Mike Mottau. On the radio last night Chris King said Reese had played his best hockey as an Islander, and it sounds like a lot of fans around this site agree. While last year at this time we were scratching our heads as Reese struggled, he kept getting called up ahead of Mark Katic and Dustin Kohn. This season though opinion has swung in the opposite direction. The question is why is Mottau still playing for the Islanders and Reese is at Bridgeport?
While it wasn't surprising that Reese was brought back this season as an emergency call up, his leadership role at Bridgeport has been pleasantly surprising. Reese is among the oldest players on the team, and one of two returning players who are over 25. His 12 points are tied for the team lead for defenseman with Matt Donovan. His even +/- is best among the teams regular defenseman. For a player largely kept around because he can fill in at the NHL level but also clear waivers, his play and leadership have been added bonuses for Bridgeport.
Maybe it's being a leader at Bridgeport, or maybe the writing on the wall, or any number of factors, but Reese is a much better player so far this year. At 16 minutes a game he's even getting more ice time than he did in his last two NHL seasons. He doesn't even have the advantage of playing with Freddy Meyer IV this time. Some players bloom later in their career, and in the case of Reese the Islanders might have lucked out.
In Mark Streit the Islanders have questions, but no answers. In Dylan Reese the Islanders have an answer, but to questions they seemingly don't want to mention. Both players in their own way are going to be important to how this season goes.
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They really need to do something about Mottau
I know he’s been playing well lately, and I’m happy about that, but he’s just let the team down so many times in the past. I know as a fan I have no faith in Mottau, especially when he’s paired with Eaton. I have to imagine that the goalies have little to no faith in the last defensive pairing, even though they would probably never say anything.
I think a lot of the reason that Reese went back to Bridgeport is because the Islanders could send him without exposing him to waivers. There’s been fairly few players that have been exposed to waivers in the rebuild, which is a good thing when they are young players who may not have shown their potential yet (remember Moulson, Grabner and Paranteau were at one point in some other organizations). That being said, I don’t know what the reason for keeping Mottau, and even Eaton around are. I know there’s the cap floor, but it’s hard to imagine that the whole reason for keeping Eaton and Mottau around at this point is they put the team just above the cap floor.
Playing armchair GM I would waive Mottau, keep Eaton and bring Reese back up. Or at the very least bring Reese back up and scratch Mottau to see how Reese and Eaton play together. I know that the roster is a bit stuffed at this time, with injuries to Ullstrom (a nice surprise and I don’t know the ASCII code for umlauts), Staios and Montoya (note I did not include Pandolfo, Rolston, or DiPietro who are all on IR) so I don’t think that’s going to happen anytime soon but I think it’s something the Islanders should take a look at. It makes me wonder if they just don’t have the room right now and are waiting to see who’s coming back healthy to the team or who they can use for trade bait.
Maybe they figure that at least Bridgeport can win a championship even if the big club can't get into the playoffs
Maybe they figure that at least Bridgeport can win a championship even if the big club can't.
by IDCWhoYouLike on Dec 24, 2011 8:55 AM EST up reply actions
screw it
I guess SBN won’t let you be sarcastic during the holidays
by IDCWhoYouLike on Dec 24, 2011 8:56 AM EST up reply actions 3 recs
Makes you wonder
"We owe him a lot more than he owes us at this point. He's been stellar all year. He still gave us a chance to win this one, and we've got to find a way."
—C Josh Bailey, on G Al Montoya after a 5-3 loss Tuesday in Montreal.
by BobbyNystromOwnsYou on Dec 24, 2011 9:35 AM EST up reply actions
Because of the roster freeze, Garth didnt have the same freedoms
An explanation of it was over on IPB the other day.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Dec 24, 2011 11:06 AM EST up reply actions
if we wanted to keep Reese here
we could have easily done so
Mottau to the press box – IR someone with a concussion
was that trip to Bridgeport really necessary?
And when fans make presumptions and treat them as proven facts, the skys the limit!
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Dec 24, 2011 11:49 AM EST up reply actions
Whats not cheap about Reese?
"I really wouldn’t wish rooting for both the Isles and Blues on anyone." Dominik
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
Where there’s a will there’s a way…
Indeed… if you really want to complain about something, you can always find a way!
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Dec 24, 2011 11:48 AM EST up reply actions
and when you want to defend something
you can find a way as well
is this team’s roster at 23? sure doesn’t seem like it
Did they place Ullstrom on IR? If not, why not? Couldn’t that have kept Reese here, and make MOttau the 7th man?
Too much to ask? Or are we only about making excuses for this awful Management?
point being
where there’s a will, there would have been a way
there’s apparently not enough will anyway
You seem to want to believe that no matter what.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Dec 24, 2011 12:28 PM EST up reply actions
you seem to want to give management the benefit of the doubt no matter what
and they don’t deserve it
we just lost two close games that Reese could have been a help with – at a team when we desparately needed some wins to get back into playoff range
instead we get zero points
we could well have just sent Rolston down to Bridgeport and made a decision on keeping Reese the same day without affecting anything (other than Wang spending a few more dollars – oops, we can’t have that, can we)
we could well have just sent Rolston down to Bridgeport and made a decision on keeping Reese the same day without affecting anything (other than Wang spending a few more dollars – oops, we can’t have that, can we)
Again, no they couldnt (roster freeze)
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Dec 24, 2011 1:52 PM EST up reply actions
I like u MC but you're a bigger homer than me...
and believe it or not I am a homer…Im gonna call u TheHomerChick, jk…
Theres nothing “homer” about saying this:
Theres plenty of things to bitch about- this just isnt one of them.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Dec 25, 2011 12:13 AM EST up reply actions
I'm just saying that you always give the organization the benefit of the doubt...
You’re like a mother who wears blinders and who doesnt see anything wrong with her kids…A mothers kids could do no wrong…The Islanders management can do no wrong…
With that being said, I think its great that the Isles have fans like you who will always stick up for them…You’re awesome…TheAwesomeChick, is that better? Merry Christmas! :)
Nah.
I am just not big on jumping to conclusions. I prefer to actually see something happen instead of presuming I know whats happening and treating presumptions as facts. The Islanders management can do plenty wrong- which, again, is why I said:
Theres plenty of things to bitch about- this just isnt one of them.I simply cant make it any clearer than that.
Merry Christmas to you too, KO… the word fan comes from the word fanatic, so it just wouldnt be natural if there wasnt any of that! :)
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Dec 25, 2011 10:28 PM EST up reply actions
The excuses have to stop sooner or later
Could you post this explanation, TMC, i don’t read there much.
"We owe him a lot more than he owes us at this point. He's been stellar all year. He still gave us a chance to win this one, and we've got to find a way."
—C Josh Bailey, on G Al Montoya after a 5-3 loss Tuesday in Montreal.
by BobbyNystromOwnsYou on Dec 24, 2011 12:04 PM EST up reply actions
{link}
Game Day: Islanders at Rangers 7pm and Explaining Emergency Recall
by Kevin Schultz on December 22nd, 2011 at 3:24 pm
Mark Eaton has been activated from IR. To make room for him, Dylan Reese was returned to Bridgeport. Reese, as I mentioned yesterday, had been playing extremely well for the Islanders so the return could be a curious one. However, here are the clauses in the CBA that explains things a bit. (insert CBA quotes)
So here’s what that said. This is a neat trick in the CBA and smart move from the Islanders. It’s also something the Islanders have been doing with a lot of their call ups this season. If the Islanders can prove to the league that their active roster has less than 20 healthy players (not hard to do, especially with a lot of hurt players not being put on IR) then they can bring up a player on what is called ‘emergency recall.’ Remember, if a player is hurt and not on IR they’re still on the active roster but does not count towards the 20 for emergency recall purposes.
Why they’re called up on emergency recall instead of a regular recall is because that exempts the player from having to pass through waivers. The Islanders have done this with Calvin de Haan and some of the young kids for some reason (de Haan, for example, is exempt from waivers) but they’ve also done it with Tim Wallace and Dylan Reese who are waiver eligible. Reese had one year of waiver exemption, which is why he was up and down so much last year. Now that’s expired and how he gets up and down is trickier. Of course there’s a good chance Reese would pass through waivers anyway but there’s no reason not to be safe, especially with all the injuries and lack of defensive depth.
There’s one other important point and it’s that on emergency recall, Reese was specifically replacing a player. In this case, that was Eaton. When Eaton returned, Reese either had to be either returned to Bridgeport or placed on regular recall, as happened to Tim Wallace earlier in the year. That would mean Reese would take up an extra roster spot if staying with the team and would be exposed to waivers on his way back down, if the Islanders later chose to send him back down.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Dec 24, 2011 12:28 PM EST up reply actions
Okay
So lets call him up for good.
"We owe him a lot more than he owes us at this point. He's been stellar all year. He still gave us a chance to win this one, and we've got to find a way."
—C Josh Bailey, on G Al Montoya after a 5-3 loss Tuesday in Montreal.
by BobbyNystromOwnsYou on Dec 24, 2011 12:41 PM EST up reply actions
Its so sad that we are all clamoring for Dylan Reese...
It shows you how low our expectations are, lol…
by KO21 on Dec 24, 2011 5:20 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
And thank you, I didn't know that
"We owe him a lot more than he owes us at this point. He's been stellar all year. He still gave us a chance to win this one, and we've got to find a way."
—C Josh Bailey, on G Al Montoya after a 5-3 loss Tuesday in Montreal.
by BobbyNystromOwnsYou on Dec 24, 2011 12:41 PM EST up reply actions
The CBA is really confusing...
Its not just you- all of us need explanations.
As far as him being up here permanently, I think thats possible- I just think that Snow didnt want CBA loopholes to make these choices for him.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Dec 24, 2011 12:52 PM EST up reply actions
Just wait til we have a whole bunch of new rules next year
No Sleep 'til....Belmont?
ugh.
Just when we figure out like 10% of what we’ve got, they are gonna turn it all upside down.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Dec 24, 2011 1:54 PM EST up reply actions
.....I hope you're right about Streit's protracted recovery in earnest, Mark,
but one modern trend that’s becoming quite intolerable is this refusal to be candid with the fans and media about player’s true physical health; it causes many of us to believe a player is in decline because we reasonably conclude, after all, they wouldn’t just LEAVE them out there, night after night almost singlehandedly causing losses or, at the very least, considerably lessening their team’s chances of winning as a consequence? True, too many coaches and opposing players subsequently zero in on such still-wounded animals to thin herds – but really, can it BE much of a secret or less than obvious to ANYONE by now in Streit’s case, his being the Islanders’ captain?
In memoriam: Virginia Ariel Cayon 1927-2011 R.I.P. Mom
We haven't looked very good since Reese was sent down...
… Idk what kind of relationship he had with the players, but based on current players’ twitter accounts (I can’t believe I’m using twitter to make a point) he seemed to be well liked as grabs and Martin linked his account to their followers, etc…
My point is I wonder (though this wouldn’t necessarily be a good character trait for our players) if the current guys weren’t a little pissed to see Reese go down especially as well as he’s been, felt he didn’t deserve and idk got angry and lost a little bit of focus on the ice. That excuse is inexcusable, they are professional athletes but I just wonder if the team got a little disheartened to see someone who clearly earned their spot with the big club, not be able to stay up
Just a thought…
by BaltimoreIslander on Dec 24, 2011 9:40 AM EST via mobile reply actions
after struggling all season as a team
with an immoble defense, Reese arrives giving them a nice fit and a bit more foot speed and transition game and 6 solid enough D
and he gets sent down in favor of the terrible Mottau
wouldn’t you be pissed?
absolutely
Our GM constantly strips away at the teams identity.
Reese is a much better, more valuable component to this defense......
…..than a lot of people realize; I’ve always had a soft spot for him and truly believe that, with a better corps surrounding him, he wouldn’t receive nearly as much wrath as did Bruno (for somewhat the same reasons…..)
In memoriam: Virginia Ariel Cayon 1927-2011 R.I.P. Mom
this is on Garth & Wang
Garth has a bit of history of not caring much who is on D
rather than stand up for keeping Reese and asking Wang to spend a bit accordingly, he took a pass – an Cappy probably has no chips to play at this point either – the front office seems to like Mottau (god knows why)
simply a very poor move that has been telling on the ice for a team with little margin of error
Again, there is a roster freeze right now- and Reese was the one on Emerg recall.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Dec 24, 2011 11:31 AM EST up reply actions
These excuses will not bring a playoff berth..."Garths excuses are his own"
even if the excuses have merit they are simply excuses…Other teams find a way around them…This week my car broke down and I called my manager and let him know I would have a tough time getting there…he said “your excuses are your own”…In other words, if I didn’t find a way to get to work I wont make any money but I will have an excuse…That excuse wont pay the rent…I cant tell my land lord that I couldn’t get to work so i wont be able to pay unless I want to lose my home…
The excuses wont bring a playoff berth…Im just saying…Where there’s a will there’s a way…I know youre gonna challenge me and defend why Reese had to be sent down…But I’m just saying, if its not one thing its another with the Islanders and Its not just this one thing…
Im done being negative now…Its Christmas time, after all…
sorry
this is not an acceptable answer – fucking up the team’s chemistry, mobility & balance to manage to a bottom line
very poor management to say the least
is it any wonder the team in effect quit the last 2 games – they go out there, most of them plyaing injured, knowing that management doesn’t have their backs – could Snow & Wang have done anything more stupid
All 30 teams have to deal with this
Not just the Islanders. Whoever is the emerg callup has to go back, there is no wiggle room during a roster freeze.
Theres plenty of things to bitch about- this just isnt one of them.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Dec 24, 2011 11:47 AM EST up reply actions
And other teams dont, too.
In fact, some teams with the exact same people running them have had both.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Dec 25, 2011 12:12 AM EST up reply actions
Well, If being one of the teams that don't is ok with you then that's you're prerogative....
I am tired of the same ole Islanders…Most teams go through cycles, peaks & valleys, if you will…But not this organization…Its been all down hill since the dynasty days..I did not witness the cups…Im 37 yrs old and I just missed the glory days…I jumped on the bandwagon on the way down. I was too young and wasn’t introduced to hockey until I was like 10 or 11…So, maybe you’re patience has no bounds…I have been very patient but I am frustrated with how this team is mismanaged…
We are the same age, I didnt witness any of it either.
I just dont see the point in complaining about what was done decades ago under completely different people and acting like its one long thing. It isnt. Whats going on now is better than anything that has happened to this team since we were teenagers. If you dont agree, you dont agree.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Dec 25, 2011 10:30 PM EST up reply actions
I am happy with rebuilding through the draft and we have more young talent than ever.
I am not trying to complain about the past although I am jaded from it…I was very excited about this season. But the moves that Garth made in the off season pissed me off…Last season I posted in a game thread that I really liked Konopka, and you agreed with me…I remember this clear as day…We both discussed why we loved Zeke and how we appreciate him for all he brings..He was so vocal against any disrespect against the Isles and he wouldn’t allow anyone to call us door mats without him lashing out at anyone who dissed his team..These young guys need vets like that who can instill that pride and the “us vs the world” attitude…He was a stand up guy…We both know guys like him are like the glue that keeps a teams adhesion…Same with Haley…Garth also allowed dmen that were good for this team to walk and I was also pissed about that…He replace them with you know who…I think this team was better last year than this year because of these bad moves he made…I guess now that Reese was sent down its not this specific move that makes Isles fans want to bang their heads against a wall…Its all the bad moves Garths made over the off season…I look at Reese being sent down and it just reminds me that he let Hillen go and Marty go…I am scratching my head and wondering wtf garth is thinking so I guess I’m jaded…
The good things he did was sign the young guys he sees as the core which makes me very happy and relieved that hes not like Milbury…I just wish he would stop bringing in old washed up players and bring back the gritty players…We should be one of the youngest exciting up & coming teams in hockey…But those signings Garth made really fucked that up, IMHO…
Last season I posted in a game thread that I really liked Konopka, and you agreed with me…I remember this clear as day…We both discussed why we loved Zeke and how we appreciate him for all he brings..He was so vocal against any disrespect against the Isles and he wouldn’t allow anyone to call us door mats without him lashing out at anyone who dissed his team..These young guys need vets like that who can instill that pride and the "us vs the world" attitude…He was a stand up guy…We both know guys like him are like the glue that keeps a teams adhesion…
I do like Zeke- and I would have been very happy had the Isles kept him. However, just because I like him Im not going to overestimate what he brings to a team. Remember, he was there when the Isles had that horrendous 20g streak. He is not a gamebreaker, and all the fan popularity in the world doesnt change that.
Same with Haley…Garth also allowed dmen that were good for this team to walk and I was also pissed about that…He replace them with you know who…I think this team was better last year than this year because of these bad moves he made…I guess now that Reese was sent down its not this specific move that makes Isles fans want to bang their heads against a wall…Its all the bad moves Garths made over the off season…I look at Reese being sent down and it just reminds me that he let Hillen go and Marty go…I am scratching my head and wondering wtf garth is thinking so I guess I’m jaded…
I said this already in another thread, IPB recently explained the specifics of why Reese was sent back. Its not permanent banishment, it has to be looked at simply for what it is… a minor move during a roster freeze that ensures Reese would not have to pass through waivers later on.
And yeah I would have been happy to keep Martinek and Hillen, too- but, like in the case with Zeke, I think there might be a tendency to remember more of the good and blow them up a bit once they are gone. (Martinek is a bit of an exception IMO- he was the longest tenured dman in this organization and I just love the guy- for the record I am perfectly comfortable acknowledging my bias in that respect.) But neither of them are Chara or Aucoin or even Hammrlik or Caber at the times when the Isles let them go.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Dec 26, 2011 4:52 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah, but you knew what you had in those guys...
It looks like Garth just made moves for the sake of making moves…He replaced players, that fit well on the team, with old scrubs…
Regarding Zeke, I am not underestimating what he brought…He brought some serious intangibles that make a team a winner…heart & soal…You need real leaders like that…I see Hammer starting to act that way…
Mike Mottau
there is nobody I’ve been harder on since they signed him. But he may have been their best defenseman last night in relation to their responsibilities.
One night does not a season make, but the answer isn’t Dylan Reese for Mike Mottau, it’s bringing in Reese and Wishart to start rotating healthy scratches.
Eaton and Mottau looked okay for 14+ minutes last night. Hamonic was OWNED several times, Macdonald consistently makes poor decisions and Streit hasn’t even been a shell of himself. Jurcina may have made some mistakes, but he was also the only defenseman to CRUSH leafs when he had the opportunity.
The bottom two defensemen aren’t the problem, they are A problem… but the bigger problem is tha they have important posiitions filled by players that either aren’t ready for it (Hamonic) or are coming off of injury (Streit, Macdonald) and are not ready to take on the responsibilities they once did.
Streit needs a recovery week…BADLY, and the rest of the walking wounded need to get nights off. The only guy I feel bad for is Hamonic… who plays his ass off, but just isn’t ready to be a #1 defenseman in the NHL. He will be someday, no doubt, but not today.
This… is on Garth Snow. Whether he has even had an opportunity to upgrade or not, he has failed to do so. As much as I like what he’s done for the team, this failing is going to keep them out of the playoff conversation another year….MAYBE TWO.
LighthouseHockey: We saw this coming!
@JPinVA
he's played a bit better
but he’s slow as molasses/Wotton, so his presence within the 6 D screws up the teams balance
not acceptable – except as an occiassional 7th D man – which is a role he could easily be playing right now, except Snow is apparently either a moron, or kowtowing to Wang’s budget demands – which given Nilsson’s demotion, you have to assume as I have been that this is Wang says X, Snow says yes sir, Capuano thinks I have a job as an NHL coach, so I’m not complaining
and the players get left feeling that management is more interested in the cap floor than the team’s success – this is poison
I agree with the Mottau comment. He's looked much better the past couple of games.
I also like the idea of a 7th D to give some nights off. Streit needs a game or two, no doubt.
Hamonic would need to be Isles' #1...
#2, and #3 defensemen right now. Jurcina is playing better, but Streit and AMac are struggling.
In other words, I don’t think any defenseman in the league could replace Hamonic this season and make the group of 6 into an average group of 6.
"The reader of this sentence exists only while reading me."
by North Dakota Red Eagle on Dec 24, 2011 5:21 PM EST up reply actions
NYIslanders NYIslanders
#Isles news: Anders Nilsson has been returned on loan to Bridgeport.
No Sleep 'til....Belmont?
probably a paper transaction since nobodys playing for a few more days.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Dec 24, 2011 11:23 AM EST up reply actions
Merry Christmas Anders
We are going to send you back down for a few days to save some cash. Man that sucks. His NHL salary is like 13 times his AHL salary.
No Sleep 'til....Belmont?
IDK< he might look at it more like a christmas bonus that he was called up at all. If Poulin hadnt already gone home I think it would have been him.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Dec 24, 2011 11:37 AM EST up reply actions
Mottau
I admit that his play has been weak this season. I think that we all will concede that he has been better of late. But one thing I have not heard is an acknowledgement that he also is returning from serious injury. We are quick to give Streit and McDonald a pass because of rust. Why not Mottau too?
by 19holekc on Dec 24, 2011 1:53 PM EST via mobile reply actions 1 recs
He was terrible last year and in years before
Also, he was better WITH Reese (But still not good), but has been awful with Eaton.
Writer at Beyond the Box Score and The Hardball Times
Pitchf/x enthusiast.
http://twitter.com/#!/garik16
uch like the discussion of Dwayne Roloson's age going into last season, it may come down to games played.
Uhhhh Mark? Roloson WAS getting old. He’s old this year. You just can hide that as a goalie with luck.
I think Streit is regressing a bit, just not as bad as he looks lately. I do however think that Streit-Jurcina is a disaster pairing.
Writer at Beyond the Box Score and The Hardball Times
Pitchf/x enthusiast.
http://twitter.com/#!/garik16
Yes
But my argument with Rollie was that his 40 wasn’t comparable to Joseph’s 38 for example, due to the extreme difference in games played. It’s the same reason that Thomas at 37 might be comparable to a younger player when it comes to fatigue because he hasn’t played that many games.
"I really wouldn’t wish rooting for both the Isles and Blues on anyone." Dominik
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
Question............
Biron was a ufa and was signed by the NYRs. It is assumed that he wanted to go with a winning team. However if Snow has offered him a better deal would he have stayed? No answer to this, only conjecture since Snow is not likely to discuss this. He thought he was in great shape with either Monty, Poulin, Nabby and RDP. Its not hindsight to mention that 3 out of 4 were coming off injuries, and the 4th was not a happy camper. Imagine this season with Biron, a Brooks Laich type forward and a top pair D, and we would be a real possibility for a play-off spot.
Biron didn't fit the team well
I think he know the Isles weren’t going to sign him back.
"I really wouldn’t wish rooting for both the Isles and Blues on anyone." Dominik
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
He was average-at-best on the Isles.
Plus I’d think he would rather be Ranger’s backup than one of Isles’ 4 NHL goalies.
"The reader of this sentence exists only while reading me."
by North Dakota Red Eagle on Dec 24, 2011 5:26 PM EST up reply actions
He was terrible with the Isles.
Writer at Beyond the Box Score and The Hardball Times
Pitchf/x enthusiast.
http://twitter.com/#!/garik16
streit's been horrrrrilbe...wow
i can’t believe my eyes. he’s sooo bad it’s hurtful. this team is soo bad these days…sooo many gafs, sooo many missed opportunities, it’s sooo frustrating. let’s hope the holidays bring a much needed kick in the pants to not only the players, but also garth f’n snow. here comes another top 5 pick…oof.
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SBNation.com Recent Stories
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.
