Islanders vs. Flames Gameday: Return of Blake Comeau
by Dominik on Dec 29, 2011 6:00 AM EST
in New York Islanders Previews
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PrintAs part of a 2011-ending Alberta double, the Islanders welcome the Flames and then the Oilers (on Ken Morrow Night, which is actually New Year's Eve afternoon) to finish out the year.
Among the first visitors is Blake Comeau, one of the last remnant pieces of the Mike Milbury regime, who was curiously yet almost understandably cast off in a fit of ... something by the Islanders last month.
Calgary Flames (18-15-4, 8th/W) @ New York Islanders (11-17-6, 15th/E)
7 p.m. EST | MSG+ | Audio: NHL - WRHU
Nassau [gloriously unsponsored] Veterans Mem. Coliseum
The Limbo of Darryl Sutter's Shadow: Matchsticks & Gasoline
It was said then and should be remembered now: Anyone who watched Comeau play even during his 24-goal season but especially this season knew why a team would sour on him. He has frustrating elements to his game, and he sometimes looks like a square peg playing with round holes, a symptom of which was Jack Capuano trying to get the right-shooting left wing to get "comfortable" on the right side already.
That said, the other part mentioned at his parting: how equally frustrating that the Islanders chose not to use him like they did last year: As a penalty killer with some bonus even-strength scoring punch. (As you'll see below, Flames fans are finding him useful in precisely that role.) Whereas last season he logged 2:15 per game on the PK, this season that was a flickering 0:26. Instead: Jay Pandolfo.
For the record yesterday Garth Snow said that move was made in part because of the emergence of David Ullstrom. But no way it happens if the Isles don't identify Pandolfo as a go-to PK guy coming out of a training camp tryout. In my book Ullstrom's promising but unproven progress is not justification enough to let a rights-controlled (though admittedly getting expensive and arbitration-eligible) useful forward go, so I bet there was more to the story (of frustration) and I suspect it was reflected in Capuano's usage and Josh Bailey's progress without him.
Certainly Comeau says he never did get a clue as to what [theScore] he could do to please the Isles, though one wonders if the very reasonable contract approach the Isles took with Comeau over the summer already set his mind running in paranoid circles.
It's cliche and both parties share part of the blame, but it's possible Comeau is one of those guys -- we've certainly seen a degree of flake there before -- who needed a change of scenery to rediscover (or be guided to) what makes him useful in the NHL. While acknowledging that unknown, you wish Capuano would've found and used that map first.
Things Flames Fans Have Said about Blake Comeau
Blake Comeau is an excellent player. He brings speed, energy, hits and solid two-way play night in and night out. The Flames are lucky to have him.
This is a familiar description of Comeau at his best.
Blake Comeau has been looking good since acquired by the Flames. With the Islanders Comeau played 16 games and scored 0 pts and was -11. With the Flames he has played 4 games and already has 1G 1A and is +1.
Interesting fact - In 4 games in the Flaming C Comeau has 11 hits alone and been outhit by the entire Flames defense by only 14 hits.
This was to be expected no matter how Comeau played: He was due to put an end to those goose eggs he carried with him from the Island.
Blake Comeau is becoming one of my favorite acquisitions and the Islanders were morons to let him go on waivers. 4-2 scoring chances at EV with 3:43 PK TOI.
Of course it sounded like there were no decent offers for Comeau that didn't include someone else's contract baggage, but yes, his PK work would be attribute the Islanders no longer used, for whatever reason.
On the flip side it was another solid week for Calgary’s penalty kill, which is rapidly approaching what we’d call reasonable. Even in the absence of Mark Giordano practically everyone is heading in the right direction thanks to the addition of Blake Comeau and the usage of veterans Alex Tanguay and Olli Jokinen for the past month.
Finally, a few notes that sound quite a bit more familiar and stir memories of the great COZO (Comeau Offensive Zone Orbit):
Comeau and Backlund have some good chemistry. I think both could be a little more direct in their play to get some consistent production. Of late, you see real good possession and passing but it's not turning into shots on net. This is indicative of the team's problems sometimes, they can get too cute. Possessing the puck is great, controlling the puck in order to get good looks is great but you have to have it end up as a shot on goal.
>> Jeff Lebowski, Dec. 14, comment #3 (note: probably not his real name. Really.)
and also:
Good to see Backlund reunited with Comeau and Stempniak, which has been a very effective line for the Calgary Flames. They've been very strong with possession and they tend to spend more time in the offensive end than not. The only thing I'd like to see more of is scoring chances, as the trio hasn't done as effective a job as they could translating their impressive puck time to meaningful chances.
The final two comments are indeed reminiscent of the COZO -- an all too familiar scene where Comeau holds the puck and loops the zone (usually not driving to the net) and back dangerously toward the blueline while his teammates taxi on the runway awaiting instructions -- a cue of intentions, even -- from the flight tower.
Or perhaps as CloseCallJiggs put it best in comments anticipating Comeau's return this week:
And they just finished Zamboni-ing the groove he carved in the ice around the boards.
Comeau was Capuano's first scratchgoat this year as "passengers" were identified. He was scratched again shortly before his waiving and played minimally on the fourth line in his final game as an Islander. Those and the previously mentioned non-PK usage are indicators to me that Capuano was certainly a critic, and if Snow wasn't of the same view he at least did not see Comeau as an important enough asset to war with his coach over.
How much will the Islanders regret dumping -- or at minimum, not finding a role worth keeping for -- Blake Comeau? We'll find out once he gets his next one or two contracts and as his yet-to-rise replacements emerge. At the moment, he's not a Michael Grabner-level waiver blunder, but the demise of his Islanders career, with no asset coming back this way, is hardly a feather in their asset management cap.
Oh, There's a Game Tonight
Well, that's the postscript on all that. The Flames arrive on a roll, climbing back into the playoff bubble despite the ashes Darryl Sutter left behind, while the Islanders have had a dastardly holiday season that's dropped them into the East's basement.
Suffering from a ridiculously low shooting percentage (7.5%) all season, the Islanders consistently have a higher percentage of even strength shots than they do goals. Luck is probably partly to blame, but so is something elusive that Capuano is trying to put his thumb on. That's probably why he's mixed up the lines a little in practice this week, trying Kyle Okposo in P.A. Parenteau's spot on the top line, placing Parenteau with Frans NIelsen and dropping Michael Grabner to the third in a variety of bottom-six mixes while Brian Rolston returns ... next to Nielsen.
It's a thought, anyway. If luck is partly to blame for their 29th overall 2.21 goals per game output, it's due to change some day. If there's more at work that is in any way fixable with the current roster, then last place is a good time to tinker.
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lines
lines I would like to see:
1) JT – Matt – PA
2) Bailey – Grabs-Okposo
3) Frans-Nino-Martin
4) Cizaks-Ullsrom-Haley
Not a fan of Rolston or Reasoner, they can both sit or find another team. Wallace can fill in until Ullstrom is healthy.
Defense-
Striet – Jurcina
Hamonic – De Hann
Amac – Wishert
2 words
cap floor.
What the fish, stick?
by Homey Chives on Dec 29, 2011 6:36 AM EST up reply actions
Think I will take in an SPHL game rather than watch this train wreck
"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 29, 2011 7:04 AM EST reply actions
Haha...
The good ol Shit n Piss hockey league…at least there are fights.
Actually the talent level has gone up the last few years
Many of the players have gone up to the ECHL and CHL and done really well, especially this year. My team the Ice Flyers even have a d-man who started the season in the Senator’s training camp and our goaie was Candian college player of the year last year and started out the season in the AHL. So teh league is getting much better, and we no longer hear the “Glorified beer league” blast.
Sadly, they’re softer than the Isles this season.
"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 29, 2011 10:28 AM EST up reply actions
Ryan Strome (NHL/Islanders Future Star)
Mississauga’s Ryan Strome continues to be one of Canada’s most dominant players at the World Junior Hockey Championships in Alberta.
Strome, a centre with the Ontario Hockey League’s Niagara IceDogs, scored a goal and an assist tonight in Canada’s 5-0 win over the Czech Republic. With six points (two goals, four assists), he’s now tied with teammate Jonathan Huberdeau for the tournament lead in scoring.
by TonyT1 on Dec 29, 2011 7:06 AM EST reply actions 2 recs
This
I can’t get enough Strome news. I’m more excited for him then I think I was for any player not named Tavares in many years.
So yeah, my expectations are probably way too high.
Proud to root for the Jets, Mets, and Islanders!!!
Twitter: cmauceri524
Bart Scott: "I’m sure now there will be something written about how the Jets are back, and we won’t listen to that either, because at the end of the day we know that you guys don’t know what the hell you’re talking about."
by CharlieIsles on Dec 29, 2011 9:23 AM EST up reply actions
My expectations are high for him too.
I really like what I’ve seen
"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 29, 2011 10:29 AM EST up reply actions
Everyone Loves a Surprise Pandolfo!
"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.
OMG
Shoot me.
"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 29, 2011 7:21 AM EST up reply actions
On the bright side
Perhaps this season is a lesson for Snow on just how effective also-ran veterans are to actually winning. I would say the addition of Rolston, Pandolfo, Reasoner, Mottau has probably hurt the kids more than helped. Really don’t want a loser mind set to settle in the minds of all these players in their early twenties. So perhaps this offseason he will trust more in Nino, Ullstrom, de Haan. And (longshot) bring in someone not near the end of their career via free agency.
by GreekIsles83 on Dec 29, 2011 8:53 AM EST up reply actions
The other angle to them
Is they’re stopgaps though. I can’t say those guys have hurt the kids at all. Their taking up space while the prospects take the normal development route rather than being thrust into the NHL.
Too many of those kids aren’t ready. They just look shiny because we haven’t seen them screw up yet.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
by Dominik on Dec 29, 2011 11:44 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
You don't agree that Reese played better than Mottau or Eaton?
And how come Nino stays up? He’s not ready. I’m not bagging on him, but he’s not ready. But he’s here. With one point.
"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 29, 2011 11:46 AM EST up reply actions
Probably better than Mottau, yes
Nino is in that limbo. I’d send him back, I don’t think it’s insane to keep him though.
My main point is that you can’t just say “also-ran veterans hurt the kids” because there’s a simple reason you bring them in: Most of the kids aren’t ready, you’re never sure which ones are ready (just like you’re never sure which vets will fall off a cliff), and injuries will make you rely on several of them anyway.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
by Dominik on Dec 29, 2011 11:56 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Last season im pretty sure no one would have expected
Hamonic to become our best defensmen, and it would have been ludicrous to not sign all of mottau eaton and Jurcina and just assume he was ready. Thankfully we were very pleasantly surprised, but Hamonic is a special case and not every prospect is like him, we cant rush everybody and expect them to be a legit top 4 defensmen in their first year
"Mario Lemiuex… I used to respect you."- Turgeon1992
Agree and disagree
I get the stop gap thing. It makes sense because our prospect pool is so young and Snow has had a very difficult time getting the big signing “stop gaps” (like P-Martin, Erhoff, Kovy) They were brought in because our prospect pool was/is not ready for full responsibility so there literally was no one else.
But now that we have seen what Pandolfo, Rolston, Reasoner have in the tank, I think they hurt this team (and ultimately the kids that are already here, not necessarily the ones developing in other leagues). I see it as fostering a complacency rather than rewarding that hunger and hard work for success. I really would much rather reinforce the identity of a young team struggling to find its way then the one which is made up of retirement contracts, hanging on for that one more year. The Islanders are now a bit of both and this split personality is disconcerting.
I keep returning to thinking how much better this team looked with Ullstrom and Nino playing over Pando and Rolston (warts, mistakes, and all). Snow took a step in the right direction with getting rid of Comeau though I would have much preferred one of the older vets getting shown the door first.
Anyway I have rambled a bit longer than I intended and am not sure I even make sense.
by GreekIsles83 on Dec 29, 2011 1:07 PM EST up reply actions
I guess the thing is
I still don’t agree that Reasoner, Rolston or Pandolfo are keeping the team down vs. playing kids. Rolston carries extra baggage because of the salary, Reasoner because he hasn’t scored (but I still maintain he was a smart signing and still may prove so), but I don’t think a full season of, say Ullstrom and Nino instead, makes the team better.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
by Dominik on Dec 29, 2011 5:40 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
no regrets
don’t miss Blake Comeau at all.
don’t miss aimless COZOs.
don’t miss a $2.5m third liner.
no regrets at all – waiver or not.
this was not the linchpin to the playoffs.
that said, will probably get tonight’s GWG.
Ha
No team handles former players returning like the Islanders do…..welcome back, Blake, why don’t you go ahead and score two, as our way of saying “thanks”.
Proud to root for the Jets, Mets, and Islanders!!!
Twitter: cmauceri524
Bart Scott: "I’m sure now there will be something written about how the Jets are back, and we won’t listen to that either, because at the end of the day we know that you guys don’t know what the hell you’re talking about."
by CharlieIsles on Dec 29, 2011 9:21 AM EST up reply actions
He'll probably get three...
and concuss Nino, because Nino has no clue what he’s doing out there… and doesn’t belong on an NHL roster right now. But Garth Snow wanted to “keep his word”.
Ha!
LighthouseHockey: We saw this coming!
@JPinVA
I Disagree on Nino
Every game he gets better. You can see it. He’s beginning to putting himself in the right spots positionally both on the forecheck and in the neutral zone and he’s beginning to get chances. That’s why his minutes have been gradually increasing.
Nino no no
Every game he gets better
Is that rally what you want at the NHL level. He has yet to post a positive game. I don’t blame it on Nino. I think he’ll be a stud in two or three years. He doesn’t belong on a team that you want to make the playoffs.
They had three and lucked into another, that were fully capable of taking on the role that he has proven he is not ready for.
Hey, if he turns it around in a few games, great… but if you find him in BPT next year after a season of playing sub 10 minutes a night this has been a lost season for him… and it burned the first year of his ELC.
And he had the Josh Bailey mistake to use as a guide of what not to do. I’m not going to say that Josh would ahve been a better player had he got another year (or two) in juniors and a year in the AHL, but he would have gotten some development time that didn’t burn through his ELC… and precious staging time in professional hockey… at the discount rate.
But they used him as a cap mule. That’s basically what it boils down to. And that’s what’s happening to Nino. It has nothing to do with Snow’s “word”. With Comeau gone they need Nino’s cap hit… and they only have to pay a third of it.
in other words….
BULLSHIT!!!!!
LighthouseHockey: We saw this coming!
@JPinVA
Amen
100% correct JP. Keep his word? So if Nino was a -20 after his 9 games into this season, Snow would have kept him to “keep his word”. You’re so right about this being about money. But when is it not about money with this team?
This team isn’t about development. It’s not about “building” a winner. I hate saying this, but this team is all about getting the best, cheapest available talent and crossing their fingers that they get some wins.
I wouldn’t doubt Snow traded for Erhoff having intel from Erhoff’s agent directly that there was ABSOLUTELY NO WAY Erhoff would sign with the Islanders. That way Snow and Wang look good for “trying” to sign a top FA with no risk of losing a pick or spending any cash.
Fast and furious coverage of the slow and steady rebuild
by Chris McNally on Dec 29, 2011 10:49 AM EST up reply actions
It definitely fits the BSA...BullShitAgenda
I’d have been the first guy to try to hold back the wave of criticism… but after that insipid interview… I’ve had enough. How much of that crap do we have to eat before somebody stands up and just lays it out on the line.
I understand that Wang is bleeding money on the team.
I understand that his real dream was crushed and he is left with the wet pillowcase.
I understand that Snow has had a tough time with access and finances.
But for god’s sake… BE A MAN ABOUT IT!
getting fired from the Islanders is the best thing that can happen to you! This is the lowest depth of hell for a sports organization. At least try to turn THAT around.
Even Gordon who couldn’t get anything out of this team landed on his feet in a situation that greatly favors his abilities. Why would you want to come here when EVERY OPTION is better. THIS IS HIS GREATEST FAILURE!
If they write escape clauses into the new CBA they will be back to square one faster than you can say FIRE GARTH SNOW.
I've had enough! It's time to call out Garth Snow!
@JPinVA
by JPinVA on Dec 29, 2011 11:02 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I hope he gets confused
Maybe he’ll orbit his own zone with the puck because it’s the end he’s used to, and we can get a cheapie turnover goal out of it. It would be nice if he finally got a point for the Isles this season.
We may be in the box, but you get the penalty.
Lighthouse Hockey - a beacon of greatness on the rocky coast of sports blog mediocrity
Non-hockey scribblings at nightflyblog
SNOW-ZO
This is when Garth Snow hears that there is a defenseman avaiable. He runs to his office with a list of assets that he can present for a trade. When he gets threre he walks around his desk for 20 minutes staring at the phone, trying to muster the courage to make the phone call…
“will they answer it”
“will they laugh at my proposal”
“will they laugh at me”
“will the phone hurt my ear”
“I need to talk to charles, Kenny, dougy, Jack… people who understand me… and love me…”
“Hey look… time for lunch… where are those ice girls”
… and out the door without a shot on goal… or even a phone call.
or if he does call he gets screened, and leaves this message:
“Hello… this is Garth Snow from the NY Islanders…. I see that you have made [insert name here] available…. I’d like to talk to you about making a trade… you have my number… please call me back. Thank you… this is Garth Snow… from the Islanders… in New York… Garth Snow… call me… that’s 555-1212… Garth Snow… General manager… new york Islanders… hey… if you’re listening to this please pick up… come on… okay… garth snow here… 555-1212… please call me back… thanks”
While the other GM gathers his staff so they can play the call on an endless loop and get their entertainment for the week.
“Hey * are you gonna call him back?”
“no way… he’s gonna offer me comeau or that kid in Bridgeport that wears women’s underwear… he’s got 20 young forwards on the farm and that’s what he puts out front…. and Comeau will be on waivers in a few days anyway… because they got Rolston… what a joke”
“You can at least call the guy back”
“why?”
“Yeah… I guess you’re right… the food is better in Quebec… the women don’t talk through their noses… and jesus, they talk about not seeing anything but the Marriot and the coliseum, the last time we were there I almost got mugged at the McDonalds… like we don’t know about Hempstead… it’s worse than Newark.”
LighthouseHockey: We saw this coming!
@JPinVA
by JPinVA on Dec 29, 2011 10:15 AM EST up reply actions 4 recs
Nothing unlucky about our woes
Shooting percent, gafs, bad bounces, etc…. all due to bad play by bad players…time for the youth movement, again. And time for a write up on the top draft prospects? I think we have top/bottom three potential. Way to go Garth.
Brian Rolston
This is what the 2011-12 season boils down to. 40% Rolston, 10% RDP, 5%Martinek, 5% Hillen, 40% Snows inability to upgrade the defense.
No single player has had more of an affect on the NYI than Brian Rolston.
He is the number one disruption to the continuation of last last seasons success.
He is the reason Blake Comeau had probably had enough of all the bullshit. For all of the negatives that people throw around for Blake he scored 24 goals from a third line non-PP role. That isn’t going to be replaced for a long time… especially by Brian Rolston.
He sucks on the PP.
He’s sucking up $5M of budget… though they couldn’t seem to give that money to anybody else… so that is perceived as a positive… f***ing CAP MULE.
Comeau gave us the COZO, Rolston gives us The Empty Shot Glass. Nobody on any Islander team has taken more shots and wound up with less shots on goal. His shots usually end up on the glass or in the netting… not the net.
He’s lazy. When was the last time you saw Rolston carry the puck into the offensive zone, backcheck or skate through the slot without the puck. He’s a statue in the shooting position… when the puck is near him he just swats at it. He’s like a player on the Bobby Orr hockey game… at least Comeau hit people. Lou waived him twice… but here he gets a pat on the back from his cronies… that’s why they win, and we… well… you know.
So… in summation… all of the Islanders problems this year can be attributed to ONE PERSON….
GARTH SNOW! That’s right Garth. The free ride is over. Start taking some responsibility for this BULLSHIT. You don’t have access to free agents, you had to start from zero, you had a learning curve on the draft process, you’re operating on a budget, there’s pressure to remain over the cap floor and you have to deal with a goalie-go-round… But nobody put a gun to your head and forced you to trade for Brian Rolston.
You single-handedly threw away any chance of getting to the playoffs this year. Before you make another coach fall on his sword, at least own up to your own blunders. The players you have aren’t under-performing… you just got players that aren’t that good, and they are over-performing…
$20M active payroll. YOU SUCK!
LighthouseHockey: We saw this coming!
@JPinVA
by JPinVA on Dec 29, 2011 9:59 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
Rolston's $5 Million is Because of the Cap Floor
I share your frustration, but the only reason Rolston is on this team is that he had one year left at $5 million and the Islanders had to reach the cap floor. The only other way to do that, since no good free agents were coming here right now, was to lock in a bunch of crappy guys at lower salaries for more years, thereby messing up the salary structure when high end kids have to be signed and re-signed.
As for Comeau, I wish him well. But his game has major holes. He’s at his best when he hits people, but is inconsistent with his physical play. Some nights on, some nights off. He’s also incapable or he refuses to play in a system. And in today’s NHL you must stick to the system your team’s playing or you have no chance.
Finally, this team was left with no NHL players and no NHL prospects by Milbury. Basically, they were worse off than an expansion franchise. The Titanic has turned, and the talent is ever improving. Frustrating to the point of wanting to put your head through a wall? Absolutely. But in a 30-team league, and no quick fixes through free agency, you must draft and retain your stars, guys who no teams part with. That’s just the way it is.
by rmblifn on Dec 29, 2011 10:16 AM EST up reply actions 3 recs
all valid points
they only gained $3M towards the cap floor on the deal. What they gave up was a year in term. so it ends this year… but they they have to fill a $5M void next year… who will next year’s CAP MULE BE? Hopefully PAP and Frans will fill most of it… but they’ll have eaton’s hit to replace. They could have stacked that $3M on to an offer for Erhoff, or found somebody else to overpay that PLAYED DEFENSE.
Comeau was on again, off again… but last year he was on for 24 goals. His previous years didn’t suck, and he was 25 years old.. and an RFA. How do you just throw an asset like that away. That’s terrible management. I can’t blame it on Capuano. Cappy was the third coach that had him, and he was the most productive under Capuano. But when a kid wants to be part of the team, you try to fix that problem… maybe Ullstrom or Martin on the RW consistently fixes Blake and Josh. Maybe they don’t even need to be fixed…. they had third line responsibilities… maybe you swap Josh and frans, and COmeau becomes a checking forward with a nice shot when he gets it …maybe 15G a year, and a shut down LW. Is that such a bad outcome. Now all you got is squadoosh…. and Brian Rolston… DOUBLE SQUADOOSH.
I’m with you on the Milbury Apocolyptic meme… but in four years he has failed miserably to upgrade the defense one iota. When he added Streit, he did little else. When streit went down last year he finally added Wizniewski… and he wasn’t good enough… but he was a PIECE… Jurcina was a upgrade at 5-6, but the top drawer is EMPTY. they are just lucky that CAPUANO and CHYNOWETH molded MacHamonic so quickly… but they shouldn’t be shouldering the responsibilities they are. Snow has not done anything of consequence except at the draft table… and I’ve pointed out his failed philosophy there (for which jankowski is no longer around).
LighthouseHockey: We saw this coming!
@JPinVA
by JPinVA on Dec 29, 2011 10:32 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
the Rolston scapewagon
is a bit ridiculous
he’s not the answer, but they wanted to get rid of Hunter’s salary for next year
the key is if they use next year’s cap room more usefully for once in their lives – Rolston, Pandolfo, Staios + leaving guys like de Haan, Wishart, Donovan, Ness, Cizikas at Bridgeport all year are consistent with giving up on this year and focusing more on next year
since the opening night fiasco, it has been clear that Management wasn’t buying into this season at all – so any hopes we have should go quickly to next season – when we’ll have a plethora of players to pick through
forwards such as we have now + the Two Kirills + Nino (so he should get max time here – no reason to bitch about it when the season is a writeoff) + Cizikas + possibly Strome (though he is talented, he does not have a NHL body yet)
defensemen like Streit & Amac (hopefully a bit healthier) + Hamonic + all the prospects at Bridgeport + Reese who can be a good 7th man
Poulin & Montoya has the key G
and good bye to Pandolfo, Rolston, Mottau, Staios, Eaton et al
is it any wonder the players have been lackadaiscal for the most part when they know this season is a writeoff – which is why the concussions to Ullstrom et al have been a shame
maybe they should all stop trying altogether and get us Nailsy too
by Cary K on Dec 29, 2011 11:01 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
here we go again...
he’s not the answer, but they wanted to get rid of Hunter’s salary for next year
they gained $3M for this years cap floor, but had to pay an extra million over the two years. Where is the genius in that.
the key is if they use next year’s cap room more usefully for once in their lives – Rolston, Pandolfo, Staios + leaving guys like de Haan, Wishart, Donovan, Ness, Cizikas at Bridgeport all year are consistent with giving up on this year and focusing more on next year
come on, you watch the BPT games. I’m not saying those kids are terrible, but it takes years to develop those players. And none of them even upside to what the islanders need on the backline. they all fit ONE need… just really poor draft philosophy over a 3 year period…period.
since the opening night fiasco, it has been clear that Management wasn’t buying into this season at all – so any hopes we have should go quickly to next season – when we’ll have a plethora of players to pick through
Really? You think that throwing out the white flag in October is the answer… yep… you should replace snow. I like your style.
forwards such as we have now + the Two Kirills + Nino (so he should get max time here – no reason to bitch about it when the season is a writeoff) + Cizikas + possibly Strome (though he is talented, he does not have a NHL body yet)
defensemen like Streit & Amac (hopefully a bit healthier) + Hamonic + all the prospects at Bridgeport + Reese who can be a good 7th man
Not bitching about prospects… but there is no foresight. They have no defense now, nor will they have one for three years unless he utilizes the assets he has. We know that they have taken $$$ and CAP SPACE off the table as an asset… and other teams will just pick them apart on the waiver wire when they have to move these guys three or four years down the line. 20 forward prospects and 9 spots to put them in… you do the math… every other GM has.
Poulin & Montoya has the key G
I don’t think I need to get all Kreskin on you, but… NAME TWO PLAYERS THAT HAVEN’T PLAYED A FULL NHL SEASON, BUT ISLANDER FANS HAVE WINNING THE CONN SMYTH.
I've had enough! It's time to call out Garth Snow!
@JPinVA
by JPinVA on Dec 29, 2011 11:13 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
you R missing my point
management doesn’t care, so why should the players?
they have minimized future cap space – why? this team is for sale
on the players, Reese was not head & shoulders the best D at Bridgeport -he and most of them are better than Eaton & Mottau – Mottau is the 16th best defensemen we have – yet he plays – why?
because management wants us to lose this year
Poulin is our future G – not sure why you think otherwise
we do have a stack of decent prospects – but where will this team be playing?
Paying Rolston $5mil/yr in cap money is like saying F U to the fanbase.
There was no other smaller cap “mules” we could have taken on? Rolston sucks. I’d rather have taken on Kotalik and someone else then frigging rolston. Hunter and anybody else I would have taken over rolston. I would have thought about Campbell over Rolston. Not to mention, as already stated, we helped the Devils with cap space by doing this and got them out of their incredible crappy contract to free space up for Parise and Larsson. Garth is an idiot.
What do you mean they won 4 cups in a row? Is that possible?
Rolston
First of all, I’m glad we’re kind of on the same page when it comes to Garth Snow, heh.
As for Rolston, I don’t get the hate at this particular point, though. Not just in this comment of course, but in postings from many others over the past couple of weeks.
Some of what you write here is true, some clearly isn’t in my opinion. For example, I don’t think he’s been lazy. He took a few nights off there about three, four weeks into the season, when really nothing worked for his line with Bailey and Comeau – and that’s clearly not what you want to see – but he’s at least been competing pretty hard since from what I can tell.
It’s clear he’s not often getting high-percentage shots off, but numbers don’t indicate he’s been missing the net more than others (5-on-5). Of course we all remember a couple of big misses on the PP, but really, I think he’s hitting the net more often than we give him credit for (though again, many of these shots still are not very likely to go in).
I’m also not sure he sucks on the PP. I do think Jurcina is the better option on PP1, but Rolston still has enough left in terms of PP contribution to merit a spot in the rotation and sometimes even on PP1. And he’s been good on the PK.
However, overall, he’s still their 5th or 6th best winger. Does he play and produce the same way a #5 winger on an average team normally does? Probably not and that’s a bit disappointing, but it’s not costing them a game every week and I can’t see how many of their problems can be attributed to this one person. They’ve gone 2-4-1 without Rolston this season and both wins have come in shootous – they haven’t won in regulation without Rolston. It’s been clearly visible the last few games that they played with four 4th line wingers all the time. Again, Rolston’s not always played like a 3rd liner, either, he might not have made a difference in these games, but – sadly – if anything his absence hurts the team at this point.
Really, I could understand the frustration if he was a player who’d hold back others or push valueable players out of the lineup. But he isn’t. He might not add very much to a 3rd line for example, but he’s not really dragging it down, either. He’s generally not a liability out there, he’s not taking dumb penalties at all, he hasn’t made many mistakes leading to goals, etc. There’s no one on the roster who’d deserve a 3rd line spot, but doesn’t get it because of Rolston – no one’s pushed for that spot over the last few games. Martin, Ullstrom, Nino, Wallace, Haley have all played like 4th liners. And no one being a scratch when Rolston is in (as today for example) would absolutely need to be in the lineup.
Again, I’m not saying Rolston is a great player or has met my expectations or has generally been ok. But I can’t see where he’s hurt the team so much. That’s just not what’s happened in my opinion.
But no doubt, the fact that he’s here, but Bergenheim, Joensuu, Comeau (also Thompson, Hunter, Jackman) are not is pretty sad indeed.
by BenHasna on Dec 29, 2011 11:08 AM EST up reply actions 2 recs
An objective eval of Rolston?
That ruins the scapwagon narrative!
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
as usual...
A rather objective observation. You are looking at the player, I am looking at the situation.
I’ve been to two games so far this year. In both games I’d say half of his shifts were spent in the nuetral zone and no more than two strides in either end.
small sample, and I can’t really make the same evaluations on TV games, but I do tend to assume that what I see live is the answer to the questions I have on the screen.
You can watch his puck management choices for my biggest LAZY argument. He’ll get the puck and fire it from anywhere. I’m not abject to that, if you have net presence… but what does a brian rolston 35 foot shot result in besides a miss, a stoppage or a rebound that nobody is there to capitalize on.
I still don’t think I’m throwing Rolston under the bus here… he didn’t chose to be a 38 year old $5M winger… Garth Snow chose him to be the Islanders 38 year old $5M winger… after a season where he was WAIVED TWICE.
Does he replace Jesse Joensuu… or Doug Weight on the depth chart?
Jesse… moderately effective middle six forward still on upward trajectory.
Doug… CAP MULE
that’s on garth more than it is Brian… and that is where my angst lies.
as usual I agree with you post… but I have a different agenda… and going forward!
I've had enough! It's time to call out Garth Snow!
@JPinVA
by JPinVA on Dec 29, 2011 12:57 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
yeah, I get that
As for this:
You can watch his puck management choices for my biggest LAZY argument. He’ll get the puck and fire it from anywhere. I’m not abject to that, if you have net presence… but what does a brian rolston 35 foot shot result in besides a miss, a stoppage or a rebound that nobody is there to capitalize on.
Well, that’s just his game, no? Honestly, I didn’t watch him 15 years ago, but I’m pretty sure he did the exact same thing back then and certainly since the lockout he’s played the game just like that. Has he been lazy for years?
Apparently, if everyone played like that we’d not see too many goals and not very exciting hockey and in isolation it might look kind of unproductive therefore, but I guess there is some value to that approach because otherwise the coaches in all his years would have told him to play differently. I’m not saying I like watching it or find it essential to have such a kind of a player on the team, but it’s not really a big problem. And puck management in other areas or from other players have hurt them much more than Rolston’s shooting.
Also, just in terms of puck management accross the blue line Trent Hunter and even Matt Martin play a very similar game and I don’t remember anyone ever calling them lazy for it.
However, if they’re doing it right today PA and Nielsen will create some better looks for him.
One of the more annoying things I hate about Rolston, is that he forces Nino back into a 9min/gm role.
Ready or not, you don’t throw your f*cking 5th overall draft pick into a 4th line role, whether you need his cap hit or not. You should live and die with him and have him at least on the 4th line. I bet playing with Reasoner and Pandolfo is awesome for his development garth. Frigging great.
What do you mean they won 4 cups in a row? Is that possible?
Well said:
Start taking some responsibility for this BULLSHIT
The gloves are off...
get used to seeing this a lot… until Dom asks me to leave.
LighthouseHockey: We saw this coming!
@JPinVA
Please continue
I’m fucking sick of accepting mediocrity pure shit
Me too
"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 29, 2011 10:32 AM EST up reply actions
Thirded
You should've seen her face. It was the exact same look my father gave me when I told him I wanted to be a ventriloquist.
What's funny, is normaly
There would be a lot of posters here telling people to quit complaining, but that ain’t happening this time. I think that speaks volumes.
"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 29, 2011 10:47 AM EST up reply actions
what the plan is
stock up on maximum young prospects REGARDLESS of character (which is why we keep drafting players like Kabanov, Cixikas, Trivino – some guys like this do eventually work out)
so when it comes time to move or sell the team, there is maximum value
I’m not buying this Charles Wang wants to stay on the Island crap – he tried to orchestrate a taxpayer ripoff – when that failed, this season became a writeoff
lets not forget that Wang’s former close partner is in jail for fraud
are we moving to Quebec? KC? Hartford (that would be too cool)?
Suburban Toronto? (I still thnk that’s the plan given all the players now in the system from that area – Mississauga’s population 1 Million etc + the fact that the franchise would be worth 200M immediately)
or can we deal the team to the Wilpons and mvoe them to Queens? (oops…)
or can we wait until the Brooklyn Nets are a smash, and the Russian guy realizes buying the Islanders can help him defat Putin – maybe that’s our only real hope here – otherwise, hello West Toronto
why spend a penny more than the cap floor if that’s the real plan?
we are being played for suckers – as are the current players
they know it based on their effort level
200M USD more
that’s what I meant – Wang is all about money & fraud (see Sanjay Kumar’s history of massive accounting fraud http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanjay_Kumar – like Wang didn’t know what was going on – either he’s completely incompetent or a crook)
this team will be sold & moved
wow...
I’m usually the one that brings that up. I even stopped doing it when he looked like he was going to play nice with the other areener bidders…. but you know what… it might be time to dust off the old guns again.
But be careful… no Wang, no Islanders!
I've had enough! It's time to call out Garth Snow!
@JPinVA
by JPinVA on Dec 29, 2011 11:15 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
there is no Islanders
I think this is all a sham – we are being completely had rooting for this team in its current state – Fuck Garth Snow and his comments on Dylan Reese – he’s just making shit up now
this is all accounting games and waiting for a buyer – yes, they are happy no one shows up – helps move Bettman off his stance of wanting to keep the team here – Wang doesn’t want that at all
how to change that? when no one shows up
how on earth did they manage to sign Tavares – with a secret promise that he’d get to play home games in Toronto after all?
Bettman doesn't care about the Islanders...
all he wants is money. He has Daly shopping different markets ( Seattle is also in the mix) and once he finds someone willing to pay, a working arena situation and some reassurance that a team can work there (no problem in the Canadian cities) he will move the Islanders. He moved the Thrashers because the owner was done with the team, if 2015 rolls around and we have no arena WANG IS DONE. All of these markets want teams, and the Coyotes can only move to one city.
by Binghamton Islanders on Dec 29, 2011 12:36 PM EST up reply actions
I actually think all bets are off as far as the league s concerned
I’ll give Bettman credit. If his end game was to get national coverage and a home for hockey on basic cable… he did it.
He created the temporary location so that NBC would have a product that would test nationally… now he’s gonna start to take teh test spots and move their operations to more lucrative positions.
Atlanta… gone
Phoenix… next year?
Every middling team will be forced to pay their share or be subject to trans continental relocation.
The islanders were a nice hole card to pair with the rangers and devils for market attraction… but they failed to bring anything to the table for almost 20 years… They failed, not gary bettman.
this is coming from somebody who has never been a fan of the littlest of league presidents… but in the end he did his job.
What even is the Islander end game? New arena, stanley cup, respectability, sale, relocation… who knows… you’d have to dig through the 20 years of bullshit… and who has the time.
I've had enough! It's time to call out Garth Snow!
@JPinVA
by JPinVA on Dec 29, 2011 12:44 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I don't hate Bettman too much
looking back to when he took over the league, hockey has improved greatly, and he has definitely put it in the right direction. NBC is great, the expanded coverage it provides can really expand the sport more than it already has. Hockey is reaching record numbers on television. That being said, the league is very secretive about moving teams. I remember the Winnipeg move just showed up one day, I knew Atlanta was considering it but it was still a surprise. The alternative from the league: “We want to move a team” is more detrimental to players and fans.
I guess I always hoped Wang was spending the minimum to get by until his arena was built. then he would use the talent (and additional revenue), spend money and have a strong team. Wishful thinking I guess.
But back to Bettman, he probably figures we can move this team, which is already in the Rangers market, to somewhere without an NHL team, and get more $$. Without an arena, Wang will just cut his losses.
by Binghamton Islanders on Dec 29, 2011 1:13 PM EST up reply actions
we are
less important than Phoenix & Dallas & the Florida teams
they at least serve the purpose of creating an illusion of the league being truly National for TV contract purposes
and the Canadian dollar will only get stronger….
Panthers and Lightning sell tickets
And Dallas may again one day.
We don’t and with Wang, we probably won’t. The fact they get as many as they do now is amazing.
"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 29, 2011 12:48 PM EST up reply actions
lets see what tonight's attendance is
in AHL Bridgeport & Norfolk this week they had all time midweek records
and this is the only game in the Tri State area tonight with not much else to do – and no one in their right mind should show up with the excepton perhaps of those who miss COZO and his zero points and crappy plus/minus and Josh Bailey lifesucking play
I've got your back
I’m so tired of this team. I never thought I’d be at this point with the Islanders. The Mets sure, the Knicks of course, but the Islanders? I’m tired of the smoke and mirrors with management, I’m tired of the nickel and diming, and the Rangers game was the last straw foir me with the team on the ice. There’s no heart, no urgency, and Capuano can talk about “passengers” all he wants, but he’s as big a passenger as anyone.
Fast and furious coverage of the slow and steady rebuild
by Chris McNally on Dec 29, 2011 10:54 AM EST up reply actions
I hate when he blames passengers but he looks lifeless behind the bench.
Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock...
by Turgeon1992 on Dec 29, 2011 5:26 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
And I hate when people inexplicably equate blustering with being a good coach.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Dec 29, 2011 10:40 PM EST up reply actions
"asks me to leave"
Giant photos of mediocre comics is a start!
Seriously, I get that you think things are bullshit. But blasting it up and down the thread is, well … it leaves an odor.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
...and on that note
my 24 hours of spreading the BS is over.
I guess I’ll be back tomorrow.
Sorry.
I've had enough! It's time to call out Garth Snow!
@JPinVA
by JPinVA on Dec 29, 2011 1:04 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
It was fun while it lasted. lol. You and others really covered a lot of all the BS and wrongness that is going on with the franchise.
And arguably so we should be really pissed. We are the die hards that have to go through this crap. The bandwagonners will be on for the good and off for the crap again, but we will always be here. And sadly with Wang/Snow’s asset/money management, we may not see the playoffs for a couple years without some major acquisitions/makeovers.
What do you mean they won 4 cups in a row? Is that possible?
Keep going....
This is great stuff from Jpin. I feel exactly the same way, but instead of blowing a vein and possibly having an brain hemmorage, I am just going to boycot this fucking joke until they get a clue. That could be months, years or even until they move. But I am not pouring my heart and soul anymore or wasting my time watching these games. I’ll turn my attention out West to the Hawks, who have been my playoff pick-em team for the past three years while my team rubbed each other’s asses on how young and up and coming they are. Brian Rolston back and on second line tonight….FUCKIN ENOUGH ALREADY!!!!!! I AM MORE DONE THAN A TURKEY ON THANKSGIVING MORNING.
by Tazman19 on Dec 29, 2011 10:39 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
The only team I'm legitimately protesting
is the Mets
the Mets situation is lightyears worse....
by Cary K on Dec 29, 2011 11:04 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Ok...
So they have mounting debt, year over year losses and a dwindling fan base. How does that not sound like the Isles?
we have talent on a par with most teams
but an owner who wants out, so we have a different degree of suckage – it just isn’t as dire in some ways – we could be decent next year if a new owner came along
look at the rotation of the Mets vs te competition – that guarantees the team will suck for years
no pitching, no offense, owners that belong in jail, or at least have spent lots of time with folks who eventually became well known criminals – actually come to think that does sound vaguely familar….
ALL ROADS LEAD TO GARTH SNOW!
LighthouseHockey: We saw this coming!
@JPinVA
by JPinVA on Dec 29, 2011 10:43 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
I don't see the coffer padding...
i just think they’ve given up on us. Somebody yesterday (I apologize for not crediting that properly) mentioned their disconnect in relation to the Pandolfo/Haley situation.
I think that is truly the problem, but it’s much bigger than Michael Haley.
I’m not gonna through Capuano under the bus. Yeah, he’s an AHL coach, but a successful one. the NHL is filled with successful former AHL coaches… and a few out of our own system. But he is one that has had a lot of these players before, and he has had some success with them. And every coach under Snow has had the same problem, a regression in the quality of players he is charged to become successful with. I’m not getting on that bus again.
I've had enough! It's time to call out Garth Snow!
@JPinVA
by JPinVA on Dec 29, 2011 10:54 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Capuano
clearly not up for the job – but not the main problem either
by Cary K on Dec 29, 2011 11:04 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
What I meant was...
Wang is just sitting back trying to get a new arena built for himself, no other reason. He doesnt give 2,5 or 10 shits about the franchise.
I'd say he's building it for the franchise
Yeah he wants it to generate money but players won’t come here now.
We have the worst arena and ice in the league. No one wants to come here. More fans would go to games, more players wouldn’t be turned off to playing here.
Just my 2 cents
With a new building...
Players still wont come here, because WE SUCK…. Players generally want to win, and we don’t. A new building does not guarantee anything but more revenue for Wang.
by Tazman19 on Dec 29, 2011 11:15 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
the areneer thing
is BS
the oldest stadium in the NHL is MSG
I don’t see anyone bitching about leaving MSG
fix up Nassau Coliseum, bring in a winning team, stop bitching
the TV money in the area is enough to make a team like this a success – but that’s not the plan – Snow’s video says it all – dreaming of other arenas and not Brooklyn – where are we being sold/moving to?
Really?
you want to compare the greatest arena in the world to the 40 year old mistake.
I mean, were you brought up in the NY area?
MSG has been hosting premiere world events since my father was knee high to Billy Barty. the Colly can’t even get Bruce Springsteen anymore.
You can get there easily from FOUR STATES. You can’t get to the coliseum wihtout a car!
You want to compare an arena that sells 18K seats before they put them on sale, to a place that the homeless go to get out of the weather because it’s cheaper than the YMCA?
That’s a really bad argument cary… you can do better.
I've had enough! It's time to call out Garth Snow!
@JPinVA
by JPinVA on Dec 29, 2011 11:24 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
so the problem isn't the arena
its the access to it – agreed
move the team to Brooklyn already
by Cary K on Dec 29, 2011 11:32 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Queens
We are all Islanders, even if we’re from Jersey!
by Russel Ginart on Dec 29, 2011 1:00 PM EST up reply actions
I'll agree he's building it for the franchise
but a guy like Wang doesn’t get rich by not seeing the $$ in everything. And I know Wang has been losing tons of his own dough in the Islanders, but I’m tried of Wang getting a free pass as well.
Would Wang have lost soooo much money if he hadn’t had his buddy Mike Milbury destroy what was a very good young nucleus? If Wang doesn’t let Milbury trade away every good young asset this team had, the Islanders may actually be a perennial playoff team by now. And the Coliseum would actually be packed every night. And at that point not as many moths would be flying out of Wang’s wallet as there are now.
Wang has made poor decisions throughout the year but people seem to let it slide because he loves the Islanders and is losing money. Its time to share the blame.
Garth Snow's slow and steady rebuild is just an excuse for a nickle and dime roster
by Chris McNally on Dec 29, 2011 11:17 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Luke warm on Wang
(a pretty good name for the next fishsticks book)
I really think Wang set himself up to get duped by D’amato. I think Al told him it would be a slam dunk, and left him to hold the bag… while Al was on the board of SMG and collecting the skim from a property that nobody else wanted to keep until 2015. They got their wish. Anybody else that was interested in the team, wanted to move the team, or develop that land.
Nassau and Hempstead has held out to squeeze every last dime out of that tumbleweed infested property without having to spend one penny. In 2015 they’ll get out the bulldozers and do what they planned on doing 30 years ago… and Wang will be out over $200M and 15 years of his life.
So… I’m not really gonna bury him on this either.
Milbury was a product of stupidity and loyalty. He’s out of it as well. This is a new regime, with a new plan, and we’ve given them ample time to build a foundation…. that’s all… just a foundation…
But Snow has chosen to build it on BULLSHIT!
I've had enough! It's time to call out Garth Snow!
@JPinVA
by JPinVA on Dec 29, 2011 11:30 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Wang
its always been a scam to him – that’s how he made his money in the first place (see Kumar’s Fraud)
you're a little late to the game on that one
It is good reading for those who aren’t acquainted with Wang’s history.. but you’re not really presenting news.
I've had enough! It's time to call out Garth Snow!
@JPinVA
by JPinVA on Dec 29, 2011 12:17 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
not news of course
but trying to parse out the roots of this very frustrating season so it requires another look at things like this – a very hard look
Oh Im not saying hes the worst
Im just saying Im tried of him always getting a pass bc hes losing money. The owner makes a lot of decisions, and his have been poor at best.
But by far Snow is the worst. Hes a smug, arrogant, shit spinner. I’ve never seen Snow’s footwear of choice, but i’d assume they’re 2-ply chest waders for the amount of bullshit he produces every day of his life.
Garth Snow's slow and steady rebuild is just an excuse for a nickle and dime roster
by Chris McNally on Dec 29, 2011 11:41 AM EST up reply actions
I had the waders on myself...
tried to believe in it. But it’s just gotten to be too much.
All of this ranting and raving never gets us anywhere though. We’re fans… our only recourse is to complain… but we can’t fix it… only suggest solutions.
Which I have not. But if the organization was more transparent, I might be able to… maybe a good number of us might… not all… I don’t want a team of 20 AHL thugs, or guys that look good with their shirts off.
I do, however, think their asset management should come before their expectations management on the hierarchy of importance.
I've had enough! It's time to call out Garth Snow!
@JPinVA
by JPinVA on Dec 29, 2011 12:22 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
This doesnt get any less ridiculous by repeating it.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Dec 29, 2011 1:10 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah, this is all one Snow. Even Arbour wouldn't get this team to the playoffs.
What do you mean they won 4 cups in a row? Is that possible?
Uh oh, Comeau talk coming from Chris
I know it doesn’t hold as much weight coming from me, but Comeau has looked like a different player in his games with the Flames as opposed to his with the Isles this year. He’s 4 hits behind Jackman for the team lead in 4 less games. And you know he didn’t accumulate the majority of those hits with the Isles.
He hits, he skates hard, and while he still has his moments where he hangs out in the high slot looking for a slapper, he has been much more visable in the dirty areas. And I think the sole reason is the coach. Brent Sutter has shown faith in Blake. He has played him in the same exact position every single game with Calgary this year. Comeau knows what hes being asked of, and he has given it to them. You can talk all you want about an NHL player being able to produce no matter what the team asks of him, but it goes a long way when a player knows what he needs to do when he shows up at the arena everyday, and it goes a real long way to know that you have the confidence of the coaching staff. I don’t think Comeau had that at all this year from the Islanders staff.
With that said, I find it hard to believe that this team couldn’t find a role for Blake Comeau but a team who is 1 point out of a playoff spot could. Oh wait, its the Islanders. Enough said.
Garth Snow's slow and steady rebuild is just an excuse for a nickle and dime roster
by Chris McNally on Dec 29, 2011 11:07 AM EST reply actions 2 recs
I knew that was coming from you
I didnt really expect Cary K to agree on anything Comeau related
Garth Snow's slow and steady rebuild is just an excuse for a nickle and dime roster
by Chris McNally on Dec 29, 2011 11:18 AM EST up reply actions
oh yeah
he’s been really great for Calgary and would have made all the difference here
we still would be lat in goals scored – what’s the difference?
Who said he would have made ALL the difference
People just make shit up when someone brings up something positive about someone they hate. All I said was with the shit the Isles have right now, there could have been a place for Blake Comeau. Instead you want to turn it into something else.
Don’t you have a haiku to write about how the Islanders would be better by bringing up the entire Bridgeport roster or something?
Garth Snow's slow and steady rebuild is just an excuse for a nickle and dime roster
by Chris McNally on Dec 29, 2011 11:37 AM EST up reply actions
not the way he was playing
zero points and a liability on defense
real useful
and here’s one more sentence so you can have the haiku you asked for
Comeau not missing piece but definitely
better than>Pandolfo, Rolston and we are stuck with them . How can they justify giving these guys playtime over the younger guys or anyone with a pulse. Guh just want to thank all the posters for reminding how sad it is to be an isles fan. I can’t disagree that there isn’t much to be rosy about at the moment. Futility reigns here at the Coliseum. Man if they move the team and an owner takes over that spends money I will still be a fan and almost encourage it. I have a TV and I’m sure it gets games in Missouri/Kansas(wherever that new place is), Quebec City, Brooklyn, etc. Maybe getting out of dodge is the only answer
I find myself cheering for the predators
They’re not a big market team, but they have made a pretty good squad regardless.
With a real coach, and real gm.
"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 29, 2011 11:53 AM EST up reply actions
Rinne is top 4 goalie in the league
and their defense is one of the best in the league however their scoring is putrid. I can’t bring myself to root for anyone else but the Isles, no i don’t get it either
Oh, I have always been able to cheer for players
It’s not like watching the Isles, there is no love involved. But I do like Rinne a lot, and feel like i deserve something to cheer for.
I’ve never changed a favorite team in my life, and won’t start now, but I did pay 180 bucks for center ice, thelast 2 years, and feel like I want to make it worth the money.
"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 29, 2011 12:09 PM EST up reply actions
hmm
maybe thats a therapy i can embrace, some reward for fandom. I do hae a fantasy hockey team so those are my guys, yeah and Rinne is one of them!
I started watching him in the playoffs last year
He’s fun to watch. plus they’re the second closest team to me, even though they’re still about 9 hours away.
"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 29, 2011 12:49 PM EST up reply actions
Plus, the Islanders ceiling at this budget level
Is Nashville East.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
yeah, i would have to pick another poor team, lol.
"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 29, 2011 1:35 PM EST up reply actions
Well said...
I think comeau had that last year. It was bailey+ Comeau+ X… and tthis year they were forced into a dynamic of Rolston+ Bailey+X… who just ahppened to be Balke comeau.
If you’re BC you have to ask yourself, “didn’t those 24 goals mean anything last year?”
coming into the year there were several question marks. BC was not the answer to any of them… what he became is a symptom of poor management.
The question in July is, who do we put on the RW for comeau and bailey to be more successful?
Possible solutions: Martin, Ullstrom, Rhett, Nino, Parentau(in a shuffle), Okposo (in a shuffle) or somebody like Wallace… You don’t want to spend mony on a forward with their defensive issues.
the Islanders solution… Brian rolston… which doesn’t answer the question, but creates a new one? can Blake Comeau function at the RW if he is forced to. Answer… no. Not here anyway. Because it’s a kick in the balls from an organization who has bounced you from coach to coach and linemate to linemate and all you’ve done is progress.
Is Blake comeau the answer, will he be, could he have been… no… but Blake comeau is a symptom of why nobody wants to come here. Because the on ice product is third on their priority list behind getting a new arena and managing a bullshit budget.
I've had enough! It's time to call out Garth Snow!
@JPinVA
by JPinVA on Dec 29, 2011 12:34 PM EST up reply actions 3 recs
I tried rec'ing this three times
but it only let me do it once
Garth Snow's slow and steady rebuild is just an excuse for a nickle and dime roster
by Chris McNally on Dec 29, 2011 12:38 PM EST up reply actions
Comeau continues to stink
His Calgary pace is what, 25 points over 82 games while getting top 6 minutes for 2.5 million? He’s Bergenheim at best with one uptick in scoring based on ice time he probably didn’t deserve in the first place. He hadn’t gelled with a single linemate and made every line he was on a “WTF are they doing?” type of shitshow.
I’ll grant you that he’s probably better than the vets that are still here, but at the peaks of their careers, they were head and shoulders better players. And who do you want telling the young guys how to play, guys like Rolston and Pandolfo who have won something and played within a system for years or Blake Comeau who hasn’t done shit and hasn’t been able to take direction from at least two coaches.
Wait till the shine comes off Comeau in Canada…it won’t be long, and he really doesn’t have far to go.
NY Islanders, just one irrational free agent signing away from contention!
Website:Lighthouse HockeyTwitter: @KeithLHHockey
by Keith Quinn on Dec 29, 2011 12:58 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
And who do you want telling the young guys how to play, guys like Rolston and Pandolfo who have won something and played within a system for years or Blake Comeau who hasn’t done shit and hasn’t been able to take direction from at least two coaches.
You’re kidding me right? Bc if either of those guys are talking about how to win, apparently nobody on this team is listening, rendering them as utterly useless as you think Comeau was.
Garth Snow's slow and steady rebuild is just an excuse for a nickle and dime roster
by Chris McNally on Dec 29, 2011 1:12 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Trust me, I don't find them (any of them) overly useful
they need to go, but so did BC…because he’s not a good hockey player. He is the poor man’s Mariusz Czerkawski…a guy who put up decent numbers by being on bad teams and playing more minutes than his skill set could handle.
But again, I’ll put forth the idea that everyone on the planet wanted “veteran leadership”, and if we didn’t get those guys and this level of play was going on, people would blame the “lack of veteran leadership”. Hey, I know it sucks that this is the best they could do on vets, but they’ll all be gone next year. All of them.
If there is one person here that could explain any one of BCs choices in defensive zone coverage or offensive zone rushes, that would be one more than I expected. He never did anything to adjust his play to the current situation in front of him. It was like he had a mission/thought process already figured out, expected everyone to conform to what he was doing, and often left others in a lurch.
On a team full of penalty killers, he isn’t necessary at 2.5 million. On a team full of guys not scoring, he isn’t necessary at 2.5 million, and on a team that bleeds goals, his defensive gaffes certainly aren’t necessary.
People can sit here and claim that “now the Isles are bad/could’ve used him”, but the reality is, the team was playing much better without him in the lineup, and the real downturn lately has been the absence of Ullstrom and Montoya and Reese and the reintroduction of Nino and Eaton. (Also missing are Staios and Rolston, but I’d be hard pressed to think they make that much of a difference.
NY Islanders, just one irrational free agent signing away from contention!
Website:Lighthouse HockeyTwitter: @KeithLHHockey
People can sit here and claim that "now the Isles are bad/could’ve used him",
Lets not get crazy, bc if you don’t know Ive been against the letting go of Comeau since Day 1 then you haven’t been paying attention. I’m not going to argue with you whether the Isles are better off with or without Comeau bc obviously he was pointless in his games on the Island this year and that doesnt give me much of a leg to stand on.
But you state they played much better without him in the lineup but now are playing bad again bc of the reintroduction of Nino and Eaton to the lineup. I want to focus on Nino. Why is he still in the lineup if his reintroduction has brought the Islanders down? Are you going to tell me that Nino has played any better than Comeau did this year? Or that his defensive gaffes are any worse than Comeau’s (which they definitely are worse)? Is Nino’s play worth waiting out bc he was a Top 5 pick, but Comeau’s who scored 24 goals for you last year is not?
Oh wait, not at $2.5 million. So again, it comes down to penny pinching for the Islanders again.
Ok, so 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 weren't our years. There's always 2012!
by Chris McNally on Dec 29, 2011 3:25 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Not sure what you're saying here, but that's not what I said, and you selectively left out a ton
particularly Ullstrom, Montoya and Reese being not here, AND their replacements not being as good as they are. There’s a duality to everything.
I don’t think Nino’s reintroduction in and of itself brings the Isles down, but when you promote Wallace to the third while losing Ullstrom, and take away from the D by sending Reese back down and then put a kid with obvious defensive liabilities back in the lineup, you’ll notice more. Particularly if he is going out there with the worst of the D pairings.
Nino is what Nino is…I didn’t expect that much of him this year and actually thought they’d send him down. Secretly, I kind of hoped they did…I thought both Strome and Kabanov looked better than he did. Even Ullstrom at the time.
And stop with the 24 goal thing. Really, again he was getting 18:40 minutes a game…only Moulson and Tavares had more as forwards. Every “10 point jump in production” he had, happened to coincide with an approximate with increases in GP and ice time. Year 1, he was 11:40 ATOI 51gp, yr 2 16:16 53gp, year three 15:24 61gp, yr 4 18:40 77gp with an 11 point improvement despite 12 points on the PP. His even strength points per 60 was actually quite a bit worse considering the previous season, he had 3 PPP.
So pretty much every year, he saw an increase in GP and/or ATOI and is still at 44 points. You can’t have a guy like that eating up ice time not putting up points or preventing them at a significant rate.
Nino’s gaffes are worse and I would rather not see him out there either if we are still trying to convince ourselves that this is meaningful hockey, but I’m much more tolerant of a 19yo who isn’t ready, thrown into a bad situation than a recidivist who is unresponsive to coaching, had an awful lot to say about the previous regime, still doesn’t seem to understand “why” (as if 4-5 years of the same old shit isn’t enough). Especially at 2.5 million
There’s a lot of guys who shouldn’t be on this roster, but neither should Comeau. And yes, I think Nino is more worth waiting out. He is younger, more cost controlled, and likely to be better.
NY Islanders, just one irrational free agent signing away from contention!
Website:Lighthouse HockeyTwitter: @KeithLHHockey
Agreed. Comeau was F*cked over given his numbers this year and usage.
Playing him on his off wing. Scratching him more then almost every other forward on the team. Waiving him instead of Pandolfo(although given Comeau’s usage, better to let him go then keep him in “jail”). Good for comeau. Once he hits his stride, he’s gonna net 10-15goals this year and likely 20goals/yr for a few years going forward.
What do you mean they won 4 cups in a row? Is that possible?
Comeau
Before we announce he’s the second coming please look at the stats
The guy has 5 points in 17 games
So in 33 games total this year, he has 5 points and most have come on Thursdays (3 out of 5). So unless he is only playing on Thursdays he has been a complete bust.
Lastly, the hit total is quite possibly the biggest joke of a stat.
by Mulligan on Dec 29, 2011 11:26 AM EST reply actions 3 recs
I brought up hits to show a difference in play
Nobody’s talking about stats, we’re talking about play. And I’m pretty sure nobody said he was the second coming
The guy has 5 points in 17 games
But if you want to talk about stats meaning someones a bust:
Matt Martin 7 points in 34 games
Josh Bailey 10 points in 34 games
Brian Rolston 7 points in 27 games
Nino Niederreiter 1 point in 11 games
Tim Wallace 1 point in 10 games
Marty Reasoner 5 points in 31 games
By your account half the Islanders forwards playing in tonights game are “busts”. Why not get rid of all of them and not just Comeau then.
Garth Snow's slow and steady rebuild is just an excuse for a nickle and dime roster
by Chris McNally on Dec 29, 2011 11:35 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Josh Bailey 10 points in 34 games
That would be twice as many as Comeau
TWICE as many in the same amount of games. And by all realistic Islander fans, he has been terrible (not of late though)
My account was to show that Comeau hasn’t eactly lit it up in Calgary
Also, you have included 3 players who are 4th liners. That proves the point even more. The Islanders waived a 4th line player who still hasn’t done a thing this year. But they did save 2 million
My thinking on Comeau: He never wanted to accept his role on the team
would Comeau be given any ice time on a good team
Bruins? Rangers?
nope
he can be an okay 3rd liner who has a bad +/- for a team that’s ambition is to be a bubble team
but we already have Grabner
Would 70% of our team be given ice time on a good team?
Kyle Okposo wouldn’t even see the ice on most good teams in the NHL and he’s someone most of the fanbase thinks the world of. To single out Blake on a roster of complete shit is unfair and that has been my main point. Do I think Blake Comeau would have been an integral part of the Islanders becoming a playoff team? Most likely not a chance. But does he have abetter shot of being that player than at least 4 or 5 guys who are currently dressing for the Isles? Hell yes.
Garth Snow's slow and steady rebuild is just an excuse for a nickle and dime roster
by Chris McNally on Dec 29, 2011 11:58 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Yeah but is TWICE the amount of points acceptable?
Is a 25 point season from Josh Bailey at all acceptable? Bc it isn’t. It shouldn’t be about the money bc the ONLY reason Nino is on this team is bc of his contract and if anyone believes otherwise they aren’t seeing clearly.
The point is that you have 4th line players all over this team. Guys with no upside (Wallace) guys past their prime (Rolston, Reasoner) so why on earth wouldn’t you keep a guy who is 25 and should have some good years ahead of him even to play the 4th line role?
It’s bc they coaching staff didn’t have any faith in him. I find it funny that there’s another team in the NHL had has that faith in him and now all of the sudden he’s playing better. It’s not just about the points. If you watched any Flames games you’d see a completely different player.
Garth Snow's slow and steady rebuild is just an excuse for a nickle and dime roster
by Chris McNally on Dec 29, 2011 11:55 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Most of those points
after Comeau left too.
NY Islanders, just one irrational free agent signing away from contention!
Website:Lighthouse HockeyTwitter: @KeithLHHockey
Haha
he’s been outscored by Reasoner. But come on, Bailey has doubled him up, Martin is probably outhitting him by triples, Rolston is outscoring him and Nino is a rookie, Wallace averages like 9 minutes and is a fourth line career AHL er and is still at a similar pace.
Also, none of those guys are costing 2.5 million save the Cap Mule.
NY Islanders, just one irrational free agent signing away from contention!
Website:Lighthouse HockeyTwitter: @KeithLHHockey
Always good to see the fire behind this team's fanbase.
I think Dom put whiskey in the LHH coffee machine again.
Proud to root for the Jets, Mets, and Islanders!!!
Twitter: cmauceri524
Bart Scott: "I’m sure now there will be something written about how the Jets are back, and we won’t listen to that either, because at the end of the day we know that you guys don’t know what the hell you’re talking about."
I feel bad for Dom
He tries to look at it all in a postive light and run a positive board, that attracts good people, but even we have had it.
"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 29, 2011 11:51 AM EST up reply actions
Not positive necessarily, just a fun and half-way rational board
Nothing ruins a diversionary form of entertainment for me quicker than people bitching about the same thing over and over and over.
Gallows humor is great. Repetitive pissing and moaning, not so much.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
Ive had mine bottled up for weeks
It was bound to explode at some point, and the Rangers debacle and Garth Snow’s “keeping his word” were the the match to my powderkeg.
Garth Snow's slow and steady rebuild is just an excuse for a nickle and dime roster
by Chris McNally on Dec 29, 2011 12:02 PM EST up reply actions
The Rangers game
The reason why the Rangers game was such a turning point for my feelings about this team is because I thought the Isles a played hard, relatively error-free hockey and failed to score or even generate a significant number or real opportunities — at least during EV play. I’m not the keenest observer of hockey, but I just didn’t see turnovers or “passengers” as being the problem as Cappy did. The problem is simply a lack of talent.
Lighthouse Hockey. Where Islanders fans come to panic with punctuation.
by DP'sknee(andhipandflubugandotherknee) on Dec 29, 2011 12:16 PM EST up reply actions
Give some of the credit to Lundqvist
In the 3-0 they out played the Rangers more than they got out played. They had some crazy good scoring chances and a few second and third whacks that an average goalie would have let in. Lundqvist has been great this season and showed it there. And also the Rangers blocking everything helped.
Thats why hockey commentary is so fickle and subjective to me. A bounce one way and “its our guys didn’t compete hard enough tonight, we need to cut down on the turn overs”. Same game played except that bounce going the other way and its “proud of how our guys competed tonight and how we forced the puck”.
by GreekIsles83 on Dec 29, 2011 1:56 PM EST up reply actions 5 recs
Yep, agreed.
But I think that stuff like this is good….doesn’t seem as if anyone’s breaking the rules or being disrespectful to anyone else. For instance I think someone could respectfully debate in this site without being called names.
It’s kind of funny to see LHH go all “Last season 2 episode of Walking Dead” today…..JPinVA’s about to start shooting everyone to prove that they are not human…..
I’m always amazed, the love for this team is astounding.
Proud to root for the Jets, Mets, and Islanders!!!
Twitter: cmauceri524
Bart Scott: "I’m sure now there will be something written about how the Jets are back, and we won’t listen to that either, because at the end of the day we know that you guys don’t know what the hell you’re talking about."
by CharlieIsles on Dec 29, 2011 11:54 AM EST up reply actions
If the isles were a woman (or a man for you ladies)
I would’ve kicked her to the curb somewhere around the time they traded Ziggy.
Instead here I am, a glutton for punishment, finally talking about paying her back with cheating on her with the Predators.
"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 29, 2011 11:56 AM EST up reply actions
See I prefer to look at the Islanders the way I look at my wife.
She used to be great….Stanley Cup type of great. But now she is grumpy all the time, gives me hell when I don’t take out the garbage, and the one or two “Penguin massacre” moments (i.e. sex) that gives me hope for more in the future are always for naught. I keep trying to get her to move to a new place, but keep getting turned down. Maybe she’ll just up and move to KC one day.
But I still love her (them). It just takes more Jack Daniels to get me through then it used to.
Moral of the stories, kiddies: Don’t get married. Or root for the Islanders.
(note: this post was done in good humor, just in case I leave the browser open at home again :-)
Proud to root for the Jets, Mets, and Islanders!!!
Twitter: cmauceri524
Bart Scott: "I’m sure now there will be something written about how the Jets are back, and we won’t listen to that either, because at the end of the day we know that you guys don’t know what the hell you’re talking about."
by CharlieIsles on Dec 29, 2011 12:09 PM EST up reply actions 6 recs
I’m always amazed, the love for this team is astounding.
I was thinking this the other day. The Flames SN blog was bragging about getting to 100 comments during a Game Thread, and I was thinking “Isles fans are disappointed if they’re not pushing 1000”
Garth Snow's slow and steady rebuild is just an excuse for a nickle and dime roster
by Chris McNally on Dec 29, 2011 12:05 PM EST up reply actions
All in good time
There was a time we were happy to get 100 comments on a game thread, and most of that would be me and Dom going back and forth
"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.
don't forget rubber ducky too
You wouldn't believe how good the Corsi is for my NHL 12 Be A Pro player.
how could we forget him?
I hear he’s the one that makes bathtime lots of fun.
And only Grover and Oscar have better relCorsi on Sesame Street.
We may be in the box, but you get the penalty.
Lighthouse Hockey - a beacon of greatness on the rocky coast of sports blog mediocrity
Non-hockey scribblings at nightflyblog
to be fair
Rubber Ducky does play against opponent’s weaker competition more than either of the monsters
Garth Snow's slow and steady rebuild is just an excuse for a nickle and dime roster
by Chris McNally on Dec 29, 2011 12:22 PM EST up reply actions
yeah actually I remember you saying that
I guess maybe it also means more people are actually physically going to the games in Calgary and not in front of their television and laptop
Garth Snow's slow and steady rebuild is just an excuse for a nickle and dime roster
by Chris McNally on Dec 29, 2011 12:11 PM EST up reply actions
and it helps that IPB is basically considered the be all end all to Islanders Blogs, and Botta has sent a LOT of people our way. I take it with the Canadian teams that there are a lot more blogs and alternatives
"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.
I think it has to so with the very little media coverage
And not to suck up, but if you have ever read some of the other blogs here (I’m talking about you, hockey wilderness), you will see our writers are much better than a lot of them.
"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 29, 2011 12:14 PM EST up reply actions
I never try to attack any of the other blogs, cause we’re all the same network in the end. So a rising tide lifts everyone. But I’m still pissed that the Pittsburgh Hub attacked my recap of Friday Night Fights.
Plus most of the ones I have read are excellent, and I always recommend Gang Green Nation for Jets fans as being one of the best Jets based blogs.
"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.
The Flames also have other blogs though
This site just happens to draw a lot of comments — a ton from us same usual suspects!
But yeah, the fervor for a team in a (pick your standard, pick your years)-long drought is impressive.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
It's one thing to be positive
It’s another to whistle pass the graveyard.
At this point there’s no reason to continue playing Mottau, Pandolfo, Eaton or Reasoner. These guys are supposed to be stopgaps to help us play better now while the players in BP and JRs mature.
But at this point most of us would agree that Reese is better then Mottau, and anymore time in BP isn’t needed
At the same time there’s no reason to continue playing Wishart in the AHL. He’s a free agent at the end of the year. Call him up, let’s see what he can do. Much like Montoya maybe he’s spent too much time in the minors
With Reasoner the obvious mistake was that someone in the Isles organization didn’t realize how close Ullstrom was. And now we have another year of Reasoner on top of it.
Rolston’s there because of the Cap hit, but at the very least he is an improvement over Hunter.
Pandolfo can do a few things, but he probably shouldn’t be an everyday player at this point.
"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.
What I'm saying is
That Snow played it safe, but whats the point of playing it safe when your next to last in the Conference anyway?
We also aren’t calling on the team to start calling up recent draftees and rushing them into the lineup thinking they’ll save the day. The point is that the batch of youngsters who are ready to go can’t do worse then the old guys in the lineup anyway.
"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.
by Mark D on Dec 29, 2011 11:58 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
not calling up more guys
is so very clearly a salary issue
Eaton came back as a “Body” – that means Reese goes down even though he was clearly helping
means the edict is spend no more money – $0.00 – for whatever reason, that’s the fact of the matter
and this isn’t ranting & raving – its a reaction of being lied to bold faced by Snow yesterday – smugly thinking he has us fooled – he doesn’t
In fairness
And I say that often
Reese was on emergency recall, so that means as soon as someone is back he has to go down.
Plus I don’t get the complaint that the Islanders won’t spend. If Reese was called up and either Mottau or Eaton waived, the Islanders would be spending less money. Reese is paid 635K, Mottau 850K and Eaton 1.1M
"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.
then I guess
we were playing too well with Reese around – gave us more mobility
clearly he had to go
by Cary K on Dec 29, 2011 12:15 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
That
made me laugh
"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.
Is Reese on a 2-way? And are Mottau and Eaton on 1-ways?
If Mottau and Eaton are on 1-ways, they get paid their NHL salary even when sent down, no? And if Reese is on a 2-way, he goes from getting paid his AHL salary to his NHL salary (at least league minimum). If this is true then Wang will have to shell out more WangBucks.
Note I am not saying that this is reason Reese is back in the AHL; I’m just being a douchebag schoolmarm prick and (possibly) correcting you (if my assumptions are correct!).
by Hey Hanrahan on Dec 29, 2011 5:22 PM EST up reply actions
For the record, if Reese was not sent down when he was, he would have been forced to go through waivers whenever they DID decide to send him back down.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Dec 29, 2011 10:42 PM EST up reply actions
Or they could have just kept him here and sent Mottau down. That would have been the smart and correct thing to do.
What do you mean they won 4 cups in a row? Is that possible?
No, I dont think they could waive him during a roster freeze.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Dec 30, 2011 12:00 AM EST up reply actions
????? Then they'd be allowed to have too many players on their roster?
I just don’t see how getting rid of Mottau wouldn’t be an option. It’d be sort of illegal by the nhl to not allow team’s to waive who they want “before the roster freeze” with mottau, as reese was moved(no waiving).
What do you mean they won 4 cups in a row? Is that possible?
They could do it now
Nobody could do it during a roster freeze- which is when Eaton came back and Reese (who was Emergency) therefore went back without having to go through waivers. If he stayed, then he could be exposed to waivers.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Dec 30, 2011 11:24 PM EST up reply actions
Anyone going to the game tonight?
I’m thinking of making the trip and subjecting myself to in person torture.
You wouldn't believe how good the Corsi is for my NHL 12 Be A Pro player.
The good thing about in person torture
is you can at least get diverted by the Ice Girls
Garth Snow's slow and steady rebuild is just an excuse for a nickle and dime roster
by Chris McNally on Dec 29, 2011 12:03 PM EST up reply actions
And damn if I'm not in love
with the blonde who does the contests in between breaks in play….forgot her name.
Proud to root for the Jets, Mets, and Islanders!!!
Twitter: cmauceri524
Bart Scott: "I’m sure now there will be something written about how the Jets are back, and we won’t listen to that either, because at the end of the day we know that you guys don’t know what the hell you’re talking about."
by CharlieIsles on Dec 29, 2011 12:10 PM EST up reply actions
The one who looks like Stiflers mom?
Garth Snow's slow and steady rebuild is just an excuse for a nickle and dime roster
by Chris McNally on Dec 29, 2011 12:11 PM EST up reply actions
She looks a little younger than 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 29, 2011 12:12 PM EST up reply actions
listings are
You wouldn't believe how good the Corsi is for my NHL 12 Be A Pro player.
I noticed here when I was there
How does she walk on those heels on the ice?
"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 29, 2011 12:11 PM EST up reply actions
I'll be there
tickets were a Christmas gift
by Binghamton Islanders on Dec 29, 2011 12:38 PM EST up reply actions
i'll be there
nothing beats free tickets
islanders hockey, making a sane person go insane during finals week
And in the Goalie Stole One for Us dept.
Still waiting…
Maybe tonight. We sure could use it.
huh?
"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 29, 2011 12:18 PM EST up reply actions
I think Montoya has stolen a couple for us this season
I think we need a 6 goal explosion a lot more
Garth Snow's slow and steady rebuild is just an excuse for a nickle and dime roster
by Chris McNally on Dec 29, 2011 12:19 PM EST up reply actions
Without checking, several of the OTLs come to mind
as being stolen by Montoya.
Lighthouse Hockey. Where Islanders fans come to panic with punctuation.
by DP'sknee(andhipandflubugandotherknee) on Dec 29, 2011 12:21 PM EST up reply actions
You guys are easy graders
We have not had one game where we were so dominated in play (time in the defensive zone, shot margin, etc.) yet still won. There is not one game you can point to this year like that, yet we still won.
Winning a one goal game, or in overtime, is just business as usual for a good NHL goaltender.
As an example, there was a game in November, Rangers/Senators, in Ottawa, where the Rangers were outshot by almost a 2 to 1 margin, and most of the game by far was in the Ranger zone, with several great chances for the Sens. Rangers won 3-2.
Thats stealing a game.
You don't think the Buffallo game was stolen?
The Isles won 2-1, Montoya saved 30 of 31 and while the shots were 31-30, I thought the Islanders were lucky to have come away with a win. But I probably am an easy grader, I tend to think good things are better than they are with this team.
Garth Snow's slow and steady rebuild is just an excuse for a nickle and dime roster
by Chris McNally on Dec 29, 2011 1:06 PM EST up reply actions
my personal preference would be to win without needing the goalie to steal the game
but maybe I’m old fashion
You wouldn't believe how good the Corsi is for my NHL 12 Be A Pro player.
I don't
I like Montoya, but the games he won were just what you expect from an NHL goaltender (and the number one goaltender on your team).
I would just like one this year, like most good teams get.
A positive
I’ve really liked Bailey’s play of late. Yes, the points aren’t where I’d love them to be but it’s okay. If we get a 35-45 pt season from him and he’s looking like this then I am happy. We just need someone to crash the net on all lines!
UVa Student. Twitter: @ericdavidmorris
Agreed
He definitely has looked better since Comeau has left, and I’m not saying Comeau was bringing him down, but Bailey may have got a wake up call to see Blake let go.
Bailey’s overall play, especially his defensive play, has been solid over the last month. The points will come for him if he keeps playing like this.
Garth Snow's slow and steady rebuild is just an excuse for a nickle and dime roster
by Chris McNally on Dec 29, 2011 12:27 PM EST up reply actions
This
I dont think it was that Comeau and Bailey couldnt gel together, but like you said it was a wake up call for Bailey. Werent they roommates and pretty good friends? I mean it doesnt get much more of a wake up call than seeing your friend-linemate-roommate get waived and lost to another team, especially considering a lot of people held Comeau in higher regard than bailey
"Mario Lemiuex… I used to respect you."- Turgeon1992
Did you see what happened to Robie Cano
once the Yankees shipped off Melky Cabrera? All-Star
NY Islanders, just one irrational free agent signing away from contention!
Website:Lighthouse HockeyTwitter: @KeithLHHockey
I won't be around to catch the game tonight...
Tonight’s my annual trip (with my visiting cousins) to McSorley’s Old Ale House in Manhattan. I’ll check FIG tomorrow morning, but I’ll also go straight to the game thread and check for number of COZOs. I’m guessing at least the first one will be lit up in green.
Yet another Moulson brother-in-law.
by ICanSeeForIslesAndIsles on Dec 29, 2011 12:46 PM EST reply actions
2 light and 2 dark please
my favorite bar in the city, my grandma lived above it for like 60years, have fun
by Madchef on Dec 29, 2011 1:02 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Wow.... If I lived above McSorley's, I'd be on my third liver by now.
That’s a cool little factoid you got there! I didn’t live above it, but I went to school right next to it for four years. It was our unofficial seventh building.
And I will have fun. Thanks!
Yet another Moulson brother-in-law.
by ICanSeeForIslesAndIsles on Dec 29, 2011 3:10 PM EST up reply actions
lots of angst today
and deservedly so i believe -
it’s the reason i couldn’t bring myself to sit through the BS isles TV Snow interview… which, i’m assuming is the cause of most of the angst right now.
all i can say is,
i can bet the Flames -.5 goals and the over 5.5 and get 3-1 on my $…
the ONLY reason i may not is because of the line shake up, i dont know if we get shut out again…
These comments crawl up from the depths of the deepest Chasm of Saar
Makes me wonder
What the tone would be if the team had just reeled off three close wins instead of lost them.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
You've got to be fucking with me.
Jeff Lebowski is a fan of the Calgary Flames?
THE DUDE is a fan of the Calgary Flames!?
All hail.
Official choice of Lighthouse Dog #1.
by Fabtraption on Dec 29, 2011 1:14 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
Fortunately the bums will always lose
You wouldn't believe how good the Corsi is for my NHL 12 Be A Pro player.
BOYCOTT!
Teach these assholes a lesson! We definitely need to stop going to games, stop wearing Islanders merch, stop watching the games on the channel owned by our chief rival, cause Newsday (also owned by our rival) to bury game stories between the car ads and Beetle Bailey, stop following the team or even acknowledging that they still exist and only think of them in faded color newscast footage of players without helmets or razors. And if the Islanders somehow come up in conversation, we can scoff and roll our eyes and say, “well, they used to be good, we used to go to games all the time, but those guys fucked them up and now they suck” and we can all move on to baseball because that’s all anyone in New York cares about anyway. That way, kids can all safely grow up Rangers fans, snuggly tucked in to their blanket of high payrolls with (usually) disappointing results, the way pro sports was meant to be. And after a few generations, it’ll be like the Islanders never existed.
Oh. Wait. That’s what 98% of all Long Islanders have been doing since about 1995. My bad.
You know who I really feel bad for? Chris King. For, like, 20 years, this guy has been the radio voice of the New York Islanders. If there’s a more depressing career combination, I don’t know what it is.
"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 Dec 29, 2011 2:29 PM EST reply actions 8 recs
I owe you a beer, brother
We may be in the box, but you get the penalty.
Lighthouse Hockey - a beacon of greatness on the rocky coast of sports blog mediocrity
Non-hockey scribblings at nightflyblog
by mikb on Dec 29, 2011 2:35 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I'll tell you what
When the Puget Sound Islanders first take the ice at Nintendo Arena in downtown Seattle, we’ll organize a meet-up of former LHH commentors and enjoy whatever the Pacific Northwest’s best microbrew is.
"He's depriving some small village of a pretty good idiot" - Mike Milbury on Ziggy Palffy's agent. On Twitter: @Dan_of_Science
12 years from now
My then almost 13 year old will call Child Protective Services on me because he’ll see this year’s Christmas picture of him sitting on my knee with us wearing matching Isles jerseys. He’ll find on the internet just how bad this team was and I’ll be locked up for having abused him and having scarred him for life.
Even after I tell the authorities how well the Kansas City Scouts played in the late 20-teens and even won a Stanley Cup, it won’t be enough to save me.
Amateurs practice til they get it right. Professionals practice til they can't get it wrong.
Stop watching will do nothing given their huge cable contract. Not going to games will do something and not being the merchandise will do stuff though.
What do you mean they won 4 cups in a row? Is that possible?
It's tomorrow...
the sun will come up in a few hours, and that post was awesome!
I've had enough! It's time to call out Garth Snow!
@JPinVA
cant wait for this game to start
going to the game tonight, first one in over a year, hoping for the team everyone hates to play cause we are just that good
islanders hockey, making a sane person go insane during finals week
Im really hoping for a strong effort win tonight
I havnt lost it like most of the posters here have so far lol but it was come out like shit in the next 2 games, i think i might have to take a break from hockey this season. Come on boys, show some signs of life out there
"Mario Lemiuex… I used to respect you."- Turgeon1992
Just dreaming in the field here...
…going shoeless.
Hey! I'm Famous!!
First, I went green for the first time. A proud moment indeed. Then I get quoted in the article, what a day. Now someone please lay some wood on Comeau, it’s not like you don’t know which way he is going to go.
by CloseCallJiggs on Dec 29, 2011 7:30 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
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1979-80
Source: Uploaded by user via NYIslanders on Pinterest
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
Source: Uploaded by user via NYIslanders on Pinterest
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
Source: Uploaded by user via NYIslanders on Pinterest
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
Source: Uploaded by user via NYIslanders on Pinterest
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.
