Rebuild Update
by John from ATL on Mar 19, 2011 10:58 AM EDT
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PrintAs we come toward the end of year three of the rebuild, I thought it would be a good time to look back and see how far we've come, before looking forward to what needs to be done and what we can expect next year and beyond.
I would think that the rebuild started after the 2006-07 season ended and Ryan Smyth decided not to return. If you look at the Isles open night roster from 2007-08; there are only 4 players left standing and three of them could be gone over the next year or two. The four left are DiPietro, Hunter, Martinek and Gervais.
Before the 2007-08 season was over Nielsen, Comeau and Okposo saw time in the NHL and the rebuild had begun. Over the following 3 years, Garth Snow made several key moves to bring about the change we now see on the ice.
1) the 2008 Draft. Trading down to select Bailey, but more importantly to get the extra picks to draft Hamonic and Petrov. I don't think I need to go into this extensively for most of you that read this site know, the 2008 draft could be seen as the draft that turn this franchise around. That's even if Bailey doesn't turn into the top six foward we hope.
2) Free Agent signings: Streit, PA Parentau and Konopka. While these three may not be around in two or three years when the Islanders may be a contender; they have provided key elements needed at the time.
3) Picking up Matt Moulson: 30 goal wingers just don't fall in your lap. Great scouting and a great signing.
4) Waiver wire: Michael Grabner. You're not supposed to be able to pick up the Calder Trophy winner off the waiver wire.
5) Trades: Campoli for Calvin de Haan; Roloson for Ty Wishart; Both could be part of a 6 man defense core for years to come.
6) Continuing to build through the draft; John Tavares, Nino Niederreiter and this years top five pick.
7) Playing the kids and taking your lumps. The last three years have been tough to watch at times. Even last nights game, another lose in OT after a third peroid lead is blown. But lots of progress has been made and just think of when Gervais and Martinek are replaced with Streit and de Haan. Plus adding Nino and another top 5 pick.
The team has been rebuilt but, Snow is still building a winner. Given time they will get there sooner than expected. Next year can't come soon enough for this young and improving team.
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Trent Hunter
we’re stuck with him for another 2 years and i feel like hes like dipietro..if hes healthy hes gonna play even if hes putting up 3 points a season and he slows down our quick team. Whats gonna happen when we have half a dozen prospects knocking on the nhl door and he’s still got a year left on his contract?
...with the first overall selection in the 2000 nhl entry draft the new york islanders select....regret
by MacHamonic47-36 on Mar 19, 2011 12:56 PM EDT reply actions
Whats gonna happen when we have half a dozen prospects knocking on the nhl door and he’s still got a year left on his contract?
Honestly, what is the big deal?
This kind of thing happens on all teams all the time.
If he really cant cut it, he gets waived. Its not like he has a NMC.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Mar 19, 2011 1:00 PM EDT up reply actions
Exactly. Anyone hear of Wade Redden or Sheldon Souray? And Hunter gets paid barely half of what they make.
Proud Islanders fan, the organization that iced the greatest team to ever play the game and won 4 straight cups. Best overall player in the nhl right now=Pavel Datsyuk.
I'm also an optimistic Knicks fan, pessimistic Mets fan, and a happy Jets fan.
I don't know how he'll look after his latest surgery
But I think Hunter’s positive effects are generally underrated. If the Isles have so many fantastic wingers that a smart responsible player like Hunter ends up on the fourth line, then that is a luxury I’ll happily take.
Lighthouse Hockey: Send us your cold, your poor, your healthy goalies.
by Dominik on Mar 19, 2011 4:32 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
As long as he's got some mobility, I'll be happy.
Proud Islanders fan, the organization that iced the greatest team to ever play the game and won 4 straight cups. Best overall player in the nhl right now=Pavel Datsyuk.
I'm also an optimistic Knicks fan, pessimistic Mets fan, and a happy Jets fan.
exactly
that will be the biggest concern, did the injury and surgery hurt his stride. If Hunter slots in the fourth line and PK then I the teams overall depth is strong and he brings the safe, smart play that is invaluable on a playoff team.
by Jones79 on Mar 19, 2011 7:06 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
In that Konoka video of picture day
He was still on crutches, needed help getting his pants on and was wheelchaired across the ice to get in the photo. Doesn’t look like he’s even close to skating.
"Gervais...he looks danger in the fist with his face!" JPinVA
Website: Lighthousehockey.com Twitter: @KeithLHHockey
That was painful to watch
The Hunter part, anyway. Zenopka goes in there joking around about how the best part of picture day is how the injured guys have to dress, and I’m thinking “Oh cool, they’ll bust Hunter’s balls.” Then I see how hard it is for him to get around, yikes! But…ahh, screw it, it’s a hockey locker room — jab away.
Lighthouse Hockey: Send us your cold, your poor, your healthy goalies.
I was surprised he was still that bad
I have to think that he will be a pretty big question mark to start the season. He still has to heal enough to get pants on then rehab and strength train and then get into game shape…tough.
"Gervais...he looks danger in the fist with his face!" JPinVA
Website: Lighthousehockey.com Twitter: @KeithLHHockey
by Keith Quinn on Mar 21, 2011 10:25 PM EDT up reply actions
I was surprised he was still that bad
He was skating, close to returning, but was still having some lingering pain- so he decided to have surgery. He looks as bad as he does now because he had his surgery fairly recently. If he had it back when he first went down he would be fine now- prob not playing yet, but he would be getting around fine.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Mar 22, 2011 12:07 AM EDT up reply actions
Wow, so he's gonna be a close call for opening day then, one would assume with rehab?
Proud Islanders fan, the organization that iced the greatest team to ever play the game and won 4 straight cups. Best overall player in the nhl right now=Pavel Datsyuk.
I'm also an optimistic Knicks fan, pessimistic Mets fan, and a happy Jets fan.
nearly 7 months is a lot of time
Id guess he will be fine by then.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Mar 22, 2011 4:36 PM EDT up reply actions
Good Post.
The rebuild can’t be understated. Garth has done an amazing job in most of his decisions and moves. If we could acquire important missing piece free agents on fair contracts, then we’d be as good as gold. That should come soon enough though. Not to mention, we’ve been one of the hottest team’s in the nhl since the all star break. So many great things happening in this rebuild. And someone said the “calculated” losses of streit this season for a whole season and okposo for 1/2 a season is a mere couple points but I’d argue highly otherwise. When you lose one of the best PP QB’s in the nhl, whom is a top 5 d-man and nets usually 10goal/55pts a year with a wiz/a-mac being his replacements, and missing KO(whom is a maturing ~20goal/50pts+ winger) from your lineup for 1/2 a yr is a bigger loss then a couple points to me. Grabner and Nielsen with KO on their line: 23goals/50pts in 28gms and Grabner and Nielsen without KO on their line: 16goals/34pts in 40gms. Or in simpler terms, a line that scores at least 16more goals per year if KO can(likely) maintain his replacements numbers or better them. Much better goal production from that line with KO, and I’d assume better defensively too. Add KO’s absence + factor in Wiz playing 32gms at over 23min with his defensive lapses and a defense worst 18 as our #1 d-man(while streit is usually the top +// d-man on our team and pretty damn responsible defensively). All in all, I believe the loss of KO and Streit to our team to be more then a couple pts in the standings. I can’t completely prove it, but I can rack up evidence to point towards it being closer 10pts then 2pts.
Proud Islanders fan, the organization that iced the greatest team to ever play the game and won 4 straight cups. Best overall player in the nhl right now=Pavel Datsyuk.
I'm also an optimistic Knicks fan, pessimistic Mets fan, and a happy Jets fan.
Don't forget the MONEY MONEY MONEY....
Even factoring in the money paid to send Yashin away, the Isles are barely above the league salary floor. They have nearly $10 million dollars they could spend on free agent(s) this summer. I’m so stoked looking forward to this summer- of course, I was this last year too, but who could’ve guessed training camp would be so detrimental to the team’s health? This team has been so strong the past 3 months, UFA’s and even RFA’s can’t help but think they could be a part of a winner on Long Island. And I’m guessing Garth will be whispering in Charles’ ear “pick up so-and-so” all summer.
Grabs for Rookie of the Year 2010-11
Snow for GMOY 2011-12
Cap for COY 2011-12
They also have to resign Okposo, Bailey, Grabner, and Comeau though.
But I hope this year we go after 1 decent free agent.
Proud Islanders fan, the organization that iced the greatest team to ever play the game and won 4 straight cups. Best overall player in the nhl right now=Pavel Datsyuk.
I'm also an optimistic Knicks fan, pessimistic Mets fan, and a happy Jets fan.
nice post
it is good to see it all in one place, especially the reminder for me that we got Hamonic by trading down to get Bailey and that the Campoli trdae got us De Haan who I think will be a big point grabbing D.
I also have to say, there may be a little luck with Moulson and Grabner, but luck is nice and both will hopefully be here for a long time
Any task BIG or small, Do it well or not at all
Luck with Grabner and Moulson? I'd say good scouting.
Pre-draft scouting reports had most people thinking Grabs would at least be a 15-20goal scoring 3rd liner. And recently he looks to be at least a 20-25goal/yr guy I’d say.
Moulson was good scouting. Moulson was a solid 25-30goal scorer in the ahl that no one gave a look to yet. He too was a likely 15-20goal 3rd line scorer at minimum imo. And now, I’d say a reliable 25goal/yr+ guy.
Proud Islanders fan, the organization that iced the greatest team to ever play the game and won 4 straight cups. Best overall player in the nhl right now=Pavel Datsyuk.
I'm also an optimistic Knicks fan, pessimistic Mets fan, and a happy Jets fan.
Hell yes you need luck
Seriously, I think it’s fair to say at least half the teams — if not more — have a decent idea what it takes to be a contender. So you’ve got 15+ teams fighting for the same thing with capped resources…you need some luck, and Moulson and especially Grabner are just what the doctor ordered.
(Smart scouting/evaluation, too, but still…)
Lighthouse Hockey: Send us your cold, your poor, your healthy goalies.
UFA
I can’t see the Isles being a major player with any UFA this summer. Sure they could use a top 2 Dman to play wih Streit or 1st line forward to play with Tavares but, that’s not going to happen this summer. That type of player is not going to sign with the Islanders.
The only type of UFA they could sign, they don’t need. Why sign a mid-level player; 2nd line forward or second pair Dman, when they should have Neilsen, Grabner, Okposo, Comeau, Bailey and Niederreiter making up thier 2nd and 3rd lines and MacDonald and Hamonic as your 2nd pair D?
They already resigned Parenteau; and Streit, Eaton and Mottau should all be ready for training camp. Plus Neiderrieter and de Hann will be given a chance to make the team.
At this time there is no need to sign any UFA, except for maybe some to play in Bridgeport.
I don't even think that type of player is *available* on UFA this summer
You could argue Kaberle is one, but I bet he’ll just go wherever he feels loved like family. Wait a minute…
Lighthouse Hockey: Send us your cold, your poor, your healthy goalies.
by Dominik on Mar 21, 2011 10:15 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
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1979-80
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May 24, 1980: Tonelli to Nystrom. At long last, the steady build of the New York Islanders from expansion doormat to surprise semifinalist to annual contender reaches the promised land: Buoyed by a late season trade for Butch Goring that gave the team the depth up the middle GM Bill Torrey had been seeking, the Islanders knock off the Philadelphia Flyers in six games.
The victory justified the faith in coach Al Arbour who guided them from their second season to their first Stanley Cup seven seasons later. The Islanders would not be the first expansion team to win the Stanley Cup, but they would be the only one capable of a dynasty.
1980-81
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May 21, 1981: This time it was much easier. After falling to "only" 91 points in the 1979-80 season, the Islanders returned to their division title tradition, piling up 110 points -- a whole 13 points over second-place Philadelphia.
Between the quarterfinals (where they beat the upstart Oilers in six games) and the finals, the Islanders reeled off eight consecutive wins -- with a four-game sweep of archrival Rangers in between. As they defeated the Minnesota North Stars in five games for their second Cup, their goal difference in the final was a combined +10.
1981-82
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May 16, 1982: Another year, another landslide title. The Islanders won the Patrick Division by a whopping 26 points over the second-place Rangers, and were seven points clear of their nearest competition for the President's Trophy, the still-not-quite-ripe Edmonton Oilers.
A first-round scare against the Pittsburgh Penguins turned in the Isles' favor thanks to John Tonelli's heroics, and a true dynasty was on its way: Past the Rangers in six games, then an eight-game sweep of the Quebec Nordiques and Vancouver Canucks to run away with the Stanley Cup.
1982-83
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May 17, 1983: Not so fast, whipper-snappers. The Edmonton Oilers' steadily rising challenge for league supremacy took them all the way to the finals for the first time, where the New York Islanders summarily dispatched them in a four-game sweep. For the Islanders, the Dynasty was secured. For the Oilers, it was a powerful lesson in where talent ends and the demands of playoff hockey begin.
Four years, four Cups, 16 consecutive playoff series wins (a record that would grow to 19 until the rematch with the Oilers the following year). Mike Bossy scored 60 goals yet again, and Wayne Gretzky became acquainted with Billy Smith's crease.
