Islanders Grades: Matt Moulson, no one-hit wonder
by Dominik on Jul 18, 2011 3:31 PM EDT
in New York Islanders Report Cards
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The question on fantasy hockey owners minds was how fluke-ish was Matt Moulson's breakout 30-goal season at age 26. The question on prescient Islanders fans' minds was: If John Tavares takes a reasonably expected step forward in 2010-11, could Moulson's production even increase?
I had bet no, but then in walks Matt Moulson, 31-goal scorer, 53-point producer at age 27, recipient of a three-year extension in January. (Check this post for more on how that contract stacked up next to recent salaries.)
Now, can he continue that curve upward further still in 2011-12? Let health, ice time and opportunity be thy guide.
Health: Moulson hasn't missed a game {knock on wood, hammer on pr*j*ct*n} in his two seasons as an Islander. He's played close to 80 games in four of his five full pro seasons. Sniffles does not keep the Cornell man from showing up.
Ice Time: Moulson's average ice time actually increased a full two minutes last season, as the Islanders top line was written into the lineup card in permanent ink and with it came ample powerplay time for Moulson, John Tavares and P.A. Parenteau. Moulson's increase over 2009-10 consisted of more PP time, more PK time and more 5-on-5 time.
(You might actually argue for a drop in performance since his production didn't increase in lockstep with his ice time increase, but I'd argue his roles and opposition make that a wash. In fact, his 5-on-5 scoring stayed steady at 1.83 5v5 points per 600 minutes.)
Opportunity: Well, the Islanders have skilled forwards headed this way in the prospect pipeline, but it's hard to see any making a jump in 2010-11 that significantly impacts Moulson's role. If anything, it's possible a full year of health for Kyle Okposo and quality play from Michael Grabner helps share the burden. One thing the Isles #1 line got that none of the other lines was consistent offensive zone starts: That line began its shifts in the O-zone 54% or more of the time, while every other regular drew such choice assignments around 45% of the time. Whether that distribution changes is up to Jack Capuano.
John Tavares did not make Matt Moulson, but Matt Moulson's counting numbers may rely in part on whether he continues to draw the same assignments John Tavares does.
The Grade
Regardless -- and in direct opposition to Mark McGwire's preference -- this report card post is ostensibly about the past: How do you grade Matt Moulson's 2010-11?
As noted in the Tavares report card, the quality of competition metrics for the top line got stiffer in 2010-11, a possible indication that Capuano let that line take on tougher roles or, just as likely, that opposing teams started sending out tougher players to match against them.
So the drop in Moulson's +/- figure (crappy stat caveat) doesn't indicate cause for alarm. By every measure available to us, Moulson faced the highest quality of opponents night in, night out.
Now then, the question is how well did he meet your expectations? Last summer this question was almost a no-brainer, as pretty much no one out there penciled him in for 30 goals. This season ... well I'd be lying if I said I expected that figure to increase. I wasn't even certain he'd remain paired with Tavares, much less get the increased opportunity to go beyond 30.
At this point I've learned not to put money on any outcome, but I figure Moulson gets another season next to JT and JT takes another step forward, so staying in the 30-goal vicinity is quite possible. One thing I will bet on: The guy can put up goals at even strength; we've learned that through two years of consistent all-around play.
The Poem/Lyric
Who is Matt Coulson?
Vancouver scribes once asked
61 goals later
Their ignorance unmasked
For now, a top-line winger
Relied on for goals
One day, a veteran swinger
Plugging any number of lineup holes
Times are good, when he's a leader
On the stat sheet
Times better, when he fills any line
On a deep, tough team to beat.
Poll
If you're new to this, these are our periodic summer-gazing report cards. Vote based on your preseason expectations. When bored, troll the different archive sections in our left-margin, including all our previous report cards -- where you can verify how foolish you suspect I have always been.
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Two-hit wonder!
I voted “7” — I thought there was a real risk of his first Isles season being a flash in the pan, but I was pleasantly surprised.
Still, you are left wondering how much of this is a JT creation. Not that there is anything wrong with that for now, but what happens when JT moves to Toronto?!
Other two-hit wonders from history
Jonathan Cheechoo.
Mister Mister.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
my favorite two-hit wonder
Golden Earring.
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
I'd go for Warren Young
Cheechoo has personal problems, Warren Young was 26, 27 like Moulson…played with Mario his first two years before disappearing, but i do believe if i remember right, young dropped his second year before disappearing, while Moulson stayed pretty much the same….kind of a poor man’s ryan smith with a better attitude
by CanadianIsleslifer on Jul 18, 2011 7:29 PM EDT up reply actions
just looked this guy up
Interesting career. College player like Matty Mo, and took the long road to get into the NHL. Exploded for one season as a rookie and then completely disappeared. There was no mention of injuries or anything to that extent. I wonder what was the cause of his drop?
Though in the case of Matty Mo, we have a two time 30 goal scorer with similar points both seasons. Not to mention the most consistent goal scorer on the team. He is no, “I am going to show up in March type player to pad the stats.” I think he averaged about 4 goals a month, during the season.
I mean it is hard to say he has reached his peak potential, because I believe that whole line can just improve by playing together next year. Even better chemistry, JT and PAP are bound to improve on their sophomore and rookie season respectively. If we all think JT will have close to 80 points, clearly those stats will come from more MM and PAP action, which means they will likely see around 60 pts each. It is fun to make up numbers. Thats a lot of points right there. 200 points almost gets you to one year of Gretzky.
Young
I wonder what was the cause of his drop?
Playing with Mario Lemieux vs. not playing with Mario Lemieux, I believe.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
I seriously hope you are not pr*j**t*ng
Official choice of Lighthouse Dog #1.
by Fabtraption on Jul 19, 2011 10:22 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
- actually, Dom, they had THREE:
“Is It Love?” followed up the 2 Welcome To The Real World smashes……
I was wondering who was going to call me on that ;)
It’s all I can do to recognize two.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
LOL!
Moulsons no freak.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Jul 18, 2011 6:37 PM EDT up reply actions
Have you ever seen them in the same spot at the same time?
This goes deeper than I thought. Coulson/Lincicum won’t be happy until he’s won a championship as each of his alter-egos!!!!
by Torch7 on Jul 18, 2011 7:00 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
hmmm
He must be Matty’s doppelgänger.
Observation: He certainly trims down when its baseball season.
Additional observation: You just dont find many ‘wet’ pictures of baseball players.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Jul 18, 2011 8:58 PM EDT up reply actions
Or a Gelfling
"Human beings make life so interesting. Do you know, that in a universe so full of wonders, they have managed to invent boredom?" ~ Death
Dude...
I didn’t know there was going to be a test…
"I bet Calgary wishes they had a backup goalie as their GM" - Pauly C
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
I voted 9
because, going into the season, I didn’t really have any idea what MMM would do. With KO’s injury, I was very much worried that the expectations would make him crumble. Along with PAP’s emergence as a legitimate top 6, I was very pleased with his performance and I felt he was well worth his extension.
Dom, is that a typo in the “Opportunity” paragraph? You seem to be talking about the impact that emerging prospects may (future?) have on MMM’s ability to repeat his 10-11 performance but then speak about what they might do in 2010-11. Should that read 2011-12?
All in all, I was very very happy and mildly surprised. Let’s hope it continues. While I have no expectations for 40, I’d be very happy with 25-35 this year.
STOP effin' messin' with my FnGO!!
by Nova Scotia Isles Fan on Jul 18, 2011 3:51 PM EDT reply actions
I'd have been happy with MM producing 25G, 31G was a nice bonus and a nice little bump in assists.
I’m hoping that there are a lot more offensive zone starts to go around next season. With the FNgO line together there should be many more opportunities for the other lines to take over on the offensive side. I’m more curious as to how many times a line starts in the O zone and their shift ends there as well.
Nassau Coliseum lost a veteran and an original Islander fan. ACC 1918-2011
Did you know?
Jonathan Quick the LA Kings goalie is Matt Moulson’s brother in law!!!
For that alone I gave him a 14.
by The Danish Backhand of Judgement on Jul 18, 2011 4:01 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Had I only known that...
…it would have been prominently featured in the review. Why does no one tell me these things?
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
by Dominik on Jul 18, 2011 4:10 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
dude
Who do you think snapped the picture?
“Mike Stobe, Getty Images” is clearly a pseudonym.
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
Over the hill!
Been reading this site for about a year or so, and decided it was time to add some input.
Age has to catch up to Moulson at some time. I mean he is our 3rd oldest forward returning from last year. Can the old man keep up with all these youngsters? Between him and Parenteau (who I had no clue was older than Moulson). How can we expect Tavares to stay here after next year when we keep throwing him on the ice with these AARP candidates.
Seriously though, I was thrilled with his production and now believe that he could be a solid piece for this team for years to come. Last year I had some serious doubt on whether last year was a fluke, but I like way his game compliments Tavares
by bryanclam on Jul 18, 2011 4:08 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs
well played...
… we need a sarcasm font that can fit a good sized paragraph.
Lighthouse Hockey: We have plenty of fog to guide our ships home through... we just need a HOME after 2015.
Don't forget to vote "YES" on Aug 1st!!!
If your life isn't pathetic enough already, follow me on twitter @JPinVA
Welcome
And thanks for that :)
Yeah, I’m not looking to bump him off the JT line any time soon, I just like the idea that he’s a solid enough two-way player that if one of the younger prospects one day forms magic with Tavares, Moulson will know how to play solid hockey in a less featured role.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
Agreed
I don’t think that he is a top forward on an elite team, certainly will be exciting if we can role out three lines and he’s on the third.
Thanks for not killing me on the compliments/complements line. I know that had to kill you as an editor
Haha
As an editor, I’m really not a prick — honest!
Comments are free-form. I just don’t want people to drink and FanPost, unless they’re really funny/brilliant/coherent drinkers.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
My mother taught me better that that!
and my father taught me thats what Rangers message boards are for
by bryanclam on Jul 18, 2011 5:02 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Matty Mo...
Scorer of goals… disprover of hockey theorists!
Okay… 162 games… 61 goals. This year was pretty stable, but last year we saw that HE was pretty stable, no matter who he played with. When people say he doesn’t really look like a top line elite player I just wanna ask, what does that look like?
Is it his draft position. #263 by the penguins (pure poetry) in 2003.
Is it his numbers 61 goals and 101 pts as an ISLANDER in two years. Thems Jason Blake numbers. (68/126) and God knows he was no first line talent.
Is it the number of NHL Network commercials you’re on? That’s easy enough to improve… Matty, get a SHAKE WEIGHT.
Is it the number of times Pierre McGuire says you are an elite NHL talent? Well… not gonna happen unless you are on the north side of point per game production by the time we play the rangers or flyers and you just scored a hat trick in that game. Otherwise, Pierre McGuire doesn’t know you exist.
Matty might be surpassed in LW production by one of the kids, but he has been a first liner on an NHL team for two years. Let’s not kid ourselves with labels. He’s done the deed… let’s move on.
Lighthouse Hockey: We have plenty of fog to guide our ships home through... we just need a HOME after 2015.
Don't forget to vote "YES" on Aug 1st!!!
If your life isn't pathetic enough already, follow me on twitter @JPinVA
Wizniewski has the Shake Weight endorsement lined up already.
Nassau Coliseum lost a veteran and an original Islander fan. ACC 1918-2011
by Hockey1919 on Jul 18, 2011 4:44 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
Many things well
When people say he doesn’t really look like a top line elite player I just wanna ask, what does that look like?
I think that’s it exactly, and I know someone up or down this thread alluded to it (maybe you? I’m feeling lazy…): Because he doesn’t have some bomb of a slapper or Ovi speed or St. Louis jumping bean or Kane dangle, people give his overall skills the “well, but” exception.
Yet it’s pretty clear he was good despite Tavares during JT’s long dark 2009 winter slump, and he anticipates and finishes pucks around the net in a way your average Espo imitator does not. Be he Recchi or be he Andreychuk, he be someone who can play very good hockey whether or not he’s placed in a role to get pretty numbers.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
by Dominik on Jul 18, 2011 5:32 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
what about that guy on ducks, his is 40
i forget how many points did he score?
by Adam Leistman on Jul 18, 2011 6:27 PM EDT up reply actions
9... as in..
… the number of Molson’s I can drink before I have to switch to something less filling that tastes american.
It also relative to my expectations. Matt doesn’t seem to have any quantitative skills. He doesn’t appear to be fast, or quick, or strong, nor does he have any exceptional physical talents.
BUT… he knows where to be, and WHEN to be there in the offensive zone. Matt Moulson rocks.
I figured him for 20-25 goals once the rest of the league, and especially the division figured they needed to account for him. Well… he bettered that by a good amount, and next year it gets harder to handle HIM because as we saw at the end of last year the offense has the potential to come in waves… and this year it might even be FOUR WAVES instead of three.
The one thing I would look for from matty… well… maybe from Cappy,,, is some kind of faux injury three quarters deep… about 5-7 games…. because this year we’ll take 25-30 goals in the regular season… but double digits in APRIL AND MAY.
Lighthouse Hockey: We have plenty of fog to guide our ships home through... we just need a HOME after 2015.
Don't forget to vote "YES" on Aug 1st!!!
If your life isn't pathetic enough already, follow me on twitter @JPinVA
Gave him a 9, for being in the Mark Parrish class, just better becasue no assets were lost in attaining him.
He does the one thing goal scorers do, go to the high traffic areas and then be patient when he needs to be
Nassau Coliseum lost a veteran and an original Islander fan. ACC 1918-2011
to the 10 people...
… that gave Matty less than 5 (at this point) I’d just like to say, It’s nice to see that Ranger fans have finally found a way to get internet access at the prison library…
I hope it only cost you cigarettes.
Lighthouse Hockey: We have plenty of fog to guide our ships home through... we just need a HOME after 2015.
Don't forget to vote "YES" on Aug 1st!!!
If your life isn't pathetic enough already, follow me on twitter @JPinVA
by JPinVA on Jul 18, 2011 4:28 PM EDT reply actions 4 recs
The most ridiculous part is:
If their intention is to rag on Matty, then why vote so low? Are theirexpectations for him THAT high that another 30+ goal season is total underachievement? Do these dopes expect him to be better than Stamkos or Ovechkin or what?
I see stupid people (voting).
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Jul 18, 2011 6:42 PM EDT up reply actions
10!
Not a Bo Derek 10, but a ten nonetheless.
He scored 30 agaian, which was a big deal. He helped make JT better and even helped make Parenteau a legit player. He gets 9 for that and one for winning the battle against his brother-in-law.
I get sick
of the prevailing opinion among Islander fans that Parenteau is a useless hump who was lucky enough to play with Tavares and Moulson. Check out how many first assists that Parenteau had on both Moulson and Tavares goals. Moulson doesn’t hit 30 nor does Tavares come close to 29 without Parenteau. There is a reason he was paired with JT and MM and it is because he is the best playmaking right wing on the team. Moulson didn’t help Parenteau be a “legit” player anymore than Parenteau helped Moulson. Just cause you don’t like the guy doesn’t mean he sucks.
by MatthewM11 on Jul 18, 2011 7:13 PM EDT up reply actions 4 recs
I'm a PA fan
but I think Parenteau also happened to end up in a good place. It was obvious that Moulson and JT both needed some help pushing the play forward, especially getting out of the neutral zone.
"I bet Calgary wishes they had a backup goalie as their GM" - Pauly C
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
I don't deny
That PAP benefitted from good linemates, ample ice-time and favorable offensive zone starts. I’m not suggesting he is Guy LeFluer. Still, he gets no respect from a large portion of Islander fans despite working hard and producing all year. All lines are synergistic and not any random replacement level player can come in and put in 50+ points playing with Matt Moulson and John Tavares. Really he did exactly what Okposo did in that same situation but the general sentiment among Islander fans is that Okposo is the second coming while PAP is a scrub. How about we respect what the guy did? We signed him for next to nothing and he provided top six production. He is a talented hockey player who got lucky enough to play with a talented young center and get lots of ice-time and PP time, sounds a lot like the player we are grading in this thread. You can’t in the same post praise Moulson while knocking Parenteau.
by MatthewM11 on Jul 18, 2011 10:09 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
His first NHL goal
against Roli and NYI…..unforgivable
Yes, that's true
But he would not have scored 20 without 2 legit linemates who made him a better player. That at least was my point.
Right but my point is
that Moulson doesn’t score 30 without two legit linemates, Tavares doesn’t score 29 without two legit linemates…see where I am going with this?
I think this is honestly one of the reason he gets no respect
which is crazy. That’s got nothing to do with him. He was drafted by Anaheim, traded to Chicago and then traded to the Rags. Do you expect the guy to refuse to report to the Rangers so he doesn’t anger Islander fans? He’s a guy who probably grew up a Montreal fan and at this point is just trying to make a living playing hockey and is going to play for whomever pays him and gives him the chance to play in the NHL.
and honestly?
If there was anyone among us growing up as rabid Isles fans who were good enough to make the NHL, and the team that gave us our break was the Rags… damn straight we’d be heading to Broadway. Let’s not fool ourselves. It might be different if we were 15-year vets who’d played most of that with the Isles, and the Rangers were calling us with an offer – but just starting out, getting our first chance as a significant contributor? We’d do it. Any last one of us.
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
Its not like he was a career Ranger that was involved in some incident that is unforgivable.
For example, if the Islanders signed Sean Avery, he would remain a Ranger to me forever. Ditto a guy like Darcy Tucker, but I have no animosity towards PAP.
I also do not recognize that Brian Trottier ever coached the Rangers and that he got the that job because of his excellent penmanship.
Nassau Coliseum lost a veteran and an original Islander fan. ACC 1918-2011
I recall no such tenure
Clearly, you are on drugs.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
High on Life!
Nassau Coliseum lost a veteran and an original Islander fan. ACC 1918-2011
Damn, I had been able to block that out for so long
LaFontaine finishing his career with the Rags is another thing I wish I could forget, although I can live with it only because the LaFontaine/Turgeon trade was a good one that almost got us a cup. If only we hadn’t made that awful Turgeon/Scumbag from Montreal and Schneider trade a few years later. This team has given me such wonderfull memories. I only wish I had been heavily medicated on barbiturates for much of the Isles history. Ignorance is bliss.
I'd imagine that
Once most of these kids get drafted they look at the league in a completely different way. I’ve seen pro athletes turn down contracts for strange reasons (“The Nordiques? But they speak some weird language there and there are no marketing opportunities!” E. Lindros) but I can’t ever recall a player turning down a team because he grew up rooting for their rival. I’m sure it happens but only when said player has lots of other suitors offering similar contracts. When your a fringey prospect just trying to break into the league you’ll go to anyone offering you ice-time and a contract. And of course Parenteau didn’t likely grow up either an Islander or Ranger fan so it would be like one of us getting drafted by Montreal, and later signing with Toronto. “We don’t want him! He played for our rival!” and we are like “Huh??”
it wasn't even just Lindros...he was just the highest profile
even goalie greg millen, now a broadcaster refused to go to quebec. quebec city and winnipeg were the two destinations least appreciated by pro-hockey players in the old 21 team league, and the two locations most frequently rejected by players.
by CanadianIsleslifer on Jul 20, 2011 3:45 PM EDT up reply actions
although there are limited marketing opportunities...
quebec city is beautiful and historical….some of the oldest buildings and brick roads in north america, dating to the days the white man first got off the boat….winnipeg on the other hand, is in my opinion the dirtiest and least attractive city in canada. crime invested from biker gangs to prostitution to being the city in Canada where you are most likely to get your car stolen. spent lots of time in winnipeg, lots of great ppl and friends there, but it is not a great city to live in my view…did i mention portage and main 50 below? the mosquitos and black flies?
by CanadianIsleslifer on Jul 20, 2011 3:49 PM EDT up reply actions
winnipeg and quebec for that matter are huge hockey towns
but both are small cities…winnipeg has about 800,000 ppl, and only about 200,000 in the rest of the entire province…when the NHL left these cities, it wasn’t b/c they couldn’t put fans in the buildings, that was never the problem…even the NHL said at the time the NHL got to big for winnipeg and quebec city…the problem was, and it still is, lack of a market…Isles survived for years off their lucrative TV contract, for winnipeg and Quebec City, there is simply not much of a market outside of their city to sell merchandise let alone a TV contract…they were also poor draws in the USA rinks
by CanadianIsleslifer on Jul 20, 2011 7:21 PM EDT up reply actions
The TV contract
My Dad is an attorney who has worked on those Islander TV contracts, his firm represents Cablevision. I had always wondered how the islanders outlasted better drawing markets until he explained just how important the TV market is.
by MatthewM11 on Jul 20, 2011 8:06 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Cool! Seriously...No way Isles would still be on LI without it, in my opinion
by CanadianIsleslifer on Jul 21, 2011 2:25 AM EDT up reply actions
WHA markets have pretty much failed.
Hartford gone.
Quebec gone.
Winnipeg gone – back again.
The rest of thw WHA gone. They were all small markets that the NHL wasn’t originally interested in.
Edmonton and the Islanders have survived, but struggled. Recall that the Islanders were placed on Long Ilsnad to stop the WHA from encroaching.
Nassau Coliseum lost a veteran and an original Islander fan. ACC 1918-2011
Edmonton doesnt really struggle
I mean, they do in the standings, and they could use a new arena too, but I wouldnt really call them a struggling organization.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Jul 21, 2011 10:36 AM EDT up reply actions
they've had mutliple ownership issues and a problem with retaining players.
They are certainly been on fumes at times and are always in danger of being a development team for the larger market. What seperates the Isles and Oilers from the rest is tremendous success in the 1980s.
Nassau Coliseum lost a veteran and an original Islander fan. ACC 1918-2011
yep, and out of 4 WHA teams, Edmonton is the lone survivor
that is how the got Gretzky…the NHL made a rule that each of the 4 WHA teams could keep two players, i think Edm. second player they protected was Eddie Moe or Dave Dryden, Ken’s brother…both of those guys were goalies so i am a little foggy on which one it was they protected….another tid bit….due to the nastiness between the two leagues, trying to bar opposing scouts from buildings, etc., the Oil, led by John Muckler (yes Muckler not Sather) drafted several WHA guys who were not known by NHL teams…Mark Messier was the biggest prize of this group.
by CanadianIsleslifer on Jul 21, 2011 1:15 PM EDT up reply actions
and how the Islanders got Langevin back from the Oilers.
Nassau Coliseum lost a veteran and an original Islander fan. ACC 1918-2011
yep, forgot about that one, they actually had a name for that draft
forget it now…reaclaimation or something like that
by CanadianIsleslifer on Jul 21, 2011 1:51 PM EDT up reply actions
I think
this is it.
Some interesting stuff on Wikipedia about the merger. Was a boycott of Molson really that vital to the whole thing happening? Because that is amazing.
I went to School in Dayton, OH
So I am familiar with depressed, depressing, dying cities overrun with crime. Camden NJ is worse, some of those old allegheny steel towns aren’t much better although Pittsburgh is rebounding nicely. Cleveland, not so much.
my comments on winnipeg
were nothing more than a personal perspective on why ppl don’t like living in winnipeg. i lived in northern manitoba for 4 years, would still rather live there than winnipeg
by CanadianIsleslifer on Jul 20, 2011 7:22 PM EDT up reply actions
I loved Dayton OH and other
so called “depressing” cities and now live in one of the more opulant regions in the US- Southern California (although I can only afford to live in the Barrio which is fine by me) and personally I much prefer the people and the culture of these smaller midwestern and Eastern cities. I am convinced I would like living in Winnipeg better than where I am living now, which probably sounds crazy and there are probably millions of people who would switch places with me in a second. I didn’t mean to talk down Winnipeg, only that I have lived in presumably similar cities and can understand why a pro athlete might prefer living somewhere with more marketing opportunities.
Something Island fans can empathize with
personally I hate seeing players refuse to sign with teams that draft them or refuse to report when traded to a less desirable or less competitive team. I can certainly see why a player would rather play in Montreal or Boston or NY than Winnepeg or Quebec (although I always heard Quebec City is a nice place and close to Montreal) but still, no excuse in my book.
Haha, Greg Millen!
Oh, memories. Traded to the ’dique for Jeff Brown.
I never thought it was Quebec he was so pissed about — he was just pissed about being traded, period. This was in the era of more common goalie tandems, and he had finally “won” a long-running battle for ice time with Rick Wamsley when Wamsley was dealt in the Brett Hull trade. I think he finally felt comfortable, and you might say his play showed it, leading to him being expendable.
He was, and remains, an interesting bird.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
Its also worth noting
That I think the Ranger would love to take a mulligan on letting P.A. go. He would of been their second leading scorer if had played with the Rangers and had the same production. Of course they were a deeper team (on paper at least) and he likely wouldn’t have been given the same amound of ice time as he got with the Isles last season but they sure could of used another productive wing and someone to help strengthen their power-play
I wonder how PAP does on the 2nd or 3rd line?
PAP is definitely benefitting from heavy PP minutes(34th in the NHL among “all” forwards), where he does his magic, and is less potent 5-on-5 then on the PP. It’s too bad he isn’t younger, he could have been an important part of the future, but instead he is likely just a stop gap. I think he is a good player, but I just don’t think he is a repeat 50pts player unless playing along 2 solid 25-30+ goal scorers, 1 high-end playmaker, and getting heavy PP minutes.
For context
PPP: JT (24) PAP (20) MM (15)
ESP: JT (43) MM (38) PAP (33)
ESA: JT (23) PAP (22) MM (16)
I think PAP may one day prove to be a good 2nd or 3rd liner — much more than people suspect — but really, no one is going to get 50 points without the conditions you describe. I think these three really complement each other, and it will be up to a young kid to really shine to steal one of their roles.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
Of course
Any first liner with lots of PP time in the league is going to score a lot less playing on a third line. That’s been the knock against PAP but really he isn’t different than any other hockey player- the more minutes and more PP time he gets, the more he scores. I’ve said all along that he is a good, inexpensive stop-gap while we wait on prospects to come along and prove themselves. He is not a star player and is someone who benefitted from having good linemates and ample playing time. It is just when it is suggested that he is some scrub who only scored because of MM and JT, well that is giving way to much credit to those two- if you put Matt Martin for example, on that line instead of PAP do you think he would have equaled PAP’s production? How about Gillies?, that I get a little peeved. He is a skilled hockey player and while he benefitted from good linemates, MM and JT also benefitted having PAP on that line.
fact: we need pap more than he needs us
pap will be able to get another contract with someone else, so long as he comes close to last years production…pens, TB…cheap winger who shoots right, can make plays, a little bit of sandpaper…can play with better players and not hurt team…
without pap, either Kabanov or Strome gets rushed to nhl…
by CanadianIsleslifer on Jul 19, 2011 4:29 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Agreed, he is more valuable than many fans realize
A right-handed wing who can set up some goals and produce well on the power-play is a nice commodity. Without him we would of either had to overpay for someone this offseason or rush one of our top prospects. We need to be grateful he worked out like he did because he fills what would be a big hole on our top line, especially last season with KO being out for so long. It also allows us to spread out some scoring on three lines.
by MatthewM11 on Jul 20, 2011 3:20 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
9
Moulson exceeds expectations on a statistical basis only. I’m not surprised he’s a solid NHL player and useful two-way guy, but back-to-back 30 goal seasons is pretty strong regardless of other considerations. Really figured 2009-10 was fluky based on ice-time and other considerations, but consistency was the name of his game. This grade will surely drop when he only pots 27 next year.
I nearly went 10, but I couldn’t bring myself to give a Cornellian the full score
seriously who is voting here.
There should not be anything lower than a 6 or 7 imo and that is if you are a completely fickle IPB reader.
They obvioulsy do not even understand the poll
Or they expect Moulson to be a 60+ goal scorer and were hugely disappointed that the didnt meet their expectations.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Jul 18, 2011 8:15 PM EDT up reply actions
A definite 1 .......
Is what you get for outscoring each and every Ranger roster player
SOMEONE should have taken out numbers 1-5 :>
"Human beings make life so interesting. Do you know, that in a universe so full of wonders, they have managed to invent boredom?" ~ Death
We may have our first SBN poll gremlin
Been hitting some of the other sites with crazy skewed results. Not sure if this is an instance or not.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
possible
I know the Arctic Hockey folks had an issue with some of their team points prediction polls… or, as one commenter suspected, Dale Tallon programmed a javascript to stuff the ballot box.
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
9
I didn’t expect another 30 goal season, I was expecting somewhere around 18-22 goals which I would of been happy with. Honestly I thought his first 30 goal season was going to be somewhat of a fluke.
30 goals is the new 50 goals in the defense first NHL these days. There are very few consistent 30 goal scorers in the league at all these days and they are all being paid ridiculous sums of money. This is one of Snow’s best signings, really one of his best moves as GM and anyone who graded Moulson lower than a 6 needs to seriously have their expectations adjusted going forward and also learn a thing or two about the sport we are talking about here.
What's going on with the polls?
I voted 8. I don’t think there are any true Islander fans voting under a 5 or 6.
700+
Ooh, yeah that’s a good sign something’s amiss too!
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
hey don't sell yourself short.
by The Danish Backhand of Judgement on Jul 19, 2011 8:29 AM EDT up reply actions
I'm a tremendous slouch
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
Took a quick look over at Die by the Blade
they are experiencing similar poll problems
Matty Mo
For your nightly effort, your easygoing personality, your willingness to stay on the Island and groom the young’ins, and your ability to be in the right place and the right time, I say…..THANK YOU.
Matty Mo was the first one out of our group……“teh corez”, if you will……to sign here long term. I won’t forget that.
Gave him an 8, as I penciled him in to repeat last year, but he did it kind of…..impressive like.
Proud to root for the Jets, Mets, and Islanders!!!
by CharlieIsles on Jul 18, 2011 9:32 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Instead of those disturbing chained workout Nambla commercials...
I would love to see Mo put on a pair of thick glasses and bang against an old soda vending machine while saying, “The machine took my quarter!” That would be much more entertaining than the erie series they currently are dedicated to showing.
Oh yeah...8
His sacrafice in front of the net was once again impressive. This year he made a few more crafty set up plays that were well worth the 8.
by metalcoconut on Jul 19, 2011 1:04 AM EDT up reply actions
heheheheheh
Hey Garth, your new players are here… and they brought their TOYS with them!
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
Poll results
Sorry we’ve got a bug in the poll results. As some have mentioned, this has happened with other sites recently, too.
This is why we can’t have nice things!
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
I wonder if Paul Giamatti's character
from 30 Rock still hates Matty… How could you if you’re an Isles fan?
Ha
I forgot about that. What a wonderful, random interlude.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
No self-respecting Islander fan would trade Matty Mo.
Though I’m glad to know that somebody on the 30 Rock staff is an Islanders fan.
Another favorite 30 Rock moment:
Dennis: There’s no reason to live anymore.
Liz: What happened?
Dennis: The Islanders lost tonight.
Liz: Doesn’t that happen a lot?
Dennis: I knew you wouldn’t understand.
Official choice of Lighthouse Dog #1.
by Fabtraption on Jul 19, 2011 2:50 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
Also
From “The Life and Times of Tim”
Stu: “Long Island has a hockey team? That’s like Delaware having a hydrogen bomb.”
Official choice of Lighthouse Dog #1.
by Fabtraption on Jul 19, 2011 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1YMqOxF_SY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRtTTzrUnBU
Frickin hysterical
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Jul 21, 2011 9:46 AM EDT up reply actions
Ha!
Love the t-shirt on the black guy in row 1 of the first clip.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
The Life and Times of Tim
It’s like Curb, if instead you were poor, living in New York, and still an asshole.
It’s embarrassing to say that I act the same way as Rodney does in clip 2 in my relationship.
Official choice of Lighthouse Dog #1.
So good...
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
And you know
Even if there weren’t an Islanders fan lurking there, this would still make for a fun off-beat storyline. Better than them the Rangers, for comedy’s sake. It’s like when Devils fan guy emerged on Seinfeld — back then, the Devils hadn’t won but crap, so the character worked.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
So this is going to sound stupid
but when I was younger, I watched an episode of the Nanny that was themed around hockey. Fran was dating a Rag who was superstitious so he would get angry if she didn’t wore red shoes to a game (just go with me on this). So, while they’re dating the Rags are in the playoffs. Fran is at game 7 of the Stanley Cup wearing red shoes, and as a result the Rags are losing the game. She then decides to take off her red shoes to raise the “hockey curse” or whatever and the Rangers go on to win the Stanley Cup. Of course, who are the Rags playing? The fishermen Islanders!
What annoyed me was, there was no way the Rags would be playing the Islanders at the time since both teams were in the same conference, let alone the same division. That type of oversight really bugged me when I was 11.
Obviously a wizard did it.
Official choice of Lighthouse Dog #1.
I'd have been suitably annoyed for that reason
But…The Nanny…? Really?
;)
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
My mom liked it...
Monday nights at 9, I didn’t have a choice.
Official choice of Lighthouse Dog #1.
whatever you have to tell yourself fab lol
by CanadianIsleslifer on Jul 19, 2011 4:31 PM EDT up reply actions
seriously fab, throwing mom under the bus
by CanadianIsleslifer on Jul 19, 2011 4:31 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, that's pretty low
Sheesh.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
#08 - I've found the last Gervais fan!
Nassau Coliseum lost a veteran and an original Islander fan. ACC 1918-2011
Oh, and I voted a 9
Thought it was a flash in the pan year like a Shawn Bates 01-02, but he surprised me pleasantly with more MattyMoMagic!
"Human beings make life so interesting. Do you know, that in a universe so full of wonders, they have managed to invent boredom?" ~ Death
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SBNation.com Recent Stories
1979-80
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May 24, 1980: Tonelli to Nystrom. At long last, the steady build of the New York Islanders from expansion doormat to surprise semifinalist to annual contender reaches the promised land: Buoyed by a late season trade for Butch Goring that gave the team the depth up the middle GM Bill Torrey had been seeking, the Islanders knock off the Philadelphia Flyers in six games.
The victory justified the faith in coach Al Arbour who guided them from their second season to their first Stanley Cup seven seasons later. The Islanders would not be the first expansion team to win the Stanley Cup, but they would be the only one capable of a dynasty.
1980-81
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May 21, 1981: This time it was much easier. After falling to "only" 91 points in the 1979-80 season, the Islanders returned to their division title tradition, piling up 110 points -- a whole 13 points over second-place Philadelphia.
Between the quarterfinals (where they beat the upstart Oilers in six games) and the finals, the Islanders reeled off eight consecutive wins -- with a four-game sweep of archrival Rangers in between. As they defeated the Minnesota North Stars in five games for their second Cup, their goal difference in the final was a combined +10.
1981-82
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May 16, 1982: Another year, another landslide title. The Islanders won the Patrick Division by a whopping 26 points over the second-place Rangers, and were seven points clear of their nearest competition for the President's Trophy, the still-not-quite-ripe Edmonton Oilers.
A first-round scare against the Pittsburgh Penguins turned in the Isles' favor thanks to John Tonelli's heroics, and a true dynasty was on its way: Past the Rangers in six games, then an eight-game sweep of the Quebec Nordiques and Vancouver Canucks to run away with the Stanley Cup.
1982-83
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May 17, 1983: Not so fast, whipper-snappers. The Edmonton Oilers' steadily rising challenge for league supremacy took them all the way to the finals for the first time, where the New York Islanders summarily dispatched them in a four-game sweep. For the Islanders, the Dynasty was secured. For the Oilers, it was a powerful lesson in where talent ends and the demands of playoff hockey begin.
Four years, four Cups, 16 consecutive playoff series wins (a record that would grow to 19 until the rematch with the Oilers the following year). Mike Bossy scored 60 goals yet again, and Wayne Gretzky became acquainted with Billy Smith's crease.
