Players You Hate to Love
by Dominik on Jul 28, 2011 10:53 AM EDT
in This, That & What-Not
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This is a quick share-your-opinion post for those who'd like a break from arena referendum talk.
Most fans, whether we're on the shrink's couch or in a confessional, can admit a grudging respect for a player or two on our most hated rivals.
We don't like to admit it, and when that kind of player scores against the Islanders it hurts every bit as bad, but sometimes we'll be muttering, "If it had to be someone, at least it was him." Maybe, secretly, you even wish he was wearing Orange & Blue, and you'd be all too happy to trade your first and second scapegoat to get him.
Who are your players you hate to love? I'll volunteer a few from the Atlantic Division, but you can run with it wherever the topic takes you.
Players You Hate To Love
Short Island Smurfs: This is probably a name that won't surprise you, but Ryan Callahan is the guy. Love the way he plays, respect the way he competes, plays smart, yet does the little cliched things that old-time coaches love. I do appreciate that he at least drove a hard bargain with the Rangers though, pulling down well over $4 million per year now.
Pittsburgh Penguins: During this past season, my once rather unmoved stance toward this team -- every playoff encounter has gone the Isles' way -- transformed into good old rivalry hatred, based on their increasingly dirtying it up and then whining after they were punched back. Speaking of whining, that's a charge leveled at Sidney Crosby since his rookie year. But despite that and the occasional speed-bagging of an opponent below the belt, the rest of Crosby's game is still something to behold. He hustles like a fourth-liner, passes like the games best, and plays smart against every level of competition. Malkin has the flash, but Crosby is the guy who knows the game at every corner of the ice. It's a shame about the other stuff.
New Jersey Devils: In this team of robots, it's no surprise the guy I like is the personality known as Zach Parise. That has nothing to do with his dad or the Milburian draft choice to pass over him. Rather, Parise is just an exciting, hard-nosed player whose motor never stops and who has never let size limit him. No matter what anyone of us thought in his draft year, it was hard to figure he'd be quite this good at the NHL level.
Philadelphia Flyers: There's really nothing loveable about the current Flyers, unless you include Ian Laperriere, a player I've always liked even when he's driving my team nuts. Mike Richards' game always impressed me, but now he's gone. Claude Giroux has quickly become someone to watch. In the end they're all still Flyers, a team that's had the Isles' number for longer than I care to think about.
And you?
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Queen Henrik
I hate that he’s so good. And he is. And I hate that without him, the Rangers would be bottom feeders.
Proud to root for the Jets, Mets, and Islanders!!!
Yeah
If not great, he’s been one of the top 5 consistently really good goalies in the past few seasons.
by North Dakota Red Eagle on Jul 28, 2011 12:47 PM EDT up reply actions
There arw a few for me
Rangers- Lundqvist. Mostly because I get so much crap from my friends who are ranger fans about how bad ths Islanders are and they wont listen to the 500 games lost to injury argument. If he went down for even half a season they probably wouldnt make the playoffs, but they wont listen to that
Penguins- Sidney Crosby. He is amazing everyone knows that but there is something I just dont like about him. Maybe its his playoff mustache, or just how he whined a lot in the past. Even if he somehow became an Islander it would take some time to like him.
Then there is michael cammalleri. I cant forget when he did to Nino, so it makes it hard to root for him
Habs
For Montreal Plekanec is one of those quietly dangerous and superb two-way players, so I’m inclined to like him. Sounds like he is a master of the sneaky-dirty arts though — in the Holik mold of Czechs.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
by Dominik on Jul 28, 2011 11:14 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I always thought that was Mike Ribiero
Except that the league’s been on to Ribbie for some time, ever since he and Osgood traded stick jabs in the ’08 playoffs.
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
Man, Ribeiro is another level of cheap
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
Adam Graves
Has done more charity work than the Red Cross. He might be eligible for saint-hood at this point. Quality player in his day, too. I don’t care who he played for, that guy’s cool in my book. Rod Gilbert, too for the same reason.
"He's depriving some small village of a pretty good idiot" - Mike Milbury on Ziggy Palffy's agent Paul Kraus during Palffy's contract holdout in 1998.
Nobody on the Pens...
Not even the American, Brooks Orik.
Callhan is easliy my favorite player not on the Isles, and we are from the same city. I loved how he finished his shift after sustaining the season ending injury.
Devils? Parise, if for no another reaon than the way he played last olympics.
Flyers? Van reimsdyk? sp? i just think he’s fun to watch. I hate every other flyer of all time though I think. i surely can’t think on another I ever liked.
"We can't get pushed around," Haley said. "What commentators say about us, that's their job. My job is to try and limit as many people who want to take liberties with our guys as possible."
by BobbyNystromOwnsYou on Jul 28, 2011 11:39 AM EDT reply actions
Van Riemsdyk
Is from the town I live in now in New Jersey. I thought that made him cool. Then I found out he grew up a Rangers fan. So the hell with him.
"He's depriving some small village of a pretty good idiot" - Mike Milbury on Ziggy Palffy's agent Paul Kraus during Palffy's contract holdout in 1998.
by PGI on Jul 28, 2011 11:49 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
He is really fun to watch.
I’d take him on my team anyday.
Dude, the guy from my town IS A RAG!
"We can't get pushed around," Haley said. "What commentators say about us, that's their job. My job is to try and limit as many people who want to take liberties with our guys as possible."
by BobbyNystromOwnsYou on Jul 28, 2011 11:58 AM EDT up reply actions
heheheheheh
And Middletown isn’t exactly Hudson County either. What’s a shore boy doing rootin’ for the Rags?
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
and bonus irony
James van Riemsdyk is an Islander in my EHM ’07 franchise… in fact, I think they drafted him.
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
same here
pretty sure I must’ve played a couple of seasons with JVR in MYAA pee wee roller hockey. the kid was way too good for CBA. and that’s a school that prides on their hockey program.
"son of a bitch i'm sick of these dolphins"
- Steve Zissou
I liked Mellanby
But he wasn’t a Flyer long enough to really hold on to the stink.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
what's weird, is i can think of a few rags I have liked over the years
But no Flyers, strange.
"We can't get pushed around," Haley said. "What commentators say about us, that's their job. My job is to try and limit as many people who want to take liberties with our guys as possible."
by BobbyNystromOwnsYou on Jul 28, 2011 10:28 PM EDT up reply actions
I hate the Penguins, hate Pittsburgh. There is no one on that team I could even remotely like.
I guess out of all of them, have to hate Mario “The Savior” because he saved the team by being completely unwilling to rework/renegotiate the money owed to him to help save the team. And if Mario get’s that statue of himself and it has him beating two Islanders defenders, we’re making an LHH road trip to Pittsburgh and putting a Volek jersey on the statue.
I really hated the 90s Rangers, and I hate the team more today then the players. Brad Richards is just going to be another in a long list of poor long term signings. I do hate Avery of course.
"Since when did The Onion start doing hockey stories?" - Random Puck Daddy Comment
Contributor to Lighthouse Hockey not sure if I'm the Sniper or the Enforcer.
Richards is a dick too, according to a close cousin of his that I went to college with in PEI.
"Human beings make life so interesting. Do you know, that in a universe so full of wonders, they have managed to invent boredom?" ~ Death
I like Pittsburgh as a city, and Primanti's sandwiches are something worth eating
But there really isn’t anyone on the Penguins I care for.
Players on other teams I’d like to see in an Islanders uniform include a bunch of Sabres’ players (Myers, Miller and Vanek come to mind, as well as Pominville). Erik Cole is another player who I’ve longed to see don Islanders blue and orange.
One of my friends actually played Pop Warner football with Erik Cole in Oswego back in the day, and claims that Cole was the only good player on that team. The team’s strategy was to give the football to Cole early and often.
Just OVI. And MAB, actually. Previously, Marius and Jason Blake after they were let go.
by Men without hat tricks on Jul 28, 2011 12:04 PM EDT reply actions
Milan Lucic
Without a doubt, is dickish, but how we’d love him so in an Isles jersey
Seconded.
I’d defend everything he did if he were an Islander.
Chara too…not to bring up any sore subjects or nothin’…!@#$’n Milbury!
Jeff Carter to Columbus? Wait, I've seen this one before, it was called Shanahan to Hartford. Advice? Don't buy a Carter jersey.
by BrassBonanza10 on Jul 29, 2011 2:43 AM EDT up reply actions
Callahan is a definite but Subban is climbing fast.
If you don't vote yes on August 1st I will personally make sure that Jay Jacobs comes to your house and tell you how he is going to convince Wang to stay in Nassau County. You get to clean up after the unicorns...
Hate Sid, much respect for his game
He pretty much owns the Islanders. Shutting him down is always a treat, on the odd occasion it happens. The whining….diving….and having Bettman shove him down out throats every 2 seconds hasn’t helped either. Hated Gretzky for the same reason, the league shoving him down everyone’s throat.
Marian Gaborik…hate that he’s a Rag with a scoring touch. Love it when he gets hurt.
"Being thrown under the bus and scorching the back of my neck with a revolving red light."
I hate Jordin Tootoo
I think it starts with the name though
!?
KatieStrangNYI Katie Strang
#Isles working on a trade, per source. Expect something to happen soon….
2 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply
Happy birthday, Garth…?
Official choice of Lighthouse Dog #1.
Also, maybe better from the Twitter
MMoulson Matt Moulson
suck up some more "@grabs40: happy birthday snowy "@NYIslanders: Happy birthday to #Isles General Manager Garth Snow.""
2 minutes ago
Official choice of Lighthouse Dog #1.
grabs40 Michael Grabner
haha @MMoulson no need to suck buddy.already got a contract.haha
2 minutes ago
grabs40 Michael Grabner
@MMoulson that might have been the funniest thing u said all year though.probably came from your wife.
1 minute ago
Wait, Matt Moulson has a wife!?
Official choice of Lighthouse Dog #1.
by Fabtraption on Jul 28, 2011 1:03 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I heard she's Jonathan Quick's Sister
I think that makes Matt Moulson his brother in law or something
Pr*j*ct**ns lead to long term injuries, just ask the asian guy from Inception
Wait they are related?
Why don’t they tell us these things.
If you don't vote yes on August 1st I will personally make sure that Jay Jacobs comes to your house and tell you how he is going to convince Wang to stay in Nassau County. You get to clean up after the unicorns...
by metalcoconut on Jul 28, 2011 1:29 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
They usually mention in pre-game shows when players have wives, Fab.
I believe you are thinking of someone else.
by North Dakota Red Eagle on Jul 28, 2011 1:05 PM EDT up reply actions
Hate-o-meter
A tangent, teams I hate the most right now:
1) Penguins: mostly because of Cooke, I think. And it goes back to the early 90s.
2) Toronto: all their old goons are gone, but still can’t get that series out of my head. Phaneuf is at least one player I can feel comfortable hating.
3) Caps: Ovechkin is a fun player to both love and hate. This probably stems back to the stretch when the Isles were 3-548 against them. I don’t really hate any of their players, but I just want them to trip over each other against the Isles more than other teams for some reason.
4) Rags: If Avery had been more effective lately, they would be probably be ahead of the Caps. It’s a sad time for the rivalry when Rags are 4th on this list. They were #1/#2 through most of the 90s. Hoping this rivalry is back soon, but will it ever get back to where it once was?
5) Habs: Gionta is SUCH a faker. He gets away with the small stuff because he’s 5" tall (Yes, inches.) And then he dives when he is hardly touched.
by North Dakota Red Eagle on Jul 28, 2011 1:03 PM EDT reply actions
Excellent tangent
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
Toronto: all their old goons are gone, but still can’t get that series out of my head.
For sure. Even though they’re long gone from Toronto, I can never forgive the stains that were Tie Domi and Darcy Tucker.
by HockeyWeasel on Jul 28, 2011 3:15 PM EDT up reply actions
WOW!
fornabaioctp Michael Fornabaio
RT @TGfireandice: Devils trade Brian Rolston to Islanders for Trent Hunter.
1 minute ago
Official choice of Lighthouse Dog #1.
Joke?
Isles could use another point man. He can still fire the puck.
by North Dakota Red Eagle on Jul 28, 2011 1:08 PM EDT up reply actions
Fare thee well, Trent
Good guy, good player when healthy.
I don’t hate Rolston.
"He's depriving some small village of a pretty good idiot" - Mike Milbury on Ziggy Palffy's agent Paul Kraus during Palffy's contract holdout in 1998.
Uh....yay?
I’m going to admit, it’s going to be really hard watching the Isles face Trent six times a season – this was a great guy felled by injuries. I don’t know much about Rolston, though his stats from last season aren’t too bad (14-20-34 in 65 games). I don’t care for this stinkface he’s giving on his TSN profile though.
Official choice of Lighthouse Dog #1.
Hey! You try
sitting on the bench downwind of Henrik Tallender.
"He's depriving some small village of a pretty good idiot" - Mike Milbury on Ziggy Palffy's agent Paul Kraus during Palffy's contract holdout in 1998.
Rolston is now the player with the highest contract on the Islanders
and he’s probably a 4th liner. That’s pretty unjust.
Official choice of Lighthouse Dog #1.
And the 3rd string goalie is #2 at $4.5M
Haha. Isles top 6 forwards average about $1.5 million this season. And the effective shutdown defensive pairing (which can also attack) is under $1.4M COMBINED. Goalie duo could be just over a million COMBINED (Montoya and Nabokov). The top 6 forwards, top 4 D, and two goalies for the Isles could combine for around $15-$17M this season, while other teams’ equivalents are around $35M-$50M…. But because of the back-loaded contracts and DiPi, Yashin, Rolston, and Eaton, Isles will be just above the floor.
by North Dakota Red Eagle on Jul 28, 2011 1:29 PM EDT up reply actions
does this put us over the cap now?
Pr*j*ct**ns lead to long term injuries, just ask the asian guy from Inception
Hate Hate Hate
Pr*j*ct**ns lead to long term injuries, just ask the asian guy from Inception
Awww, man
I hadn’t scrolled down this far before I posted the same pic. Nice!
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
Trade
Trent Hunter for Brian Rolston and pick, confirmed
Proud to root for the Jets, Mets, and Islanders!!!
Last couple seasons
…Hunter has looked borderline to crack the top 3 (or even 4) lines for this coming season. Good trade to get a PP pointman PLUS some kind of pick…. Does this mean that Snow is unable to find a D-man? (PP point) Perhaps just insurance incase he can’t find one. Perhaps insurance for Streit incase his shoulder is not 100%. (Both lefty shots.)
If Hunter returns to old form, perhaps it was a mistake, but chances are Isles will have plenty of 3rd liners as good as Trent a couple seasons from now.
by North Dakota Red Eagle on Jul 28, 2011 1:16 PM EDT reply actions
It's unfortunate
that it looks like Brian Rolston at 38 has more in the tank left than Trent Hunter does at 31. I love the guy, but he’s been somewhat of an albatross the past couple of seasons without much point production or upside.
Official choice of Lighthouse Dog #1.
Yeah, that's too bad
I think when you’re speed-limited to begin with, injuries like he had are almost too much to overcome. I don’t think he’s sucked in recent years, but I had major worries about what he’d look like after his latest.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
Fanshot
Can someone post a fanshot of this so we can move the trade discussion over there?
by edavidmorris on Jul 28, 2011 1:18 PM EDT up reply actions
Here's the FanShot
For any who didn’t find their way.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
Back in the Saddle
Great pic of BOC to start off this thread!
I wish I could of made it out to the rally yesterday, but I already had committed to Rockstar Mayhem at PNC yesterday. See what Nassau is going to miss if the NVMC becomes a history? I thought for sure that Mayhem Fest would be at Jones Beach this summer .. but I didn’t see anything with a JB date on the concert tees.
That said … the Metal at yesterday’s Mayhem really helped blow off some stress about this whole Referendum .
Catching up now:
I think it’s a great idea that Nick (LTBLH), Botta and LHH got together to have this little contest to get YES votes. I can get only four Non-Isles fans to the booth … I don’t know many Nassau residents anymore. Heck … I’m only going on their word that they’ll go anyway. They aren’t hockey fans … but they go there for concerts and family shows. I think it’s a great idea.
I can’t wait till the focus is on hockey again. Having little ability to help impact a YES vote really is a helpless feeling here in NJ. I just hope the four (actually 2 couples) make the effort to vote.
The stress eats away at ya … I’ve stopped reading a lot of posts and threads because it just amps me up and grinds my gears. I hear statements on Sirus XM’s home ice from people in other cities who make statements about this and are almost 180 degrees from fact … Or if I read the Globe n Mail, Sun, Daily News etc … It drives me nuts … how much mis-info is out there. The thing is … even though most people take what they read with a grain of salt … They still feel most of what they get is reliable … and after hearing Francessa grill both Wang and Jacobs I feel a little better … but I just hope the message gets out that Jacobs is using his own math. It’s pure political BS … and this isn’t just a Nassau problem … it’s a nationwide issue. It’s why we can’t get our shit together in this country. I liked Wang’s response to Francessa after Mike’s comment about the political football issue came up. Charles pretty much called out both parties by saying that it’s not a Republican or Democrat issue … it’s a Long Island issue.
I hope that ALL voters will let go of their party loyalties some day after they realize their loyalty is being dealt around as voter pawns in the political mess this country find itself in. The media is a willing player too … and no media outlet is immune. The Fox News’ vs. the MSNBC’s … The Post vs. The Daily News … The Newsday’s vs… uhhh … The LI Herald? I’m not sure … but I know this much. It’s time citizens make decisions on fact and their own philosophies rather deceminating information from questionable sources, It’s the Democrats and Republican power bases that have polorized this nation and put us in this situation.
I think the funny thing is … knowing some newsroom producers (basically desk jockey’s doing research on news topics) and discussing this with them … They get a lot of their information from the “hometown paper” Newsday … Using their disclaimer … according to Newsday … and they regurgitate it. I encourged them to really dig … because even Newsday is getting some of their info from opposition sources … and not that they intend to do it maliciously … it just comes out negative.
That’s it … I’m off my soap box for now. Back to working in the yard.
by 19 Isle in NJ 22 on Jul 28, 2011 2:23 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I love Callahan
Probably the only Ranger I’ll ever like… he just has such a good way about himself both on and off the ice.
I’m a Devils’ fan who is the son of an Islanders’ fan, so hating the Rags is as natural as breathing for me. Despite that however, there have been several Rags’ players past and present whose games I’ve liked, and who I’ve respected despite the uniform they wore.
In no particular order, that list is:
Mike Richter
Brian Leetch
Adam Graves
Ryan Callahan
Marc Staal
Chris Drury
Rod Brind'amor (e)
I always admired his game and hustle even though he was an Isles killer for years. Throughout the 90’s and early 00’s I would try to come up with imaginary ways the Isles could get him from Philly and then Carolina.
Oooh, good call
Yep, he was top class and top quality from Game 1 to … well almost until the last. Retired at the right time.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
Hmmm....
Doug Weight
Brendan Witt
Mariusz Czerkawski
Eric Cairns
Henrik Lundqvist
Rick DiPietro
Chris Simon
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
Oops...
I thought you asked for players Id love to date.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Jul 28, 2011 4:48 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
::rimshot::
You are covering the national spectrum pretty thoroughly there.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
by Dominik on Jul 28, 2011 4:58 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Im very international like that :D
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Jul 28, 2011 11:00 PM EDT up reply actions
C,D,W,D,G,G,W...
They also cover all the positions quite well.
Not in a dirty way (though I would bet that wouldnt be a problem, either.)
What a starting lineup! 
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Jul 29, 2011 4:33 PM EDT up reply actions
There is 0% chance of me not reading that in a dirty way
Even with the disclaimer. For a second, I thought we were about to get an exposé.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
There is 0% chance of me not reading that in a dirty way
Heh.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Jul 29, 2011 4:48 PM EDT up reply actions
good topic
I always felt guilty about liking Darius Kasparaitis. I always felt like he was the kind of guy I’d want to punch in the neck if I was playing against him.
Brian Leetch and Mike Richter were always so good that it was a shame they were Rangers.
And it has to be said… Alexei Yashin and Rick DiPietro are tops on my current list. They pretty much own the Scapewagon Dealership, and I think it’s a shame.
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 Jul 28, 2011 5:08 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Oooh, that's a good idea
Players you feel guilty about loving. Kasparaitis would definitely be on that list.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
You'd better feel guilty about.....f-f-feeling guilty!1!!
/nods at blue #11 jersey with comforting look
"Seriously that's the last time you guys f#@%ing won?" -RSH (about beating the Penguins in '93)
Yes boss!
I’ll just dump the puck in here from center and return to my bench.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
Ugh...it comes out
Dirty Rags:
I went to Wisconsin from ’04-08, so McDonagh and Stepan are hard to root against. Staal is turning into a really great player for them. Callahan is hard to root against, especially after what he did for the national team. I have no love whatsoever for the Queen.
Jersey Things:
Parise…and then it drops off pretty quick. I always traded for Elias in NHL 2001, so I’ve still gotta give him some props — plus he beat Hep A, which is kind of ridiculous.
Fat Street Jerks:
I like that Briere looks like Paul McCartney, but I don’t like Briere. I like Hartnell. That’s about it.
Igloos are not found in any part of the world in which there are penguins, you ****ing idiots, and there is no connection whatsoever between Pittsburgh and penguins except alliteration
I hate the Penguins. Jordan Staal is pretty alright in my book, and I still have some love for Asham. But **** the Penguins.
by oxposo on Jul 29, 2011 3:04 AM EDT reply actions 3 recs
Too funny
Briere definitely looks like McCartney during the Let It Be era.
I hesitate to say
I hold both men with equal disdain.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
Excellent Areener breather, Dom
The 90’s:
Ron Francis: the only Penguin I liked in ’93. Great player, played the complete game.
Brian Leetch: hated watching my team play against him, but loved watching him play.
Patrick Roy: cocky french-canadian. Whenever he talked, he sounded like the bad guy in an action movie. He ended my newfound love of playoff hockey in ‘93, whilst my bed-ridden body healed in the hospital and unfortunately couldn’t watch any Isles-Habs games. (On the plus side, I watched the whole Leafs-Kings series there and loved to love Doug Gilmour.)
.
.
Today:
Brent Johnson: now don’t get me wrong…I WAS THERE on 2-11-11. I began the first chant of the night “Johnson Sucks!” which I still believe directly led to the Isles 4th goal seconds later. It’s just that…when he and DP got together…he did something I kinda wanted to do for awhile >;-)
Mike Richards: Yep, he’s dirty at times, but in my eyes, as far as everything else he brings…it’s all good. Oh wait he was traded, so now he’s easy to like…Hartnell then. Love to have him on my team.
Brandon Dubinsky: Callahan’s easy to love. It’s THIS guy that takes some effort. But, here’s why I picked him: he will definitely take this rivalry back into prominence. You can tell he’s into it, and I can’t wait for some Islander to put him on his ass this year!
"Seriously that's the last time you guys f#@%ing won?" -RSH (about beating the Penguins in '93)
by Bryan2112 on Jul 29, 2011 12:58 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Ha, great points all
But particularly on Dubinsky. You’re right — Callahan’s easier to love. Dubinsky commands that respect despite not being, uh, “loveable.”
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
Callahan’s easy to love.
Definitely. He has pulled off what few men have been able to accomplish- he is well-liked by the entire hockey world despite being a Ranger!
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Jul 29, 2011 4:49 PM EDT up reply actions
Ranger fan checking in.....
Firstly…..good luck on the vote tomorrow. Let’s hope that the Isles stay in Nassau Cty.
Players I love to hate……or loved to hate………past and current….
1- Claude Lemiex- not sure if a bigger D Bag ever laced up skates
2- Dale Hunter- If anyone could be a bigger D Bag than Claude…..Dale might be. I had a chance to play with turgeon a few years ago and we talked about the Hunter incident.
3- Ron Hextall- I just always hated this guy. Plus he was a Failer.
4- Chris Simon- I hated him when he was a Ranger and even moreso when you guys got him.
5- Donald Brashear- Definition of the word Goon and no talent whatsoever.
6- Anyone who is currently on the Vancouver Canucks.
7- Horseface in Pittsburgh- from boxing testicles, to lack of durability. I just hate Sidney Crosby. It’s not because he is a talent, it is because he conducts himself like a punk.
Absolute Worst Ranger Fan!!!!!!....yet incredibly realistic and usually correct.
Oh, I got that backwards.......players I hate to love
Sean Avery……..I know EVERYONE hates this guy. Most people call him a punk or a cheap shot artist but those people obviously only see the ESPN highlights. I’ve been able to watch this guy for the past few years. Firstly, he is the type of player you hate to play against but you’d love him on your team…think Esa Tikkenen. Second, while he is an agitator, he is not the kind of guy who will submarine someone and try to hurt them, think cheap shot artist Matt Cooke…….how many games will Cooke go this season before we read about him yet again? Next, Avery, despite his antics, is actually a decently skilled player, he is a very smooth skater, he hits, he can score, and nobody on the Rangers last season assisted Gaborik in scoring than he. If he played 3rd line minutes, he’d be a 15G 30A player on most teams in the league. He has a horrible rep in the league……but considering his worst infraction was the “Sloppy Seconds” comment or the Fatso antics….he’s pretty funny. Considering the support he’s given alternative marriage, he’s no John Rocker, avery is actually a decent guy. I’ve always supported him as a fan, now I’ll do it a little bit louder.
Absolute Worst Ranger Fan!!!!!!....yet incredibly realistic and usually correct.
Leaving us hanging by a string...
I had a chance to play with turgeon a few years ago and we talked about the Hunter incident.
And…?!
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
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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.
