Islanders Grades: Frans Nielsen, über-Dane.
by Dominik on Jul 7, 2011 11:00 AM EDT
in New York Islanders Report Cards
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PrintAfter tackling the soon-to-be-ex-Isles before the draft and free agency, this week we resumed our 2010-11 report cards first with John Tavares. So might as well tackle the Islanders' other returning full-time center next.
Those who read this site regularly know of my unabashed, unrestrained, unforbidden love for Frans Nielsen. (Note: It's also quite warranted.) But while Nielsen does all things for all needs (Check? Yeah. Score? Check. Keep the opponent's best lines at bay? Uh huh.), in 2010-11 he was asked to do slightly less -- or more, depending on your view of what's hard in hockey. Playing the opposition's best lines and coming out a plus player is hard -- but so is playing the opposition's best lines slightly less and putting up more points than you've put up before.
As a bonus, the Lady Byng-worthy Nielsen apparently became some kind of thug this past season. At least twice he made Danny/iel Briere cry.
Granted, Nielsen is not some offensive dynamo -- but his offensive skills are underrated by most, because most overlook just how few offensive situations he's put into. Rare is the NHL player who is called on to: 1) Check the other guys' #1 line, yet 2) still moves the puck to the other team's end and 3) ends up creating plenty of goals, too.
An Aside about Offense
People say Nielsen is offensively "limited," and that might be true in that he's not going to deke around a guy and score (unless that guy is the goalie, falling victim to the Backhand of Judgment) and he's not going to blast a goal from the point (when miscast as powerplay pointman, a position from which he is at least a productive distributor).
But his 7 shorthanded goals (1st in the NHL) and 28 even strength points (6th on the team) aren't exactly limited displays of offense for a guy who doesn't get the O-zone starts the team's top three scorers get and is spending a good deal of the game penalty killing and keeping the other team's Brieres from breaking their toys.
That said obviously his shot from open play is not his strength, and his faceoff rate this year -- even at 5-on-5 -- took a noteworthy drop.
Numbers 'n Theories 'n Stuff
Did I mention he was +13 on a team of mostly minuses, despite the aforementioned tough roles?
That said, while NIelsen's PK work (perhaps the toughest role of all) increased this season, his 5-on-5 quality of competition figures were not as heavy as in 2009-10: Where in 2009-10 he by any measure was with Kyle Okposo and Richard Park in drawing the toughest 5-on-5 competition on the Islanders, in 2010-11 the "top" line of John Tavares, Matt Moulson and P.A. Parenteau were used often enough to draw their own share of tough opponents.
Mind you, Nielsen is still the defensive center of first choice. But the Islanders' Tavares line produced enough -- and Nielsen scared opponents enough -- that opponents overall sent their best out against Tavares.
Obviously individual situations vary and this is all based on aggregate numbers (thanks to the data compiled by the venerable Gabe Desjardins at Behind the Net and Arctic Ice Hockey), but a reasonable way to describe this is: The Islanders send Nielsen out against the opponent's best, but the opponent might want to avoid that and send their best out against Tavares both to counter Tavares and take advantage of any defensive liabilities his line might have.
The point is, Nielsen is a fantastic player with offensive and defensive strengths. And the more Tavares improves in both those areas, the more opponents have to pick their poison between him and Nielsen. If teams pull their best away from Nielsen (whether out of fear of being shut down by Nielsen, or in fear/hope to diminish Tavares' offensive results), we'll likely see more production from Nielsen -- no doubt with the aid of new running mate Michael Grabner, who's so fast his name appeared before I even typed "If" at the beginning of this sentence.
How Much Is This Gonna Cost Me?
Frans Nielsen can become an unrestricted free agent next summer. If you buy any of what I just typed -- both how good he is and how his offense might be poised to take another step upward this year -- then the longer he waits to re-sign the higher his market price likely becomes.
It's a scary proposition: Nielsen isn't as young (27 in April) as Grabner or Okposo, his game is dependent on speed, and his frame is slight enough that you fear how he'll get by when he loses a step or suffers another injury. So a five-year deal takes him through his prime and probably costs his biggest earning years, but also carries some risk. (Meanwhile, the Islanders have several heady centers in the system who could conceivably blossom out of nowhere the way Nielsen did.)
One thing you can bank on though: Whatever their ceilings or sudden rises, none of those centers will prove themselves to be anywhere near Frans-like during 2011-12. So playing hardball or trading him as a rental isn't in the cards. Giving Nielsen an extension in the next 10 months is the likely necessity.
Videos: Shorty, Thuggery, Why-Not-ery?
In which it is unwise to pull Nielsen down on a breakaway:
In which Nielsen teaches old pal Dwayne Roloson that there are more forms of judgment in his toolbox:
In which Briere fears he will be assaulted, and thus assaults first (with double-up by fellow Danny tool, Carcillo):
The Lyric/Rap
Word to yo' moms
This here is the Frans
He come to shut you down
Like Briere dive bombs
If you ain't heard da man from Denmark
Then your line ain't fit to be marked
So go play with the grinders
Where your bite can match your wee bark
The Grade
You know how this goes by now: Ignore all my hyperbole, consider the evidence and your own preseason expectations, and grade Nielsen's 2010-11 accordingly. Honestly, for me that means a 6 or 7, because my opinion and expectations of the man were already high. If you were expecting a huge offensive breakout, you probably give him a 5 or less. And if you don't care about these rules, you're always free to give him a write-in of 11 like last year.
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That last replay
In retrospect, it may have been good that Rick’s pink glove was stuck on his hand.
by North Dakota Red Eagle on Jul 7, 2011 11:09 AM EDT reply actions
Also, perhaps my favorite caption of all time.
I hope Frans is given a fat raise and locked up for many years by January / February.
Hey! I was first!
by DP'sknee(andhipandflubugandotherknee) on Jul 7, 2011 11:31 AM EDT up reply actions
May have been
Didn’t see yours until I posted…. Tell ya what: if Isles end up re-signing Hillen, I’ll let you post up the Stonehenge scene.
by North Dakota Red Eagle on Jul 7, 2011 11:44 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Over my head
There is a Hillen/Stonehenge connection?
by DP'sknee(andhipandflubugandotherknee) on Jul 7, 2011 11:46 AM EDT up reply actions
"I do not, for one,...
“…think that the problem was that the band was down; I think that the problem may have been that there was a stonehenge monument on the stage that was endanger of being crushed by a dwarf.”
by North Dakota Red Eagle on Jul 7, 2011 12:03 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I ask a practical question at this point
Are we doing Stonehenge tomorrow night?
"It's too bad he lives in the city. 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 7, 2011 12:04 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
no we’re not going to do fucking stonehenge!
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Jul 9, 2011 1:57 PM EDT up reply actions
Does everything asked of him
and does it well. Probably the most valuable player we have, all things considered.
Sign him up, Garth.
I gave him an 8 because the SH goals exceeded my expectations, and the fluidness between him and Grabs was a thing of beauty.
Proud to root for the Jets, Mets, and Islanders!!!
9
The only two players who exceeded my expectations more than Nielsen were Hamonic and Grabner (largely because I didn’t expect much from either of them). He led the league in SHGs, was one of the best shutdown forwards in the league, and helped Grabner to a 50-goal pace the 2nd half of the season…. (If they had planted a tree in the Coliseum and thrown a cat up there, he probably would have earned a 10.)… I remember hearing a story of Trottier telling a young Franz Nielsen, who was battling for a 3rd/4th line center spot at the time, that he could be a 2nd line center, or even 1st…. If next season he plays like this past one and helps Grabner to 40 goals, he’s better than a lot of 1st line centers in my book.
by North Dakota Red Eagle on Jul 7, 2011 11:26 AM EDT reply actions
Niner
Guy does it all. I know he can pot twenty some day, so I’m leaving some room.
I commented somewhere else recently that I wish we had extended him before the recent insanity. I imagine his price went up significantly the past week. My hope is somehow we can get him for Leino money (4.5). That would be amazing since Leino is a speck of melting ice on the bottom of Frans’ skate, but we can hope.
Sign HIM
I think Garth still has to reach the salary cap floor, therefore, I would be looking at front loading a contract with Neilson. 6-5-4-3-3 Million over the next 5 years.
Nine for Frans
He was more productive than I had expected, and when he got F’nGo-ing, it was a big jump for him and the team. His defense was Selke-worthy and he would have won it if the voters actually watched Islander games. I hope he can increase production to 55-60 points this year as he has KO for the whole year and Grabner with him all season.
I would have given him a 10, or at least a 9.5, but making Danny-girl cry is like making a baby cry when you take away his candy. Or like making a Ranger fan cry. Both (Briere and Rangers, not the baby) are too easy, although great fun at parties.
Does knocking off a point for no reason make me the Russian judge?
According to CapGeek, Frans is making $550,00
I think we should sign him by October to prevent a good season from inflating his future salary any further.
I would think 4 years @ $11m to $13m is reasonable.
Frans wears his rating on his back.
He’s the Chuck Norris of centers, and his Backhand of Judgment is the roundhouse kick to the face of goaltending.
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 7, 2011 12:01 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs
Frans Nielsen flosses with a chainsaw blade
"It don't make you a bad person" - Ron Bennington
agreed...that'll be a 51 for me
I can’t judge him for real anyway.
This report card brings up 2 issues for me:
1.) I’d like my first* Islanders jersey to be #51. When do you believe it will be safe to buy his jersey (in other words, he will be re-signed and the jersey won’t be ‘retro’ for a while)? I’m thinking wait until referendum…if that passes, I don’t see how he gets re-signed. Should I have the “A” added as well, or wait until captains are named? Blue or white?
2.) I checked our vocabulary page for “Danish Backhand of Judgement” and it wasn’t mentioned until the comments section. I firmly believe an update before the season begins is necessary?
*I had a blank white jersey when I was seven. But I didn’t BUY that jersey, and spent about a decade away from hockey soon afterwards
2 corrections
“I don’t see how he doesn’t get re-signed”
“I firmly believe an update before the season begins is necessary.
This is why I shouldn’t post to this site at work. Preview before post!
Definitely need to update the glossary
In theory, this is something one accomplishes during the "off"season. In theory.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
8
i had high expectations, but his offense and synergy with grabs allowed him to surpass them
Writer at Beyond the Box Score and The Hardball Times
Pitchf/x enthusiast.
by garik16 on Jul 7, 2011 12:09 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
10 for me
I mean I guess it could’ve been a 6 b/c I expect him to take on tough minutes and handle them at a high level, which he did.
But he took it up a notch this year. I think it’s hard to state just how good FNGO was this year. I mean a bona fide top NHL line. They prevented goals, they scored goals, they played on special teams. I haven’t seen a line produce consistently like that in my lifetime as an Isles fan (part of that might be I’m old enough to appreciate defense now).
He has to get signed even if it’s 5 years, I think Garth realizes we’re not talking about Konopka here, they have to take care of Nielsen. If you want to win a Stanley Cup, it’s players like Frans Nielsen, who are every bit as important as a John Tavares, that make it happen.
"It don't make you a bad person" - Ron Bennington
by Pauly C on Jul 7, 2011 12:10 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
8... a very positive 8.
This is supposed to be based on OUR expectations. Well… my expectations are high, but fair.
10 + goals… going into the season it looked as if Frans fit in as the #3 center with a never ending wing audition being shuffled between and including Bailey, Schremp and Konopka. When the dust cleared he was the #2 center because DW was injured(probably would have played W anyway), and Bailey has not reached his expectations, yet(?). He also landed to Michael Grabner’s right… and eventually to Kyle Okposo’s left. 10 goals was a fair expectation last year in a mainly defensive role. It will not be next year.
20 assists… I didn’t really think Frans would get a lot of PP time… and who knew he could float lob passes for hockey’s equivilant to the alley oop (is is spelled that way in this usage… who knows).
I’d have been happy with a 30-35PT Frans with a solid +/-… even through the 20 game skid, Frans’ +/- never got away from him. +13 on a losing (let’s face it) team with a hugely negative goal diff is pretty special. (even though the +/- in and of itself is highly subjective).
Frans did a wonderful job in the abstract as well. His intangibles were highly evident, and the fact that he could be paired with somebody who was previously labeled as a lazy rookie and help turn that kid prospect godsend into a calder candidate was quite an accomplishment.
I say lock him up ASAP… $700K for 15 years. (J/K)… Frans’ value can not be overstated, and hopefully the influx of talent does not move him to the “FOR SALE” rack come Feb and Mar… I’d expect that he commands as much, if not more than Kyle Okposo money. $18M over 5yrs would be about right… putting him at ~32 when he reaches UFA status. At which point he will be too old for the NEW NEW YORK ISLANDERS (that’s not true either… I expect Frans to age in Great Dane Years… so he’ll barely be 28
Lighthouse Hockey: where "you better check yourself before you rec yourself" -bobl
If your life isn't pathetic enough already, follow me on twitter @JPinVA
by JPinVA on Jul 7, 2011 12:10 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
10
but I will expect more from him for now on
by KO21 on Jul 7, 2011 12:17 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Question for Dom (Or any of the original Lighthouse Keepers)
Out of curiosity, what were some of the other names considered for our beloved blog at its inception.
Dom would know
All I know is that it couldn’t involve the team name, and Dom’s old site was Islanders Frontier since he was an Isles fan out in the middle of nowhere.
"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.
Sorry, on vacation when I posted this
I had to dig into my email archives to uncover the names I was considering, but here were some of them:
IsleofHockey
LighthouseLanding
LighthouseLookout
LlighthouseIsle
TheLastDynasty
IslanderFrontier (the name of my old blog)
I know no one believes this wasn’t related to the Lighthouse Project, but it really wasn’t. We were told we can’t have a name with the team name in it (trademark reasons), so I went to a symbol of L.I. and a reference to the old shoulder patch (which I liked, despite not liking the main Fishsticks logo). I figured the coming Lighthouse Project wouldn’t hurt by association, but I also figured the “Project” would eventually get a new name, possibly corporate name, that would make any word association obsolete.
There were other SBN names like Lookout Landing (I think for Mariners) and that type of stuff, so that was an influence into my options. Because it was unclear if the team would stay in Nassau (and still is, sadly), I stayed away from specific Nassau or Uniondale references. This sounds stupid, but I liked the idea of an old-time lighthouse minder playing hockey in his down time.
I was also a big fan of The Last Dynasty because, well, it’s true.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
too bad
nielsen wasnt 20 pounds heavier. he would be one of the best 2 way players in the league. he’s just too small and will never stay healthy in a big boys sport. and he already has concussion problems. if he has value, i would sell high on him now before its too late. (and i like the kid – nice guy, good teammate, good hockey player)
Durability is a somewhat legit concern, mostly b/c of concussions (pretty sure he's had more than one)
but talent is not. He already is a Selke candidate. Especially if one of Strome or Bailey takes the step to second line scoring center, you’d be hard pressed to find a better 3rd line center than Frans Nielsen.
"It don't make you a bad person" - Ron Bennington
82, 82, 80, 82, 82, 82, 82, 82
Martin St. Louis ‘02-’11 games played
“Concussion problems” is a valid point, but he’s played 76 and 71 games the past two seasons.
Hard to “sell high” when the other GMs know about his concussion problems. (If Pens tried to trade away Crosby right now, they wouldn’t get nearly as much for him as they would have 12 months ago.)
by North Dakota Red Eagle on Jul 7, 2011 12:36 PM EDT up reply actions
gregorie (sp)
now gone. signs with winnipeg.
Dane-o-mite!
When the isles captain hoists the Cup one day, Frans better be one of the first players it’s handed off to.
Only half a year 'til Opening Night! ... *Sigh!*
by ICanSeeForIslesAndIsles on Jul 7, 2011 1:00 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
i'm not convinced that Neilson has even hit his prime yet either
he was a late bloomer, and for the last three seasons, i have watched his stats in comparison to Bailey, this past season was a clear separation, but stat wise they’ve been close over the years…if Franz can be a consisten 20 goal scorer, it will give him another weapon in his arsenel, which should also increase his assist total – it will open up more room for the pass – i can see Franz getting 40 – 50 plus assists a season. he does need to add a bit of muscle, not singling out that OV goal where OV skating right through Franz knocking him aside like a man playing boys…i don’t really buy the argument that adding muscle slows a player down, but rather i believe players need to take a page out of Crosby’s book…build your leg muscles and lower body equally, not just upper body like popeye. Crosby is a generational talent, but it is his work ethic and his ability to force himself to improve every facet of his game…even faceoffs…Crosby was average at best, which didn’t sit well with him. he worked and worked and worked on it until now where he is one of the best…Franz too can work on these things and improve…the “20 goal” measurement/target i am using comes from a scouting report i read years ago on doug weight when he played for the rangers as a prospect. the analysis concluded that weight was an above average playmaker (wasn’t overly physical then, not much of a goal scorer). The scout concluded that if weight could average at least around 20 goals a year…well you get the rest, opposition can not focus on him for the pass all the time, assists go up…and the rest is history, weight did it and became the top six centre predicted. I believe we’ve yet to see Neilson’s prime time peak.
by CanadianIsleslifer on Jul 7, 2011 1:01 PM EDT reply actions 3 recs
Frans is an evil thug...............
as evidenced by that horrible cross check to the much smaller Chara against the Bruins. Poor Chara, always being bullied by huge forwards.
"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 7, 2011 1:16 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
8
I love to watch great players like him play the game. Smart, talented, sees the ice so well. A true pleasure.
I hope to see him continue to reach his potential, which to me is a stronger (add muscle), 20 goal scoring, two-way Juggernaut (already there) that will backhand and backslap opponents for several dominating seasons.
"Seriously that's the last time you guys f#@%ing won?" -RSH (about beating the Penguins in '93)
by Bryan2112 on Jul 7, 2011 2:38 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
At this point
I dont want to see him bulk up/add muscle.
I think it could compromise his skating and quick positioning.
Did you read what Grabs said about bulking up at the start of each season? He thinks that is the direct cause of his bad starts every year- because he starts playing much better once he is back to his optimal weight.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Jul 7, 2011 3:17 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
No I hear you completely
It’s just the center position and responsibilities included, particularly in the playoffs, make me feel he’d be better off 10-15 lbs. stronger to handle the opponents top lines/get a shot off easier.
"Seriously that's the last time you guys f#@%ing won?" -RSH (about beating the Penguins in '93)
7- A tick above Exceeded Expectations.
I’m not sure most of the people that vote are aware of how the rating scale works. Maybe it’s just me that doesn’t understand them. It seems when I vote that a vast majority ranks players above what I rank a player’s “Expectations”.
If I was voting on Frans’ value and production to the team I’d be looking at a 9.0 or 9.5, because Fransy is really one of the biggest reasons the Isles win games that are huge battles.
That being said I rated Fransy a 7 …. 5 being met expectations … which to me … since I had high expectations of Frans at the start of the season is pretty damn good.
I figured Frans for a 10 goal 30 assist +10 kinda season.
The 13 goals and 31 assists in 5 less games and a plus 13 rating exceeded my expectations in 5 less games from the year before … and earned him at least a 6 on the rating scale which is 1 tick above met expectations .. The 7 short handed goals he scored earned him in my opinion a 7 … even though his faceoff % suffered a bit from the previous year … I didn’t penalize him for that.
Next season during his contract year I do expect him to at least match those numbers … stay healthy and score 15 goals and 35 assists and a + 20 with at least a 50% Faceoff % if he’s going to continue his growth. Yeah I added more expectations to an already impressive season … but this is a growth year for a team on the upswing … and he should benefit from that with increased talent to play with.
On the flip side of that … I think Fransy and the whole team are going to be facing teams that themselves have improved and added significant talent to their lineups. I hope that all players are up for the challenge … because quite frankly … I don’t believe that players’ opinions around the league have changed much when it comes to playing on Long Island … that’s just how it appears to me after 7 days of free agency. You think Gregoire would of signed with Atlanta if they didn’t move to Winnipeg? Can’t even get our own “unchained” prospects that never played a game in the NHL to sign with us.
by 19 Isle in NJ 22 on Jul 7, 2011 3:42 PM EDT reply actions
Gregoire signed with his home town team, from what I understand, for more money (it was still an ELC) than the NYI were willing, and for opportunity – a much better chance to play, and less players to have to pass in order to get to the show…he was so far down the depth charts i can’t say i blame him, but it stinks losing an asset for nothing – even though he probably wouldn’t fetch much on the trade market. that CBA loophole needs to be closed. As for Kessel, I’ve been reading speculation for a long time that Isles might not sign him, and that he wanted to sign with the Leafs – his brother’s team.
by CanadianIsleslifer on Jul 7, 2011 5:14 PM EDT up reply actions
Good god
at the banter on IPB about losing Gregoire and Kessel to the open market. You would think we just signed Wade Redden to a 6 million dollar deal, gave away Tavares, moved the organization to Iowa, signed DP for another 10 years. Jeez its a bit out of control on the negativity for two low depth chart prospects.
Its unfortunate to lose prospects for nothing, but its not as if we just did not draft more prospects this past june and will not continue to do so in the future.
by ghalbart on Jul 7, 2011 6:41 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
On expectations
Yeah, clearly some people vote by heart and regardless of expectations, but I chalk that up to an acceptable side effect of internet demockery, I mean democracy.
It used to be a 5-point scale — with 3 being solidly in the “met expectations” middle — but that was found to be too limiting (for reasons I agree with, but cannot recall now), so that’s why we expanded to 10 and made 5 and 6 different levels of met expectations.
Of course sometimes you just have to go up to 11.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
Anyone else love it when
he goes down in a shootout and the whole way your watching thinking backhand, here it comes, and he switches it up an puts in 5 hole? I voted an 8. Going into this year I was expecting the usual great defensive play, but not the great offensive numbers he put up with Grabner.
:)
Its like, you KNOW he is going to score. When he doesnt, its genuinely strange!
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Jul 7, 2011 5:45 PM EDT up reply actions
Agreed completely. Hamonic and Grabner were the only two who exceeded my expectations more than Nielsen.
I had pretty low expectations for Nielsen coming into the season. While his point production did increase 6 points in 5 less games, the real great part about Nielsen was his play on the PK and his defensive abilities.
7
Biggest step above expectations was the increased offensive output, especially shorthanded. I admit, I would have been fine had he settled into a quiet, defensive role, but putting him with Grabner on the PK is not only effective at their job (you know, killing penalties and stuff), but also dangerous. I know we’ve partially attributed Grabner’s breakout to Nielsen’s passing, but I have to think having a guy with those wheels on the ice with him gives Frans some more offensive freedom
10. Frans doesn't rule The Danelaw, Frans IS the Danelaw!
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 8, 2011 2:04 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Gave him a 10.
When you can say with a straight face to a Rangers fan that his team wishes they had Frans Nielsen and he agrees with you, that deserves a 10.
Fabulous penalty killer. Really helped to give your team an identity and a strength as a team you can’t fall asleep on and underestimate, especially when they are shorthanded. Deserves an “A-” at least, not sure where I would put him on a scale of 1-10.
@DigDeepNYR
"I like a man who grins when he fights." -Sir Winston Churchill
"It's just pain." -Brandon Prust | "In Prust we Trust."
You should put him at 11 and pray it is enough to satiate his rage and quell any desire he may have to, literally, suck the life from your body.
He does that shit. He’s a Dane. Can’t help it.
by Les Beaver on Jul 8, 2011 11:53 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.
