Preseason Notes as New York Islanders Sign Steve Staios

… then he’s a goner. But kudos to you for going slightly out on a limb here. :-)

I’d hate to read in a year or two how Steve Staois owes the IRS $800k. “I really thought we’d win that cup, so I bought a bunch of shit….”

Good move Garth!

well done!

The guy is an absolute pro. Better than most MSM covering NHL teams.

Aside from the obvious, it’s a big reason I link to him so much. (Aside: His randoms science/astronomy-type links at the end of many posts are always fun too.)

but you have to look under the Leafs, not on the Islanders.

they just don’t qualify as a TOP top line. It looks as though the point of that article is that there is a correlation between top line performances and playoff success. The stas are there, so I’ll buy it.
the Islanders should be a team of “balance” this year, so maybe they test that. With the success of FNGO last year and if Comeau and Bailey find offensive consistency with whoever gets the RW they will hopefully launch the argument, 3 line attack v top heavy scoring.
Another factor in the Islander’s favor at the end of the year will be defensman scoring contributions. With Streit back and Cappy implementing an aggressive fourth forward dynamic amongst defenders we should see a high number of points coming from the back line.
Even with Streit out I bet defensemen doubled production (PPG) after 12/16/10. (Just speculating)
 

It’s preseason. I shouldn’t be worrying about lineups.

And yet it’s so hard not to go there.

I try thinking of it like this: Kyle Okposo and Michael Grabner are playing Xbox tonight, John Tavares is plotting how to takeover the world, and Frans Nielsen is giving him tips on how. So the remainders in the lineup are just coach-specific experiments.

I like possibilities of returning to a 2 Conf. 4 Division format with Divisional Playoffs.
That increases the possinilities of Rags/Isl;es playoff series a lot and heats up the natural rivalries in the early rounds of the playoffs.

word is that the division setup would be time zone/travel friendly

I honestly think time zones are the best driver for realignment. it doesn’t work out evenly exactly, but it solves a problem once and for all.

This doesn’t mean they all have to head to Bridgeport (though they probably will). Even if they made the team, they are “cleared” of waivers for 30 days or 10 games (he said without checking the exact figures in the CBA).

That calls for a slice of Frolunda cheese.

he’s creeping into my top 25 under 25… has he even facewashed Avery? That would get him in the top 5.

Unless they were looking specifically for PP help, I’m not sure guaranteeing McCabe a spot sans tryout was preferable to trying out Staios and making him show earnest. To me both are not good bets.

When I heard “MRI” I got nervous.

Two concussions and a sprained knee… It’s official….He’s an ISLANDER!
This could bode well for Nino. With the top 6 at BPT starting to thin out, they may not be able afford to promote Ullstrom early. One way of thinking is, “who cares about BPT”… but the reality is that these kids (and some are not kids) do not develop on an island. They haven’t had any talent up the middle for a while… you don’t develop good wings with no centers and vice-versa.
Nino may have won the spot anyway, but with Rhett out, Ullstrom, Dibo, and Haley/Martin are less expendable to the BPT roster. Good thing they have Frischmon and Wallace. Any word on what’s going to happen with Kabanov?

He’s in practices, so I don’t get why he hasn’t been in more (if any) games.

I can’t believe I didn’t investigate that further. Thanks, good to know.

Trent Hunter deal is one-year, $600,000

We wouldn’t have needed to spend all that cash on Staios!

But seriously, happy for Hunter. Good landing.

But they will tweet it or something when they know.

Not a bad little thing they have going @ WHRU or whatever it’s called.

THAT’s reason enough to cut him out of the story then.

Maybe it was a show of solidarity? Please tell me it was a show of solidarity.

WHO rode in a Rangers jersey? Why have I never heard of this Plafontaine guy?

At the official site. But the same blackout restrictions apply, in case you’re out of the sweet spot.

Because by all accounts it was a horribly ’95-esque bore of a game.

I get why Hunter didn’t fit anymore, but I’m glad he landed in a good spot. I was one (of a decreasing minority, perhaps?) who thought he still had something to offer in the NHL if his knee healed right.