Islanders Bits: In which Dolan says the Cup is nigh. Which is awesome.

I’m really hoping he and his team do well in the memorial cup this year, and from what the prospect roundups are saying about him vertigo stronger on the puck and his scoring, I can’t wait to see him next year

on the character issue, but there is this:

I would still like to see him produce at the level I can think he can, especially since he’s 19 in the QMJHL on a good team.

which is sort of how I feel. He hasn’t played badly, but at his age, in that league he should be absolutely dominating if he’s as good as we think he is. I’d like to see that happen at some point.

and they do…but man, Boston is going to be tough to knock off.

I won’t discount the Rags’ hot start, but the man has no idea how to run a sports team. “Winning” the Dolan way means maximizing profits.

Having semi-competitive or flashy Rags & Knicks brings folks in and allows him to jack up ticket prices.

Setting aside whatever those Cablevision idiots say, it’s probably time to come to terms with the fact that the Rangers are legitimate cup contenders, which is very annoying.

They have the potential, but it’s moronic to say they will now

Katie Strang @KatieStrangESPN
#NYR Torts (albeit good-naturedly): “I have my owner up here talking about the Stanley Cup. I think that’s a bunch of bullshit.”

Chris Botta @ChrisBottaNHL 8h
(Since it won’t make my newspaper) Tortorella: “I have my owner talking about the Stanley Cup. That’s a bunch of bullshit.”

And I’ll also give Pandolfo some credit for a terrific game. He has the hands of sturgeon, but he was hustling every shift, blocking shots and playing his best all season.

Agree. He really was sharp. He had that great block at the very end of the second period. He is insanely agressive on his shot blocking, and I hope the kids are taking notes.

Pandolfo is Italian for “hands of a sturgeon.”

How come we can never use excuses. We just have to lose and suck it up.

maybe they’re lowly.

And it’s a good one. Barring an e-mail confirmation from BTN, I don’t know if their site adequately answers it. The site defines Off Zone Start % as:

Offensive Zone Start % = Offensive Zone Starts / (Offensive Zone Starts + Defensive Zone Starts). Records where a player started his shift.

I would assume even strength, but nowhere does it confirm that so maybe its all starts. But I think they are considering a percentage of the player’s zone starts rather than the team’s total zone starts. The stat is for players, and there’s no corresponding Off/Def/Neutral zone start compilation under the team stats. In fact, I found an article from December on TheScore.com that talks about having to do some compiling to determine zone starts at the team level. Heavy statistical lifting.

The stat is not about who’s being used to take faceoffs, but who’s being used in positions which are favorable to the player.

It ignores neutral zone faceoffs as they’re, well, neutral and don’t give anyone an edge.

thought it was a hip check over clip… bs call

there is a revolving door down there. I guess he’s taking Klem’s spot on the roster. Do you have the skinny on him?

thompson has them smoking down there. They are back in the playoff race, even with said revolving door. Good goaltending, and a young, hungry lineup… hmmm… we could have that too.

Three players will probably be promoted soon. Ullstrom, definitely. Rhett will get an opportunity, most likely, in FEB, and Donovan who the game is starting to slow down for. If katic makes it back, they will have some pressure to move one [more] D up to the big club, and it should be Oklahoma.

If the team from last night shows up more often, then yes I have hope they will. That’s been their biggest problem this year; consistency!

There’s a melodramatic history there. Coaches, poorly timed quotes, disfavor for going to Canada for juniors — some of which ties into the whole “character” questions that dropped him in the draft and into our hands.

Although I’ll say, the question they post next to it is a fair one, and even one I’d say we ask on a regular basis:

John Tavares is the hope of the long-struggling Islanders franchise, but will he be marooned on Long Island?

<grabs popcorn, waits to enjoy garment rending by victimhood crowd>

but 21 or 22 men are Islanders based on poor roster decisions and salary cap restraints. John Tavares is among them, benefiting greatly from their CPI…have you not heard?

THN, the bell tolls for thee.

The fact that we play on an “Island” makes it just so easy and they take the lazy way out. My Uncle, who retired as European Bureau Chief for Reuters News Agency, would never allow that.
However, until the Isles establish themselves beyond any doubt, by putting up some massive points in the standings, this is what they’ll get from hack editors and copywriters. Even last night, when they completely dominated what is supposed to be a very good hockey team, who were at home trying to extend a lengthy home winning streak, the headline wasn’t “Isles Dominate Caps”, it was “Caps Lose to Lowly Islanders”.

Those who follow and understand the game understand that the Isles won’t be terrible again for quite a while after this season. Those who don’t need to see it to believe it.

I just read the Prospects analysis linked above, including last year’s end of season analysis which is linked from there. Excuse me while I go get some tissues to clean this mess up…..

They still put our boy on the cover. because they HAD to…… because he is a beast.

They can say what they want, but the fact we have a player on there speaks voumes about how far we have come. And we also know the talant that is about to be here to help him, and the talent here already.

Its worth watching because this is a very young and talented team.
It’s worth watching them develop from 19-21YOs to men.
It’s worth watching now to be able to appreciate the journey when the boys turn into men and torch the NHL.
It was worth watching the 70’s hapless Islanders develop into one of the leagues best teams and eventually becoming the greatest team the NHL has/will ever see.
So to me its worth watching now!

But the team is incomplete and the old guys drag it down right now. Eventually they will get replaced with some kids.