Frans Nielsen, Evgeni Nabokov on Sticking Around
by Dominik on Feb 8, 2012 11:23 PM EST
in This, That & What-Not
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PrintOne last Frans Nielsen contract extension post before we move on. Just thought some of the comments from Nielsen, Jack Capuano and teammates were worth archiving for posterity.
The clips and pull-quotes (from the scrums posted at the official site) include talk of how they see Nielsen as a player, how he's developed since coming over from Denmark, and why he's sticking around -- including if the arena uncertainty bothers him.
His video embed is below, along with links to videos of the others if you're interested. I've also added video of Evgeni Nabokov's appearance on NHL Live, since it might provide the armchair psychologists among us a tiny window into his mindset.
Capuano on Nielsen's development [video link here]:
"Fransie’s come a long way since his days in Bridgeport ... It's a different game coming here from Europe ... [shift lengths]. But the main thing is his strength ... He’s really increased his leg strength and his upper body strength and has made himself one of the top defensive players in this league. He also plays the power play. ... A well-rounded player and a great team guy."
Found the strength topic interesting, since his frame was a concern back when he first debuted in the NHL at age 22 under Ted Nolan.
Note, as I was compiling this I realized the Islanders have added a write-up with a lot of these at the official site.
Nielsen Could've been an Unrestricted Free Agent. Why Stick Around?
"We have a bright future. Seeing guys like Johnny take those next steps. I know we're gonna be good here and I really wanted to be part of that...
...They've treated me really good here. I love living here. New York is a great city. It's a great organization.
...I was here on Day 1 when Garth decided to do the rebuild, and I really want to see it through.
We see it everyday, you feel it in the room. Just, everybody has a feeling that we are going to be really good in here and we know it. Hopefully sooner than later we'll be in the playoffs."
Coliseum Situation: Is it on his mind much, the situation with the arena lease expiring in 2015?
"Not really. Of course you'd like to know what's going to happen, but I'm pretty sure Mr. Wang is gonna find a good solution for us, and hopefully at least we can stay in the New York area here."
In Which Andrew MacDonald Notes What The Average Fan Misses
MacDonald's full interview here:
"He’s been so consistent in his play for all those years. His two-way defensive game with great offensive instincts. ... So responsible defensively. He makes those smart, subtle plays that the average person might not realize, but as defenders, you can really appreciate it."
Kyle Okposo recalls debuting as a pro in Bridgeport on Nielsen's line (with Jeff Tambellini):
"I realized right away he thought the game so well, and he's even gotten smarter over the last four years. Improved his skating, D-zone, become a great two-way forward."
Nabokov High after the 45-Save Shutout
Finally, just posting this because Nabokov was the toast of the fanbase Tuesday night and his thoughtful answers are usually interesting. Despite the onslaught he faced, he credited the Isles for limiting second and third chances.
He also says he finally "feels like himself" after getting a full training camp and gotten over the early injuries. On New York and Long Island: "I actually like it. It's a good area, a good organization. For me the important part is to play some games."
It's fresh in our minds now but will be forgotten soon enough, so when next we stumble here: On the night Nielsen's contract extension leaked, with the trade deadline looming for both him and Nabokov, Frans sealed the shootout with his NHL-leading move and Nabokov put up a shutout in the most impressive Isles goaltending performance of the season.
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OT: number switching
Sarich switched from #6 to #65 jersey mid-game. I’ve never seen that done, but I think we should try that with Tavares.
"The reader of this sentence exists only while reading me."
by North Dakota Red Eagle on Feb 8, 2012 11:42 PM EST reply actions
Think of the revenue opportunities!
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
And...
…ex-Islander Blake Comeau Olli Jokinen has a hat trick. What a strange game!
"The reader of this sentence exists only while reading me."
by North Dakota Red Eagle on Feb 9, 2012 12:27 AM EST up reply actions
Those are interesting Nabokov quotes, Dom.
Staple also put this up over on Newsday:
Nabokov, who was reluctant to join the Islanders a year ago but is now one of the bigger bargains in the league, with a 2.21 goals-against average and a 12-12-0 record for his $575,000 salary, said he’s not predicting the future yet. “But I like what I see around here,” Nabokov said. “This is a team going in the right direction.”
Nabokov, who has a full no-trade clause, also said he has not asked for a trade at any point this season.
What a difference with Nabokov, huh?
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Feb 8, 2012 11:56 PM EST reply actions 3 recs
He'd be a great advertisment to get FAs here
Nobody tried to avoid coming here more than he did, if he sticks around that should send a signal around the league that Long Island is a great place to be.
Definitely a poster at Lighthouse Hockey until 2015, then maybe somewhere else.
Whether Nabby stays here or not, it's validating to hear him be so positive
I’m not sure if he moved his family from San Jose—that seemed to be a big concern last year and it may affect where he signs, but that interview is just fantastic. His happiness and enthusiasm just drips from his voice. Yes, you’ll sound happier when you’re playing well and the team’s winning, but he seems to really like the guys in the locker room and the direction of the franchise. Wang and his craziness aside, Garth has by all accounts run a tight, professional ship, and it’s obvious to all that our guys are developing and are turning things around. If we can only score some goals and stay healthy, we have a real shot to do some damage in the coming weeks and play some meaningful spring games.
Of course, I hope we can sign Nabs to a nice 2-yr deal.
by brother_rat on Feb 9, 2012 2:12 AM EST up reply actions 3 recs
Regarding PA from Newsday
Allan Walsh, Parenteau’s agent, and Islanders general manager Garth Snow have had some preliminary talks on a contract, but they don’t appear to be close to a deal.
If he doesn’t sign, do you think they would move him rather than lose him for nothing in the summer?
Doubtful.
I think Garth waits to try to re-sign him. How often do you come upon finds like PAP? Apparently for Garth it is 3 times (Moulson, PAP and Grabs).
I wouldn’t say it sounds like Nabby could re-sign, but if he did I wouldn’t be surprised. It’s refreshing to see how positive players are about the island and organization after spending time here. It should speak volumes to the rest of the league that the bullshit we see in the hockey media is just that: bullshit.
Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock...
It is also an indication that the players believe in Cappy.
"The reader of this sentence exists only while reading me."
by North Dakota Red Eagle on Feb 9, 2012 12:32 AM EST up reply actions
If I'm Nabby and the question of re-signing comes up
My first question to Garth is, “Really … what is the real plan here with RDP?”
Kind of like my question if I’m one of the young core guys is, “I just want Charles to nod yes or no on if we’ll be in New York in 2015.”
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
Pure Spec-u-lation
…but the players themselves seem to give the impression that Wang may have said more to them than the general public. Even in Frans interview above, he seemed pretty nonchalant and threw in that bit about staying somewhere in New York. I wonder if there was a special discussion before KO, Grabs, Moulson, now Nielsen signed long term.
And of course JT!
guy doesn’t score in a couple games and I forget all about him
by GreekIsles83 on Feb 9, 2012 9:18 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I don't disagree
But I don’t think Wang is giving them any “inside information”. The players realize who has been the obstacle in the way of a new arena, and given the recent buzz about Brooklyn, etc., they understand that there is a large devoted die hard fan base here that will keep them in the NYC area. They see that it’s just about winning – win, and you will sell out most games.
If I’m one of the core players, I’m thinking 1 of 2 things will happen right now (well, 3-4 years down the road): 1.) A kick ass state of the art arena in Nassau. 2.) Brooklyn. I’d be pretty excited about either option.
That’s my general guess as well. It’s impossible to know the final outcome (I’m sure Wang doesn’t even know) but he can give them assurances that a move/sale is still the least likely outcome given the market, TV contract, and his own desire to keep them.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
The RDP question is large
And you still have to wonder if it can be answered by the coach or GM.
I always wonder how big the “are we staying in NY” angle is for the players. Considering most are from Canada and they travel constantly playing 41 games on the road anyway, is it a big deal?
Personally, if I’m making that kind of money and not originally from that state…let alone that country, I probably wouldn’t care about the move so much. Especially if I don’t have the wife/kid/house trifecta. (Which many on this team don’t because of age)
My bigger question would be “will you sell us to a dirtbag?”. Which you’ll probablyget no believable answer to.
Neil Smith @bigdealneil94 @KeithLHHockey @craigjbutton hey keith GFY
Website:Lighthouse HockeyTwitter: @KeithLHHockey
by Keith Quinn on Feb 9, 2012 9:21 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
I always wonder how big the "are we staying in NY" angle is for the players. Considering most are from Canada and they travel constantly playing 41 games on the road anyway, is it a big deal?
I agree. That said, Frans did specifically mention that he and his girl are settled and like it. And the reality is, the team is here for at least 3 of the 4 years anyway, right? Can’t play much of a role-if it did guys would rarely switch teams. Instead, the opposite is true.
I know DP is the 800lb gorilla here, but how would we read it if both Nabokov AND Montoya are resigned before the deadline? Be a pretty strong indication they are moving on, no?
Ask Chris Pronger what it means to keep your wife/girlfriend/Signifcant other happy.
The players travel all season long, but nothing will make you more miserable than a having your support system absolutely hate where they are living. In Frans case, and I’d think many Europeans, being on the East coast makes it easier for friends and family to visit.
by Hockey1919 on Feb 9, 2012 1:21 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
I'd think it's a decent variable.
I know I’d feel a little more pleased about the idea of being near Montreal or Toronto (where the lady can find things easily) than the risk of being moved to Saskatoon or K.C.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
Thats a ligit question that would be on any goalies mind...
I would love to be a fly on the wall when Garth answers that question….
I think PAP goes if they don't reach a contract by Feb. 27
There should be demand for him on the trade market.
But Walsh is also a very clever worker of any levers at his disposal, so that update doesn’t worry me. In the window of PAP (presumably) wanting to stay and Snow (presumably) wanting to keep him, 20 days is a long time.
The only question is if Snow values him as much as I do and as much as Capuano seems to.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
Agreed
I think PaP wants to be here more than suck a few extra dollars on the UFA market. This has agent speak written all over it.
Definitely a poster at Lighthouse Hockey until 2015, then maybe somewhere else.
How Many Folks Thought the Frans Signing Was Imminent?
Some limited talk in the press about negotiations, but then presto, new contract.
Garth keeps everything pretty quiet. He makes the Sphinx look like a gossip.
by rmblifn on Feb 9, 2012 12:42 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Bet that sphinx has some good stories to tell too.
Or is that part of the saying?
"The reader of this sentence exists only while reading me."
by North Dakota Red Eagle on Feb 9, 2012 12:48 AM EST up reply actions
Agree
It would suck if he doesn’t want to hang around, or wants to cash in on the open market (and you can’t blame him there), but if that’s the case, I agree you move him. He could really bring something good back, in large part because of what Cappy has talked about-his ability to go on any line and contribute immediately. He’s not some guy you’d have to worry about needing time to gel with linemates-he keeps it simple and gets it done.
Parenteau gives them more if he stays than if he goes
There is demand for him. But:
A. He’s one of the most productive forwards on a team that has trouble scoring
B. He can play in any situation, as per Capuano
C. He has dispelled the myth that he was riding Tavares’ coattails last season
D. He has become a vocal guy in the locker room and post-game (albeit with a curiously dormant Twitter account)
E. Most importantly, the Islanders have two tons of cap space left even after signing most of, if not, all of their “CORE” for the next few seasons.
Unless a GM sends the Islanders a top, and I mean AAA ready-to-go-no-questions-asked defensive prospect, I can’t see a reason why Garth would trade Parenteau. The time for loading up on draft picks in the hope that that one extra pick turns into an everyday player are over. They know what they have in PAP and he’s part of the solution.
"He's depriving some small village of a pretty good idiot" - Mike Milbury on Ziggy Palffy's agent. On Twitter: @Dan_of_Science
by PGI on Feb 9, 2012 9:45 AM EST up reply actions 2 recs
So you're saying Garth should pay as much as the UFA market would, if it comes to that?
So around $4 to $4.5 mil per year? I find it hard to disagree here, because PAP has been playing like a $5 mil guy this season.
I do worry about too long a contract, though. In previous seasons he disappeared in some stretches. It may not be coincidence that his most consistent year is the one he is playing for a new contract…. I say 4 years tops— even at a good price.
"The reader of this sentence exists only while reading me."
by North Dakota Red Eagle on Feb 9, 2012 10:49 AM EST up reply actions
I think he gets a little more thanwhat Grabner got
which was 5 yrs/$15 mil. A little over $3.5 a season. I wouldn’t mind paying more since they do have the space. But if term is a big thing for him (and seeing as he’s moved around, I would think that it is), maybe he takes a little less dough for a longer commitment.
"He's depriving some small village of a pretty good idiot" - Mike Milbury on Ziggy Palffy's agent. On Twitter: @Dan_of_Science
It looks like Grabs wont be that superstar we hoped we had after last season...
Hes solid player but what happened to that finisher from last year?
Grabner deals in volume he creates chances, doesn't finish a high percentage.
but as long as he is generating chances he uses “the best defense is a great offense” strategy to full affect.
If I were him I'd be studying the Back hand of Judgment until I mastered it, lol
Study tapes of Frans…Pick his brain and practice, practice, practice…But ultimately I think hes not scoring as much because he cant control the puck…He always ends up over skating or flubbing the puck…
That would suck if he goes...
I can’t imagine getting anything as good as he or better than he in the market…I just don’t think other GM’s will appreciate him as much as us here who watch him every day…
after the '07 playoffs
when i heard snow say its time to rebuild, i was a sophmore in high school. i watched so much hockey growing up and read so much about how rebuilds work and the philosophy and workings of gm movement, i knew the rule of rebuilds: 4-6 years. now remember i grew up with milbury, i was a little weary with this. ‘08-09 season, well that got us jt. year one done. ’09-10 (relative) spike in points strong. nino. ’10-11 1st half…we all know. second half we got to see what this group can do. also first strong sign with moulson. then off season strong signings with grabs and okie. this year, eh beginning strong second quarter looking like it might be a strong second half. strong signing with fransy. i know its been said to death, but the joke of the town backup goalie/gm knows what he’s doing, 4th year of the rebuild might end in not going to say itsomething that would be really cool. his rebuild is on time, this is the 2nd best time to be an islander fan (we all know the 1st), this is the rebuild we’ve been waiting for, it will bring positives. we will start winning. i support garth. i support wang. i support minus a few the team. i know the prospect pool is deep, and that will only bring a sustained winning franchise for years to come. this may have been a good fanpost, but dammint i am happy, and if this can keep going, i will be happy for a long long long (etc.) time. go isles.
Wondering if the Islanders will start calling their goalies Cerberus ...
by Nomore_Okposto on Feb 9, 2012 1:44 AM EST reply actions 5 recs
Isles fans being optimistic
I am trying not to get my hopes up but I cant.
Nabokov Is An Islander
Few things would really turn die hard Islander fans against our own players..I mean very few because we all bleed orange and blue here. I was not a fan of Nabokov in SJ..sure he was a great regular season goalie but in the playoffs it was all poo. After hearing the above video I gotta admit he sounds genuine, sincere and serious. His play certainly is and whether it is for the Islanders or “for a trade” he is leaving it all on the ice. You gotta respect that.
Nabakov Trade Bait for Defenseman
Hey great to see Nabby perform so well, but the guy wants a shot at another Stanley Cup,and at this late stage in his career, whether its stated publicly or not is a priority. The veteran backstop is being shopped as I write this, and will soon be on his way to another team(contender). Hopefully in return, for some much needed defensive help.
I bet hes out after the season ends...
Hes worth more than a 3rd or 4th rounder and thats all Garth will get, IMHO…So he would be better served as an Islander for the stretch run…
Finally they asked a question...
Leave it to Deb Placey whom was our gal…Rutgazer could’ve asked this question…But Nabby sounds like hes sincere but hes open to a trade…He didn’t say I want to stay but he isnt saying he wants to go either…Nabby sounds like hes happy enough…
Honestly
I know Ruttgaizer asks terrible questions, but I don’t think between periods or on the ice after a game is the right time to be asking a guy if he wants to stay with the Islanders. It would seem completely out of place.
by afrosupreme on Feb 9, 2012 9:40 AM EST up reply actions 4 recs
I dont
After a good win its perfectly appropriate to ask him how he feels about playing here now…
Is it the Yankee's team media though?
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
by Dominik on Feb 9, 2012 1:36 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Thats my point...
We have the extreme opposite in coverage than other NY teams…I expect more from a PROFESSIONAL sports franchise in NY…
Seems like you should be and are expecting more from the "profesional" media, since they are the ones that arent doing what you want.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Feb 9, 2012 1:55 PM EST up reply actions
I have a feeling the Isles brass has them trained...
Just my speculation..
What we're saying is
that’s Newsday’s (Staple) job. And it looks like he did it yesterday. It’s not the sideline reporter’s job.
by afrosupreme on Feb 9, 2012 2:48 PM EST up reply actions 3 recs
I get your point...
But Peter is horrible, regardless…I think that we all agree on, lol
let's say Rutgaizer has a bit of room to improve
“Rutgaizer has a bit of room to improve.”
But I disagree about the Burnett thing. For one thing, in a post-game interview there’s time to ask questions like that – it’s not like he’s being buttonholed during the seventh-inning stretch. For another, Burnett was pretty awful for a fairly sustained time. At that point, with tons of speculation already swirling, it becomes a reporter’s responsibility to try to find out the player’s reaction.
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 Feb 9, 2012 3:51 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
By the time he does improve he will be on to another pro team...
Deb Placey was horrible and she honed her skills and is now very good…Rob Carlin was horrible with that goofy look and the soft ball questions..But he started to GET IT and then he moved on to better things…I just heard him on 770 AM radio…Jaffe was always good but built up his name here and hes gone…We are a farm team for reporters to get practice like we’re the minor league level…This is what I see
We are a farm team for reporters to get practice
Also known as a small market.
But I’m still not sure I see your complaint.
Tom Verducci covered the Mets before moving to SI and all things baseball. Tim McCarver announced for the Mets before FOX decided to torture everyone nationally with him (I think he actually did CBS game of the week long before that, right around when his decline began).
The Islanders, under no circumstances, will ever be the best job for a hockey reporter/announcer. If someone is getting new jobs, it means they are actually pretty good at what they do.
I guess we aren't relevant enough for serious reporting is what your saying...
What ever…We get 2nd rate reporting….This is a pro-franchise…It should get pros as reporters…This is my opinion.
Fuck this keyboard
Anyway:
It’d be nice if we had a better doing the intermissions and shit, but we don’t have second rate reporting. There’s nine teams in the NY metro area, us included, so there’s gonna be teams in front of us with better reporters. But it’s still New York. We still have some of the best news reporters in the world, and sports is no different.
But when you have the Yankees, Knicks, Rangers, Mets, Jets, and Giants in front of you, and the Devils and Nets are still potentially ahead of you (Devs a better team, Nets in a more popular NY sport) we’re gonna get the lower half of it.
Ruttgaizer annoys all of us. But I’ve found a solution to the frustration he causes me by opening his mouth: I TURN IT OFF. And it works :)
by sayvillelax94 on Feb 9, 2012 11:58 PM EST up reply actions
Is Ruttgaizer going to be there for long? I miss Placey. I don’t mean to be ignorant, but it just seems to me that sometimes Ruttgaizer is anti-Islander.
As long as anyone else hired to do their job.
Deb is not coming back to the Islanders.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Feb 12, 2012 11:15 PM EST up reply actions
I have new Sig
…I was here on Day 1 when Garth decided to do the rebuild, and I really want to see it through.
yay Fransie.
"The truly good man does nothing, yet leaves nothing undone. A foolish man is always doing, yet much remains to be done."
by Nova Scotia Isles Fan on Feb 9, 2012 9:54 AM EST reply actions 2 recs
See?
"...I was here on Day 1 when Garth decided to do the rebuild, and I really want to see it through." -- Frans Nielsen
by Nova Scotia Isles Fan on Feb 9, 2012 10:03 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
That is the sort of quote......
……that makes me want to go out and purchase a Blue 51 sweater. He is a prototypical checking line centre and PK forward, and has the perfect attitude and hockey sense to go with it…. You really can’t over-state the importance of having a guy like Fransie on your hockey team….. Seeing guys like JT, Moulson, Grabs and Frans all sign long-term deals with the Islanders is a HUGE testimony to what an incredible job Snowy is doing in creating a positive, tight, competitive atmosphere that players genuinely want to be a part of…. Players have always fed us the scripted “I love playing here” garbage that you expect them to offer, but for the first time in decades, players are actually PROVING that they want to be here and backing it up by signing long-term contracts…. To encourage a player of Tavares’ calibre to spend his best hockey years in a half-empty dilapidated building for a team who drafts in the Top 5 as often as most teams go to the playoffs is not the easiest sell in the world…
Fact is, Garth has been successful for a number of reasons, but most importantly, he is the same age as some of his players, he played in the league very recently, which allows him to understand today’s player and team chemistry better than most older GM’s…. Since taking over, he has delegated to a very talented scouting department/coaching staff and assembled a great young core of talent that are all seemingly like-minded players with a desire to be part of building something special…
Frans is just one example of the great young, unselfish, hard-working and positively competitive players on this Islanders team…
I honestly haven’t felt this positive about the future of this team since the early 90’s…… For once, we are not only drafting the great players. We are able to keep them sprinting to free agency as soon as possible… If the current youngsters continue to develop well, and Garth continues to ink up our best players – By the time the likes of Strome, El Nino, Mayfield, De Haan, etc. develop, this team is going to be PHENOMENAL. :-)
Russians give the best interviews.
It like they havent been programmed like the Canadian and American players.
They actually think about the questions and then actually respond to them.
They dont just go over the usual talking points. Showing some personality is not a bad thing.
by The Danish Backhand of Judgement on Feb 9, 2012 11:15 AM EST reply actions 4 recs
Plus the accent is great.
Stainer of mountaintops.
by Chairman Meow on Feb 9, 2012 3:15 PM EST up reply actions
Give Nabokov a 3 year offer...
2012-13 season = Nabokov starts, Poulin backs up
2013-14 season = Nabokov and Poulin split time/ride the hot hand
2014-15 season = Poulin full time, Nabokov backs up.
Signed,
That would be ideal...
But as much as Nabby seems to be enjoying it here at the moment I have a feeling he will be out by next season
Missed this Skates on a Plane detail
From Buffalo game:
Tonight marked the first intermission interview of the season for Frans Nielsen. The reserved Dane is the only player other than our goaltenders who’s off limits to TV and Radio during intermissions, but there was no way he was escaping the spotlight after a 3-point period.
Lighthouse Hockey: A flute with no holes is not a flute. A Dane with no holes is Frans Nielsen.
I was going to say that night
man, I don’t remember him ever being in interviews really (TV at least). Funny because he’s pretty well spoken, better looking with his helmet off and pretty engaging. (More than JT anyway). That may explain why he wasn’t given an alternate captaincy. Although, truth be told, most of the alternates haven’t been interviewed right? Staios, KO (not as much as you’d expect).
When you really think about it, it’s been some of the younger guys like Martin, Hamonic, Bailey, and then Bailey, Streit, JT Moulson PAP and Grabs. Even PAP Grabs though not so much.
Neil Smith @bigdealneil94 @KeithLHHockey @craigjbutton hey keith GFY
Website:Lighthouse HockeyTwitter: @KeithLHHockey
better looking with his helmet off
Fransie looks frickin GREAT with the facial scruff.
Yes I know Ive mentioned that twice already but hey you brought up his looks lol.
Let Us Go, Islanders! (Ever notice how strange that sounds without the contraction?)
by TheMetalChick on Feb 12, 2012 11:17 PM EST up reply actions
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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.
