Islanders News: Well, another season goes straight down the toilet

Hope you all enjoyed Monday's meaningless victories over the Senators. Because last night's meaningless loss to the Hurricanes has utterly torpedoed the Islanders season. See everyone next June.

The next meaningless game is Friday versus the Devils in lovely Kings County.

Islanders stuff:

• Recaps: LHH | Islanders | Point Blank | Insight | Eyes on Isles | Canes Country
• Anders Lee and Brock Nelson have spent some quality time together on the ice this preseason. [New$day]
• Jack Capuano talks (very rapidly) to the Post about fans, the playoffs and having expectations.
• The Islanders' special teams last night were not so good. [Point Blank]
• USA Today slots the Islanders into "sleeper team" status.
• The Metro Division's top 10 right wingers includes Kyle Okposo [Japers Rink]
• The Long Island Herald previews Friday's game at Barclays.
• We don't normally link back to LHH comments, but if you haven't read rant6196's story from yesterday, please do. We're beyond glad that he's back up on his feet and that this ol' blog could play a tiny role in his recovery.

Fancy Stats Corner

• Not everyone puts stock in the new hockey stats. That's their prerogative. And if Patrick Roy and Joe Sakic aren't into them, I'm not gonna argue with either of those gentlemen. But this Denver Post article on Colorado's aversion to advanced statistics is so condescending and childishly written that it will make you root against the Avalanche this year out of pure spite.
• Yahoo's Nick Cotsonika has a much more level-headed version of the same Avalanche story.
  
• The Toronto Sun has a three part series on the rise of the analytics movement right into NHL front offices. Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
• AHL advanced stats at Progressive Hockey. Bit of a work in progress.
• Progressive Hockey also tries to unwrap the eternal mystery of the confidence of goalies.
  
• Analytics that separate the good coaches from the Rick Bownesses. [Hockey-Graphs]

Wait There's More

• Derek Stepan is going to miss about six weeks with a broken fibula, which is going to severely complicate things for the Rangers. [Banter]
• Pavel Datsyuk's shoulder is separated and he'll miss about a month, too. [Winging It]
• The Blue Jackets Versus Ryan Johansen is reaching critical mass. At The Cannon, everyone looks bad coming out of this debacle. Blue Jackets Xtra says the impasse is a huge deal for the franchise. Meanwhile, some dope is making jokes about Johansen playing for Ohio State in his free time.
• NEW! Evander Kane was "very close" to be getting traded to the Flyers? But they don't have Josh Bailey and Matt Donovan. What gives? [Broad Street Hockey]
• Does a team's ages matter in the NHL? [About.com]
• Friend of the blog Laura at Eyes on the Prize says it's time to demand better hockey writing. Hear, hear.
• The Senators will accept Canadian Tire money at Scotiabank Place during this preseason. I don't know what Canadian Tire Money is, but I gather it's something like Sparky Dollars only more colorful and some asshole is always trying to use them in American vending machines. [Sporting News]