Hello Fans. The voice returns to its roots and presents 5 random thoughts as it pertains to the New York Islanders. The playoffs have become a near impossibility after last nights pounding at the hands of the mighty Tampa Bay Lightning. (Yes that is sarcasm.) After being contenders for most of this season, the team is unraveling before our eyes and the possible implications and bad blood could be a serious problem for the team moving forward. These 5 points will examine this latest dive in performance and other "Random Thoughts"
1 - Nolan and DP at War? - Missing the playoffs is not the worst thing that can happen to the team. The worst thing for this team is for its Coach, who by all accounts is a quality coach and the man to run this team and its franchise goaltender who is signed for another 13 years to be sniping at each other after the team gets pounded by the Lightning. Bad Blood between DP and Nolan at this time could only result in bad news in the highest order. What is the team going to do if this escalates out of control? Fire Nolan? You certainly can't trade DP, his contract prohibits that. I would not be going out on a limb to say that DP would make himself not to popular with a lot of the players and fans that love Nolan if this escalates to the point where Nolan resigns or gets fired. You saw what happened when Yashin fell out of favor with the fans and organization. Tack on another 9 years and 38 million on top of that mistake if this goes to the bad place it is capable of. Lets hope it was frustration and does not turn to dislike and content between the Coach and the Goalie.
2 - The 6 Game winning streak has cost us. - The last horrid stretch that has seen the team go 8-16 with two stretches (0-7, and 2-9) around a 6 game winning streak probably cost the team in more ways than we can count. Snow said he held most of the team intact because the 6 game streak got them right back in the hunt. Now they will probably lose Satan, Vasicek, Fedotenko and God knows who else for nothing when they could have been turned into a couple of draft picks. Granted we will never know what this cost the team, but it cost us something. Damn that winning streak. Hopefully we will get shot at the 1st overall pick, because there are 2 or 3 gems out there that could help the team right now.
3 - Big Splash or small ripples? - What do we do in the off season? I happen to believe that maybe the proper approach will be to use what is left of the season to judge what we have within the organization. There are some kids that need to get top 6 ice time. Ben Walter, Jeff Tambelini, Jeremy Colliton, Mathew Spiller, Drew Fata, Blake Comeau, Franz Nielson (if he is healthy) and Kyle Okposo should all be brought up and given heavy ice time RIGHT NOW to see what they are capable of at this level so they can accurately judge what they have within the organization before they go out of it to bring in other talent at a great expense. There is no reason I can see anymore to have Satan, Fedotenko, Davison, Meyer and other vets in the lineup. Its totally pointless. Why bother developing and keeping young talent if they are not going to at least give them a real shot at this level. On bringing in players from other teams - we need a PP QB in the worst way. They are harder to come by than goal scorers which are a dime a dozen in comparison.
4 - Lighthouse Project covered on WFAN - Charles Wang represented himself in the best way possible on WFAN when Mike and the Mad Dog were in the Coliseum. Mr. Wang remains confident that they will have the deal done and construction will commence on the Coliseum as soon as June of 2009. The ball is still in The Town of Hempstead's court and I would suggest any person that if for the project to contact the office of Kate Murray and let your local politicians know that you want this project to go forward.
5 - "Core of the Four" - We are all proud of what this team accomplished during the amazing run it had in the 80's. That being said I have heard more fans express displeasure at yet another celebration surrounding the greats of the past. I personally do not have a problem with it, but it definitely feels a bit forced that the team keeps bringing the greatest team ever assembled back for another waving at the crowd moment. How about making these guys proud of the current product on the ice and elevating the team above mediocrity? How about getting that disgrace of a building and surrounding area rebuilt so that when these guys do come back to the Coliseum, they can be proud of the building instead of ashamed of the place they accomplished something that will never be repeated?
Let me know what your thoughts are on the latest version of Random Thoughts. Feel free to discuss these points or some of your own Random Thoughts. See you at the Coliseum.
FCT
1 comment:
I think Coach Nolan knows what the rest of the league knows; DP is a mediocre goaltender. He might be trying to motivate him by getting in his head a bit. Maybe some Al Arbour tactics might do DP & the remaining healthy players some good. This (DP signed for 15 years)is another MM move that has saddled this team in limbo for the next several years. (Yashin the other) This team will improve when its' goaltender can keep them in every game, DiPietro just doesn't do that. His style of play reminds me of "The Clapper" commerical on TV Because he falls & can not get up!
I say trade him if possible to a team like Tampa for a St. Louis or Lacaville (sp?) That team surely needs a goalie & a shakeup.
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