For Part three of this five part series, we will examine something that is not as black and white as scoring goals and stopping pucks.
Its called respect and perception.
How is this beginning to change? The Islanders still finished in the bottom 5 in the standings after all.
Well firs things first in order to change anyone else's perception that your just not a bottom feeding franchise any more you have to first start believing it yourself.
It is not good enough to say it, but truly believing it.
As this season wore on and the Islanders were mired in one of te worst losing streaks in franchise history it would have been so easy to say "well its the Islanders, they are supposed to suck."
Enter Jack Capuano. No one was impressed when the Islanders fired Scott Gordon and promoted Bridgeport Head Coach Jack Capuano, figuring he was just going to ride out the rest of the season and the Islanders would begin their search for the right guy to try and bring the Islanders out of the doldrums.
Then something happened. The Islanders started to take to "Cappy's" new system which afforded the players the opportunity to go out and show their creativity and individual talents on the ice.
How long ago does it feel the Islanders replaced Gordon with Capuano? It seems like ages.
Instead of wondering where Scott Gordon wanted them to to be on the ice in any given situation the players were given an outline and told "use your instincts."
The Islanders managed to pull themselves up and be competitive. Not only that, bolstered by solid goaltending from Al Montoya and Kevin Poulin the Islaneders managed to have one of the best records in the NHL after the all star break and look really good doing it.
Players like Michael Grabner, Frans Nielsen, Andrew MacDonald and Travis Hamonic blossomed before our eyes.
Players like PA Parenteau, Matt Moulson and Al Montoya showed us that other teams were wrong for not promoting them to larger roles.
Players like Zenon Konopka, Trevor Gillies, Matt Martin and Michael Haley showed us that the Islanders were not going to allow other teams to take liberties with our players, despite some questionable methods.
John Tavares showed he is becoming the player the Islanders will be able to build around.
This group of Islanders players believe in themselves. The have a solid foundation for once that is yielding results on the ice and it showed in the way they played the final 35 games of the season.
People noticed. It took the news making Islanders 9-3 victory over the Penguins to get people to notice, but it worked. Say what you want about that game but it got people talking. It got people interested. The Islanders said in that game we are not a team that are going to allow other teams to come in here and do what they want to us any more.
Other teams that saw the Islanders on their schedule the last 35 games of the season realized that they were not going to just walk all over the Islanders and have an easy win.
That means a lot also. Perception. If a team does not respect you and knows it can beat you up easily, take cheap shots at your star players, can count on your goalie letting in softies and porous defense then nine times out of ten that is exactly what is going to happen.
All that changed this season.
Islanders fans always want to believe in the team. For the first time in a long time attendance increased at the end of the season as the teams performance improved.
Say what you want about Nassau Coliseum. Everyone knows its a dump and the worst arena in the NHL. The bottom line is that if the Islanders manage to become a winning franchise the arena situation will not matter and people will come. People do not come to arena to see the arena. They come to see their team win hockey games. Win enough of them and ala Field of Dreams, people will come.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Thursday, May 5, 2011
New York Islanders: 5 Reasons They Make the Playoffs in 2011-12 (Part 2)
For Part 2 we will examine the state of the goaltending for the Islanders.
Ever present is Rick DiPietro with his 11 years remaining on his contract.
Rick has suffered through major injury after major injury the past three seasons and his health is always a major question.
Showing very brief flashes of his former self in the 26 games he got to play this season Rick's come back was shall we say, unremarkable?
Some would call it down right awful as Rick had the lowest save percentage and highest goals against average of any goaltender in the entire NHL who played 20 games or more.
All this being said Rick will be back in 2011-12 barring another injury. Can he turn it around?
That question is still way up in the air but the answer to it says that the Islanders could be in a position to contend for a playoff spot next season and they will not be able to afford to throw games away any more while Rick tries to find his game.
That is what the AHL is for.
You read it here first. If Rick does not perform somewhere close to the level he has been capable of in the past then Garth Snow will be forced to send Rick to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers much like the Rangers did with Wade Redden.
The thing is I believe Rick still has game in him. How much he can help the Islanders is anyones guess. I am rooting hard for him and if the Islanders fans I have spoken to are any indicator as to what the support for Rick amongst the fan base is well let me just say his support is waning.
Rick will be an employee of the New York Islanders for at least next season, but he may be wearing out the Port Jefferson Ferry.
He is also not immune to a buy out as Islanders owner Charles Wang has done in the past with monster contracts. Alexei Yashin anyone?
Rick aside the Islanders have some viable choices with another amazing pick up by Garth Snow when he plucked Al Montoya out of goaltender hell in San Antonio, the AHL affiliate of the Phoenix Coyotes and stuck him in as the number one goaltender because of injuries to DiPietro, Kevin Poulin and Mikko Koskinen the trading of Dwayne Roloson and the immaturity of Evgeni Nabokov.
What the Islanders got was nothing short of remarkable. Montoya played 20 games for the team going 9-5-6 with a sterling 2.39 goals against average and an equally sterling .921 save percentage.
Montoya earned the first one way contract of his career and will be an Islander next season.
So if Rick is to spend time in Bridgeport barring a career resurgence, who will be the number two man?
Kevin Poulin, a young 20 year old just out of junior was lighting up Bridgeport with a .932 save percentage and a 2.19 goals against average in 15 games. There was no way his success would translate to the NHL right?
Wrong.
In 10 games Poulin posted a 2.44 goals against average and a .924 save percentage in the NHL before a freak knee injury ended his season.
He will be back next season and if Rick falters or gets injured then the young net minder may just up and take his spot.
In any event the future of the Islanders crease with or without Rick DiPietro is secure.
What about Evgeni Nabokov? Well the Islanders are going to toll his contract meaning he will be Islander property next season. Whether that is a good or a bad thing remains to be seen. He can't likely be traded as the rules governing his contract still apply because basically its the same contract he signed last season.
If the Islanders were to trade him, he would again have to pass through waivers before he could be dealt.
Maybe coming in at the end of the season this year makes more sense to Nabokov now. If it doesn't it sure will when he is sitting on his couch in San Jose watching what is left of his career tick away.
In any event, the Islanders would appear to be set in net.
Place your comments below.
Stay tuned for Part 3 - Respect and how the Islanders are getting it back.
Ever present is Rick DiPietro with his 11 years remaining on his contract.
Rick has suffered through major injury after major injury the past three seasons and his health is always a major question.
Showing very brief flashes of his former self in the 26 games he got to play this season Rick's come back was shall we say, unremarkable?
Some would call it down right awful as Rick had the lowest save percentage and highest goals against average of any goaltender in the entire NHL who played 20 games or more.
All this being said Rick will be back in 2011-12 barring another injury. Can he turn it around?
That question is still way up in the air but the answer to it says that the Islanders could be in a position to contend for a playoff spot next season and they will not be able to afford to throw games away any more while Rick tries to find his game.
That is what the AHL is for.
You read it here first. If Rick does not perform somewhere close to the level he has been capable of in the past then Garth Snow will be forced to send Rick to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers much like the Rangers did with Wade Redden.
The thing is I believe Rick still has game in him. How much he can help the Islanders is anyones guess. I am rooting hard for him and if the Islanders fans I have spoken to are any indicator as to what the support for Rick amongst the fan base is well let me just say his support is waning.
Rick will be an employee of the New York Islanders for at least next season, but he may be wearing out the Port Jefferson Ferry.
He is also not immune to a buy out as Islanders owner Charles Wang has done in the past with monster contracts. Alexei Yashin anyone?
Rick aside the Islanders have some viable choices with another amazing pick up by Garth Snow when he plucked Al Montoya out of goaltender hell in San Antonio, the AHL affiliate of the Phoenix Coyotes and stuck him in as the number one goaltender because of injuries to DiPietro, Kevin Poulin and Mikko Koskinen the trading of Dwayne Roloson and the immaturity of Evgeni Nabokov.
What the Islanders got was nothing short of remarkable. Montoya played 20 games for the team going 9-5-6 with a sterling 2.39 goals against average and an equally sterling .921 save percentage.
Montoya earned the first one way contract of his career and will be an Islander next season.
So if Rick is to spend time in Bridgeport barring a career resurgence, who will be the number two man?
Kevin Poulin, a young 20 year old just out of junior was lighting up Bridgeport with a .932 save percentage and a 2.19 goals against average in 15 games. There was no way his success would translate to the NHL right?
Wrong.
In 10 games Poulin posted a 2.44 goals against average and a .924 save percentage in the NHL before a freak knee injury ended his season.
He will be back next season and if Rick falters or gets injured then the young net minder may just up and take his spot.
In any event the future of the Islanders crease with or without Rick DiPietro is secure.
What about Evgeni Nabokov? Well the Islanders are going to toll his contract meaning he will be Islander property next season. Whether that is a good or a bad thing remains to be seen. He can't likely be traded as the rules governing his contract still apply because basically its the same contract he signed last season.
If the Islanders were to trade him, he would again have to pass through waivers before he could be dealt.
Maybe coming in at the end of the season this year makes more sense to Nabokov now. If it doesn't it sure will when he is sitting on his couch in San Jose watching what is left of his career tick away.
In any event, the Islanders would appear to be set in net.
Place your comments below.
Stay tuned for Part 3 - Respect and how the Islanders are getting it back.
5 Reasons the Islanders Make the Playoffs in 2011-12: Part One
People keep asking me - Where is all of this optimism surrounding the Islanders come from?
So I figured what better way than to give specific reasons why the Islanders will be playing meaningful games in April and maybe May of 2012.
This article will be the first in a five part series looking into the reasons the Islanders resurgence will continue into next season and beyond.
Part 1) Goal Scoring/Line Consistency. For the first time in what has to be 5 years the Islanders top 6 forward core knows who it is going to be, barring injury of course.
The top line of John Tavares, Matt Moulson and PA Parenteau returns in tact which Tavares is coming off leading the team in points and scoring 29 goals and 67 points.
That total should improve next season as Tavares matures into the player Islanders fans cheered for the team to draft a couple of years ago.
Matt Moulson second on the team with 53 points with 31 goals showed the world he was no one hit wonder and PA Parenteau, a player who has enjoyed only a cup of coffee in the NHL until this season netted an impressive 20 goals and 33 assists.
As the season wore on and Islander fans got used to a perennial AHL player in Parenteau teaming with our prized player in Tavares we realized that this guy has skill and is an excellent play maker which is why he complemented Tavares and Moulson so well.
Hopefully this unit can continue to grow together and take the next step forward.
The Islanders were not a one line team this season either.
General Manager Garth Snow made his second excellent waiver wire pick up in two seasons when he picked up Michael Grabner from the Florida Panthers after he failed to impress their new top brass.
Florida's loss like the Kings with Moulson the year before, was most certainly the Islanders gain.
Grabner started the year in a not to eventful fashion chipping in the occasional goal and impressing the heck out of everyone with his blazing speed.
Once he was paired with Islanders center Frans Nielsen all hell broke loose. Grabner started to score goals at a frenzied pace winning NHL player of the month honors and earning himself a Calder Trophy nomination scoring 34 goals, with 6 of them short handed.
Frans Nielsen surprised a lot of people this season. Never in any Islander fans wildest dreams could we imagine the kind of season he put together especially when paired with Grabner not only at even strength but short handed. He scored 13 goals this season, which in of itself is no big deal but then you look closer and realize that seven of them were short handed. He got 31 assists also and was a plus 13.
Sooner or later Nielsen could find himself nominated for a Selke Trophy.
Kyle Okposo came came from his major shoulder surgery and struggled early on but then got his legs and was able to mesh well with his line mates. He only scored 5 goals in 38 games but he showed flashes of the two way power forward he is capable of once he got his stamina back.
I don't know about you, but I look forward to seeing what these six players can put together next season.
The remaining 6 forward spots appear to be filled as well, with returning veteran banger Trent Hunter looking to rebound from a lost season. Hunter's offensive skills are not the best part of his game as he will never score over 20 goals again. However he provides a physical presence that the Islanders need as he loves to throw the body around. Hopefully he can stay relatively healthy.
Matt Martin and Michael Haley are ready to assume the roles of enforcers who can skate and chip in goals here and there.
Josh Bailey's 2010-11 season was a disappointment as he will look to rebound and show he belongs in the NHL. Bailey reminds me a lot of a former Islander prospect Tim Connoly. He is a play maker who has a nice wrist shot and is coming to a point where he is going to take the next step up. As Tim Connoly proved not every player is an impact player right out of the gate.
The Islanders also have a pair of rookies that will look to crack the line up next season also, as Nino Niederrieter has been dominating the WHL ever since the Islanders sent him back there after his nine game cup of coffee with the team.
Kirill Kabanov will bring his immense ego and talent to training camp to try and convince Jack Capuano to keep him here. If he performs like he has in the QMJHL playoffs in camp I'm sure he will get the obligatory nine game look come October.
Blake Comeau is another Islander player that is coming into his own netting a career best 24 goals this season and will also look to improve on those numbers and if he can mesh well with Josh Bailey can give the Islanders three lines that can score goals.
I also hope the Islanders bring back Zenon Konopka who turned into the Voice of the Islanders and instilled some pride in wearing the Islander crest in that locker room.
Will Trevor Gillies be back? I hope so. Its comforting knowing you have a top heavyweight enforcer to stick up for your young stars.
Garth Snow and his team of scouts have put together a very nice group of young forwards that can pretty much do everything. They can skate, pass, hit, fight, score and kill penalties.
Please leave your thoughts below.
Coming in Part 2 - Goaltending is a positive?! Absolutely.
So I figured what better way than to give specific reasons why the Islanders will be playing meaningful games in April and maybe May of 2012.
This article will be the first in a five part series looking into the reasons the Islanders resurgence will continue into next season and beyond.
Part 1) Goal Scoring/Line Consistency. For the first time in what has to be 5 years the Islanders top 6 forward core knows who it is going to be, barring injury of course.
The top line of John Tavares, Matt Moulson and PA Parenteau returns in tact which Tavares is coming off leading the team in points and scoring 29 goals and 67 points.
That total should improve next season as Tavares matures into the player Islanders fans cheered for the team to draft a couple of years ago.
Matt Moulson second on the team with 53 points with 31 goals showed the world he was no one hit wonder and PA Parenteau, a player who has enjoyed only a cup of coffee in the NHL until this season netted an impressive 20 goals and 33 assists.
As the season wore on and Islander fans got used to a perennial AHL player in Parenteau teaming with our prized player in Tavares we realized that this guy has skill and is an excellent play maker which is why he complemented Tavares and Moulson so well.
Hopefully this unit can continue to grow together and take the next step forward.
The Islanders were not a one line team this season either.
General Manager Garth Snow made his second excellent waiver wire pick up in two seasons when he picked up Michael Grabner from the Florida Panthers after he failed to impress their new top brass.
Florida's loss like the Kings with Moulson the year before, was most certainly the Islanders gain.
Grabner started the year in a not to eventful fashion chipping in the occasional goal and impressing the heck out of everyone with his blazing speed.
Once he was paired with Islanders center Frans Nielsen all hell broke loose. Grabner started to score goals at a frenzied pace winning NHL player of the month honors and earning himself a Calder Trophy nomination scoring 34 goals, with 6 of them short handed.
Frans Nielsen surprised a lot of people this season. Never in any Islander fans wildest dreams could we imagine the kind of season he put together especially when paired with Grabner not only at even strength but short handed. He scored 13 goals this season, which in of itself is no big deal but then you look closer and realize that seven of them were short handed. He got 31 assists also and was a plus 13.
Sooner or later Nielsen could find himself nominated for a Selke Trophy.
Kyle Okposo came came from his major shoulder surgery and struggled early on but then got his legs and was able to mesh well with his line mates. He only scored 5 goals in 38 games but he showed flashes of the two way power forward he is capable of once he got his stamina back.
I don't know about you, but I look forward to seeing what these six players can put together next season.
The remaining 6 forward spots appear to be filled as well, with returning veteran banger Trent Hunter looking to rebound from a lost season. Hunter's offensive skills are not the best part of his game as he will never score over 20 goals again. However he provides a physical presence that the Islanders need as he loves to throw the body around. Hopefully he can stay relatively healthy.
Matt Martin and Michael Haley are ready to assume the roles of enforcers who can skate and chip in goals here and there.
Josh Bailey's 2010-11 season was a disappointment as he will look to rebound and show he belongs in the NHL. Bailey reminds me a lot of a former Islander prospect Tim Connoly. He is a play maker who has a nice wrist shot and is coming to a point where he is going to take the next step up. As Tim Connoly proved not every player is an impact player right out of the gate.
The Islanders also have a pair of rookies that will look to crack the line up next season also, as Nino Niederrieter has been dominating the WHL ever since the Islanders sent him back there after his nine game cup of coffee with the team.
Kirill Kabanov will bring his immense ego and talent to training camp to try and convince Jack Capuano to keep him here. If he performs like he has in the QMJHL playoffs in camp I'm sure he will get the obligatory nine game look come October.
Blake Comeau is another Islander player that is coming into his own netting a career best 24 goals this season and will also look to improve on those numbers and if he can mesh well with Josh Bailey can give the Islanders three lines that can score goals.
I also hope the Islanders bring back Zenon Konopka who turned into the Voice of the Islanders and instilled some pride in wearing the Islander crest in that locker room.
Will Trevor Gillies be back? I hope so. Its comforting knowing you have a top heavyweight enforcer to stick up for your young stars.
Garth Snow and his team of scouts have put together a very nice group of young forwards that can pretty much do everything. They can skate, pass, hit, fight, score and kill penalties.
Please leave your thoughts below.
Coming in Part 2 - Goaltending is a positive?! Absolutely.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
New York Islanders: Is the Future Finally Here?
The 2010-11 season was like two mini seasons in one.
There was the first half where nothing looked any different.
Injuries were rampant.
Goaltending was porous.
Goals were hard to come by.
The defense was shoddy at best.
Progress of the younger players seemed to be at a standstill.
The coach was fired.
Then January came and everything seemed to turn around. No one really noticed until the Islanders decided to exact some street justice on the Penguins then the Islanders were on everyone's radar.
Call it what you want to call it I choose to call it the Islanders telling the rest of the NHL they still exist and are on their way back to prominence.
The Islanders had one of the best records in the NHL after the all star break and were consistently one of the hardest teams to play against.
Goaltending backstopped by Kevin Poulin and then Al Montoya solidified.
The defense, anchored by Andrew MacDonald and Travis Hamonic vastly improved.
The offense, bolstered by the emergence of Calder Trophy nominee Michael Grabner and the continued development of John Tavares as well as Matt Moulson, Frans Nielsen and PA Parenteau started to gel and produce.
Every one of the Islanders top players will be back next season and the injured Mark Streit will be back also.
Nino Niederreiter and Krill Kabanov are also favorites to make the team next season because they have been dominant in their respective leagues and appear NHL ready.
What does all this mean? It means the Islanders have the ability to be a playoff team again and really take that next step in returning to prominence in the NHL.
What will the Islanders line up look like next season line by line?
The first line will consist of John Tavares, looking to shatter the 30 goal mark, Matt Moulson and PA Parenteau. If you would have told me PA would have played on the Islanders top line scoring 20 goals and getting over 50 points I would have laughed at you.
The unit gelled late in the season and will be back in tact with Parenteau signing a one year extension and Moulson getting a three year extension preventing both from going free agent.
That in of itself, that the seam was able to hold onto a two time 30 goal scorer and a 20 goal scorer who would have otherwise been unrestricted free agents is a major victory.
The second line will consist of Frans Nielsen, Michael Grabner and Kyle Okposo. The stars of the line were Grabner and Nielsen who netted an amazing 13 short handed goals between them finishing first and second in the NHL in that department.
Okposo showed flashes of the promise he showed last season but struggled playing only 38 games after major shoulder surgery. He will be back 100% next season and should only make Grabner and Nielsen better.
The third line is where is gets a little more questionable as to who it actually may be because of all of the players the Islanders have on their roster. Being this is a speculative column I will take my best guess and say the third line will consist of Nino Niederrieter, Josh Bailey and Blake Comeau.
It is time for "El Nino" to be in the NHL and until he is ready to take his place in the top 6 of the Islander forwards, which may actually be next year at some point. He will debut on the team next season. There is nothing else for him to prove for the Portland Winter Hawks in the WHL.
He scored 36 goals and netted 60 points in 65 WHL games and has been carrying his team in the playoffs with eight goals and sixteen points in eight playoff games.
Its prime time for "El Nino."
Josh Bailey actually took a step back this season and was sent to Bridgeport where he regained some confidence and wound up with 28 points in 70 NHL games. It is so easy to forget that Bailey is only 21 years old as it seems as if he has been in the league for a long time.
He will look to rebound with the steady Blake Comeau who is also coming into his own after his 24 goal campaign this season.
The fourth line could be any combination of a few players, but I will go with the Islander resigning Zenon Konopka, and him playing with a rough and tumble line combination with Matt Martin and Michael Haley.
Yes I know I am leaving Trent Hunter out. He hasn't played a full season in 3 years and only played 17 games last season.
Hunter is a good banger and can clean up around the net but I question his durability.
I think if Hunter is healthy he could be on the 4th line in place of Haley with Haley being an injury replacement.
Another wild card could be Kirill Kabanov who is playing very well in the QMJHL right now and very well could be NHL ready for next season. If that is the case, then Haley starts in Bridgeport.
As we very well know around the Islanders there are always injuries and that is how guys like Hunter, Haley and Jesse Joensuu fit into the plans.
On defense the top tandem should be Milan Jurcina and Mark Streit providing the offense and defense one two punch.
Then we have Travis Hamonic and Andrew MacDonald will both be back and playing together again and were the Islanders best defense tandem this season often playing against and very well against the opponents top players.
The 3rd defense tandem is totally up in the air as the Islanders have Mike Mottau, Mark Eaton, Ty Wishart, Jack Hillen, Mark Katic and Dylan Reese who could fill those two spots.
Who will it be? Ill go with Mottau and Eaton, just because they are the veterans with the most experience and could be a nice shut down tandem.
When someone gets hurt Katic and Hillen are next in like with Wishart right there also.
In goal, Al Montoya and Kevin Poulin should be the 1 and 2 goaltenders unless Rick Dipetro has some sort of career renaissance early next season or has a stellar pre season.
How can you look at the numbers Rick put up this season and say that's my number one goaltender.
Look at the numbers Poulin and Montoya put up, and there are your goaltenders for next season. Rick should be sent to Bridgeport to work on his game until he can consistently stop pucks.
What are your thoughts on what the Islander line up should be for next season?
Place your comments below.
There was the first half where nothing looked any different.
Injuries were rampant.
Goaltending was porous.
Goals were hard to come by.
The defense was shoddy at best.
Progress of the younger players seemed to be at a standstill.
The coach was fired.
Then January came and everything seemed to turn around. No one really noticed until the Islanders decided to exact some street justice on the Penguins then the Islanders were on everyone's radar.
Call it what you want to call it I choose to call it the Islanders telling the rest of the NHL they still exist and are on their way back to prominence.
The Islanders had one of the best records in the NHL after the all star break and were consistently one of the hardest teams to play against.
Goaltending backstopped by Kevin Poulin and then Al Montoya solidified.
The defense, anchored by Andrew MacDonald and Travis Hamonic vastly improved.
The offense, bolstered by the emergence of Calder Trophy nominee Michael Grabner and the continued development of John Tavares as well as Matt Moulson, Frans Nielsen and PA Parenteau started to gel and produce.
Every one of the Islanders top players will be back next season and the injured Mark Streit will be back also.
Nino Niederreiter and Krill Kabanov are also favorites to make the team next season because they have been dominant in their respective leagues and appear NHL ready.
What does all this mean? It means the Islanders have the ability to be a playoff team again and really take that next step in returning to prominence in the NHL.
What will the Islanders line up look like next season line by line?
The first line will consist of John Tavares, looking to shatter the 30 goal mark, Matt Moulson and PA Parenteau. If you would have told me PA would have played on the Islanders top line scoring 20 goals and getting over 50 points I would have laughed at you.
The unit gelled late in the season and will be back in tact with Parenteau signing a one year extension and Moulson getting a three year extension preventing both from going free agent.
That in of itself, that the seam was able to hold onto a two time 30 goal scorer and a 20 goal scorer who would have otherwise been unrestricted free agents is a major victory.
The second line will consist of Frans Nielsen, Michael Grabner and Kyle Okposo. The stars of the line were Grabner and Nielsen who netted an amazing 13 short handed goals between them finishing first and second in the NHL in that department.
Okposo showed flashes of the promise he showed last season but struggled playing only 38 games after major shoulder surgery. He will be back 100% next season and should only make Grabner and Nielsen better.
The third line is where is gets a little more questionable as to who it actually may be because of all of the players the Islanders have on their roster. Being this is a speculative column I will take my best guess and say the third line will consist of Nino Niederrieter, Josh Bailey and Blake Comeau.
It is time for "El Nino" to be in the NHL and until he is ready to take his place in the top 6 of the Islander forwards, which may actually be next year at some point. He will debut on the team next season. There is nothing else for him to prove for the Portland Winter Hawks in the WHL.
He scored 36 goals and netted 60 points in 65 WHL games and has been carrying his team in the playoffs with eight goals and sixteen points in eight playoff games.
Its prime time for "El Nino."
Josh Bailey actually took a step back this season and was sent to Bridgeport where he regained some confidence and wound up with 28 points in 70 NHL games. It is so easy to forget that Bailey is only 21 years old as it seems as if he has been in the league for a long time.
He will look to rebound with the steady Blake Comeau who is also coming into his own after his 24 goal campaign this season.
The fourth line could be any combination of a few players, but I will go with the Islander resigning Zenon Konopka, and him playing with a rough and tumble line combination with Matt Martin and Michael Haley.
Yes I know I am leaving Trent Hunter out. He hasn't played a full season in 3 years and only played 17 games last season.
Hunter is a good banger and can clean up around the net but I question his durability.
I think if Hunter is healthy he could be on the 4th line in place of Haley with Haley being an injury replacement.
Another wild card could be Kirill Kabanov who is playing very well in the QMJHL right now and very well could be NHL ready for next season. If that is the case, then Haley starts in Bridgeport.
As we very well know around the Islanders there are always injuries and that is how guys like Hunter, Haley and Jesse Joensuu fit into the plans.
On defense the top tandem should be Milan Jurcina and Mark Streit providing the offense and defense one two punch.
Then we have Travis Hamonic and Andrew MacDonald will both be back and playing together again and were the Islanders best defense tandem this season often playing against and very well against the opponents top players.
The 3rd defense tandem is totally up in the air as the Islanders have Mike Mottau, Mark Eaton, Ty Wishart, Jack Hillen, Mark Katic and Dylan Reese who could fill those two spots.
Who will it be? Ill go with Mottau and Eaton, just because they are the veterans with the most experience and could be a nice shut down tandem.
When someone gets hurt Katic and Hillen are next in like with Wishart right there also.
In goal, Al Montoya and Kevin Poulin should be the 1 and 2 goaltenders unless Rick Dipetro has some sort of career renaissance early next season or has a stellar pre season.
How can you look at the numbers Rick put up this season and say that's my number one goaltender.
Look at the numbers Poulin and Montoya put up, and there are your goaltenders for next season. Rick should be sent to Bridgeport to work on his game until he can consistently stop pucks.
What are your thoughts on what the Islander line up should be for next season?
Place your comments below.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
New York Islanders Name Capuano Coach - Will Draft 5th
The Islanders took care of thier most obvious piece of business very quickly this off season dropping the "interim" title from Head Coach Jack Capuano giving him the organizations full support.
Capuano's overall numbers came in below .500 as far as winning percentage but remember he started in the middle of a losing streak that basically torpedoed the entire season.
It took the Islanders a while to get used to his new free system that he instituted which takes players abilities and allows them the freedom to use their own creativity as opposed to a strict X's and O's hockey by numbers that former coack Scott Gordon employed.
I am sure the Islander young core is supportive of this as Cappy is a very popular coach with the guys and tells it like it is.
With a young team this is very important as the Islanders can continue to grow knowing the coach that righted the ship and turned the Islanders into one of the toughest teams to play against after the All-Star Break.
The Islanders will probably also have to name a new team captain assuming Doug Weight retires and I am saying right now that man should be Mark Streit.
If not Mark Streit then who?
Kyle Okposo? John Tavares? Frans Nielsen?
It should be interesting who the team elects but from an on ice stand point is almost irrelevant.
What is more relevant is the Islanders got rooked out of the fourth overall pick in the draft by the eighth seeded New Jersey Devils winning the draft lottery with a staggering 3.9% of doing so.
Thats right people a team that just signed one of the best scorers in the NHL to a 15 year 100 million dollar contract won the draft lottery.
The Islanders will draft fifth and have another blue chip prospect to add to the long list of prospects already in the organization.
Should the Islanders stand pat at fifth and just take the best available player?
Should they trade down and pile up more draft picks?
Should they attempt to trade up and get one of the top prospects?
Or maybe, just maybe is this team ready to trade a draft pick for an established player to bolster the line up for a playoff run.
The main question is, who is available via trade? The biggest issue with that is you just never know who is available come draft day.
Odds are the Islanders will pick the best player at their position in the draft and move forward with the young core that showed so much improvement this season.
The coach is in place and the young core is stable and will all be back.
The veteran defense will be back from injury.
All signs point to the Islanders being out of the draft lottery for a long time.
Capuano's overall numbers came in below .500 as far as winning percentage but remember he started in the middle of a losing streak that basically torpedoed the entire season.
It took the Islanders a while to get used to his new free system that he instituted which takes players abilities and allows them the freedom to use their own creativity as opposed to a strict X's and O's hockey by numbers that former coack Scott Gordon employed.
I am sure the Islander young core is supportive of this as Cappy is a very popular coach with the guys and tells it like it is.
With a young team this is very important as the Islanders can continue to grow knowing the coach that righted the ship and turned the Islanders into one of the toughest teams to play against after the All-Star Break.
The Islanders will probably also have to name a new team captain assuming Doug Weight retires and I am saying right now that man should be Mark Streit.
If not Mark Streit then who?
Kyle Okposo? John Tavares? Frans Nielsen?
It should be interesting who the team elects but from an on ice stand point is almost irrelevant.
What is more relevant is the Islanders got rooked out of the fourth overall pick in the draft by the eighth seeded New Jersey Devils winning the draft lottery with a staggering 3.9% of doing so.
Thats right people a team that just signed one of the best scorers in the NHL to a 15 year 100 million dollar contract won the draft lottery.
The Islanders will draft fifth and have another blue chip prospect to add to the long list of prospects already in the organization.
Should the Islanders stand pat at fifth and just take the best available player?
Should they trade down and pile up more draft picks?
Should they attempt to trade up and get one of the top prospects?
Or maybe, just maybe is this team ready to trade a draft pick for an established player to bolster the line up for a playoff run.
The main question is, who is available via trade? The biggest issue with that is you just never know who is available come draft day.
Odds are the Islanders will pick the best player at their position in the draft and move forward with the young core that showed so much improvement this season.
The coach is in place and the young core is stable and will all be back.
The veteran defense will be back from injury.
All signs point to the Islanders being out of the draft lottery for a long time.
Monday, April 4, 2011
New York Islanders, Chris Botta and the NHL Awards
The Islanders have a Rookie in Micheal Grabner who will get serious consideration for the coveted Calder Trophy as rookie of the year.
The Islanders also have a talented young forward in Frans Nielsen who may get a nomination for the Selke Trophy as the premier defensive forward in the NHL.
Both nominations are very well deserved to be sure.
This should be great news right?
The New York sports writers have voted to abstain 17-3 from voting for this years NHL awards.
They are doing this in protest of Chris Botta being excd from the Islanders for what was perceived as stepping over the line in some capacity.
I am not going to sit here and take sides on that dispute. Whats done is done and there is nothing that can be done about it and quite frankly it doesn't matter what I think.
What matters is now the sports writers in their infinite wisdom have decided to punish Michael Grabner and Frans Nielsen.
I have one question. Why?
Why punish innocents? What stand do you think you are making against the Islanders by doing this?
The Islanders are not going to restore Botta's press credentials because of this ridiculous "stand" by the writers.
Why in the name of King Clancy would the writers punish two players that deserve every accolade they have coming to them, in effect taking away 20 votes that should go their way come ballot box time?
It makes absolutely no sense in the slightest and will turn the Islanders ire towards the writers who cover the team.
I have respect for Botta and he is a talented writer. The Islanders chose to revoke his press credential and what exactly went down has absolutely nothing to do with the players.
The New York sports writers should absolutely one hundred percent reverse this pointless, ridiculous stand they have made against the young players of the Islanders.
No matter what they think they are absolutely in the wrong here and should do what is right and cast their votes for the players they believe deserve the awards they are nominated for whoever they are.
This decision is akin to not voting for president because you don't like the fact that the government has thrown a writer out of the White House.
It is stupid, pointless and childish.
Let the New York sports writers know that what they are doing is wrong and misguided any way you can and get Grabner and Nielsen get the votes they are entitled to.
The Islanders also have a talented young forward in Frans Nielsen who may get a nomination for the Selke Trophy as the premier defensive forward in the NHL.
Both nominations are very well deserved to be sure.
This should be great news right?
The New York sports writers have voted to abstain 17-3 from voting for this years NHL awards.
They are doing this in protest of Chris Botta being excd from the Islanders for what was perceived as stepping over the line in some capacity.
I am not going to sit here and take sides on that dispute. Whats done is done and there is nothing that can be done about it and quite frankly it doesn't matter what I think.
What matters is now the sports writers in their infinite wisdom have decided to punish Michael Grabner and Frans Nielsen.
I have one question. Why?
Why punish innocents? What stand do you think you are making against the Islanders by doing this?
The Islanders are not going to restore Botta's press credentials because of this ridiculous "stand" by the writers.
Why in the name of King Clancy would the writers punish two players that deserve every accolade they have coming to them, in effect taking away 20 votes that should go their way come ballot box time?
It makes absolutely no sense in the slightest and will turn the Islanders ire towards the writers who cover the team.
I have respect for Botta and he is a talented writer. The Islanders chose to revoke his press credential and what exactly went down has absolutely nothing to do with the players.
The New York sports writers should absolutely one hundred percent reverse this pointless, ridiculous stand they have made against the young players of the Islanders.
No matter what they think they are absolutely in the wrong here and should do what is right and cast their votes for the players they believe deserve the awards they are nominated for whoever they are.
This decision is akin to not voting for president because you don't like the fact that the government has thrown a writer out of the White House.
It is stupid, pointless and childish.
Let the New York sports writers know that what they are doing is wrong and misguided any way you can and get Grabner and Nielsen get the votes they are entitled to.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
New York Islanders: State of the Franchise
The Islanders are winding down another NHL season without the playoffs.
Now that we got that fact out of the way lets talk about what is important moving forward.
For the first time in an awfully long time the core of the Islanders on ice product is stable, young and talented.
With the signing of Al Montoya the Islanders team for the 2011-12 season is pretty much set. All would be unrestricted free agents with the exception of Radek Martinek and Zenon Konopka have been resigned to the team.
That does not mean that pending restricted free agents Michael Grabner, Kyle Okposo, Blake Comeau and Josh Bailey won't pose a problem to resign but all indications point to all players with the exception of Martinek back on the Island next season.
Ty Wishart and Jack Hillen are also restricted free agents but they should not pose a problem to resign.
Doug Weight will also probably not be back as he is leaning towards retirement after suffering through another injury riddled season.
The Islanders rewarded, and rightfully so Al Montoya with his first 1 way contract of his career ensuring he will be on the Island at least through the 2012 season.
The main concern to the Islanders next season will be health. Leading the NHL in man games lost to injury again this season with a mind boggling 550+ will add feul to that concern.
What can the team do to stay healthy?
Unfortunately there is nothing anyone can consciously do to stop from getting hurt. It is simply part of the game. Players will get hurt. That is an undeniable fact but the goal should be to lose as little man games as possible.
The string of injuries that the team endured this season most assuredly torpedoed this entire season and no matter how much the team has improved injuries can always kill your chances of a successful season.
That being said there is something brewing on Long Island that has a chance to be truly special.
Garth Snow should be commended for his amazing acquisitions of Michael Grabner, Matt Moulson and Al Montoya. What did Snow see in these guys that no one else did?
Whatever the answer may be no one is making fun of Garth Snow's management skills any more.
If the Islanders can take that next step, and the stars seem to be aligning for the team making a major splash in 2011-2012 then Snow should be given just as much credit for it that he received negative press for his hiring by Charles Wang in the first place.
Everyone made fun of the move. News reporters, TSN, ESPN, print media, The Hockey News, you name it no one gave Snow a chance and laughed at it.
No one is laughing any more. The Islanders are coming back and Snow is a major reason why.
Another large piece of open business is the coaching position. Snow has stated that he will not discuss it until the season is over.
Has Jack Capuano earned the full time coaching gig?
All signed would point to yes. If the team is going to commit to him they will need to get him signed right away to show the players that the guy that seemingly helped turn the season from an outright disaster to a return to respectability will be rewarded for his work, just like Montoya, Parenteau and Jurcina were.
Get Cappy and under contract. He has proven his worth and deserves to have the interim tag dropped.
One final note - Get Zenon Konopka a contract. He is the kind of guy that instills confidence and has given the Islanders the kind of attitude they have needed for so long.
Zenon has become the voice of the Islander players and instills pride in wearing the Islander jersey in the younger players around him.
Please post your thoughts below
Now that we got that fact out of the way lets talk about what is important moving forward.
For the first time in an awfully long time the core of the Islanders on ice product is stable, young and talented.
With the signing of Al Montoya the Islanders team for the 2011-12 season is pretty much set. All would be unrestricted free agents with the exception of Radek Martinek and Zenon Konopka have been resigned to the team.
That does not mean that pending restricted free agents Michael Grabner, Kyle Okposo, Blake Comeau and Josh Bailey won't pose a problem to resign but all indications point to all players with the exception of Martinek back on the Island next season.
Ty Wishart and Jack Hillen are also restricted free agents but they should not pose a problem to resign.
Doug Weight will also probably not be back as he is leaning towards retirement after suffering through another injury riddled season.
The Islanders rewarded, and rightfully so Al Montoya with his first 1 way contract of his career ensuring he will be on the Island at least through the 2012 season.
The main concern to the Islanders next season will be health. Leading the NHL in man games lost to injury again this season with a mind boggling 550+ will add feul to that concern.
What can the team do to stay healthy?
Unfortunately there is nothing anyone can consciously do to stop from getting hurt. It is simply part of the game. Players will get hurt. That is an undeniable fact but the goal should be to lose as little man games as possible.
The string of injuries that the team endured this season most assuredly torpedoed this entire season and no matter how much the team has improved injuries can always kill your chances of a successful season.
That being said there is something brewing on Long Island that has a chance to be truly special.
Garth Snow should be commended for his amazing acquisitions of Michael Grabner, Matt Moulson and Al Montoya. What did Snow see in these guys that no one else did?
Whatever the answer may be no one is making fun of Garth Snow's management skills any more.
If the Islanders can take that next step, and the stars seem to be aligning for the team making a major splash in 2011-2012 then Snow should be given just as much credit for it that he received negative press for his hiring by Charles Wang in the first place.
Everyone made fun of the move. News reporters, TSN, ESPN, print media, The Hockey News, you name it no one gave Snow a chance and laughed at it.
No one is laughing any more. The Islanders are coming back and Snow is a major reason why.
Another large piece of open business is the coaching position. Snow has stated that he will not discuss it until the season is over.
Has Jack Capuano earned the full time coaching gig?
All signed would point to yes. If the team is going to commit to him they will need to get him signed right away to show the players that the guy that seemingly helped turn the season from an outright disaster to a return to respectability will be rewarded for his work, just like Montoya, Parenteau and Jurcina were.
Get Cappy and under contract. He has proven his worth and deserves to have the interim tag dropped.
One final note - Get Zenon Konopka a contract. He is the kind of guy that instills confidence and has given the Islanders the kind of attitude they have needed for so long.
Zenon has become the voice of the Islander players and instills pride in wearing the Islander jersey in the younger players around him.
Please post your thoughts below
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