Momentary diversion while we await the start of the NLCS. Time for the Isles Season Preview. Yes, it is a week late, but then again, the Isles have forgotten the season started as well, so no big deal.
After an offseason of turmoil, two General Managers, the hiring and resignation of Pat LaFontaine, numerous free agent signings (some of which were good, others, not so much) and the record 15 year deal given to Rick Dipietro, the Isles began play last week. Looked just like the start of last year. Let's take a look at each group, shall we:
Goaltending:
Above any other position, this is the one that will determine how high or low this team will go. On the heels of an Olympics starting appearance, and a good 2nd half of last season, Rick DiPietro signed a 15 year $67.5 million contract, making him goalie for life. As we all know, Rick was the #1 overall pick a few years back, replacing Roberto Luongo (who is now on his second team since the trade to the Panthers). Is Rick an elite goalie right now, no. Is he good with the potential to be great, yes. He has the skills, and when he is on, can take over a game, as he did many times in the second half. He outplayed Martin Brodeur several times last year. The problem with Rick is that he is up and down. He claimed at one point last year he loses focus when he plays too many games in a row. Rick, you are the man now, no more excuses, you will be playing 70 games. Time to step up and show Wang that he was right to have faith in you.
Rick is backed up by Mike Dunham. Nothing special there, he will only need to start a handful of times, and come in for Ricky during blowouts.
Defense:
The Isles have for years had highly rated defensemen come in and proceed to fail to live up to expectations. A few years back, the defense boasted Kenny Jonnson, Adrian Aucoin, Roman Hamrlik among others, and we all felt this was a great group. The problem was that while they were all good, they all played the same game, and there were no hitters in the bunch. All are now gone. Last year Milbury brought in Brent Sopel and Brad Lukowick who both were traded before the end of the season.
This season, Alexei Zhitnik returns, along with Chris Campoli, Joel Bouchard and Radek Martinek. Bruno Gervais is on the team while Campoli nurses an injury. Added to the group were Sean Hill, Tom Poti (?) and Brendan Witt. Witt is a hitter, so this was a good add. Hill has not looked good so far. Poti is awful. I hated this signing when it was announced, and I still hate it.
So the defense no longer boasts big names. They need to keep the pressure off of Rick. Right now, I am not confident they can do so. Hill and Poti are frankly not very good, Campoli is young, as is Gervais. Martinek is OK at best.
It could be a long season for Rick if this group does not gel quickly.
Offense:
Yashin is still here. He is the guy being counted on to carry this team. To date, he has not shown the ability to make those around him better. When you are paid $7 million a year, you better be able to do that if you are not putting 100 points up on the board a season. This is (hopefully) his last chance. If he fails again, he better be bought out.
Returnees include Trent Hunter (who had a poor sophomore season), Mike York (better 2nd half than 1st), Blake and Bates (both of whom are overhyped), and Satan, who hopefully called his namesake to cut a deal to get this team to improve.
Newcomers include Andy Hilbert, and Richard Park (WTF?), Mike Sillinger (on his 12th team for pete's sake), Victor Kozlov (this years Oleg Kvasha, lots of talent, never lived up to it) Chris Simon (I thought he had retired) and Jeff Tambellini (son of Steve). Tambellini had a nice camp, hopefully he can live up to his first round draft status. Oh, and Aaron Asham is back, whoopee.
Management:
Ted Nolan is back in the NHL. A lot was said about how he will be good for this team, as the new NHL is an attacking style. Also, Ted is a disciplinarian. Well, game 1 saw 12 penalties and poor play. Not a good start. I do like the hire though, and expect to see improvement.
Garth Snow is the GM. Very few of the players were brought in by him, so a grade on him will be reserved until his first trade and after next offseason.
Wang is a meshuganah. I love the fact that he bought the team and kept it here and is trying to redo the Coliseum, but he still allows Milbury to hang around. And Yahsin. Need to see some improvement here.
Expectations:
Well, pretty much every publication has the Isles in last place this year. This is either going to be excellent Bulletin Board material (Could you see them with a cut out of Larry Brooks ala Major League), or a prediction out of Nostradamus.
Sadly, I do not see this team in the playoffs. I think the defense is poor, leading to a shelled Rick. The offense will struggle to score (Jason Blake shoots way too much and misses the net more than Reijo Ruotsalainen) again. All this adds up to a last place Atlantic finish, and 13th in the conference (Atlanta and Toronto behind them) I fear. If Rick is able to morph into the best goalie in the NHL, then they might have a shot. I just don't think that is going to happen yet.
Tomorrow - Metsies Metsies Metsies.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
Ed, Ed, Ed!
I was gonna forgo trash talk. But then you dissed my boy, Reijo.
So, in light of our shared interest in the goings on (going ons?) in Queens, I'll talk no trash.
I will, however, tell a story. Of a night I spent at MSG. In 1984. The Rangers were en route to a dismal, 60-something point total, and the Isles were seemingly ready to re-create the magic stolen from them by the Oilers the previous spring. LaFontaine. Flatley. Brent Sutter hitting his prime. Rollie the Goalie looking to take Smitty's torch. Bossy back from an injury-marred '83-'84 season (in which he still managed to score 50 goals. My god, is he underrated by history).
So. A Friday night in early winter as I, a high school acquaintance, and his dad settled into his father's law firm's awesome red seats . . .
. . . and watched the Isles go up 4-0 in the 1st period. A couple little kids wearing Isles jerseys start dancing around, pointing at Ranger fans (smart kids those, huh?).
And slowly, the Rangers start coming back before finally tying the game up at 4 late in the third period . . . most appropriately, on a goal by Don Maloney.
The Garden went nuts, the kids shut up & sat down, Rollie looked shaken, and we went to the 5 minute OT. And unlike the previous time that Donny tied it up late off the Isles, Morrow didn't score on a cheesy slapshot from the point.
Instead, Reijo Routselainen, showing the blazing speed he always has, broke in alone on Melonsen, who never had a chance. Reijo deeked, Rollie went down, and the Garden went absolutely nuts. The crowd chanted, "Reijo, Reijo, Reijo" as we exited the arena. The kids saw abuse heaped upon their heads, but being MSG and not the Coliseum, nothing was actually thrown.
With the notable exception of a couple key games in the spring of '94, I never heard the Garden that loud. It was a truly amazing night, which is why I remember it clearly 22 years later.
You mean Rexi actually got a shot on net? I think that was actually the reason he scored, Rollie probably felt the shot was going into the seats as per usual. Or he was so stunned that it was on net, he did not know how to react.
It's funny, a college buddy who I have sadly lost touch with used to joke about Reijo frequently. I think he would have liked this post solely for Reijo being mentioned.
You are correct on Bossy. The man was a machine. If not for his back, he may have broken Howe's record. And then it would have been his record Gretzky broke. To think of all those teams who passed him over for being too soft.
I cannot wait until tomorrow night.
denizen - thanks for the kind words.
Yes, it got a little out of hand over there. I tried to be a voice of reason, but even I have my limits. I just don't like ignorance.
Victor saw you over at a Cardinals blog. I'm just trying to see if anyone mentioned me as being a possible 4th starter for the Mets. You fought the good fight over there. Well done.
Thanks Victor. Alas, we heard your bionic arm was having software issues, so you were not considered for the #4 spot.
Post a Comment