Season 2 of the Ted Nolan regime begins this evening with a game versus the team that eliminated the Isles from the playoffs last year, the Buffalo Sabres in Buffalo (part of a home and home with the Isles opener Saturday). So, what can we expect from Ted's boys this year?
Last year the Islanders had the element of surprise in their favor. Nobody (even I) expected much. All the experts picked them to finish last. And why not? Nolan hadn't coached in the NHL in years. There was turmoil in the front office. Yashin was still here, there was youth on defense, questions about DiPietro, and little scoring. Somehow, mostly through hard work most nights, the Isles made the playoffs as the 8th seed. Scoring came from Blake (gone now) Yashin early in the season, Sillinger proved to be a wise pickup as he chipped in. The team actually had 5 players score 20 goals, and Yashin had 18 while missing 24 games. The defense proved capable. DiPietro played very well, finishing in the top 10 in GAA and SV%. They actually were contending for a higher seed until DiPietro suffered a concussion, leaving the final games in the hands of Wade Dubielewicz (and if you think I typed that from memory, you are wrong), who played very well the last week, allowing the team to sneak in.
However, this offseason saw more change. Blake, Tom Poti, Sean Hill, Ryan Smyth (mid-season acquisition), and Voctor Kozlov all left for greener pastures. Yashin was bought out. All told, nearly 100 goals were removed from the offense. The defense was hurt by the loss of Poti, who did quite well, surprising me and others. The big question as we enter the season is who is going to score?
Give Garth Snow credit. He tried to go after some of the big names, but many signed ridiculous contracts elsewhere. Instead, he went more towards youth with a chance to blossom and dependable veterans. Let's take a look at who was added:
Bill Guerin - Named the Captain of the team. This is a smart move as Bill is widely respected. He scored 36 goals for San Jose and St. Louis last year. He was quiet in the playoffs however. Is he going to replace Blakes 40? Nope. But he will replace Yashin's output, and bring a better leader to the ice. No nights off from Billy.
Mike Comrie - Center for the #1 line. 27 years old. Garth got him cheap, and he was a kind of package with Guerin. 20 goals last year. There are some questions about whether he is a top #1 center. You know what, I don't care. He is the #1 here, and I think in the right system, he can thrive. He's on a 1 year deal, so he has a lot to play for.
Ruslan Fedotenko - LW for #1 line. Signed away from Tampa Bay. Scored 26 goals two years ago, only 12 last year. Good skater, should mesh well with Comrie and Guerin.
Josef Vasicek - Center. Wild Card. Scored 19 goals in 2004 in 82 games, but played only 23 and 25 the last two years for the Hurricanes (he also played 38 for the Predators last year). Talent is there. If he lives up to it, this could be a very wise signing by Snow. If not, well, he could be Oleg Kvasha. Let's hope not.
Andy Sutton - Defense. Replaces Sean Hill, who took his steroids and went to Minnesota. Tough player. Not a points guy, a stay at home crease clearer, which is vital if the Isles are to keep DiPietro from getting hit by punks like Sean Avery.
Also added to the mix for this year are Jon Sim (last seen in Atlanta), as well as Sean Bergenheim, who will get his shot in the NHL after missing last year in a stupid holdout. Bryan Berard may also be signed to help on the power play.
Overall, the defense is not going to be all that much better than last year, though Sutton will be an upgrade over Hill, and having Bergeron around for the whole year should help on the power play. They need Gervais and Campoli to continue to improve, both are still young and have good potential. Hopefully this is the year Radek Martinek can be healthy for the entire season. He has a lot of talent and could blossom.
Offense is going to be tough. There are no big scorers. This team is going to have to capitalize on mistakes by other teams and take advantage of the power play. Special teams hurt them last year, as the Power Play was poor and the penalty killing was abysmal. Improvement on both is key. Trent Hunter needs to get back to his form of 2 years ago. Hopefully he can. The guy is a prototypical power forward and has a good shot. How he works with Vasicek is key. Berard could help the PP, as teams would not be able to key on Bergeron, who has a hellaciously hard shot.
The key of course on the ice is DiPietro. If healthy, he can be a top 5 goalie. So long as the defense can keep the crease clear, he should stay healthy. He had minor surgery on his hip in the offseason, and has looked good. Dubie won't play more than 15 games, tops. He needs to keep the team in those games. Rick needs to work on his risk taking. He needs to pick his spots to roam better. He is like another defenseman, so long as he is smart about it.
The key overall though is Nolan. Can he get this group to gel? There are a lot of new faces. The loss of Yashin and Blake is seen as addition by subtraction in terms of the team ethic, but they did lose a lot of offense when they left. I am not going to cry over the loss of Smyth, he wasn't here long, and the guys given up are not top flight prosepcts. Guerin will make an excellent Captain, and will make sure the youngsters show up to play every night. Those few youngsters there are of course. Nolan can be a little Willie Randolph-ish when it comes to using Proven Veterans © (thanks Metsgeek Geeks). Jeff Tambellini should be on this team over Andy Hilbert. I think we will see Jeff here soon. Campoli and Gervais will see reduced time in favor of Witt and Sutton. He relies on his vets. Hopefully they are up to the task, and hopefully the youngsters take advantage of the opportunities they get and force him to play them more.
So, what does my crystal ball say? Nothing, I threw it away after it failed me with the Mets.
What does my gut tell me? This team will fight to the end and barely miss the playoffs.
One last thing. I am very disappointed to see Chris Simon back. His actions last year were despicable. He needs to make sure he does nothing stupid this year. I will support the team, as I am a fan, but I wish he was not here.
Showing posts with label Islanders. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Islanders. Show all posts
Friday, October 05, 2007
Friday, July 06, 2007
A Good Day All Around
I am happy this morning, as I expect most Mets and Islander fans are.
First the Mets. For once, a complete team game. Willie had a pre-game meeting prior to taking on the Astros. The boys responded with a 6-2 win. John Maine gave an FU to those who did not vote for him by going 7 + and allowing 2 runs (thanks in part to Joe Smith.) Maine struck out the side in the first inning after the Mets put 2 on the board, and finished with 9 K's. Smith Pedro Dos and Wagner finished it up.
The bats were nice. Jose Jose Jose led off with a triple and scored on a single by # 2 hitter Ricky Ledee (!?!?). Ledee then scored on a 2-out single by Carlos Delgado (4-4 with a walk, now 13-31 of late). The Mets scored 4 of their runs with 2 outs, a nice change of pace from the anemic RISP hitting of, oh, pretty much the entire damn season. Carlos Beltran added a late solo home run in the 9th to provide the final margin.
Before the game PLD dropped his appeal and sat out last night and will sit tonight as well. Ramon Castro did well in his place with 3 hits and 2 RBI's. As for why Ricky Ledee was playing, much less batting second, well, the missing PLD is part of the #2 spot, and the other reason is that Carlos Gomez went on the DL with a broken hamate bone in his hand which was removed during surgery yesterday. Gomez will be out 6-8 weeks. Lastings Milledge, see you after the ASB. The hamate bone is useless, so the removal should not impact him. How do I know this you may ask? Well, Ed knows a lot of useless crap.
*************************************
My happiness was completed when the Islanders announced 2 signings yesterday. First, Bill Guerin was signed for 2 years. Now, the money may be a tad high, but who hasn't signed a player for mad cash this offseason (I'm looking at you woodman, sweetlew and other Ranger fans). Guerin is 36, but scored that many goals last year. He is a legitimate #1 wing, plus he brings veteran presence to the locker room. I see him wearing at least an "A", if not the "C".
The other signing was 26 yr old Mike Comrie, who has bounced around a bit but has legitimate #1 talent. Only a 1 yr deal, so this is a test of the youngster. If he starts out hot, I would hope Garth is able to lock him up, since there are no #1 centers in the system right now.
Does this guarantee a playoff spot? No, of course not. But it does show players will sign here. A veteran like Guerin can only help in that regard. Newsday reported Bill and Mike talked about joining the Isles as they negotiated with Garth. They knew each other from their Edmonton Oiler days. Nice little package deal. Good job Garth. Now, about that defense...
First the Mets. For once, a complete team game. Willie had a pre-game meeting prior to taking on the Astros. The boys responded with a 6-2 win. John Maine gave an FU to those who did not vote for him by going 7 + and allowing 2 runs (thanks in part to Joe Smith.) Maine struck out the side in the first inning after the Mets put 2 on the board, and finished with 9 K's. Smith Pedro Dos and Wagner finished it up.
The bats were nice. Jose Jose Jose led off with a triple and scored on a single by # 2 hitter Ricky Ledee (!?!?). Ledee then scored on a 2-out single by Carlos Delgado (4-4 with a walk, now 13-31 of late). The Mets scored 4 of their runs with 2 outs, a nice change of pace from the anemic RISP hitting of, oh, pretty much the entire damn season. Carlos Beltran added a late solo home run in the 9th to provide the final margin.
Before the game PLD dropped his appeal and sat out last night and will sit tonight as well. Ramon Castro did well in his place with 3 hits and 2 RBI's. As for why Ricky Ledee was playing, much less batting second, well, the missing PLD is part of the #2 spot, and the other reason is that Carlos Gomez went on the DL with a broken hamate bone in his hand which was removed during surgery yesterday. Gomez will be out 6-8 weeks. Lastings Milledge, see you after the ASB. The hamate bone is useless, so the removal should not impact him. How do I know this you may ask? Well, Ed knows a lot of useless crap.
*************************************
My happiness was completed when the Islanders announced 2 signings yesterday. First, Bill Guerin was signed for 2 years. Now, the money may be a tad high, but who hasn't signed a player for mad cash this offseason (I'm looking at you woodman, sweetlew and other Ranger fans). Guerin is 36, but scored that many goals last year. He is a legitimate #1 wing, plus he brings veteran presence to the locker room. I see him wearing at least an "A", if not the "C".
The other signing was 26 yr old Mike Comrie, who has bounced around a bit but has legitimate #1 talent. Only a 1 yr deal, so this is a test of the youngster. If he starts out hot, I would hope Garth is able to lock him up, since there are no #1 centers in the system right now.
Does this guarantee a playoff spot? No, of course not. But it does show players will sign here. A veteran like Guerin can only help in that regard. Newsday reported Bill and Mike talked about joining the Isles as they negotiated with Garth. They knew each other from their Edmonton Oiler days. Nice little package deal. Good job Garth. Now, about that defense...
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Calling All Scorers
Well, Saturday night was a nice win for the Islanders. Ricky DiPietro returned, and while Sabres fans were licking their chops over the prospect of their high powered offense facing a twice concussed rusty goalie, they were licking their wounds after he turned in a fantastic performance. Hopes were high coming into last night, as the Isles would be home in front of a boisterous crowd and ready to take another from the heavily favored Sabres. Alas, it was not meant to be. For reasons within and out of the Isles control.
From a within standpoint, they did not pressure the Sabres enough in the 3rd period. Two shots? Two lousy shots? Guys, there is no shootout in the playoffs, it is sudden death OT. You do not want to play OT with the Sabres. You need to generate more chances than that. Ryan Smyth showed up. Sillinger did, Hunter did, Hilbert did. But, in a replay of season's past, where the hell was our Captain, Alexei Yashin? The same tired story where he does nothing come playoff time. My patience is done. If he fails to show up the rest of this series, then Wang must cut his ass. Yes, he will cost $2.2 million against the cap of 8 years, but that is a hell of a lot better than $7.6 over 4. Cut his ass and be done with it. And Mr. Satan and Mr. Kozlov, where the hell are you? The defense played well, jumping into the play on offense. Ricky showed up as well, playing well again. Too many penalties again doomed the Isles, that and a lack of shots at Miller, who was not all that sharp on the two goals he gave up.
Which brings me to the things the Isles can't control, the refs. Calling two minors, one of the 4 minute variety at the same time? Calling a phantom penalty with under 2 minutes left? Calling that a GOAL? Hey Colin (Magoo) Campbell, thanks for the screwing, again. There wasn't a single replay that we saw that showed that puck over the line. What the hell replay were the officials in Toronto looking at. The only thing the Isles can do is to make sure they do not take stupid penalties or give the refs an excuse.
Now, a couple of things about the fans. The Coliseum is a great place in the playoffs, the fans are fired up, and look to give an edge to the hometown team. But who was the asshole who chanted "Rangers Suck" during the moment of silence for the victims of the shooting at Virginia Tech last night? I only hope his friends told him to STFU. That made Islander fans look bad. And it got worse late in the game after the last penalty called on Robataille, as fans littered the ice with garbage. What does that accomplish? All it does is stop the game, put people at risk of injury (in the stands and on the ice) and make Islander fans look like cretins. Yes, I was pissed as well, but boo, or start a chant, don't throw shit on the ice. It happened again at the end of the game. Billy Jaffe was right, there is no call for that. I hope the fans who attend on Wednesday are better behaved. Support your team, don't be an ass.
Can they still win, sure. It is not going to be easy. They had a shot last night, and if they can mount more consistent pressure on the Sabres they can take the next game. Then it becomes a best of 3. They have thrived with their backs to the wall the last couple of weeks. Now, if Yashin, Kozlov and Satan can remember that they are supposed to shoot and score, it will be a lot easier.
LETS GO ISLANDERS!
LETS GO ISLANDERS!
From a within standpoint, they did not pressure the Sabres enough in the 3rd period. Two shots? Two lousy shots? Guys, there is no shootout in the playoffs, it is sudden death OT. You do not want to play OT with the Sabres. You need to generate more chances than that. Ryan Smyth showed up. Sillinger did, Hunter did, Hilbert did. But, in a replay of season's past, where the hell was our Captain, Alexei Yashin? The same tired story where he does nothing come playoff time. My patience is done. If he fails to show up the rest of this series, then Wang must cut his ass. Yes, he will cost $2.2 million against the cap of 8 years, but that is a hell of a lot better than $7.6 over 4. Cut his ass and be done with it. And Mr. Satan and Mr. Kozlov, where the hell are you? The defense played well, jumping into the play on offense. Ricky showed up as well, playing well again. Too many penalties again doomed the Isles, that and a lack of shots at Miller, who was not all that sharp on the two goals he gave up.
Which brings me to the things the Isles can't control, the refs. Calling two minors, one of the 4 minute variety at the same time? Calling a phantom penalty with under 2 minutes left? Calling that a GOAL? Hey Colin (Magoo) Campbell, thanks for the screwing, again. There wasn't a single replay that we saw that showed that puck over the line. What the hell replay were the officials in Toronto looking at. The only thing the Isles can do is to make sure they do not take stupid penalties or give the refs an excuse.
Now, a couple of things about the fans. The Coliseum is a great place in the playoffs, the fans are fired up, and look to give an edge to the hometown team. But who was the asshole who chanted "Rangers Suck" during the moment of silence for the victims of the shooting at Virginia Tech last night? I only hope his friends told him to STFU. That made Islander fans look bad. And it got worse late in the game after the last penalty called on Robataille, as fans littered the ice with garbage. What does that accomplish? All it does is stop the game, put people at risk of injury (in the stands and on the ice) and make Islander fans look like cretins. Yes, I was pissed as well, but boo, or start a chant, don't throw shit on the ice. It happened again at the end of the game. Billy Jaffe was right, there is no call for that. I hope the fans who attend on Wednesday are better behaved. Support your team, don't be an ass.
Can they still win, sure. It is not going to be easy. They had a shot last night, and if they can mount more consistent pressure on the Sabres they can take the next game. Then it becomes a best of 3. They have thrived with their backs to the wall the last couple of weeks. Now, if Yashin, Kozlov and Satan can remember that they are supposed to shoot and score, it will be a lot easier.
LETS GO ISLANDERS!
LETS GO ISLANDERS!
Thursday, April 12, 2007
One Last Thing Before Tonights Game
LETS GO ISLANDERS!
LETS GO ISLANDERS!
LETS GO ISLANDERS!
LETS GO ISLANDERS!
LETS GO ISLANDERS!
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Isles Recap and Playoff Preview
We interrupt the giddiness over the Mets to discuss the Islanders today. Yes Ded, it is only week 1 for the Mets, but my main focus is the Mets once baseball rolls around. For today, I will push them aside (it is an off day after all), and discuss the job Ted Nolan has done with the Islanders.
It started the end of last season. Steve (notso) Stirling was fired towards the end, and Brad Shaw came in. Brad did an OK job, but the team needed a taskmaster, someone who would hold guys feet to the fire (paging Mr.Alt Yashin). Someone who had NHL Head Coaching experience. Mike Milbury had been pushed aside as well, so a GM was needed. One who would not trade away promising young talent or picks. One who could not only draft well (say this for Mad Mike, he could draft em. Couldn't keep em, but could draft 'em), but sign good FA or make good trades. The season ended without a playoff birth, and the offseason began.
Charles Wang proceeded to hire Neil Smith as GM and Ted Nolan as coach. This after numerous stories that Duane Sutter or Steve Tambellini would come home. Nolan had been out of the NHL for 10 years, after leaving Buffalo under questionable circumstances. Smith had been out for several years after basically destroying the Rangers. Nolan I was OK with. Smith, given his blueshirt background and awful history, not so much. Wang also lured Bryan Trottier as an advisor and Pat LaFontaine to a similar role. Fans were happy, and we thought things were looking up. Forty days later, it blew up.
Smith was out, after a falling out with Wang. Wang wanted to run everything through a committee, and Smith did not like this. Or maybe he didn't like the idea of signing a goalie to a 15 year contract. Either way, he was out, and Garth Snow!, the backup goalie the prior season was named GM. Patty L left as well, and the Isles were a laughingstock. A few guys were signed, Witt, Hill, Hilbert, Kozlov, Dunham. But the hopes for cutting of Yashin did not happen, though the hiring of Nolan seemed to be a good sign in Yashin's regard. Perhaps Nolan could get him going.
Entering the season, pretty much every pundit had the Islanders missing the playoffs, and being the worst team in the NHL. I have to admit, things did not look good, but I felt they would compete for the playoffs. Things got off to a slow start, as the boys lost their first 3 games on a swing out west, and DP looked bad. It turned out he was playing with a mild groin injury. Once healed, he returned to play very well. They finished October 5-6. But Yashin was playing well, and soon to be Free Agent Jason Blake was on fire.
They went 7-6 in November, and 7-6 in December, despite Yashin missing time with a knee injury. Still, they were in first place for a few days, and people were starting to notice the job Nolan was doing. Guys played hard every night. Very few blowouts. They won 3 against the hated Rangers. The guys were buying into his methods. There were flaws, and a lot of penalties, but they were right there with the rest of the division.
January was awful. A 4-9 record. But overall they were 23-21-6, a far cry from 30th overall. February was fantastic. They went 9-4, finishing the month at 32-23-8. DP was on fire, and people were mentioning him as a main reason for the improvement. Nolan was getting well deserved recognition as a Jack Adams candidate. Yes, the Penguins were doing extremely well, but look at the talent they had compared to the Islanders. Crobsy, Malkin, Staal, jeez, that team is stacked. The Isles, not so much. Then, Snow pulled off a couple of deals, adding defenseman Marc Andre Bergeron from Edmonton to man the point on the Power Play, and then dipping back into the Oilers well to get Ryan Smyth for two prospects and a first round pick this year. Smyth brings grit and a nose around the net. Things were looking up.
Then the roof started to cave in. Chris Simon despicably whacked Ryan Hollweg in the face with his stick. He wound up being suspended for the rest of the season, 25 games minimum. And the Isles lost back to back games to the Rangers, 2-1 each time, despite DP playing a fantastic game in the first of the two losses with 56 saves. Two games later, DP would suffer a concussion as he took a knee to the head. Mike Dunham, who had not played in weeks came in, and the rust showed, as the Isles lost 3 in a row. DP would return for a couple of games, including wins over the Penguins and Flyers, but would take another blow to the head in a game against the Rangers, and was out again. Dunham lost the next two, and was replaced by AHL goalie Wade (Yoda) Dubielewicz. Dubie lost his first start, but then, with the Isles facing a one loss and go home scenario, won 4 straight. Help from the Rangers (who beat Montreal) and the Leafs (who were awful against the Isles on game, then game back to defeat the Habs this past Saturday) the Isles were able to take the last playoff spot, beating the Devils 2-1 in a SO on Sunday.
Nolan deserves the credit. He used guys wisely. When Yashin was not playing well, he put him on IR to heal his knee. When he came back and was playing poorly, he demoted him to the 4th line, something that Stirling never did, not Shaw. He stuck with DP. He made the guys believe. And he made the fans believe.
Now, the playoffs. They start Thursday against the top team in the NHL, the Buffalo Sabres. It looks like Dubie will play at least game 1, as DP is not yet cleared. What is going to happen?
On paper, it is a mismatch. The Sabres had 113 points and scored 308 goals, giving up 242. They had 6 guys score more than 20 goals, and 4 more than 30. The PP was 17.4% and PK was 81.3%. Miller is the goalie who many thought should have been the Team USA goalie over DP last Olympics (while forgetting the team scored as often as Jimmy Rollins in a Manhattan bar). They are fast, and built for the new NHL.
The Isles finished with 92 points. They scored 247 goals, and gave up 240. The PP was 18.1%, PK was 81.8%. They had 6 guys score more than 20 goals, and 2 more than 30 (Smyth scored most of his for Edmonton of course). Dubie is small, and this is his first NHL playoff. The team takes an abnormally large number of penalties. They are slow. Blake is the offensive engine, along with Smyth. Yashin historically has bad playoffs. It's no contest, right?
Wrong. Yes, Buffalo won the season series 3-1. Yes, they have more offensive firepower. But you know what? It's a new season. All that stuff is gone. Blake is playing for a contract. Smyth as well. Dubie wants an NHL job. Yashin wants to keep his. And if DP is healthy, you know he wants Miller. And Nolan would love nothing more than to beat the Sabres. This team will play hard, 60 minutes each game. Nolan will have them ready. People wrote them off last week, and look what they did. They rode a guy who has Yoda and the hated "Fisherman" on his mask to 4 straight wins in a do or die situation. This is not going to be the whitewash everyone thinks. Look at the recent past. The Oilers were an 8th place team last year. The Cardinals won 83 games. The Jets were supposed to go 2 and 12. Why not the Islanders? They rode a hot Glenn Healy to the Conference Finals in 1993. Why not ride a hot Dubie to the next round. Call me crazy, or a homer. No problem, you may be right. But I think they can take the Sabres. The Coliseum in the playoffs is unbelievable. The place literally shakes. The fans will be at full throat. They want this. The guys want this.
Islanders in 7.
Let's hear it:
Let's Go Islanders!
*clap clap clap clap clap*
Let's Go Islanders!
It started the end of last season. Steve (notso) Stirling was fired towards the end, and Brad Shaw came in. Brad did an OK job, but the team needed a taskmaster, someone who would hold guys feet to the fire (paging Mr.
Charles Wang proceeded to hire Neil Smith as GM and Ted Nolan as coach. This after numerous stories that Duane Sutter or Steve Tambellini would come home. Nolan had been out of the NHL for 10 years, after leaving Buffalo under questionable circumstances. Smith had been out for several years after basically destroying the Rangers. Nolan I was OK with. Smith, given his blueshirt background and awful history, not so much. Wang also lured Bryan Trottier as an advisor and Pat LaFontaine to a similar role. Fans were happy, and we thought things were looking up. Forty days later, it blew up.
Smith was out, after a falling out with Wang. Wang wanted to run everything through a committee, and Smith did not like this. Or maybe he didn't like the idea of signing a goalie to a 15 year contract. Either way, he was out, and Garth Snow!, the backup goalie the prior season was named GM. Patty L left as well, and the Isles were a laughingstock. A few guys were signed, Witt, Hill, Hilbert, Kozlov, Dunham. But the hopes for cutting of Yashin did not happen, though the hiring of Nolan seemed to be a good sign in Yashin's regard. Perhaps Nolan could get him going.
Entering the season, pretty much every pundit had the Islanders missing the playoffs, and being the worst team in the NHL. I have to admit, things did not look good, but I felt they would compete for the playoffs. Things got off to a slow start, as the boys lost their first 3 games on a swing out west, and DP looked bad. It turned out he was playing with a mild groin injury. Once healed, he returned to play very well. They finished October 5-6. But Yashin was playing well, and soon to be Free Agent Jason Blake was on fire.
They went 7-6 in November, and 7-6 in December, despite Yashin missing time with a knee injury. Still, they were in first place for a few days, and people were starting to notice the job Nolan was doing. Guys played hard every night. Very few blowouts. They won 3 against the hated Rangers. The guys were buying into his methods. There were flaws, and a lot of penalties, but they were right there with the rest of the division.
January was awful. A 4-9 record. But overall they were 23-21-6, a far cry from 30th overall. February was fantastic. They went 9-4, finishing the month at 32-23-8. DP was on fire, and people were mentioning him as a main reason for the improvement. Nolan was getting well deserved recognition as a Jack Adams candidate. Yes, the Penguins were doing extremely well, but look at the talent they had compared to the Islanders. Crobsy, Malkin, Staal, jeez, that team is stacked. The Isles, not so much. Then, Snow pulled off a couple of deals, adding defenseman Marc Andre Bergeron from Edmonton to man the point on the Power Play, and then dipping back into the Oilers well to get Ryan Smyth for two prospects and a first round pick this year. Smyth brings grit and a nose around the net. Things were looking up.
Then the roof started to cave in. Chris Simon despicably whacked Ryan Hollweg in the face with his stick. He wound up being suspended for the rest of the season, 25 games minimum. And the Isles lost back to back games to the Rangers, 2-1 each time, despite DP playing a fantastic game in the first of the two losses with 56 saves. Two games later, DP would suffer a concussion as he took a knee to the head. Mike Dunham, who had not played in weeks came in, and the rust showed, as the Isles lost 3 in a row. DP would return for a couple of games, including wins over the Penguins and Flyers, but would take another blow to the head in a game against the Rangers, and was out again. Dunham lost the next two, and was replaced by AHL goalie Wade (Yoda) Dubielewicz. Dubie lost his first start, but then, with the Isles facing a one loss and go home scenario, won 4 straight. Help from the Rangers (who beat Montreal) and the Leafs (who were awful against the Isles on game, then game back to defeat the Habs this past Saturday) the Isles were able to take the last playoff spot, beating the Devils 2-1 in a SO on Sunday.
Nolan deserves the credit. He used guys wisely. When Yashin was not playing well, he put him on IR to heal his knee. When he came back and was playing poorly, he demoted him to the 4th line, something that Stirling never did, not Shaw. He stuck with DP. He made the guys believe. And he made the fans believe.
Now, the playoffs. They start Thursday against the top team in the NHL, the Buffalo Sabres. It looks like Dubie will play at least game 1, as DP is not yet cleared. What is going to happen?
On paper, it is a mismatch. The Sabres had 113 points and scored 308 goals, giving up 242. They had 6 guys score more than 20 goals, and 4 more than 30. The PP was 17.4% and PK was 81.3%. Miller is the goalie who many thought should have been the Team USA goalie over DP last Olympics (while forgetting the team scored as often as Jimmy Rollins in a Manhattan bar). They are fast, and built for the new NHL.
The Isles finished with 92 points. They scored 247 goals, and gave up 240. The PP was 18.1%, PK was 81.8%. They had 6 guys score more than 20 goals, and 2 more than 30 (Smyth scored most of his for Edmonton of course). Dubie is small, and this is his first NHL playoff. The team takes an abnormally large number of penalties. They are slow. Blake is the offensive engine, along with Smyth. Yashin historically has bad playoffs. It's no contest, right?
Wrong. Yes, Buffalo won the season series 3-1. Yes, they have more offensive firepower. But you know what? It's a new season. All that stuff is gone. Blake is playing for a contract. Smyth as well. Dubie wants an NHL job. Yashin wants to keep his. And if DP is healthy, you know he wants Miller. And Nolan would love nothing more than to beat the Sabres. This team will play hard, 60 minutes each game. Nolan will have them ready. People wrote them off last week, and look what they did. They rode a guy who has Yoda and the hated "Fisherman" on his mask to 4 straight wins in a do or die situation. This is not going to be the whitewash everyone thinks. Look at the recent past. The Oilers were an 8th place team last year. The Cardinals won 83 games. The Jets were supposed to go 2 and 12. Why not the Islanders? They rode a hot Glenn Healy to the Conference Finals in 1993. Why not ride a hot Dubie to the next round. Call me crazy, or a homer. No problem, you may be right. But I think they can take the Sabres. The Coliseum in the playoffs is unbelievable. The place literally shakes. The fans will be at full throat. They want this. The guys want this.
Islanders in 7.
Let's hear it:
Let's Go Islanders!
*clap clap clap clap clap*
Let's Go Islanders!
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Be Verry Verry Quiet, They're Hunting Playoffs...
Maybe I should write another Isles are inconsistent post, since the last time I did so, they started to play better. But no, I'm going to give them credit, well deserved credit.
A team that most figured for dead last in the conference at the beginning of the season, and who I myself was basically leaving for dead a couple of weeks ago, has decided it is time to start playing some good hockey. Since the last game before the break, the Islanders are unbeaten in regulation, going 5-0-3 in that span, with wins over the Thrashers, Sabres and Canadiens during the stretch, along with 2 against the Flyers. The have lost in OT to the Red Wings (after blowing a 3-0 lead), in OT to the Thrashers (after coming back in that game to force OT) and the Capitals (2-1 in a shootout). The gap for the 8th playoff spot is now 2 points, and there are only 5 points between them and 4th place in the conference. So why the turnaround? Yashin is out, they missed Poti (a tremendous surprise, a grudging thanks to Neil Smith) and Gervias (rookie defenseman who has played well) and Radek Martinek (out again, this time a broken leg). All these pieces missing, yet, for the fist time since 2001-2002 under Peter Laviolette (the fantastic 9-0-1-1 start), the Isles have taken at least a point in 8 straight games. How is this happening?
Well, for starters, the other forwards besides Blake are starting to score. Miroslav Satan is shotting and scoring. Kozlov is doing the same. Trent Hunter continues to hit everything on skates, and now is adding the back of the net to the mix. Blake still leads the team with 27 goals, but Satan, Kozlov and Sillinger are close to 20, and Hunter is now at 14. I, along with others, have bemoaned the lack of scoring from the other lines, and now we are getting it.
But goals alone are not going to get the job done. Defense remains key, and they have stepped up there as well. Despite Poti missing 4 games prior to last night, and Gervais a few more, and with Martinek out for 4-6 weeks, the defense has tightened up. Brendan Witt is playing very well. Chris Campoli is reminding us of his strong play from last season. Sean Hill still makes some mistakes, but is steady for the most part. With Poti and Gervais back, lesser guys like Freddy Meyer will see less time. But the key to it all remains Rick DiPietro.
If this team is going to make the playoffs, and do any sort of damage there, Rick needs to continue to show he is one of the top goalies in the league, which is what he needs to be based on his (stupidly long) contract. Last night, shutout #5 for Rick. Yeah, it was the Flyers, but they had been playing well as of late. Rick's numbers aren't in Brodeur territory, but what other 25 year old goalie is in that group? Here are the numbers and rankings:
Wins - 22 (tied 12th))
Losses - 16
GAA - 2.68 (16th)
SV% - .915 (9th)
Shutouts - 5 (4th)
Now, some of those stats are skewed by backup goalies, but in a few of them he is ahead of top goalies like Hasek, Miller, Turco and others. He is the key. A hot goalie, as any hockey fan knows, can make a world of difference. In 1993, the Isles rode Glen Healy to the Conference Finals. How many games did Billy Smith steal? Look at last year with the Hurricanes and Oilers, goaltending made the difference. If this team is going to do anything, Rick is the guy to lead the charge. Yes, they need to score, but a hot goalie can help there, as the other team will break down on defense if they need to jump into the play to try to generate opportunities.
Now, all is not roses. They still take too many penalties, and the special teams are not. There is some dead weight here, like Chris Simon and Shawn Bates. Blake is streaky, and needs to be consistent. And the absence of Yashin is not a good thing over the long term. But on the whole, this team has a chance. There are 28 games left, starting tonight against the Devils. The key is going to be avoiding a multi-game losing streak. A loss here or there is not awful, but they cannot afford a 3 game losing streak, or a lose 4 out of 6. The remaining games are mostly in conference, and with so many teams bunched up, they can't afford missteps. Nolan needs to keep preaching smart hockey, and they need to keep listening. I want to watch playoff hockey on the new LCD TV this year. And I want it to be Islanders playoff hockey.
In other Hockey news, as noted in yesterday's observations, Mark Messier has thrown his bald head into the ring to be the next Rangers GM when Sather retires. I'm sure Don Maloney is happy about that. Most think this is a good idea. These are the same people who laughed when Garth Snow was named Islanders GM with no front office experience. Now, I know, Messier won 6 cups. Tell me something, how does that translate to success wither behind the bench or in the front office? Brian Trottier won 5 Cups, yet he failed as a Head Coach. Wayne Gretzky is not having a great deal of success in Phoenix. Well, I guess Messier does have some experience, since he basically ran the Rangers during his last tour, forcing out players like Petr Nedved. How well did that work out for them? No playoffs during his last go around. Winning as a player does not make you a good coach. As Larry Brooks (who I have no love for) noted yesterday, Messier is not the leader everyone makes him out to be. He is not a mentor to young players, he likes his clique, and that's it. He disdains players who do not play his way, which may not be a bad thing for the most part, but when it forces talented players out of town, it hurts the team. His last go around, he was not the player he once was, but refused to play on a 3rd line, using valuable ice time that could have been given to younger players, allowing them to gain valuable experience. But Messier brought the Cup to MSG, so he could do what he wanted. I for one hope this happens, since it will certainly help drive the Rangers deep into an abyss of losing. And since Jim Dolan is in charge, it will probably happen.
Tomorrow, for the first time since since September 1997, I will grace MSG with my presence, as I attend the Rangers game against the Tamp Bay Lighting. The last time I was there, Pat LaFontaine was making his Rangers debut in the home opener. I of course applauded Patty, remembering the good times from the Islanders days. But you can bet your ass that I will be applauding nobody in a Rangers jersey tomorrow. I'm not sure where the seats are, but given the places I've sat when I've attended other sporting events with the friend who got the tickets, I'm pretty sure they will be quite good. So I'll hit a bar before the game, have a couple, then enter MSG, and hope to see a Lightning win, keeping the Rangers 4 points behind the Isles (at least, depending on tonight's Isles/Devils tilt). Now, the question is, should I wear the Islanders hat or not...
A team that most figured for dead last in the conference at the beginning of the season, and who I myself was basically leaving for dead a couple of weeks ago, has decided it is time to start playing some good hockey. Since the last game before the break, the Islanders are unbeaten in regulation, going 5-0-3 in that span, with wins over the Thrashers, Sabres and Canadiens during the stretch, along with 2 against the Flyers. The have lost in OT to the Red Wings (after blowing a 3-0 lead), in OT to the Thrashers (after coming back in that game to force OT) and the Capitals (2-1 in a shootout). The gap for the 8th playoff spot is now 2 points, and there are only 5 points between them and 4th place in the conference. So why the turnaround? Yashin is out, they missed Poti (a tremendous surprise, a grudging thanks to Neil Smith) and Gervias (rookie defenseman who has played well) and Radek Martinek (out again, this time a broken leg). All these pieces missing, yet, for the fist time since 2001-2002 under Peter Laviolette (the fantastic 9-0-1-1 start), the Isles have taken at least a point in 8 straight games. How is this happening?
Well, for starters, the other forwards besides Blake are starting to score. Miroslav Satan is shotting and scoring. Kozlov is doing the same. Trent Hunter continues to hit everything on skates, and now is adding the back of the net to the mix. Blake still leads the team with 27 goals, but Satan, Kozlov and Sillinger are close to 20, and Hunter is now at 14. I, along with others, have bemoaned the lack of scoring from the other lines, and now we are getting it.
But goals alone are not going to get the job done. Defense remains key, and they have stepped up there as well. Despite Poti missing 4 games prior to last night, and Gervais a few more, and with Martinek out for 4-6 weeks, the defense has tightened up. Brendan Witt is playing very well. Chris Campoli is reminding us of his strong play from last season. Sean Hill still makes some mistakes, but is steady for the most part. With Poti and Gervais back, lesser guys like Freddy Meyer will see less time. But the key to it all remains Rick DiPietro.
If this team is going to make the playoffs, and do any sort of damage there, Rick needs to continue to show he is one of the top goalies in the league, which is what he needs to be based on his (stupidly long) contract. Last night, shutout #5 for Rick. Yeah, it was the Flyers, but they had been playing well as of late. Rick's numbers aren't in Brodeur territory, but what other 25 year old goalie is in that group? Here are the numbers and rankings:
Wins - 22 (tied 12th))
Losses - 16
GAA - 2.68 (16th)
SV% - .915 (9th)
Shutouts - 5 (4th)
Now, some of those stats are skewed by backup goalies, but in a few of them he is ahead of top goalies like Hasek, Miller, Turco and others. He is the key. A hot goalie, as any hockey fan knows, can make a world of difference. In 1993, the Isles rode Glen Healy to the Conference Finals. How many games did Billy Smith steal? Look at last year with the Hurricanes and Oilers, goaltending made the difference. If this team is going to do anything, Rick is the guy to lead the charge. Yes, they need to score, but a hot goalie can help there, as the other team will break down on defense if they need to jump into the play to try to generate opportunities.
Now, all is not roses. They still take too many penalties, and the special teams are not. There is some dead weight here, like Chris Simon and Shawn Bates. Blake is streaky, and needs to be consistent. And the absence of Yashin is not a good thing over the long term. But on the whole, this team has a chance. There are 28 games left, starting tonight against the Devils. The key is going to be avoiding a multi-game losing streak. A loss here or there is not awful, but they cannot afford a 3 game losing streak, or a lose 4 out of 6. The remaining games are mostly in conference, and with so many teams bunched up, they can't afford missteps. Nolan needs to keep preaching smart hockey, and they need to keep listening. I want to watch playoff hockey on the new LCD TV this year. And I want it to be Islanders playoff hockey.
In other Hockey news, as noted in yesterday's observations, Mark Messier has thrown his bald head into the ring to be the next Rangers GM when Sather retires. I'm sure Don Maloney is happy about that. Most think this is a good idea. These are the same people who laughed when Garth Snow was named Islanders GM with no front office experience. Now, I know, Messier won 6 cups. Tell me something, how does that translate to success wither behind the bench or in the front office? Brian Trottier won 5 Cups, yet he failed as a Head Coach. Wayne Gretzky is not having a great deal of success in Phoenix. Well, I guess Messier does have some experience, since he basically ran the Rangers during his last tour, forcing out players like Petr Nedved. How well did that work out for them? No playoffs during his last go around. Winning as a player does not make you a good coach. As Larry Brooks (who I have no love for) noted yesterday, Messier is not the leader everyone makes him out to be. He is not a mentor to young players, he likes his clique, and that's it. He disdains players who do not play his way, which may not be a bad thing for the most part, but when it forces talented players out of town, it hurts the team. His last go around, he was not the player he once was, but refused to play on a 3rd line, using valuable ice time that could have been given to younger players, allowing them to gain valuable experience. But Messier brought the Cup to MSG, so he could do what he wanted. I for one hope this happens, since it will certainly help drive the Rangers deep into an abyss of losing. And since Jim Dolan is in charge, it will probably happen.
Tomorrow, for the first time since since September 1997, I will grace MSG with my presence, as I attend the Rangers game against the Tamp Bay Lighting. The last time I was there, Pat LaFontaine was making his Rangers debut in the home opener. I of course applauded Patty, remembering the good times from the Islanders days. But you can bet your ass that I will be applauding nobody in a Rangers jersey tomorrow. I'm not sure where the seats are, but given the places I've sat when I've attended other sporting events with the friend who got the tickets, I'm pretty sure they will be quite good. So I'll hit a bar before the game, have a couple, then enter MSG, and hope to see a Lightning win, keeping the Rangers 4 points behind the Isles (at least, depending on tonight's Isles/Devils tilt). Now, the question is, should I wear the Islanders hat or not...
Friday, February 02, 2007
Consistently Inconcistent
Forgive me, but there is nothing going on in Jets land, and precious little going on with the Mets that I haven't already spoken about (though, in the interests of, well, me, I will state that based on what a couple of people have written here and elsewhere, the Sierra signing may be OK, so long as he stays in New Orleans and is able to mentor Lastings. Sierra has apparently been noted as a good mentor. That being said, I still don't want him on the Mets bench), so I am going to write about the Islanders today.
After an good start, led by Alexei Yashin, who appeared to be getting whatever monkey was climbing all over him off, the Isles went into a typical slump, once Yashin hurt his knee. Now, this was not a slump of 13 straight losses or anything, but they basically treaded water for the time he was out, and fell from first place(!) to out of the playoffs. Once he returned, Yashin still looked out of sorts for the most part. He could not get a good step due to lingering issues with the knee, and then he tweaked it again.
Following a 2-0 win over the Rangers on Dec 26, they proceeded to lose 6 in a row. They then won 2 in a row, and lost 3, followed by a win just before the All Star Break. These guys bounce around more than Jose Lima's wife doing aerobics. After the break, their schedule looked daunting. Atlanta, Buffalo, Detroit, Atlanta again (last night). So how would they respond facing the top teams in the NHL? Well, thanks to Rick DiPietro apparently thinking he was still on break, they fell behind 3-0 in the first five minutes against Atlanta in the first game after the break. However, they were able to come back to force OT, eventually losing, but gaining a point. The next night, they faced Buffalo and Ryan Miller, whom many people feel should have been Team USA's goalie in the Olympics last year (despite the fact he was coming off a hand injury, and despite the fact the team scored less frequently than a leper at a porn convention). Rick bounced back from his awful start the night before, and the Isles lit up Miller in a 5-3 win. A couple of nights later, the Isles faced the Red Wings, and Dominek Hasek, who is credited with forcing Ted Nolan out of Buffalo (LOTS of rumors on that one). Well, 22 second in, the Isles scored, and jumped out to a 3-0 lead after two periods. However, they went into a shell in the third, and Detroit pounced, tying the game to force OT, where they eventually won. Still, the Isles got a point. Now last night. They travelled to Atlanta, to face the Thrasher again. Kari Lehtonen, who is viewed as a top goalie by many, got lit like Tara Conner at a party, as the Isles won 5-2 behind very solid goaltending from Mike Dunham (former Thrasher) and goals by Blake (who is on fire again thankfully), Satan, Hunter (also heating up nicely, now has 12 on the year), and two from Kozlov (the poster child for this inconsistent team, along with Yashin). Youngster Jeff Tambellini (son of Steve for you longtime fans) was called up as Yashin sat out, and played on the second line with Satan and Kozlov, and added 3 assists. How long will he stay up, who knows, but it was a nice game for the lad.
So, where do they stand? They are 4 points out of the playoffs, tied with the Rangers and behind Toronto. They have a captain that is injured. They have a goalie who is stellar most nights, but then has nights where he reminds you of Tommy Salo. But they also have some guys who some thought were mistakes, like Brendan Witt, who are playing their asses off, and helping out the younger guys. The defense is playing well, including youngsters Chris Campoli and Bruno Gervais. Radek Martinek is solid, if unspectacular. Tom Poti, who I personally was not happy about signing, has played quite well (though he is suffering from back spasms and has missed the last couple of games.) The problem is that the team is too up and down to get a good read on them. Some nights, they can beat anyone in the NHL. Others, they play like crap. Win two, lose 3 and so forth is not going to get you to the playoffs. The NHL Trade Deadline is February 27. Garth Snow has freed up some cap space. Now he has to make a decision. Should he trade for another scorer, knowing that he has to resign 33 year old Jason Blake to what will surely be a large deal in the offseason? Or does he trade Blake to a contender, along with a few others (I'm talking to you Shawn (oh my aching groin, again) Bates), clearing more cap space, opening slots for younger guys like Tambellini and Robert Nilsson to play this year, and Blake Comeau, Kyle Okposo next? It's an interesting position for Garth, in his first year as GM. I'm sure he will be relying heavily on Ted Nolan to see where Ted thinks the team should be. Of course, Wang may see the dollar signs from playoff games (2 at least), and may push for a trade. I'm not sure. Part of me wants the playoffs, thinking they could do some damage if Ricky gets hot like Glen Healy in 1993. But part of me wants them to trade to clear space, then buy out Yashin in the offseason, and make a run at the myriad of young Free Agents that will be available. I'm going to be like Garth and wait till the last minute and see where they are. The tease of the last week gives fans reason to hope though. Now if they could do the same against the dregs (besides the Rangers, who they have OWNED this year), maybe they can make the push. No one thinks they can, no one thought they would at the start of the season. It would be nice to show all the experts up.
I have one other note. Following their game on Wednesday, Brendan Shannahan of the Rangers complained about the ref's and their treatment of Jaromir Jagr. Channy claims that the refs don't make calls when Jagr is hooked, prodded, slashed and so forth. Now, one thing we have all learned in watching the NHL is that you do not want to piss off the refs, lest they make even fewer calls in your favor, and more against you. Also, the league usually takes a dim view on these types of comments. Well, for the latter part, the NHL announced there would be no fine forthcoming, which in a way I am OK with, since I feel the refs are as consistent as the Isles in calling penalties. I do wonder how much the fact that Shanny is a well respected vet playing for the Rangers came into play in that decision. I wonder how the league would respond if an Islander said Yashin was not getting calls? Or if someone on the Blue Jackets made the same claim. Anyway, for the former, we will have to see how it plays out during the next Ranger game. If they get calls, well, expect every team to bitch. Then lets see how the league reacts. Something tells me charities will be getting an infusion of cash.
Have a nice weekend everyone.
After an good start, led by Alexei Yashin, who appeared to be getting whatever monkey was climbing all over him off, the Isles went into a typical slump, once Yashin hurt his knee. Now, this was not a slump of 13 straight losses or anything, but they basically treaded water for the time he was out, and fell from first place(!) to out of the playoffs. Once he returned, Yashin still looked out of sorts for the most part. He could not get a good step due to lingering issues with the knee, and then he tweaked it again.
Following a 2-0 win over the Rangers on Dec 26, they proceeded to lose 6 in a row. They then won 2 in a row, and lost 3, followed by a win just before the All Star Break. These guys bounce around more than Jose Lima's wife doing aerobics. After the break, their schedule looked daunting. Atlanta, Buffalo, Detroit, Atlanta again (last night). So how would they respond facing the top teams in the NHL? Well, thanks to Rick DiPietro apparently thinking he was still on break, they fell behind 3-0 in the first five minutes against Atlanta in the first game after the break. However, they were able to come back to force OT, eventually losing, but gaining a point. The next night, they faced Buffalo and Ryan Miller, whom many people feel should have been Team USA's goalie in the Olympics last year (despite the fact he was coming off a hand injury, and despite the fact the team scored less frequently than a leper at a porn convention). Rick bounced back from his awful start the night before, and the Isles lit up Miller in a 5-3 win. A couple of nights later, the Isles faced the Red Wings, and Dominek Hasek, who is credited with forcing Ted Nolan out of Buffalo (LOTS of rumors on that one). Well, 22 second in, the Isles scored, and jumped out to a 3-0 lead after two periods. However, they went into a shell in the third, and Detroit pounced, tying the game to force OT, where they eventually won. Still, the Isles got a point. Now last night. They travelled to Atlanta, to face the Thrasher again. Kari Lehtonen, who is viewed as a top goalie by many, got lit like Tara Conner at a party, as the Isles won 5-2 behind very solid goaltending from Mike Dunham (former Thrasher) and goals by Blake (who is on fire again thankfully), Satan, Hunter (also heating up nicely, now has 12 on the year), and two from Kozlov (the poster child for this inconsistent team, along with Yashin). Youngster Jeff Tambellini (son of Steve for you longtime fans) was called up as Yashin sat out, and played on the second line with Satan and Kozlov, and added 3 assists. How long will he stay up, who knows, but it was a nice game for the lad.
So, where do they stand? They are 4 points out of the playoffs, tied with the Rangers and behind Toronto. They have a captain that is injured. They have a goalie who is stellar most nights, but then has nights where he reminds you of Tommy Salo. But they also have some guys who some thought were mistakes, like Brendan Witt, who are playing their asses off, and helping out the younger guys. The defense is playing well, including youngsters Chris Campoli and Bruno Gervais. Radek Martinek is solid, if unspectacular. Tom Poti, who I personally was not happy about signing, has played quite well (though he is suffering from back spasms and has missed the last couple of games.) The problem is that the team is too up and down to get a good read on them. Some nights, they can beat anyone in the NHL. Others, they play like crap. Win two, lose 3 and so forth is not going to get you to the playoffs. The NHL Trade Deadline is February 27. Garth Snow has freed up some cap space. Now he has to make a decision. Should he trade for another scorer, knowing that he has to resign 33 year old Jason Blake to what will surely be a large deal in the offseason? Or does he trade Blake to a contender, along with a few others (I'm talking to you Shawn (oh my aching groin, again) Bates), clearing more cap space, opening slots for younger guys like Tambellini and Robert Nilsson to play this year, and Blake Comeau, Kyle Okposo next? It's an interesting position for Garth, in his first year as GM. I'm sure he will be relying heavily on Ted Nolan to see where Ted thinks the team should be. Of course, Wang may see the dollar signs from playoff games (2 at least), and may push for a trade. I'm not sure. Part of me wants the playoffs, thinking they could do some damage if Ricky gets hot like Glen Healy in 1993. But part of me wants them to trade to clear space, then buy out Yashin in the offseason, and make a run at the myriad of young Free Agents that will be available. I'm going to be like Garth and wait till the last minute and see where they are. The tease of the last week gives fans reason to hope though. Now if they could do the same against the dregs (besides the Rangers, who they have OWNED this year), maybe they can make the push. No one thinks they can, no one thought they would at the start of the season. It would be nice to show all the experts up.
I have one other note. Following their game on Wednesday, Brendan Shannahan of the Rangers complained about the ref's and their treatment of Jaromir Jagr. Channy claims that the refs don't make calls when Jagr is hooked, prodded, slashed and so forth. Now, one thing we have all learned in watching the NHL is that you do not want to piss off the refs, lest they make even fewer calls in your favor, and more against you. Also, the league usually takes a dim view on these types of comments. Well, for the latter part, the NHL announced there would be no fine forthcoming, which in a way I am OK with, since I feel the refs are as consistent as the Isles in calling penalties. I do wonder how much the fact that Shanny is a well respected vet playing for the Rangers came into play in that decision. I wonder how the league would respond if an Islander said Yashin was not getting calls? Or if someone on the Blue Jackets made the same claim. Anyway, for the former, we will have to see how it plays out during the next Ranger game. If they get calls, well, expect every team to bitch. Then lets see how the league reacts. Something tells me charities will be getting an infusion of cash.
Have a nice weekend everyone.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
State of the Islanders
What is Ed doing you are asking? The Jets play the Patriots Sunday in the first round of the playoffs, and he is writing about the Islanders? What the hell is wrong with him?
Well, a lot actually, but that's not important right now. Tomorrow I will unveil my Playoff Game Preview. For today, I did not want to leave the BOG empty, and with little going on in Mets land, I decided to take a look at the other boys who wear Blue and Orange.
Coming into this season, very little was expected of the Islanders. There was no serious upgrade in talent, on the ice, or in the Front Office. The only upgrade was the hiring of Ted Nolan as coach. Then again, I would have been an upgrade over Steve (notso)Stirling. To the surprise of media, other teams, and Islander fans, the team has shown improvement from last year. They battle hard every night, very rarely getting blown out of the building. And they have gotten improved contributions from several players. Alas, there is a lot of room for improvement. So, as we close in on the mid-point of the season, let's take a look at the team.
Goalies -
Not much was thought of the signing of Mike Dunham as backup. Many thought he was solely signed due to his close relationship with GM Garth Snow. However, Dunham has played well in limited action (11 games), going 3-4, with a 2.85 GAA and .916 SV%. Good numbers for a backup. Early in the year, while starting goalie Rick DiPietro was injured, Dunham went 2-2 in four games, with one win in a shootout, as well as one loss in OT and 1 in the shootout. Since then, he has appeared in a couple of games where Rick was pulled (either due to injury or poor play), and made 5 starts. A dependable backup, and a good signing.
Rick DiPietro is the franchise goalie, as evidenced by his record 15 year contract, which will have him tending the nets at age 40. Many laughed (opposing teams fans) or were angered (Islander fans, Commissioner Gary Bettman) by the deal, given his performance prior to this season. This year however, after some ealry troubles, Rick has played very well. He has posted 4 shutouts already, after not posting one last season until March. In 30 games, he is 16-13 with a 2.58 GAA and .919 SV%. He ranks 15th in the league in GAA, and 9th in SV%. He is communicating better with the defense, reducing the turnovers when playing the puck that had been a concern early in the season. He has also proven to be a workhorse, starting 11 in a row before the last game Tuesday against the Flyers.
Defense
Well, Alexei Zhitnick was traded, taking veteran blueline presence out of the mix, but adding a bunch of cap room this year, and the next 2 years. Sean Hill has overcome early struggles to play a solid D, as has Brendan Witt. Rookie Bruno Gervais won a spot out of training camp (no easy task under Nolan), and has settled in quite nicely. Radek Martinek was playing well, until he suffered a broken foot last week which will sideline him for 4 weeks. After an early injury, Chris Campoli has returned to the mix, and has resumed his strong play from last season. Tom Poti, who I personally wanted no part of after seeing his awful season with the Rangers last season, has played above expectations. There is a good mix of youth and veterans here, but not a lot of depth should more injuries occur. They need to continue their strong play for Rick to continue his success.
Forwards
Jason Blake has been the story, 23 goals, 17 assists in his walk year. The concern with Blake is that he has always been streaky, so we have to wonder if he just got his streaks for the year out of the way, and will revert to going weeks without a goal. This cannot happen if the team wants to continue to contend.
Alexei Yashin, prior to his knee injury, was playing like the star we hoped we were getting from Ottawa a few years ago. Since his return, he has not been as good, but you have to figure that teams are going to key on him and Blake, since the rest of the forwards are doing jack squat in terms of scoring balance. Hopefully, that is the issue, and not continued knee pain. He is the key to this team, and needs to get back to where he was. He projects to 71 points in 65 games this year, but he should exceed that if he can get hot again.
The rest of the forwards have been disappointing on the scoring side. Trent Hunter, who was in the Rookie of the Year mix a few years back, is still hitting everything that moves, but not so much stationary objects like the back of the net. Mike Sillinger started the year off hot, but has cooled. Andy Hilbert started off cold, was near frozen, then heated up, but has cooled again. And wither Miro Satan? We heard all the stories from Buffalo about coasting, but did not see it last year. This year, he has 10 goals, projected to 21 for the season, after 35 last year.
The second and third lines need to step up, so other teams have something to worry about beyond Yashin and Blake. Otherwise, set you tee times. Again.
Coach
Finally, Ted Nolan has come back to the NHL! After a near 10 year absence, Ted has shown he has not lost his touch. Yashin seems rejuvenated. Blake is playing well. DiPietro has stepped it up. The team plays hard, night in, night out for the most part. I do have a concern about let downs after winning against the Rangers, but that will work out in time. Until last week, they had been 6-0 in the latter part of back to back games. That shows great preparation and conditioning.
He needs to work out something for the power play, which is 23rd in the league at 15.6%, and the penalty kill, which is 22nd at 80.4%. Penalties need to be reduced. Scoring from the other lines needs to increase. Whether the help comes from the present team, Bridgeport, or through a trade (see cap room from trades of York and Zhitnik), Ted needs to get some of the other guys scoring. Back to back shutouts, and a near shutout against the hapless Flyers are scary.
The team was thisclose to first place last week, and has touched it a couple of times this year. They still have games in hand, as well as 43 games left to make some progress. A playoff spot is not out of reach, and from there, well, if Rick gets hot, they can make some noise. Hell, they went to the conference finals on the back of Glenn Healy once.
Stop in tomorrow for my Jets/Patriots preview.
Well, a lot actually, but that's not important right now. Tomorrow I will unveil my Playoff Game Preview. For today, I did not want to leave the BOG empty, and with little going on in Mets land, I decided to take a look at the other boys who wear Blue and Orange.
Coming into this season, very little was expected of the Islanders. There was no serious upgrade in talent, on the ice, or in the Front Office. The only upgrade was the hiring of Ted Nolan as coach. Then again, I would have been an upgrade over Steve (notso)Stirling. To the surprise of media, other teams, and Islander fans, the team has shown improvement from last year. They battle hard every night, very rarely getting blown out of the building. And they have gotten improved contributions from several players. Alas, there is a lot of room for improvement. So, as we close in on the mid-point of the season, let's take a look at the team.
Goalies -
Not much was thought of the signing of Mike Dunham as backup. Many thought he was solely signed due to his close relationship with GM Garth Snow. However, Dunham has played well in limited action (11 games), going 3-4, with a 2.85 GAA and .916 SV%. Good numbers for a backup. Early in the year, while starting goalie Rick DiPietro was injured, Dunham went 2-2 in four games, with one win in a shootout, as well as one loss in OT and 1 in the shootout. Since then, he has appeared in a couple of games where Rick was pulled (either due to injury or poor play), and made 5 starts. A dependable backup, and a good signing.
Rick DiPietro is the franchise goalie, as evidenced by his record 15 year contract, which will have him tending the nets at age 40. Many laughed (opposing teams fans) or were angered (Islander fans, Commissioner Gary Bettman) by the deal, given his performance prior to this season. This year however, after some ealry troubles, Rick has played very well. He has posted 4 shutouts already, after not posting one last season until March. In 30 games, he is 16-13 with a 2.58 GAA and .919 SV%. He ranks 15th in the league in GAA, and 9th in SV%. He is communicating better with the defense, reducing the turnovers when playing the puck that had been a concern early in the season. He has also proven to be a workhorse, starting 11 in a row before the last game Tuesday against the Flyers.
Defense
Well, Alexei Zhitnick was traded, taking veteran blueline presence out of the mix, but adding a bunch of cap room this year, and the next 2 years. Sean Hill has overcome early struggles to play a solid D, as has Brendan Witt. Rookie Bruno Gervais won a spot out of training camp (no easy task under Nolan), and has settled in quite nicely. Radek Martinek was playing well, until he suffered a broken foot last week which will sideline him for 4 weeks. After an early injury, Chris Campoli has returned to the mix, and has resumed his strong play from last season. Tom Poti, who I personally wanted no part of after seeing his awful season with the Rangers last season, has played above expectations. There is a good mix of youth and veterans here, but not a lot of depth should more injuries occur. They need to continue their strong play for Rick to continue his success.
Forwards
Jason Blake has been the story, 23 goals, 17 assists in his walk year. The concern with Blake is that he has always been streaky, so we have to wonder if he just got his streaks for the year out of the way, and will revert to going weeks without a goal. This cannot happen if the team wants to continue to contend.
Alexei Yashin, prior to his knee injury, was playing like the star we hoped we were getting from Ottawa a few years ago. Since his return, he has not been as good, but you have to figure that teams are going to key on him and Blake, since the rest of the forwards are doing jack squat in terms of scoring balance. Hopefully, that is the issue, and not continued knee pain. He is the key to this team, and needs to get back to where he was. He projects to 71 points in 65 games this year, but he should exceed that if he can get hot again.
The rest of the forwards have been disappointing on the scoring side. Trent Hunter, who was in the Rookie of the Year mix a few years back, is still hitting everything that moves, but not so much stationary objects like the back of the net. Mike Sillinger started the year off hot, but has cooled. Andy Hilbert started off cold, was near frozen, then heated up, but has cooled again. And wither Miro Satan? We heard all the stories from Buffalo about coasting, but did not see it last year. This year, he has 10 goals, projected to 21 for the season, after 35 last year.
The second and third lines need to step up, so other teams have something to worry about beyond Yashin and Blake. Otherwise, set you tee times. Again.
Coach
Finally, Ted Nolan has come back to the NHL! After a near 10 year absence, Ted has shown he has not lost his touch. Yashin seems rejuvenated. Blake is playing well. DiPietro has stepped it up. The team plays hard, night in, night out for the most part. I do have a concern about let downs after winning against the Rangers, but that will work out in time. Until last week, they had been 6-0 in the latter part of back to back games. That shows great preparation and conditioning.
He needs to work out something for the power play, which is 23rd in the league at 15.6%, and the penalty kill, which is 22nd at 80.4%. Penalties need to be reduced. Scoring from the other lines needs to increase. Whether the help comes from the present team, Bridgeport, or through a trade (see cap room from trades of York and Zhitnik), Ted needs to get some of the other guys scoring. Back to back shutouts, and a near shutout against the hapless Flyers are scary.
The team was thisclose to first place last week, and has touched it a couple of times this year. They still have games in hand, as well as 43 games left to make some progress. A playoff spot is not out of reach, and from there, well, if Rick gets hot, they can make some noise. Hell, they went to the conference finals on the back of Glenn Healy once.
Stop in tomorrow for my Jets/Patriots preview.
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