Islanders Point Blank: NHL.com: Isles will compete for a Wild Card, Caps and Rangers will top division

[The Underboss]

http://islanderspointblank.com/isla...on/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

The Metropolitan division imported some serious talent this season, so where does that leave the Islanders? Battling for a Wild Card spot, according to one NHL.com scribe.

Senior Writer Dan Rosen said in his mailbag on Wednesday that he thinks the Capitals and Rangers are the top two teams in the division, leaving the Penguins, Islanders, and Blue Jackets to battle it out for the third divisional spot (Aug. 19).

“At this point I’d have to put the Penguins at No. 3 because of their high-end personnel up front, the likely return of Olli Maatta and Kris Letang on the back end, Marc-Andre Fleury in net and their overall experience,†Rosen writes.

One reader asked later that he if had to pick a team of the aforementioned five to finish outside the playoffs, he’d pick the Islanders, though he thinks the Metro will send all five of those teams to the playoffs.

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[2ndGenIslander]

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eh, washington got a little better but I don't think they take this big of a leap. rags take a step back with no hagelin or regular season MSL. If henrik goes down again they're also screwed. Isles finish ahead of both..you heard it here first

 

[SI90]

Got be mad. As long as we make it and are playing well and healthy going into the postseason.

 

[OlTimeHockey]

Two choices....read the point blank hacks or fire a ball gun into maybe my temple......anyone got aspirin? Maybe I'm too harsh on their ecklundtorials...

The isles backup goaltending and how often he's used will place us. The game plan being physical enough well spell how we do in the playoffs.... 'nuff said.

 

[OrangeZebra]

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[seafoam]

Don't see a team with 20 out of 23 guys returning regressing, especially when about 75% of those guys are young enough to improve or coming off a season where they can bounce back.

John Tavares did not spend his summer rehabbing, Boychuk and Leddy did not spend their summers in different organizations, Halak's adjusted to this defense. If anything, this team is going to finally start acting and playing like a top team in the East instead of feeling like underdogs with something to prove.

 

[Strummergas]

Don't see a team with 20 out of 23 guys returning regressing, especially when about 75% of those guys are young enough to improve or coming off a season where they can bounce back.

John Tavares did not spend his summer rehabbing, Boychuk and Leddy did not spend their summers in different organizations, Halak's adjusted to this defense. If anything, this team is going to finally start acting and playing like a top team in the East instead of feeling like underdogs with something to prove.

I don't think his point of view is that the Isles regressed, it's that surrounding teams got better.

 

[seafoam]

I don't think his point of view is that the Isles regressed, it's that surrounding teams got better.

I should have clarified that I meant regressed in the standings. I don't think Washington or New York are marginally better than the Islanders.

 

[Strummergas]

I should have clarified that I meant regressed in the standings. I don't think Washington or New York are marginally better than the Islanders.

Gotcha.

 

[seabass45]

http://islanderspointblank.com/isla...on/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

I thought IPB screwed this one up on the headline, it's pretty clearly one guy's opinion in a mailbag. Which is fine, the headline just makes it sound like this is NHL.com's official prediction.

 

[Brunomics]

Jackets
Caps
Isles
Rags
Pens
Flyers
Devils
Canes

 

[Flair19Woo]

Two choices....read the point blank hacks or fire a ball gun into maybe my temple......anyone got aspirin? Maybe I'm too harsh on their ecklundtorials...

The isles backup goaltending and how often he's used will place us. The game plan being physical enough well spell how we do in the playoffs.... 'nuff said.

The Capuano and Strait factors will put us over the top...no other team boasts such a high quality coach or #1 dman!

 

[stranger34]

Disagree with this guy completely. I think CBJ and NYI are going to be the class of the Metro with the Rangers and Caps duking it out for the WC spots.

 

[LeapOnOver]

Disagree with this guy completely. I think CBJ and NYI are going to be the class of the Metro with the Rangers and Caps duking it out for the WC spots.

I agree with this although it's hard to tell with the Bluejackets. The talent is there now, but we haven't really seen them healthy enough to know if they have the chemistry.

With the Islanders it's all about what team is the real team. Was it the team in the first half, or the one in the second half? If it's the team that from the first half that has improved their focus and ability to play a full season then we are in excellent shape and will have no problems making the playoffs. If the first half of the season was a fluke, then we'll be on the bubble. I tend to think the former.

 

[PK Cronin]

We'll see how the pieces fall. I think it's the closest the division will have been in a long time. Anyone of those teams can finish first or fifth. All it takes is one key injury, one losing streak, one deadline deal, etc. to shake things up a bit.

The Isles were also 21-6-3 in Metropolitan matchups last season. That's pretty darn good. If they can duplicate that success, I think we'll see another good regular season. Not sure why anyone thinks these other teams are better than the Islanders given that record.

 

[GrandmaSlices51631]

Don't care as long as we make the playoffs. Rather see them win a round then be at the front of the pack for a significant amount of time only to face plant at the end of the season.

 

[scott99]

I don't think his point of view is that the Isles regressed, it's that surrounding teams got better.

Honestly I wouldn't be surprised if the Islanders regress a little. The second half Islanders were a .500 team. The first half Islanders snuck up on some teams, that won't happen this year. When the **** got serious and playoff spots were on the line, the team was average at best. We are still handicapped with the worst head coach in sports, and still stuck with the odor of Wang for a year. These Islanders may be more like the 2nd half Islanders, and that team will struggle to make the playoffs.

Need a new leader with a good system, who is not afraid to kick ass, and have to tighten up big time defensively. Love Hamonic, Leddy and Boychuck, but the rest are very suspect and/or raw rookies.

 

[BillD]

IMO this is a case of the writer giving weight to teams that were active in roster moves. Because the Isles did not make any changes, he sees that as standing still while others pass them (what great roster improvements did the Rags make? lol).

The Caps lost Green and exchanges Brouwer and Ward for Oshie and Williams. That seems at best a lateral move, not an improvement. They also lost Fehr. Williams is a playoff clutch guy but not a regular season boss. Oshie is at best a wash with Brouwer who played both special teams and was a 20 goal scorer and physical force.

What the writer did not give the Isles credit for is anticipated development and improvement from from talent in the lineup. The only variable is whether or not this happens, but it is likely to happen.
Strome is a high end skill player with his first year behind him, the kind of player that has star characteristics in his future. Nelson will be headed into his 3rd year. Lee is a mature 25 year old.
We will be in the mix for division championship all season long.

 

[doublechili]

IMO this is a case of the writer giving weight to teams that were active in roster moves. Because the Isles did not make any changes, he sees that as standing still while others pass them (what great roster improvements did the Rags make? lol).

The Caps lost Green and exchanges Brouwer and Ward for Oshie and Williams. That seems at best a lateral move, not an improvement. They also lost Fehr. Williams is a playoff clutch guy but not a regular season boss. Oshie is at best a wash with Brouwer who played both special teams and was a 20 goal scorer and physical force.

What the writer did not give the Isles credit for is anticipated development and improvement from from talent in the lineup. The only variable is whether or not this happens, but it is likely to happen.
Strome is a high end skill player with his first year behind him, the kind of player that has star characteristics in his future. Nelson will be headed into his 3rd year. Lee is a mature 25 year old.
We will be in the mix for division championship all season long.

Great post! As you wrote, these kinds of articles almost always look at who was added and don't adequately take into account who was lost or whether players are developing.

 

[FourRings]

I'm not at all enamored with the Capitals. As BillD said, they didn't really improve with their additions.

 

[ThreeLeftSkates]

Even if our second half record was mediocre, our improved PK should help us to a better record. If the focus becomes more about lowering goals against than outscoring everyone, who knows what could happen?

 

[FourRings]

Even if our second half record was mediocre, our improved PK should help us to a better record. If the focus becomes more about lowering goals against than outscoring everyone, who knows what could happen?

And when you factor in a healthy Okposo and Grabovski the team should more closely resemble the one we saw in the first half of the season.

 

[RMimagery]

Isles were ahead of the Caps all season until the end. Hamonic's injury really affected the last few weeks and I think the Isles get past the Caps in 6 with him. I think we can finish ahead of them.

Rangers had the opposite season as the Isles, slow start, strong (very) finish. Isles need to pace themselves and have probably worked on conditioning. I think the combination of our young guys like Nelson, maybe getting gassed by the long haul and some glass jaw guys like Vis and Grabovski missing time, hurt our momentum - but maybe the biggest difference maker as a negative was the backup goaltending which was among the worst in the league. Also, Okposo's injury came at the worst time and he never got back the mojo he showed right before. I'm curious to see how the first line shakes out. Does MDC get a shot? Will it be Lee - Jt - Strome? Will KO be dejected if he's starts on the 2nd line?

I would've liked to see a solid 3/4D get signed - and we learned that Snow may pounce late - to give us a strong top 4. Vis skill was there but there wasn't any confidence that he could string together a long stretch of games. I'll miss his wizardry. Maybe Pulock comes in and impresses and CDH can pick up where he left off the season before last.

There were a lot of adjustments to made with the roster last year. This year, just the new location will be needed to get acclimated to. The division is tough, but the 21-6-3 record in the metro shows that the Isles were up for those games. Hope that trend continues.

If we can remain relatively healthy and not lose a core player or two for a stretch, at least a wild card will be had. Drop it.

 

[A Pointed Stick]

Disclosure: I didn't read the piece. The main inhibiting factor I see on next season is Capuano. If coaching is not a significant part of the opinion piece it missed the mark.

 

[Darth Milbury]

It could really come down to which team manages to stay off IR.