News Article: Why It's Time to Believe the New York Islanders Are Stanley Cup Contenders

[BillD]

As a fossil following the team since '75, I am not yet ready to jump on the bandwagon as an injury to just one of these players would sink the ship: Halak, Boychuk, Tavares, Leddy, and possibly Okposo.

Especially in goal since the backups have not played well, and Boychuk is anchoring the defense.

The team needs to improve its blue line depth, secure a strong backup goalie, and continue developing the forwards, IMO. If they win a first round this year, and do those things in the off-season, it will be a tremendous positive step forward and perhaps next year they'd become a serious contender other elite teams like LA, Chicago, etc., will need to be concerned with.

Did I mention capuano should be replaced with Babcock...?

Yeah, so? I'm probably older than you, followed them since '72 and I was no kid. That has no meaning at all.
Where would the Rags be if they lost Queen?
How about the Kings losing Quick or Doughty?

I think we lose 1 player other than Halak and we survive. Surely not as good, but still able to compete. Lose Tavares and we survive (we did after the Olympics last year). Boychuk would be a big loss, but I could see a Leddy/Hammer pairing and worse case one of Pulock, Mayfield, Reinhart would have to be fit on 3rd pairing .
We just can't lose Halak and very few teams can lose their starting goalie and keep trucking

 

[Sparksrus3]

As of today vegasinsider.com has the NYI as the odds favorite at 9/2 to win the conference championship . Also 10/1 ( third best) to win the cup. Just putting it out there. The outsiders are starting to believe. We still can't get a national TV game but at least we're being noticed.

 

[BillD]

As of today vegasinsider.com has the NYI as the odds favorite at 9/2 to win the conference championship . Also 10/1 ( third best) to win the cup. Just putting it out there. The outsiders are starting to believe. We still can't get a national TV game but at least we're being noticed.

Always pay attention to the Vegas line and follow the smart money.
These guys are very inside.