2001 vs 2014

[A Pointed Stick]

Like InformTheMasses pointed out, hindsight. We were pretty confident about our prospect pool during that era too, and the best years of multiple players on that team (Aucoin, Blake, Scatchard) were ahead of them.

You will need to speak for yourself on that one. I know how I felt every step of the way starting with my absolutely most livid moments as an Islander fan when we sent our franchise goaltender away for Oleg ****** Kvasha. Don't even get me started on the whole Chara & 1st for Yashin thing. I know it may seem hard to believe, but I was never a Yashin fan. He is a nice guy, he is a super human being from what I heard, but as far as a hockey player goes... not my kind of guy.

This club top to bottom kicks that club's ass, ainec. (lol)

 

[startainfection*]

I feel like a lot of people are under rating yashin right now, he was a top 10, arguably top 5 forward in the nhl when we got him, also peca was awesome, he isles forwards now have way more depth but the isles d back then was amazing(I think it will be amazing his year too, but let's wait to see how it works out when it is healthy)

I think halak will be a beast for us just like Ozzie was though

 

[redbull]

5. Yashin. I am in "that" camp. I always was and never wavered. You don't build a winner around a tin man.


So no, I never ever ever ever ever ever EVER thought that club was going anywhere. That doesn't mean I didn't like some of the players, but it was poorly constructed, and when your farm system is simply a launching pad for trade bombs well, I know you guys respect a development pool as much if not more than I do. I don't want to preach to the choir.

There was a stretch when Yashin first started, the Isles went on a run. I recall they started the season 10-0-0 or something and they were truly playing great hockey. But I never liked the make-up of that team - the more I watched Yashin, the less I liked his game. He just seemed slower and slower and never showed up when the team needed a big goal. Kvasha had promise, as did Isbister but never put it together. Czerkawski found ways to disappoint and was horrid without the puck. They had Hamrlik, Jonsson, Aucoin and Osgood though - that part I liked.

That Leafs-Isles series was awesome though. Seems like yesterday.

Here's a huge difference (and a near zero sample size) - Tavares' play against PITTS a few years ago was enough to cement the type of winner this guy is. He stepped up. He played as well as Crosby/Malkin if not better, head to head. The desire he showed in that series AND in the first two games this season (the points and the flying punches and the anger-face) is far more "battle level" than Yash showed in his whole career.