2018-2019 Training Camp Discussion

[Brunomics]

Bellows is 20 years old. People gotta relax. Let him get some pro experience under his belt and start out in the AHL. Nothing wrong with that.

Relax? Do you know where you are posting? Every little move is the end of the world here.

 

[Brunomics]

Do keep in mind that Bellows' competition for a job is not the EMC2 line and it's not Kuhnhackl, Komarov, and Ladd. And it's certainly not one of the so-called centers in Nelson, Filppula, and Kovar.

Bellows is going to be a top 6 winger in this league and take on a scoring role. HIS competition was Lee, Bailey, Beau, and Eberle.

To properly foster a future top 6 winger, he have to have him PLAYING a top 6 role and getting plenty of PP time in the process. He will get that in BPort, where he can hone his craft and perhaps be ready to jump into a top 6 role if one of our top 6 wingers gets injured.

Now, I too liked what we've seen from Bellows, who already has an above-average NHL shot, but every other aspect of his game needs working on. Every single one. The guy has not played even ONE game of regular season pro hockey. Not one.

IN GENERAL:
You'd think that the Niederreiter experience alone would have NYI fans willing to err on the side of caution, if they think Bellows' assignment to BPort is an error.

Damnit, we have Stanley Cup winning GM and a Stanley Cup winning coach here. It just SHOCKS me how many NYI fans around the Internet think they know better than these guys.

I'd just say be happy that we've FINALLY got some clear-cut and wise decision making around here. There's a plan in play and it's one that has proven to lead to success.

You can't compare the Niederreiter experience. If you want to sum up the Charles Wang ownership saga just look at that. Every single fan, player and coach knew he wasn't ready and shouldn't be up. But because they only had to pay the rookie minimum and had a cap hit of like 3 million due to bonuses he stayed for the season. Then on top of that you play him with the two worst players in the league. That wasn't them rushing him to the NHL, that was Wang using him to avoid paying extra salary.

If Bellows started the season on the Isles it would be a different scenario all together. He would actually be put in a position to develop and succeed as a player.

 

[Isle1966]

Well we said that that this is an evaluation year, so I kind of expect Toews to eventually be sent down with all the extra forwards. LL and Trotz want to go with the vets and see if they can win the 2 to 1 games like the 90s Devils teams. Special teams will be relied on heavily so a strong pp and sh effort will be key along with solid goaltending.
If Leddy is on the first pp his hesitation in his passing of the puck might be a problem, hopefully it is fixable. Pulock will probably be on the 2nd unit as they want Barzal on the boards right of the goalie and setting up Bailey for one timers.
Anyway hopefully it works out, but lots of question marks. The team is not expected to make the playoffs so hopefully they can be in it as long as possible and the core vets are better for it.

 

[Islanders4Cups]

You can't compare the Niederreiter experience. If you want to sum up the Charles Wang ownership saga just look at that. Every single fan, player and coach knew he wasn't ready and shouldn't be up. But because they only had to pay the rookie minimum and had a cap hit of like 3 million due to bonuses he stayed for the season. Then on top of that you play him with the two worst players in the league. That wasn't them rushing him to the NHL, that was Wang using him to avoid paying extra salary.

If Bellows started the season on the Isles it would be a different scenario all together. He would actually be put in a position to develop and succeed as a player.

Right now Bellows has not proven to LL that he is better than our top two line wingers. Why do people think that he is?

 

[MJF]

You can't compare the Niederreiter experience. If you want to sum up the Charles Wang ownership saga just look at that. Every single fan, player and coach knew he wasn't ready and shouldn't be up. But because they only had to pay the rookie minimum and had a cap hit of like 3 million due to bonuses he stayed for the season. Then on top of that you play him with the two worst players in the league. That wasn't them rushing him to the NHL, that was Wang using him to avoid paying extra salary.

If Bellows started the season on the Isles it would be a different scenario all together. He would actually be put in a position to develop and succeed as a player.

Your first paragraph I agree with 100%. Your second paragraph, in a perfect world, Bellows would be placed in the top 6 but in reality he would end up with less ice time than those and not see power play time. Let Bellows succeed on the first line in Bridgeport and have plenty of reps on the first power play unit down there. Again, I have no problem with Bellows playing his 1st pro game in the AHL.

 

[seafoam]

 

[Isle1966]

A lot of people questioning Mayfields upside and rightfully so. Remember though that Boychuk was not an NHL regular until he was 25 or 26 years old. I think with better coaching this year it will be interesting to see how much more he improves. A bigger more mobile version of Boychuk would be nice to have on our bottom pairing. Pelech should also make more significant progress this year as well.

 

[Macch]

Freak-out in 3..2..1

 

[Brunomics]

Your first paragraph I agree with 100%. Your second paragraph, in a perfect world, Bellows would be placed in the top 6 but in reality he would end up with less ice time than those and not see power play time. Let Bellows succeed on the first line in Bridgeport and have plenty of reps on the first power play unit down there. Again, I have no problem with Bellows playing his 1st pro game in the AHL.

I have no problem with Bellows in the AHL either. I would have if it was last year because that is where prospects went to die. This year it seems like they are actually going to make it a place where they can develop prospects.

If the third line this year would have been something like Bellows-Kovar-Komorov or something like that I would have been ok with it. Not thrilled but not going ballistic about it either. He would develop but it wouldn't be a Nino situation.

 

[SI90]

Interesting.

 

[crasherino]

Interesting.

I suspect we'll see a number of combinations with our D pairings. Those guys - for the most part - have a lot of history together so its not like they are being thrown together and have never played with each other before. Make sense to mix it up a bit as ya never know what happens during the season.

 

[Islanders4Cups]

I am fine with whatever Trotz does at this point. It is his lineup and he knows what he is doing.

 

[seafoam]

 

[IslesNorway]

Fritz is first call up then?

 

[Skip To My Lou]

Le sigh.

 

[MJF]

Interesting.

Trotz is an idiot

 

[SI90]

Trotz is an idiot

If Trotz put Hickey as our #2 Center and Nelson as our back up goalie I would trust him.

 

[Frankie41987]

This team just doesn’t have enough players that are good at zone entry. Toews and Ho-Sang really could help in that regard.

 

[MJF]

If Trotz put Hickey as our #2 Center and Nelson as our back up goalie I would trust him.

Me too.

But if you wait 5 seconds after that happens people would be blaming Lou for Trotz's mental demise. After all, Lou is too old to know what he's watching anymore. The game passed him by and he infected Barry Trotz.

 

[SI90]

Me too.

But if you wait 5 seconds after that happens people would be blaming Lou for Trotz's mental demise. After all, Lou is too old to know what he's watching anymore. The game passed him by and he infected Barry Trotz.

You’re right.

 

[doublechili]

Pulock will probably be on the 2nd unit as they want Barzal on the boards right of the goalie

Good call - this is what people calling for Pulock on the 1st PP unit are missing - he and Barzal would get in each other's way.

 

[Islesfan22]

Any pp unit with clutterbuck on it is a joke. I knew Pulock would start on the second pp unit. The more things the more they stay the same with dumb descisions

 

[Frankie41987]

Good call - this is what people calling for Pulock on the 1st PP unit are missing - he and Barzal would get in each other's way.

I disagree. Barzal isn’t the triggerman in that set-up, he’s gonna be the set up guy, a role that he has the talent to do anywhere on the ice. Pulock has by far the best slap shot on the team, why in the world wouldn’t you want the player with the best one timer/slap shot to have the most opportunities with the best passers on the top unit? Doesn’t make any sense to me.

 

[Islesfan22]

Good call - this is what people calling for Pulock on the 1st PP unit are missing - he and Barzal would get in each other's way.

Complete nonsense. Of course they can play together on the pp. how the heck do you think backstrom and Ovechkin work. Let’s see one is World class passer the other a world class shot. Let’s see now Pulock great shot Barzal great passer yup that can’t work.

 

[Macch]

I disagree. Barzal isn’t the triggerman in that set-up, he’s gonna be the set up guy, a role that he has the talent to do anywhere on the ice. Pulock has by far the best slap shot on the team, why in the world wouldn’t you want the player with the best one timer/slap shot to have the most opportunities with the best passers on the top unit? Doesn’t make any sense to me.

Hey might score too many goals which leads to more wins.

We don't want that!!