Are The Islanders Better Than The Rangers ?

[KennyWu]

Assume you are referring to Mika and Artemi?

Zibanejad was one, Kreider was the other. The entire team crapped their pants after going up 2-0 on NJ, so won't get any pushback from me on last year.

 

[SI90]

With no Pelech Pulock and Mayfield for the majority of these games

 

[Olliemets]

Zibanejad was one, Kreider was the other. The entire team crapped their pants after going up 2-0 on NJ, so won't get any pushback from me on last year.

I was thinking Artemi (who I love to watch) because he gets the same "Dipsy Doodle..Ice Capades" criticism Barzal gets here. Couldn't believe how PO'd everyone was last spring. Guy has insane talent.

Hopefully we can continue this debate in playoffs. Isles Rangers would be a lot of fun. Been way too long. Cheers

 

[Fataldogg]

Not up for debate. It's the Rangers. Don't make the loser point / broken standings system fool you.

Islanders have won .473 of their games played. Rangers have won .702 of their games played. It's not close.

Hockey is the only sport for coming close, almost winning, but ultimately losing in the end.

 

[JimmyG89]

The team with 20 losses is not better than the team with 11.

 

[GG96]

Reread what I said. Kakko and Laf aren’t anything to brag about. Draft pedigree doesn’t make them better players than they really are. Trying to claim that Panarin took away from their ice time is utterly comical. Neither of them are anything special along with cracked egg Filip Chityl.

Man, what does that say about the Islanders? All that terrible drafting and terrible players and the Isles are 7 points behind and the Rangers have a game in hand?

Sheesh

 

[saintunspecified]

Man, what does that say about the Islanders? All that terrible drafting and terrible players and the Isles are 7 points behind and the Rangers have a game in hand?

Sheesh

There's zero room for debate that the Rangers can draft poorly & still do well while the Islanders absolutely cannot.

The only reason NYI are competitive this year at all is that their last two #1's were spent on players who are contributing (Romanov, Horvat). NYI would be absolutely nowhere if teams from Alberta didn't subsidize them by acquiring our defensive defensemen for 1st round picks (Barzal from Reinhart trade, Dobson from Hamonic trade... although if I'm being honest, I think NYI pick Dobson instead of Wahlstrom if they only had that one pick in 2018).

 

[TGWL]

The Islanders have 22pts in 16 games for 4th in points percentage since 12/1, and the Rangers have 20pts in 16 games for 13th in points percentage%. 2 point difference over 16 games is just normal ebb and flow of the season. Crazy what stats can do though with small sample sizes.

The wrong direction is still the wrong direction though. The point was "We're not peaking" at the moment. We had 25 points through the first 16 games. 26 points through the next 20. We have an easy stretch coming up and it would be nice to take 5 of those 7 and take advantage of the schedule here.

(28 points through next 21) We beat the Hawks.

 

[Foxy]

The wrong direction is still the wrong direction though. The point was "We're not peaking" at the moment. We had 25 points through the first 16 games. 26 points through the next 20. We have an easy stretch coming up and it would be nice to take 5 of those 7 and take advantage of the schedule here.

(28 points through next 21) We beat the Hawks.

Gottcha. Misread your post as if were from an isle fan. lol

 

[doublechili]

Not up for debate. It's the Rangers. Don't make the loser point / broken standings system fool you.

I'm not questioning the conclusion but strictly the "loser point" argument. I truly don't understand that. A team gets one "loser point" if they're tied at the end of regulation and don't get an extra point by winning in OT or SO. In the old days we'd call that a "tie" and you'd get one point for that back then too. The Isles have had a lot of games end in ties in regulation, and then they've proceeded to lose in OT/SO and not get the bonus point. So they're not taking advantage of the system. And if there was 3v3 and SO in the playoffs that would concern me, but there's not.

I think the bigger negative deal should be made of a team that gets a lot of OT/SO "winner points". Because they're banking regular season points in 3v3 play and SOs, neither of which exist in the playoffs. If I were a gambling type I'd "short" a team like that for the playoffs.

As for the OP's question, based strictly on total points and goal differential at this point the NYR are having a better 23-24 season than the NYI. But the way the East is shaping up this season, I'd say just make the playoffs and see what happens.

 

[13th Floor]

I'm not questioning the conclusion but strictly the "loser point" argument. I truly don't understand that. A team gets one "loser point" if they're tied at the end of regulation and don't get an extra point by winning in OT or SO. In the old days we'd call that a "tie" and you'd get one point for that back then too. The Isles have had a lot of games end in ties in regulation, and then they've proceeded to lose in OT/SO and not get the bonus point. So they're not taking advantage of the system. And if there was 3v3 and SO in the playoffs that would concern me, but there's not.

I think the bigger negative deal should be made of a team that gets a lot of OT/SO "winner points". Because they're banking regular season points in 3v3 play and SOs, neither of which exist in the playoffs. If I were a gambling type I'd "short" a team like that for the playoffs.

As for the OP's question, based strictly on total points and goal differential at this point the NYR are having a better 23-24 season than the NYI. But the way the East is shaping up this season, I'd say just make the playoffs and see what happens.

This. The Rangers are the better team, which you kind of just need to watch the games to pretty easily tell, but the loser point argument is pretty dumb and also counterintuitive.

Many pundits said the Islanders would be a tough match up in the playoffs but the question was whether they could actually get there, which is a narrative that's ringing true. I still question whether they'll make it, but if they do even as a WC team, I think they will be a tough out.

People say their points are inflated because of a "loser point", but the reality is that the Islanders are really hard to beat in regulation. Tied for 3rd fewest regulation losses, behind Boston and LA (and LA has played 3 fewer games). Part of their flaw is that they let those games get to OT/SO and are bad in both of those, which is why they aren't a top echelon team. But, 75% of the time, you can't beat them without the 3 on 3 or shootout.

If they do make the playoffs, knowledgeable hockey fans should know that two teams that differ in the regular season standings by 10 points because of 10 games that went to OT/SO, and Team A wins those and Team B doesn't, then those teams don't really have a large gulf between them when it comes to playoff hockey, which this Islander team is pretty familiar with.

 

[Riseonfire]

It's all Semantics.. Get over it. Everyone understands it. HOWEVER......the winner always gets 2 points.
And if you aren't the winner you are the....anybody? Anybody?

It's not all semantics, but it is close.

Being the winner in regulation is an actual winner of the game.

Winning in OT means you tied the hockey game, and won the mini games.

I'm just never going to call 3v3 or a Shootout real hockey, sorry.

 

[scoopscj]

Facts be damned, everybody is better than the Rangers.. because... I hate them. Illogical! Nay... Truth!

 

[snag]

It's not all semantics, but it is close.

Being the winner in regulation is an actual winner of the game.

Winning in OT means you tied the hockey game, and won the mini games.

I'm just never going to call 3v3 or a Shootout real hockey, sorry.

Not asking you to, friend. And trust me, i dont like it either. I grew up with ties and saw them as unfinished business that often fueled rivalries with the divisional play that often saw them rack up. I had no problem with them and frankly miss them for WHAT they brought. But apparently some egos out there feel there must be a winner.

Anyway, they don't want ties...I (we?) don't want the shootout but 5v5 would make it potentially go far too long too so my preference then would be make OT 3v3 sudden death until it takes. Force teams to play for the win every time....or get to your hotel late.

I bet most games would be over before the shootout.

But like I said man, don't sweat what people call it cause at the end of the day most of us are on the same page of not liking it anyway

 

[Osakahaus]

Since this thread was made, the islanders have gone from 2nd in the metro to basically on the outside looking in.

If you want the greatest example of coaching actively hurting a team, watch a single islanders game. Lane Lambert is probably the worst coach in the NHL. If you want to see some of the slowest players getting priority with less than a minute left, this is the team. So many games lost in the final minute, dropped points a plenty, and a massive disparity between the top 6 and bottom 6 in points. Leafs fans can be right on some things, and Pierre Engvall has been such a mediocre player in year 1 compared to his deadline sample size. Lou Lamoriello's time is up. This is the end of the road for them.

Rangers are slumping but i think its the same issue as the islanders (except take away bad coaching and replace it with a bottom 6 that's largely ineffective save for Cuylle and Vesey). They did win but the loss against Washington exposed a really bad flaw in their system. Panarin, Trochek, Miller, Trouba, and Zibanajed carry that load so much. Something that does concern me with the Rangers is that Shesterkin (up until the Sunday game against the Caps) has been absolutely mediocre. then again, its a general comment that we've seen some absolutely mediocre goaltending over the season.

If I had more confidence in each team, i still pick the Rangers. The most biased isles fan in me just doesn't see this team going anywhere, even if they backdoor into the playoffs by means of magical BS.

 

[Gjman2019]

When i started this thread back in late December, the Islanders were closing in in the Rangers in the standings.......Rangers now ahead of them by over 20 points , so as far as the regular season goes the Rangers definitely were better...

Figured this was a good time to bump this because if the playoffs started today the Islanders would be playing the Rangers in the first round, grated that can change tonight...........Like i said above the Rangers definitely win the regular season battle as far as the standings go , but what would happen if they saw each other in the playoffs ? Would the Islanders have a chance at the upset in a 4 out of 7 situation ? Playoffs are different than the regular season.....

 

[clmetsfan]

When i started this thread back in late December, the Islanders were closing in in the Rangers in the standings.......Rangers now ahead of them by over 20 points , so as far as the regular season goes the Rangers definitely were better...

Figured this was a good time to bump this because if the playoffs started today the Islanders would be playing the Rangers in the first round, grated that can change tonight...........Like i said above the Rangers definitely win the regular season battle as far as the standings go , but what would happen if they saw each other in the playoffs ? Would the Islanders have a chance at the upset in a 4 out of 7 situation ? Playoffs are different than the regular season.....

I mean the Lightning got swept in the first round by the Blue Jackets 5 years ago. So sure, of course there's a chance for an upset, just as there is in every other playoff series in NHL history.

 

[Gjman2019]

I mean the Lightning got swept in the first round by the Blue Jackets 5 years ago. So sure, of course there's a chance for an upset, just as there is in every other playoff series in NHL history.

I hope it happens....Only happened once since i've been watching hockey and it wasn't much of a series (94)

 

[clmetsfan]

I hope it happens....Only happened once since i've been watching hockey and it wasn't much of a series (94)

I'll say this -- an Isles upset is a lot more likely to happen this year than it was then (assuming they meet, of course).

 

[Miro4Norris]

When i started this thread back in late December, the Islanders were closing in in the Rangers in the standings.......Rangers now ahead of them by over 20 points , so as far as the regular season goes the Rangers definitely were better...

Figured this was a good time to bump this because if the playoffs started today the Islanders would be playing the Rangers in the first round, grated that can change tonight...........Like i said above the Rangers definitely win the regular season battle as far as the standings go , but what would happen if they saw each other in the playoffs ? Would the Islanders have a chance at the upset in a 4 out of 7 situation ? Playoffs are different than the regular season.....

Lol Islanders have like 24 real wins this season.. that's embarrassing by a team that might make it to playoffs but NHL point system sucks

 

[mm11]

Rags have the horsepower no doubt. Perhaps the isles take 2 games and scare them but the worst Pk vrs the Harlem Globetrotter PP will put it away.

 

[The Grim Reaper]

I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Rags out in the first round this year.

 

[Gjman2019]

And just like that the Isles move into 3rd in the Metro and the playoff matchups have changed...Lol

 

[Coffey]

What an incredible hateful first round matchup this would be

 

[eco's bones]

The Rangers have been a much better team in the regular season. In the head to head matchups we've won both games though the first went to OT. That was the outdoor game and the beginning of Matt Rempe's NHL career. There are two more before the season ends and they may be critical to the Isles playoff hopes but the Rangers really are going to want them too because they want to win the East first and if possible also win the league.....regular season. I don't think there's any debate though which team has been better this year.

That said we may wind up facing the Isles in the 1st round of the playoffs. I think without doubt the Rangers would be heavily favored but every year there are upsets. You got to win your games when they matter most.