GDT: GDT #1 New York Islanders vs Buffalo Sabres | October 14th | 7:30 PM | F/W 3-2

[Chardo]

The 13th floor took time time to nail the most important point, Horvat looks underwhelming. You’d think 8.5 million would get you more but maybe not considering Matthews make 5 million more maybe he makes the 2023 NHL normal salary for 70 point per season player. Fact of the matter is you look at the roster and you ask yourself are we really only 500,000 short of the league max cap. I would give Lee away for a bag of pucks to get that 7 million in cap space. And that Horvat contract in 5 years when he’s 33, holy cow is that going to be one bad cap hit. Our GM should be in a nursing home drinking milk and playing gin. So should most of our politicians but that’s a story for another day. Wallowed in mediocrity is where will be unless SoroKING gets hurt and then maybe just maybe can we actually draft in the top 5. As for Wahlstrom we need to put on the first line to see what we have in him. If. Doesn’t cut it and I believe that maybe gut be the case trade him out West for a 2nd and a 3rd in the off season.

Underwhelming? Horvat is now 2nd in the league in shots on goal per game.

 

[Skip To My Lou]

After watching the game earlier this morning, I was fine with how the team played. I didn't think they looked particularly great nor bad. Just average.

I don't have a problem with Horvat. I think he plays the game the right way, but for his contract, he's not going to get the goals that we're expecting him to. That's just the way it is unfortunately. This core will not get this team to the promised land, unless there's a switch back to the Trotzian-type of hockey we're so accustomed to watching.

I fully expect it to be a mediocre-to-decent season. If we're making the playoffs, I don't expect to get to round two. It is what it is. Just happy that hockey is back.

 

[Fist of Fury]

Underwhelming? Horvat is now 2nd in the league in shots on goal per game.

He could"ve banked 8 goals, but he got none. Goals will come eventually, 81 regular season games still left.

 

[BelovedIsles]

Already we see clamoring for Wally over Fasching. It's pretty simple. Fasching is a net nothing and Wally is a net negative. Dude has bad hockey sense and is terrible without the puck in all three zones. The "ceiling" for Wally is only higher when you look at offense. We care about wins. For now, give me the dude who played net positive hockey in the playoffs until he loses his spot.

In the last 20 years of watching this team, how many times have I said to myself that the 2nd line is better than the 1st line? It has be the majority. Barzal and Horvat looked fine, but man is that some Islander fan Stockholm Syndrome. The fact that Horvat went from a 50-goal pace to a 2-goal pace the second he donned blue and orange aside, we need them to be dominant. When I'm looking for a goal, I'm looking to the Nelson line, like I have for the vast majority of Nelson's career here (usually because Tavares had some revolving door of whatever on his wing just like Barzal does). Hmmm...

That really is the ticket to us doing well this year. A one-two punch of scoring threat from the top two lines, net nothing from the 3rd line (i.e., shut down), and the 4th line doing their thing. That's my fun-loving October outlook. Somewhere in the middle of the winter once Clutterbuck gets hurt, Horvat has 1 goal, and the PP is 32nd in the league, and we'll know why we're a middling wildcard team at best.

I'm piling on Horvat a little when I think his game was fine. But we got him to be better than fine. There's something about this team that we grab a player that was scoring like that, and then he doesn't add that scoring to the team and elevate our offense. Instead, we bring his offense down to Islander levels. What is that? It's systemic and regime agnostic. Oh well, it's game 1 -- hopefully this year is different, but I see a lot of gold-ribbon-for-participation celebration for Horvat generating shots (and the nice no look pass from Barzal). I still like him as a player. He's a good leader, and we've created a team of a lot of leaders. The problem I'm seeing is we bring in scoring leaders that turn into just leaders and well, someone needs to score. If this team wants to "score by committee", the rallying cry of teams without any superstar scorers, we're not going far because the league has changed. 3rd and 4th lines are good and can add "scoring by committee" across the league, but that's in addition to their offensive superstars.

The PP sucks. A lot. Again. We have two elite entry players too. But we have no QB. We have nobody who can create any space that leads to offense. Barzal can create space for himself all day, curling along the half wall, but generating that towards the net is another story. And no other player can make a subtle play to break down the defense and create time and space. They're statues in their spots on the ice and they only look to triangle pass around people instead of making a move to open space and creating new angles. On one of the PPs yesterday, they were statue-passing back and forth with the 3 high guys on perimeter of the umbrella, essentially generating nothing, and then one of those passes got intercepted. Can't even pass it along the outside of the perimeter, a clear 3-on-1 or 3-on-2 advantage, without it being telegraphed because we're passing people into corners with only one other option to pass to and no creative ability to create more space. That's garbage. The worst PPs in the league pass along the perimeter (what the defense gives you) and does nothing else with their set up. We can't even do that.

Lastly, I just don't get Lambert. Wasn't he a Trotz disciple? The way I see it is, ever since Tavares departed, this team's core, offensive ability, speed, and talent level has been pretty much the same. Maybe speeds a bit worse with the loss of Leddy and Toews. But my point is there are no superstars, we don't have the horses to run and gun you to death, and we certainly can't play an up tempo game. Trotz saw this and committed us to structure, defense, and opportunistic scoring -- basically what this roster needs to compete. And we made two ECFs in a row. Trotz leaves, Lambert gets promoted, we abandon that defensive structure that defined us, and we suck again. What am I missing? I get theoretically trading some defense for offense, especially if the league is shifting that way, but the results aren't there with this personnel. Either get different players (impossible for this franchise outside of the draft) or change the style. The Tampa Bay Rays can't structure their team the same way the Yankees do.

Jesus, those are a lot of conclusions drawn from one game. Quick summation responses.

I'd like to see Wahlstrom if Fasching continues to not be impactful. This is Wahlstrom's season to put up or shut up, there's only one way of determining that.

I want to see Horvat score goals, that was the primary reason he was acquired. He's not a 1C, but an upper tier 2C. I surmise if he keeps generating chances the goals will come. Think his chemistry with Barzal is good enough, with upside to be even better. Their timing and decision making is still off.

Going to give the PP some latitude. PP's always come down to talent, but yes, systemically there is something amiss. They also lack confidence, too much hesitation and dusting off the puck.

I don't see a team that runs and guns. I see the same defensive structure Lambert adjusted to at the end of last season. He's no Trotz, that much is certain. Consider his personnel though; clear downgrade from Trotz'. Further, Dobson has much work to do in his own zone. I don't ever expect him to be a shutdown guy, but he can be better.

 

[BelovedIsles]

I didn't see the game, but from reading this thread I now know that Horvat was very good as well as terrible.

Objectively, I thought he was good; but it's one game. He's not a true 1C. He generated a lot of chances, some from bad angles where there's no net to shoot at. Showed decent chemistry with Barzal. Had jump in his step, and played assertively in the D zone. I'll take it for game 1.

 

[MikeyMike01]

Everyone ready to make changes after one game.


Stellar.

There’s a particular UFA this team could really use

 

[leeroggy]

There’s a particular UFA this team could really use

Actually 3, and they all fill a need!

Speed and scoring on the wing . . . a perfect Lou fit at center, who wins faceoffs, kills penalties and shows leadership tendencies (Lou loves his captains!) . . . a 3rd pair LHD who hits and fights!

 

[saintunspecified]

Solid win. Our top line played like a top line. Absolutely SHOCKED that the replay went our way. Between a high stick and offside I thought for sure it was coming back. Maybe a sign of good things to come this year.

I agree. In general I think the biggest problem NYI face at the moment is bottom-6 wingers, or wingers in general. Aho had a couple of problems, but he also shows that sometimes while he lacks physical talent, he's got it between the ears. That elevated pass to Horvat, for example, was the kind of play NYI needs to make more often. I also thought NYI made a bunch of the long diagonal breakout or 2nd passes that MJF says they need to make.

Hopefully Horvat's finishing improves. Levi made some nice saves on a couple, but some other shots were not well aimed. If he's got nothing he can see to shoot at, shooting low is a better play than shooting at the crest. Both goalies made some excellent saves, and Levi's save on Barzal was especially impressive. Barzal deserved at least a point this game, if not two. Him and Greenway were the best skaters.

I absolutely *hate it* that refs don't call obvious interference penalties late in games in the name of "game management". It happened twice. The first one, where Pageau was knocked was the worst. But it happened again afterwards on the left side point. Not only does it give a team an advantage, it is dangerous for players to be hit when they don't have the puck, and so shouldn't expect it.

 

[Doshell Propivo]

You are right -- I did mess up the years. I still think the overall trend is there. Do you disagree? We are fair worse on defense and barely better on offense.

We were definitely worse defensively last year than any other year under Trotz. However, I do remember the big knock on Trotz was that he was stubborn and inflexible to "open it up a bit." Stifling our offensive/creative players, etc.

Let's see what year 2 under Lambert brings...

 

[IslandersGER]

Yea , I've been an isles fan probably before you were born. That's for your great insight on the team.

lol, I was born long before Isles franchise became real. I live on this planet since 1966

 

[I Loveallsports]

lol, I was born long before Isles franchise became real. I live on this planet since 1966

Older than you bud

 

[Doshell Propivo]

Oh look, it's a Boomer Off!

 

[Zeeker]

lol, I was born long before Isles franchise became real. I live on this planet since 1966

Older than you bud

Owned

 

[Richie Daggers Crime]

There’s a particular UFA this team could really use

Tomas Tatar already signed with another team.

 

[NYI365]

There’s a particular UFA this team could really use

Barzal-Horvat-Kane would be my wet dream

 

[duster19]

Barzal-Horvat-Kane would be my wet dream

I think that’s Lou’s dream as well.

 

[Doshell Propivo]

I think that’s Lou’s dream as well.

Lou's wet dreams involve prune juice.

 

[IslandersGER]

Owned

no, nothing owned, read the original line and you'll know
"Yea , I've been an isles fan probably before you were born." was his line and I replied that I was born in 66 so he cannot be a fan of Isles before that, because Isles didn't exist that year. His reply that he was older than me is another distraction. But let it go, boomer

 

[Tres Peleches]

First game of the season in-person, LFGI