GDT: GDT #27 New York Islanders vs Toronto Maple Leafs | December 11th | 7:00 PM | F/4-3 OTW

[leeroggy]

What ever happened to DiPietro?

Wondering why he didn't go the Bonilla/Ohtani route . . . 10 years wasn't long enough

 

[Metnut]

I really find the reaction with the Canadian hockey media and Leafs fans regarding Isles fans booing JT to be hilarious. They say we need to get over it, but that's hypocritical IMO. They need to get over Isles fans booing JT. It's not going to stop. Most of us don't like the guy and are going to boo him every game for the rest of his career. This has been going on for half a decade now. Get over it Toronto. We pay for the tickets and we'll do what we want.

BTW, I'm sure they are so bummed out that Horvat scored the OT winner so they couldn't all make fun of NYI fans. Too bad.

 

[Mr Misunderstood]

Ah, didn't realize he was on ESPN.

New York specific show

DiPietro & Rothenberg Show - PodCenter - ESPN Radio

 

[Richie Daggers Crime]

I was scanning the main board thread, priceless. Free entertainment. Leafs fans sure seem to care how Isles fans feel about their loser Captain John Tavares. The guy has to be the Lenny Wadkins of hockey. 1000 pts 77 pts season pace. Never close to winning a Cup. As I said last night, when McDavid or Mackinnon have 2 pt nights, you notice them because they dictate play, they dominate the ice. If Tavares tip and accidental tip pass did not account for 2 pts, you would notice the skating in mud Tavares. He's painfully slow, has zero personality, his team takes after him. He is gone, who cares, he is not Sid Crosby, who is the enemy, but I respect the hell out of the guy. He is not an individual stats padder like the loser Tavares will always be. Boo away fans, you pay hard earned money to view a live game, it is your right.

This is just sour grapes.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

I really find the reaction with the Canadian hockey media and Leafs fans regarding Isles fans booing JT to be hilarious. They say we need to get over it, but that's hypocritical IMO. They need to get over Isles fans booing JT. It's not going to stop. Most of us don't like the guy and are going to boo him every game for the rest of his career. This has been going on for half a decade now. Get over it Toronto. We pay for the tickets and we'll do what we want.

BTW, I'm sure they are so bummed out that Horvat scored the OT winner so they couldn't all make fun of NYI fans. Too bad.

JT is not Bryan Trottier, to quote Lou, it's not like Pajamas left a legacy of winning on the Island. He's done virtually nothing in terms of team success. There are few pleasant memories of him in a Isles uniform. Trottier you would cheer for, the guy won 4 cups as the #1 star Center. Tavares is a plodding poolies player. He could have 2 pucks go off his arse stats pad. Boo away, Isles fans pay hard earned dough. This is not like booing Trottier. One is a winner the other is a historical loser.

 

[Rehabguy]

JT is not Bryan Trottier, to quote Lou, it's not like Pajamas left a legacy of winning on the Island. He's done virtually nothing in terms of team success. There are few pleasant memories of him in a Isles uniform. Trottier you would cheer for, the guy won 4 cups as the #1 star Center. Tavares is a plodding poolies player. He could have 2 pucks go off his arse stats pad. Boo away, Isles fans pay hard earned dough. This is not like booing Trottier. One is a winner the other is a historical loser.

ouch

 

[Rehabguy]

my god

If you can't see that this is not Trotz hockey I don't know what else to say. Hate to say it but I have to give full kudos to Lane Lambert for letting these players use their talents to the fullest. If last year and the earlier part of this year was a transitional period for this team to become more of an offensive threat and not just a team that sits backs and waits for the other team to make mistakes or attempts to create opportunities only through an aggressive forecheck It may have been worth the wait. They are playing to win, not just following the stupid mantra that it takes only 1 more goal to win a hockey game. Mathematically that may be true, but today's hockey you can't sit back on a 1 or 2 goal lead. You have to have the mindset of playing to win until the final buzzer.

As I said before, there is absolutely no way we would have seen Barzal skating the way he did last night against the Leafs with Trotz at the helm. There were at least 3 instances where he skating in complete loops in the offensive zone. We saw that only in his calder year. Lane has clearly given Barzal the green light to be creative and that's the difference between their style this year versus the 4 years under Trotz. They are being creative with their offense. Staying loose (as Lambert recently asked them to be) with the puck. Getting into the zone, using their instincts, drop passes, blind passes, taking chances. They cheating up the ice- something I never saw under Trotz. This is what good hockey teams do. The team had skaters like Leddy, Eberle, and Beauvillier so it wasn't just an issue of speed. This team is exciting to watch again. No more falling asleep in the studio.

 

[NYI365]

I truly relish in the irony that is the Toronto media. They can all get f***ed.

 

[Nizami Ganjavi]

If you can't see that this is not Trotz hockey I don't know what else to say. Hate to say it but I have to give full kudos to Lane Lambert for letting these players use their talents to the fullest. If last year and the earlier part of this year was a transitional period for this team to become more of an offensive threat and not just a team that sits backs and waits for the other team to make mistakes or attempts to create opportunities only through an aggressive forecheck It may have been worth the wait. They are playing to win, not just following the stupid mantra that it takes only 1 more goal to win a hockey game. Mathematically that may be true, but today's hockey you can't sit back on a 1 or 2 goal lead. You have to have the mindset of playing to win until the final buzzer.

As I said before, there is absolutely no way we would have seen Barzal skating the way he did last night against the Leafs with Trotz at the helm. There were at least 3 instances where he skating in complete loops in the offensive zone. We saw that only in his calder year. Lane has clearly given Barzal the green light to be creative and that's the difference between their style this year versus the 4 years under Trotz. They are being creative with their offense. Staying loose (as Lambert recently asked them to be) with the puck. Getting into the zone, using their instincts, drop passes, blind passes, taking chances. They cheating up the ice- something I never saw under Trotz. This is what good hockey teams do. The team had skaters like Leddy, Eberle, and Beauvillier so it wasn't just an issue of speed. This team is exciting to watch again. No more falling asleep in the studio.

I don't even know what you're arguing now. That Trotz wasn't a good coach?

 

[MarsTBOW]

Isles have turned a corner despite Lambert....
I really don't think they take him too seriously.
I remember early in the year when Lambert actually called a timeout in a game and Pulock Rolled his head and eyes after listening to Lambert. Can't remember which game it was...

 

[Nizami Ganjavi]

Isles have turned a corner despite Lambert....
I really don't think they take him too seriously.
I remember early in the year when Lambert actually called a timeout in a game and Pulock Rolled his head and eyes after listening to Lambert. Can't remember which game it was...

Cizikas seemed pretty sincere in his support...

 

[Bones45]

Isles have turned a corner despite Lambert....
I really don't think they take him too seriously.
I remember early in the year when Lambert actually called a timeout in a game and Pulock Rolled his head and eyes after listening to Lambert. Can't remember which game it was...

"We're never as good as we appear while winning and not nearly as bad as we look when losing"

Lets not go saying "Isles have turned a corner" quite yet. We will resume sucking soon, and then start contending for the Cup, shortly after that. Repeat.......

 

[Rehabguy]

I don't even know what you're arguing now. That Trotz wasn't a good coach?

No I’m not saying that. He just took this team as far as he knew how to. Lou was right. Maybe the team just needed a new voice and he’s done a good job complementing his new coach with the right mix of players. I have to give credit where credit is due. In other words I don’t give a crap how far we made it in the playoffs under Trotz. In the end it was simply another playoff round lost in a listless game of cat and mouse. It was playing not to lose. I like what I see now. At least the team is exciting to watch again and from the looks of it has the mentality of a winner.

 

[Zeeker]

At least the team is exciting to watch again and from the looks of it has the mentality of a winner.

We’re blowing leads at a historic pace. What in God’s name are you talking about?

 

[Rehabguy]

We’re blowing leads at a historic pace. What in God’s name are you talking about?

We WERE blowing leads at a historic pace, but if that’s the price to pay as they transition towards a win first mentality then that’s what it takes. They were clearly confused not knowing whether to sit back or pad a lead. In the end as I mentioned weeks ago they were just turtling around their goaltender if not screening him in the process. It takes time to right a ship and tweak an old system. I see them holding onto leads less of an issue going into the future. They played very well last night.

Many of you just a few weeks back were blaming Barzal for everything that was wrong with this team. What in God’s name were you talking about? Oh that’s right we were comparing hockey to a game of chess.

 

[doublechili]

I don't know why any fans fall for the Bissonnette shtick. He's a WWE character.

He'd better be investing/saving a chunk of what he's making, because he seems like the kind of guy who'll say the wrong thing at some point and get sent to the cornfield.

 

[Throttle]

"We're never as good as we appear while winning and not nearly as bad as we look when losing"

Lets not go saying "Isles have turned a corner" quite yet. We will resume sucking soon, and then start contending for the Cup, shortly after that. Repeat.......

It’s a long season, this ‘hot streak’ still lays on top of some really ugly/bumpy play. The isles haven’t even built a cushion in the standings because of it.

 

[leeroggy]

We WERE blowing leads at a historic pace, but if that’s the price to pay as they transition towards a win first mentality then that’s what it takes. They were clearly confused not knowing whether to sit back or pad a lead. In the end as I mentioned weeks ago they were just turtling around their goaltender if not screening him in the process. It takes time to right a ship and tweak an old system. I see them holding onto leads less of an issue going into the future. They played very well last night.

Many of you just a few weeks back were blaming Barzal for everything that was wrong with this team. What in God’s name were you talking about? Oh that’s right we were comparing hockey to a game of chess.

It took Toronto nearly 13 minutes to generate pretty much anything in the 3rd period, our defensive structure is getting better and better. Go back and watch the replay if you doubt this.

Heaven forbid a team that had out Matthews, Marner, JT, Nylander, Reilly was able to get a late goal.

They did very little in the 3rd until then.

To reiterate a point, this team has changed a LOT of starters since Barry left; as Rehab pointed out, it takes some time for them all to get on the same page and communicate well. This team is on the verge of a real breakout. 8-1-2 in the last 11 games is nothing to sneeze at. Without Pelech and Pulock for a number of them.

I honestly think a number of you here are way too pessimistic. We are WINNING GAMES.

 

[doublechili]

"We're never as good as we appear while winning and not nearly as bad as we look when losing"

Lets not go saying "Isles have turned a corner" quite yet. We will resume sucking soon, and then start contending for the Cup, shortly after that. Repeat.......

And at the TDL Lou will either make a big deal or not make a big deal, and then the following year everyone will be talking about how we clearly were either contenders or not in it at all and the move/non-move was a huge screw up.

 

[leeroggy]

And at the TDL Lou will either make a big deal or not make a big deal, and then the following year everyone will be talking about how we clearly were either contenders or not in it at all and the move/non-move was a huge screw up.

And the earth came to an end in 2000, just as Man Bear Pig predicted . . .

 

[helloconga]

I believed in this King

 

[Nizami Ganjavi]

No I’m not saying that. He just took this team as far as he knew how to. Lou was right. Maybe the team just needed a new voice and he’s done a good job complementing his new coach with the right mix of players. I have to give credit where credit is due. In other words I don’t give a crap how far we made it in the playoffs under Trotz. In the end it was simply another playoff round lost in a listless game of cat and mouse. It was playing not to lose. I like what I see now. At least the team is exciting to watch again and from the looks of it has the mentality of a winner.

my god

 

[Bones45]

It took Toronto nearly 13 minutes to generate pretty much anything in the 3rd period, our defensive structure is getting better and better. Go back and watch the replay if you doubt this.

Heaven forbid a team that had out Matthews, Marner, JT, Nylander, Reilly was able to get a late goal.

They did very little in the 3rd until then.

To reiterate a point, this team has changed a LOT of starters since Barry left; as Rehab pointed out, it takes some time for them all to get on the same page and communicate well. This team is on the verge of a real breakout. 8-1-2 in the last 11 games is nothing to sneeze at. Without Pelech and Pulock for a number of them.

I honestly think a number of you here are way too pessimistic. We are WINNING GAMES.

We've seen a lot of bad hockey. Please forgive us.

 

[leeroggy]

We've seen a lot of bad hockey. Please forgive us.

Only if you forgive Bailey!!!

 

[Nizami Ganjavi]

Top 10 things I have learned here in the past week

1. Trotz and his flawed system held the team back.
2. Records don't matter and winning in the playoffs is meaningless
3. A few wins in December tell me all I need to know about a team
3. Barzal is now "unleashed."
4. Not since the Dough Weight years has the team been this exciting.
5. Lambert told Barzal to be more confident. So Barzal became more confident. He said so. Duh.
6. The mentality of this team is one of a winner. (If you can't see that I don't know what to tell you).
7. Even though we blew a lead (again) last night, we didn't really blow a lead because "I like what I see now."
8. The 6 playoff series wins in 3 years under Trotz were boring.
9. Things are finally progressing the way we all hoped after Barzal's rookie season.
10. IT'S SNOW'S ROSTER ANYWAY!