Islanders better than most people thought

[SlapshotTheMovie]

They have 18 pts and sit on top of the metro. Flyers are not even a wild card spot and have 17 pts. In 2 weeks they will be outside the playoffs and by january not even a bubble team. It was a good start but lets be real here. The rangers are playing like shit and on year 1 of a rebuild and are only 3 pts behind the islanders.

 

[sebsisles]

They have 18 pts and sit on top of the metro. Flyers are not even a wild card spot and have 17 pts. In 2 weeks they will be outside the playoffs and by january not even a bubble team. It was a good start but lets be real here. The rangers are playing like **** and on year 1 of a rebuild and are only 3 pts behind the islanders.

Thanks for playing spoiler! Now I cant watch the rest of the season without knowing they wont even be a bubble team in 2 weeks!!

 

[CupsOverCash]

They have 18 pts and sit on top of the metro. Flyers are not even a wild card spot and have 17 pts. In 2 weeks they will be outside the playoffs and by january not even a bubble team. It was a good start but lets be real here. The rangers are playing like **** and on year 1 of a rebuild and are only 3 pts behind the islanders.

Leads me to ask whats up with the Metro? Its pretty competitive compared to some other divisions.

 

[SlapshotTheMovie]

Leads me to ask whats up with the Metro? Its pretty competitive compared to some other divisions.

Bad teams are playing a little better then they should. Good teams playing a little worse then they should. In a small sample that means everyone is middle of the pack. Over time it will even out. its only 13-17 games into a 82 game season. Come January 1st it will be a lot clearer who is making a legit playoff run and who just had a good start.

 

[Rehabguy]

They have 18 pts and sit on top of the metro. Flyers are not even a wild card spot and have 17 pts. In 2 weeks they will be outside the playoffs and by january not even a bubble team. It was a good start but lets be real here. The rangers are playing like **** and on year 1 of a rebuild and are only 3 pts behind the islanders.

Look at the quality of the teams they have played against early on and it's pretty amazing how well they are doing. I think they are legit.

 

[sabremike]

Look at the quality of the teams they have played against early on and it's pretty amazing how well they are doing. I think they are legit.

That's the part people overlook. 8 of 11 on the road to open the season, 4 games combined against SJ and Nashville, a west coast trip and 2 games in Raleigh. Then b2b with the Pens and a date on the road against Tampa. The fact that the team is in the position they are currently in is nothing short of amazing. Coaching matters.

 

[SlapshotTheMovie]

Look at the quality of the teams they have played against early on and it's pretty amazing how well they are doing. I think they are legit.

The sharks are the big win? The same team that lost to the rebuilding rangers? The pens who are having a horrible start and not even in a wild card spot? These are the wins that show that even though the are 2 pts away from not being in the play off picture that they are going to stay in the playoff picutre? Its a hot start. Act like you seen one before. The year after the devils lost to the kings in the SCF they ended the first month of hockey leading the leage in regulation wins, sat on top of the metro, and didnt have a single regulation loss.... they still missed the playoffs.

 

[mm11]

They have 18 pts and sit on top of the metro. Flyers are not even a wild card spot and have 17 pts. In 2 weeks they will be outside the playoffs and by january not even a bubble team. It was a good start but lets be real here. The rangers are playing like **** and on year 1 of a rebuild and are only 3 pts behind the islanders.

didn't the blue shirts win 4 in a row lately? How is that playing like ****?

 

[mm11]

The sharks are the big win? The same team that lost to the rebuilding rangers? The pens who are having a horrible start and not even in a wild card spot? These are the wins that show that even though the are 2 pts away from not being in the play off picture that they are going to stay in the playoff picutre? Its a hot start. Act like you seen one before. The year after the devils lost to the kings in the SCF they ended the first month of hockey leading the leage in regulation wins, sat on top of the metro, and didnt have a single regulation loss.... they still missed the playoffs.

to be fair the Isles got the PENS back to back when they were red hot. Not saying the Isles are anything super special but it's a good start considering their schedule. It's a marathon we all know....

 

[LordNeverLose]

They're more lucky than everyone thought, not better. Goaltending has been bailing them out and they have the highest PDO in the league. I wouldn't be shocked if they crashed sooner than later.

When Islanders have some of the worst goaltending numbers of the past decade, it's because their goalies suck. When the goalies put up good numbers, it's because they're lucky. Got it.

I'm not saying they'll maintain their incredibly high SV% all year, but it isn't just luck.

Mediocre roster with a great coach.

This is correct.

 

[billingtons ghost]

I think the Isles have slightly better talent than people remember - Lee, Bailey, Barzal, Eberle are all pretty decent top6 guys - and they've got decent character guys at the bottom. A reasonable defense with a couple of very good young defensemen, and a couple of goalies that - while not great - are far better than their showing last year - especially if some sort of team defense is played in front of them.

Couple that with Trotz and a real desire to prove everything wrong and I'm hoping you guys hang around long enough to keep it interesting.

btw - LOL at Ranger fan playing 'full rebuild card' so soon after 'the window is still open, we can still win a cup, gather and sign all free agents possible, $$$ mode'. I get that they are a bad team - but they still have the Queen, Zucchini, Shattenredden and a whole host of players like Kreider, Fast, Vesey, Hayes, Skjei who were all 'takin' it to the next level bro' and sure HOFers just a year ago according to this board.

 

[rent free]

When Islanders have some of the worst goaltending numbers of the past decade, it's because their goalies suck. When the goalies put up good numbers, it's because they're lucky. Got it.

I'm not saying they'll maintain their incredibly high SV% all year, but it isn't just luck.

This is correct.

You didnt comprehend my post well...

They are lucky because of their high PDO not because of their good goaltending...

 

[aufheben]

I think the Isles have slightly better talent than people remember - Lee, Bailey, Marner, Eberle are all pretty decent top6 guys - and they've got decent character guys at the bottom. A reasonable defense with a couple of very good young defensemen, and a couple of goalies that - while not great - are far better than their showing last year - especially if some sort of team defense is played in front of them.

Couple that with Trotz and a real desire to prove everything wrong and I'm hoping you guys hang around long enough to keep it interesting.

btw - LOL at Ranger fan playing 'full rebuild card' so soon after 'the window is still open, we can still win a cup, gather and sign all free agents possible, $$$ mode'. I get that they are a bad team - but they still have the Queen, Zucchini, Shattenredden and a whole host of players like Kreider, Fast, Vesey, Hayes, Skjei who were all 'takin' it to the next level bro' and sure HOFers just a year ago according to this board.

Jesper Fast is a HOF lock, I don’t know what you’re talking about.

 

[SlapshotTheMovie]

didn't the blue shirts win 4 in a row lately? How is that playing like ****?

You are further proving my points. In the last game the rangers won they had to score 4 goals in the second half of the game. Winning a game is not the same as playing good. They took 4 stupid pentalties in the second period alone. They are a turn over machine... they were just lucky and playing a goalie who can't keep the puck out of the net.

to be fair the Isles got the PENS back to back when they were red hot. Not saying the Isles are anything super special but it's a good start considering their schedule. It's a marathon we all know....

Pens were RED hot and cooled off and been bad in a span of 15 games? Yeah thats just called small samples dude. Even the worst teams in the league put together winning streaks. Sometimes even by blowing out the best teams... doesn't mean they are red hot. To further the point the flyers won 10 games straight and still missed the playoffs and i think 9 of them were in regulation. They were actually red hot and still lost to most teams in the league that season. This entire thread is dripping with "this player scored 5 goals in the first 2 games of the season. they are on a 205 goal pace and are going to win the rocket!!!!"

 

[sabremike]

Rags fan says Isles aren't any good, news at 11.

 

[ThreeLeftSkates]

Rags fan says Isles aren't any good, news at 11.

Kreider's finally going to have that 60 point season, also.

 

[Erndog]

I think the Isles have slightly better talent than people remember - Lee, Bailey, Marner, Eberle are all pretty decent top6 guys - and they've got decent character guys at the bottom..

(or is this in relation to the Barzal vs. Marner thread?)

 

[billingtons ghost]

(or is this in relation to the Barzal vs. Marner thread?)

yeah - sorry - Devils are playing Toronto tonight so I have Marner on the mind!

 

[mm11]

You are further proving my points. In the last game the rangers won they had to score 4 goals in the second half of the game. Winning a game is not the same as playing good. They took 4 stupid pentalties in the second period alone. They are a turn over machine... they were just lucky and playing a goalie who can't keep the puck out of the net.



Pens were RED hot and cooled off and been bad in a span of 15 games? Yeah thats just called small samples dude. Even the worst teams in the league put together winning streaks. Sometimes even by blowing out the best teams... doesn't mean they are red hot. To further the point the flyers won 10 games straight and still missed the playoffs and i think 9 of them were in regulation. They were actually red hot and still lost to most teams in the league that season. This entire thread is dripping with "this player scored 5 goals in the first 2 games of the season. they are on a 205 goal pace and are going to win the rocket!!!!"

just curious do you think the Pens are a poor team?

 

[LordNeverLose]

They are lucky because of their high PDO not because of their good goaltending...

You are aware of the two components of PDO, no?

 

[SI90]

You are aware of the two components of PDO, no?

Lmao got him!!!!

 

[rent free]

You are aware of the two components of PDO, no?

yes i know there are two components. what also helps the isles high PDO is their 11.44 shooting percentage, which is the fifth highest shooting percentage in the league.

i'm sure you're not aware of this but the isles have the third lowest xGF/60 at 2.57 this season but the 15th lowest goals for/60 at 3.03. this means they are scoring a goal about a goal more than they should be every 2 games roughly. another thing to add is that the isles have the 16th highest xGA/60 this season at 2.9 but the
third lowest goals against/60 at 2.44. this means they are allowing a goal less than they should be every 2 games roughly.

when you're excepted goals for is lower than your actual goals for, then you are lucky. if your expected goals against is higher than your actual goals against then your lucky. both cases apply to the isles in a very had way.

overall, the isles have been extremely lucky this season. a collapse wouldn't be nor shouldn't be much of a surprise.

 

[God King Fudge]

They played TB really well last night. Definitely surprising.

 

[Chardo]

The real world laughs at the idea of "expected" in hockey.

 

[aufheben]

Rags fan says Isles aren't any good, news at 11.

I'm almost positive that back in 2014-15 stuff like Corsi and PDO were often trotted out in support of the Islanders