Player Discussion: NYI Defense

[Mike C]

I would not be surprised to see Dobson playing with Pelech this year on the #1 pairing. Pulock and Romanov on the #2 pairing playing in front of Sorokin. This is the present and future of the Isles foundation.

That would make sense right? This way both pairs have a qualified puck rusher no?

 

[The Winter Soldier]

That would make sense right? This way both pairs have a qualified puck rusher no?

I just think Dobson has ascended ahead of Pulock, Pulock needs to get back to his 19-20 form. If he does, that #2 pairing has the potential to be one of the best 2nd pairings in the NHL. Would like to see Pelech join the rush more also, always said he has sneaky good offensive skills.

 

[Seph]

I just think Dobson has ascended ahead of Pulock, Pulock needs to get back to his 19-20 form. If he does, that #2 pairing has the potential to be one of the best 2nd pairings in the NHL. Would like to see Pelech join the rush more also, always said he has sneaky good offensive skills.

I agree that Dobson is currently ahead of Pulock, at least based on last season. However, I also think Pulock benefits from playing with Pulock more than Dobson would and that Romanov would benefit more from playing with Dobson than he would with Pulock. So, personally I think we'd have a stronger top 4 if we keep them on separate pairings. 1st pairing and 2nd pairing in this scenario won't really matter, as they'll get pretty comparable 5v5 minutes, based on ideal match ups for each.

 

[SCMURRAY]

Will they be better without Greene and Chara in the line up - Yes.....can they carry the team, No

 

[Kevin27NYI]

Our defense is better than Tampa now IMO because McDonagh left. Idk how many defenses I take over ours.

 

[Goombha]

Trotz had to be mentally checked out by that time and they were out of the race pretty early. That's not a valid excuse, but at the end of the day these players are humans, not robots. If all us fans knew it was steep hill to climb, imagine what the players thought...

I hear ya. I can somewhat buy into that. My greatest frustration with the team is laziness. They don't have the 'all gas no brake' mentality. That's how you win championships. Imagine if Brock's recreational choice was toots instead of tokes

 

[impaaaaaact]

Defense + Goalie situation is top 3 in the league at this point. That should not only bring you into the playoffs, but set you up for success during them

 

[The Real JT]

I agree that Dobson is currently ahead of Pulock, at least based on last season. However, I also think Pulock benefits from playing with Pulock more than Dobson would and that Romanov would benefit more from playing with Dobson than he would with Pulock. So, personally I think we'd have a stronger top 4 if we keep them on separate pairings. 1st pairing and 2nd pairing in this scenario won't really matter, as they'll get pretty comparable 5v5 minutes, based on ideal match ups for each.

Butchie, is that you?

 

[The Real JT]

Defense + Goalie situation is top 3 in the league at this point. That should not only bring you into the playoffs, but set you up for success during them

I think we make the playoffs but…

Our forwards are in the bottom half of the league. Closer to the middle than the absolute bottom but still subpar.

We need to cross our fingers that Barzal, Beau and Wally find their next gear, Nelson duplicates his career year and no major injuries derail our forwards. Of course we don’t need all of that but without checking many of those boxes we’re not reaching the promised land.

 

[Goombha]

23rd in the league in average goals scored per game. If they can't score goals, it doesn't really matter how good the defense and goaltending are. Without adding some firepower, they'll be lucky to grab a wild card spot. And will certainly flame out very quickly.

 

[JBHockey]

The season will hinge on how well Palmeri, Beau, Wallstrom and Pageau play. They all seemed to have a down year last year.

 

[Throttle]

And will certainly flame out very quickly.

Yet, that didn't happen in the prior 2 playoff years. Last year, was a litany of poor goaltending, which increased playoff scoring. In the end, most of the teams were inherently flawed. Isles were still 7th best in GA.

CLB, PHI, NJD, DET, etc. all those teams Isles fans are fearing are getting better were bottom 10 GA. Those teams need to reduce their GAs by 40-50 GA to get even in range of a playoff spot in the EC. Not happening with their teams, coaches, and goaltending.

 

[MJF]

The season will hinge on how well Palmeri, Beau, Wallstrom and Pageau play. They all seemed to have a down year last year.

Last season the entire team slumped at the same time

 

[MJF]

Yet, that didn't happen in the prior 2 playoff years. Last year, was a litany of poor goaltending, which increased playoff scoring. In the end, most of the teams were inherently flawed. Isles were still 7th best in GA.

CLB, PHI, NJD, DET, etc. all those teams Isles fans are fearing are getting better were bottom 10 GA. Those teams need to reduce their GAs by 40-50 GA to get even in range of a playoff spot in the EC. Not happening with their teams, coaches, and goaltending.

None of those teams really improved their goaltending, although the Devils and the Blue Jackets both played with backups the bulk of the season. Korpisalo is a good goaltender and I think CBJ would have finished ahead of us of he was healthy all year, As for Blackwood, I think he’d be a number 2 on teams that are serious contenders.

I think we make the playoffs but…

Our forwards are in the bottom half of the league. Closer to the middle than the absolute bottom but still subpar.

We need to cross our fingers that Barzal, Beau and Wally find their next gear, Nelson duplicates his career year and no major injuries derail our forwards. Of course we don’t need all of that but without checking many of those boxes we’re not reaching the promised land.

Also Pageau and Palmieri bounce back to normal production.

 

[doublechili]

I think we may be surprised how much of a difference it will make to have our defense get back to pucks faster and move it the other way before the opposition has their forecheck fully established. The same forwards can be much more effective if they're not playing on their heels most of the game.

 

[Goombha]

Yet, that didn't happen in the prior 2 playoff years.

You're right. They flamed out long before making the playoffs last season. Don't get me wrong - I'm a die-hard Islanders fan, and I want them to win more than anyone.

Is it worse to think they simply gave up last year, or don't have the championship pedigree to die trying?

 

[Lights911]

Won’t matter if they can’t score.

 

[Top Corner]

23rd in the league in average goals scored per game. If they can't score goals, it doesn't really matter how good the defense and goaltending are. Without adding some firepower, they'll be lucky to grab a wild card spot. And will certainly flame out very quickly.

Can’t understand why hockey fans that have played the game can’t get that you need to be able to get out of your own end to be able to create offence, last years D just couldn’t elude any forechecking from the opposition, the D couldn’t hold the offensive blue line because they didn’t have the Leddys or Toews to get back if needed, this year will be different

 

[seafoam]

Can’t understand why hockey fans that have played the game can’t get that you need to be able to get out of your own end to be able to create offence, last years D just couldn’t elude any forechecking from the opposition, the D couldn’t hold the offensive blue line because they didn’t have the Leddys or Toews to get back if needed, this year will be different

Good points all around, but keep in mind Romanov is not a Leddy/Toews type either.

 

[ViD]

Romanov was arguably the best defenseman on Montreal at times, although that was not a hard task in that horrible blue line group.

Still, very solid addition by the NYI

 

[HyeDray]

I notice NHL.com is running a team reset for each team — which I find amusing since the NYI are essentially the same exact team. They have done exactly nothing in a best case scenario and gotten magnificently worse in reality.

• No farm system to speak of.
• 3 really good defenders, (Pelech, Pullock, Dobson) a solid #5 (Mayfield) an OK prospect that remains unknown (Salo) and a complete question mark who is as yet unsigned that we wasted a 1st round pick on (Romanov — who might prove to be OK and could cap out as a #4 defender — maybe — but the price we paid is my problem. I find it highly suspect and hard to believe that pick could not be a part of a deal that allowed the NYI to acquire more of a sure asset — Romanov is far from a sure bet NHL player)
• Beyond that there is almost zero depth, so if one of these guys goes down with an injury (which is likely) there is no one to fill the void.

At this moment — cant see the NYI as anything more than battling it out for last place in the Metro with the Devils and Flyers. Playoffs? Not unless some serious trades are coming, and even then — I doubt it because the only thing of value the Isles have are the guys you wouldn't want to trade. No one is taking Bailey or Varly — maybe at the deadline, but not now. Beauvillier is the only guy you might be able to get a second round pick for — and Im not in the camp where I trade him just yet. Unless the rival team's GM is Mike Milbury (or at this point LL) NYI are not going to be able to make much of a trade happen.

As far as rumors of Kadri signing here? Unless we are trading one of Barzal, Nelson, Pageau or Cizikas — I don't see it. None of those 4 make sense on a shift to the wing to me. So unless Kadri is coming is as a wing (doubtful) I just cannot see it. Nelso would have good value on the trade front — but again, moving out his millions for Kadri's doesnt make us better. Just more of the same.

Saw an article out of Vancouver that suggested Dobson for JT Miller — and frankly if LL made a move like that, he should be immediately fired and sent for a check with doctors for dementia. Have to believe that is not happening.

Maybe I am alone but the NYI window is closed. Maybe it was never really there at all. Maybe a special coach — who we now fired — got a group of mediocre players to buy in and overachieve for a few years. If anyone should have been fired this year it should have been LL. He handed Trotz a team without any depth, and the push by owners to "go fo opening weekend" when the entire team was down with covid ended the season before it began.

 

[Skidrow11]

I notice NHL.com is running a team reset for each team — which I find amusing since the NYI are essentially the same exact team. They have done exactly nothing in a best case scenario and gotten magnificently worse in reality.

• No farm system to speak of.
• 3 really good defenders, (Pelech, Pullock, Dobson) a solid #5 (Mayfield) an OK prospect that remains unknown (Salo) and a complete question mark who is as yet unsigned that we wasted a 1st round pick on (Romanov — who might prove to be OK and could cap out as a #4 defender — maybe — but the price we paid is my problem. I find it highly suspect and hard to believe that pick could not be a part of a deal that allowed the NYI to acquire more of a sure asset — Romanov is far from a sure bet NHL player)
• Beyond that there is almost zero depth, so if one of these guys goes down with an injury (which is likely) there is no one to fill the void.

At this moment — cant see the NYI as anything more than battling it out for last place in the Metro with the Devils and Flyers. Playoffs? Not unless some serious trades are coming, and even then — I doubt it because the only thing of value the Isles have are the guys you wouldn't want to trade. No one is taking Bailey or Varly — maybe at the deadline, but not now. Beauvillier is the only guy you might be able to get a second round pick for — and Im not in the camp where I trade him just yet. Unless the rival team's GM is Mike Milbury (or at this point LL) NYI are not going to be able to make much of a trade happen.

As far as rumors of Kadri signing here? Unless we are trading one of Barzal, Nelson, Pageau or Cizikas — I don't see it. None of those 4 make sense on a shift to the wing to me. So unless Kadri is coming is as a wing (doubtful) I just cannot see it. Nelso would have good value on the trade front — but again, moving out his millions for Kadri's doesnt make us better. Just more of the same.

Saw an article out of Vancouver that suggested Dobson for JT Miller — and frankly if LL made a move like that, he should be immediately fired and sent for a check with doctors for dementia. Have to believe that is not happening.

Maybe I am alone but the NYI window is closed. Maybe it was never really there at all. Maybe a special coach — who we now fired — got a group of mediocre players to buy in and overachieve for a few years. If anyone should have been fired this year it should have been LL. He handed Trotz a team without any depth, and the push by owners to "go fo opening weekend" when the entire team was down with covid ended the season before it began.

It's an odd islanders team because we watched them be unable to win 2 games in a row the 1st half of last season, then we are comming back with the same team hoping they can win a Stanly cup. A lot of people watching last year's team were under the assumption the team was missing 2 or 3 good skating players to replace toews, leddy Eberle. And now we find out Lou thinks the team we had last year was perfect. So perfect, that unlike Tampa and Colorado, which had alot of changes, this isles team didn't need any. My biggest issue, is the team is 1 dobson injury away from a last place team, then what exactly is the use for pullock and Mayfield? At minimum they needed 1 more puck moving defenseman.

 

[Tahoeblue]

Good points all around, but keep in mind Romanov is not a Leddy/Toews type either.

Totally agree. Love what Romanov brings but I believe we need someone who can skate the puck out of our zone and get to the red line and either keep going or at least dump it in. We had too many times our d either missed passes to forwards or could not gain the red line and caused icings leaving this team hemmed in our zone.

Maybe that is Salo or a lesser degree Aho. Certainly pmd's don't grow on trees and the absence of Greene and Chara would help. Loved both Greene and Chara but very apparent they struggled.

 

[doublechili]

Good points all around, but keep in mind Romanov is not a Leddy/Toews type either.

He will get to pucks much sooner than Chara did. Even if he doesn't carry the puck out, if he can get to the puck first and turn up ice to make a pass (or even a dump), it's an improvement.

 

[Mike C]

He will get to pucks much sooner than Chara did. Even if he doesn't carry the puck out, if he can get to the puck first and turn up ice to make a pass (or even a dump), it's an improvement.

Plus with that improvement you noted, the 85 penalty minutes Chara amassed will be lessened thus easing strain on D and goaltending and giving us more even strength opportunities