NYI keep the 5th overall pick; Sabres now have three 2015 1st-round picks – Part III

[Jim Carr's Rug]

Glad he made the most of his first post, because it only happens...

...once in a lifetime.

Very nice Rob, well played.

:golfclap:

 

[Dunkster19]

I think their defense is severely underrated, and getting rid of Andy MacDonald was more or less of an addition by subtraction. Brennan isn't anything special, and it may depend on whether or not Griffin Reinhart makes the team, but I think the Isles are a team that could benefit from a weak Eastern Conference and grab one of those wild card spots.

I agree they will be improved but I still think it will be very difficult for them to make the playoffs with the new rules. If we assume that Boston, Tampa and Montreal are the 3 top teams in the Atlantic and Pittsburgh, NY Rangers and Philadelphia the top 3 in the Metropolitan, that leaves the two wild card spots to come from Columbus, Detroit, Washington, New Jersey, Ottawa, Toronto, Carolina, NY Islanders, Florida and Buffalo. I just can't see the improved Islanders finishing ahead of Columbus or Detroit for starters.

 

[VanekFanatic26]

I agree they will be improved but I still think it will be very difficult for them to make the playoffs with the new rules. If we assume that Boston, Tampa and Montreal are the 3 top teams in the Atlantic and Pittsburgh, NY Rangers and Philadelphia the top 3 in the Metropolitan, that leaves the two wild card spots to come from Columbus, Detroit, Washington, New Jersey, Ottawa, Toronto, Carolina, NY Islanders, Florida and Buffalo. I just can't see the improved Islanders finishing ahead of Columbus or Detroit for starters.

Anything can happen. I think Philadelphia could fall off at any moment if Steve Mason reverts back to Columbus Steve Mason.

 

[Dunkster19]

Anything can happen. I think Philadelphia could fall off at any moment if Steve Mason reverts back to Columbus Steve Mason.

Absolutely anything can happen. I think we probably end up getting a pick in the 10-12 range from them just because they would have to improve dramatically to leap frog some of the 2014 playoff teams. My guess is that it is just as likely that they finish in the bottom 6 or 7 as it is they make the playoffs. Even if Philly falters Columbus could surge.

 

[Eram]

Compared to the rest of the Isles' defensmen, he was a possession sieve. Playing 25 minutes a night, that's going to affect a team most of the season. Getting rid of that is huge. The Isles were 11-6-2 to close out the season. That's without John Tavares and Andrew MacDonald. Could it be coincidence? Maybe. But I think the Isles are much closer to being a .500 team or better than most people realize.

Maybe, hard to tell. I don't know their depth chart, but no way is he worse than whomever's in their third pair...

 

[Zman5778]

Glad he made the most of his first post, because it only happens...

...once in a lifetime.

He wasn't exactly burning down the house with his others though..............

 

[VanekFanatic26]

Maybe, hard to tell. I don't know their depth chart, but no way is he worse than whomever's in their third pair...

Their top 4 players in terms of possession were Visnovsky (albeit, small sample size, only 24 games played last year), Calvin de Haan, Thomas Hickey, and Travis Hamonic. Add in the unknowns of Griffin Reinhart and any other defensman, and they may have the makings of a pretty decent defensive corp. barring injuries, of course.

 

[ZeroPT*]

Their top 4 players in terms of possession were Visnovsky (albeit, small sample size, only 24 games played last year), Calvin de Haan, Thomas Hickey, and Travis Hamonic. Add in the unknowns of Griffin Reinhart and any other defensman, and they may have the makings of a pretty decent defensive corp. barring injuries, of course.

so 2 rookies, Hamonic, and an injury prone 500 year old.

Nope

 

[VanekFanatic26]

so 2 rookies, Hamonic, and an injury prone 500 year old.

Nope

As long as the rookies aren't playing the most minutes a night, that's really, really good, besides the oft-injured 500-year-old haha.

 

[Eram]

I still don't think Possession #'s should be the only measure on AMac though. I think an "average" defenseman (like what I'd say he is) would have terrible numbers if he spent half the game against the opponents top lines.

 

[Driftwood]

He wasn't exactly burning down the house with his others though..............

Brennan's on a road to nowhere

 

[Paxon]

Brennan's on a road to nowhere

Don't worry about the government, worry about Brennan's d-zone coverage

 

[David Byrne]

He wasn't exactly burning down the house with his others though..............

Brennan's on a road to nowhere

Don't worry about the government, worry about Brennan's d-zone coverage

"I guess that this must be the place."-TJ Brennan every time he joins a new organization.

 

[enthusiast]

TJ Brennan

At least in 10 years

 

[Ralonzo]

That first post though...

Q: What do you call Ovechkin's stick?

A: The Great Curve

 

[DJN21]

Q: What do you call Ovechkin's stick?

A: The Great Curve

lol I heard that

 

[David Byrne]

At least in 10 years

David Byrne and Annie Clark are great on their own. Pairing them up is like having McEichel and Reinhart as your top two centers.

Q: What do you call Ovechkin's stick?

A: The Great Curve

Gold.

Well played, all of you. I clearly made the right choice to sign up here.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

@WFAN660

#Isles need 1-2 more impact moves to have legit expectations. Get it done, Garth. Read http://cbsloc.al/1oxI5Ll

via @GreenLanternJet

Defense Will Remain The Question Mark Until GM Snow Decides To Ante Up For Help

For the first time in a long time, the Islanders might have some margin for error heading into a season.

That’s not to say embattled general manager Garth Snow has hit a home run so far this offseason, but he has done some things that have made the Islanders deeper and a little less reliant on the one true superstar they have. Snow still has one glaring hole to address, and I suspect it might take a bit longer to fill than most fans have patience for.

But other than the need for a top four defenseman, which by the way don’t exactly grow on trees, the Islanders are in a lot better shape than they were in April, when they were concluding a 34-37-11, non-playoff season.