Physicality Lost???

[bigd]

I think we were all just fooled by the late season surge to make the playoffs last year. This isn't a very good team top to bottom.

This team is still missing a #1 Dman, #1 goalie (though Nabokov has played well for the most part so far), a #2 center and at least 1 1st line winger.

Those are MAJOR areas of need, that have gone unaddressed for 5 years now. Sorry to say, but we'll be nothing more than a bubble team until we fix those holes.

This is a budget team so until we get into the new building Wang is not going to spend a lot of money. Our defensive prospects should be ripe by then. I still have faith that this is a playoff team but I'm not so blind as to think we get very far unless we make some additions at the trade deadline. But don't look for any big names because that's not going to happen.

 

[Isles Fan]

This is a budget team so until we get into the new building Wang is not going to spend a lot of money. Our defensive prospects should be ripe by then. I still have faith that this is a playoff team but I'm not so blind as to think we get very far unless we make some additions at the trade deadline. But don't look for any big names because that's not going to happen.

Of course holding our breath that Wang spends when they move.

Relax people, you are not even 10 games into an 82 game schedule. Give them some time to jell. this season doesn't have the urgency of last season because of the full slate f game.

Threads about contenders or pretenders and now this? Just chill out folks, these discussions are better had at the 1/3 or half way pole.

 

[It Was 4 to 1*]

players like Perry are pretty rare and expensive, in dollars and assets. See: Vanek.
---
These Islanders are a good team. I'm not worried. If any of you were expecting playoffs-intensity in the regular season then I can see the disappointment. Playoffs are a different animal.

This team has four good lines and seven good defensemen. The question mark was in goal, and he's played great except for one game.

Let the team come together.

Anyone who's got a problem with Hickey just isn't watching closely enough. Get past the size, he's damn good defensively and offensively. Sure he can't move people but he rarely gets caught out of position and when he does, he can skate his way back. Carkner played well against NASH too, he's a very solid #7 guy, but he does scare me against fast forwards with his poor lateral movement. But when Alex Pietrangelo becomes an Islander, I'd be glad to sit both those guys.

And Clutterbuck is another one. Think Colin McDonald but a better skater. Don't expect anything more and you'll appreciate him for what he is. If he replaced Moulson and we watched Bailey-Tavares- Clutterbuck and Grabner-Nielsen-Okposo as the top six, at least 5on5, we'd have a better appreciation for what he brings. And give the guy some time.

This is a good Isles team. They deserve a break.

nah trade everyone, restart the rebuild, their window has closed.

 

[original islander]

players like Perry are pretty rare and expensive, in dollars and assets. See: Vanek.
---
These Islanders are a good team. I'm not worried. If any of you were expecting playoffs-intensity in the regular season then I can see the disappointment. Playoffs are a different animal.

This team has four good lines and seven good defensemen. The question mark was in goal, and he's played great except for one game.

Let the team come together.

Anyone who's got a problem with Hickey just isn't watching closely enough. Get past the size, he's damn good defensively and offensively. Sure he can't move people but he rarely gets caught out of position and when he does, he can skate his way back. Carkner played well against NASH too, he's a very solid #7 guy, but he does scare me against fast forwards with his poor lateral movement. But when Alex Pietrangelo becomes an Islander, I'd be glad to sit both those guys.

And Clutterbuck is another one. Think Colin McDonald but a better skater. Don't expect anything more and you'll appreciate him for what he is. If he replaced Moulson and we watched Bailey-Tavares- Clutterbuck and Grabner-Nielsen-Okposo as the top six, at least 5on5, we'd have a better appreciation for what he brings. And give the guy some time.

This is a good Isles team. They deserve a break.

One of the most realistic assessments that I've seen on this board. Congrats.

 

[A Pointed Stick]

players like Perry are pretty rare and expensive, in dollars and assets. See: Vanek.

Oh, I get that. Every team could use a Perry. It just grates my onions to see a club with several franchise forwards and all we can somehow cobble together is one on a no-miss pick. And as much as I like Strome I don't see him ever becoming a franchise player, not in the cast of Perry, or Getzlaf, MacKinnon, Duchene, Hall, Eberle, and so on.

This team has four good lines and seven good defensemen. The question mark was in goal, and he's played great except for one game.

Who are you, and what have you done with Redbull?

Seriously though, I see a club knee deep in good depth players who are all finding their way, but extremely thin on impact players. I used to think Okposo or Bailey might be one of those but it is becoming painfully obvious that their ceiling is "good," not, "great."

There is much you can say about having such solid depth because the dynasty club had that, and it was a big reason they were a dynasty. When you look at Tonelli, Nystrom, Langevin, etc., etc... Just chock full of very good guys at all positions. But the other reason they were a dynasty was because of Bossy, Potvin, Trotts, Gillies, and Smith (and Arbour, can't forget him) - five franchise players... As I have droned on about in the past, we have one franchise player up front and one on the blueline (and sadly he isn't an offensive defenseman) and that's it. I give even odds that one of Reinhart or Strome will pass into that vaunted territory but that's about it at the moment.

I wish we had just one more can't miss top line/pair guy. Just one, and I would feel much better.

A real nhl coach would be nice too.

 

[stranger34]

Here's the deal, if you want physicality then dress Carkner/Boulton so there's a legit Heavy backing up guys like Clutter, Martin, McDonald, Casry and Hammer.

During the Islanders charity golf outing I asked C Mac if it makes a difference when those guys dress. He said yes. He said something along the lines of you don't think twice when one of those guys has your back.

I also asked what makes Boulton such a good fighter, he's not a monster like Carkner or anything... He goes "He doesn't care about getting punched in the face. It's unnatural and a little scary."

 

[redbull]

Oh, I get that. Every team could use a Perry. It just grates my onions to see a club with several franchise forwards and all we can somehow cobble together is one on a no-miss pick. And as much as I like Strome I don't see him ever becoming a franchise player, not in the cast of Perry, or Getzlaf, MacKinnon, Duchene, Hall, Eberle, and so on.


Who are you, and what have you done with Redbull?

Seriously though, I see a club knee deep in good depth players who are all finding their way, but extremely thin on impact players. I used to think Okposo or Bailey might be one of those but it is becoming painfully obvious that their ceiling is "good," not, "great."

There is much you can say about having such solid depth because the dynasty club had that, and it was a big reason they were a dynasty. When you look at Tonelli, Nystrom, Langevin, etc., etc... Just chock full of very good guys at all positions. But the other reason they were a dynasty was because of Bossy, Potvin, Trotts, Gillies, and Smith (and Arbour, can't forget him) - five franchise players... As I have droned on about in the past, we have one franchise player up front and one on the blueline (and sadly he isn't an offensive defenseman) and that's it. I give even odds that one of Reinhart or Strome will pass into that vaunted territory but that's about it at the moment.

I wish we had just one more can't miss top line/pair guy. Just one, and I would feel much better.

unfair to compare any team to that Isles team that was arguably the best team ever. All teams have holes.

I see your point about impact players but I also think those are rare. Tavares is among the best of the best at his position, let's not underestimate that impact. The Isles weren't smart enough or bad enough to truly tank, so they have a lot of #5+ picks butnot any 1-2-3 picks, where the can't miss elites are found. And they haven't gotten any Claude Giroux or Ryan Getzlaf types later in the first round.

But there's a lot of good on the team and still a heck of a lot of potential.

I think the best of the crop are: Strome, Nelson, Reinhart and Pulock and that's a lot. Add those to the pretty good core and there's a very good team there.

Also, the Oilers are scratching their superstar right now. Not all players develop well, not all become what they COULD HAVE. Even with a couple of elites, the depth of really-good players is absolutely necessary for the team to be a perennial playoff team. And most important, when it matters, you need players who can elevate their game, and I won't underestimate guys like Bailey, Okposo, Nielsen, Grabner who all played very well in their first playoff series - not to mention the battlers like Cizikas, Martin, McDonald. And Clutterbuck is in that same battle-tested group. These are your modern day Tonelli, Nystrom, Bourne, Goring, Sutters that just battle and don't give an inch, the type that wear down defensemen so through fatigue or fear or anxiety cough up pucks to players like Bossy or Tavares. These guys matter.

I think we were all just fooled by the late season surge to make the playoffs last year. This isn't a very good team top to bottom.

This team is still missing a #1 Dman, #1 goalie (though Nabokov has played well for the most part so far), a #2 center and at least 1 1st line winger.

Those are MAJOR areas of need, that have gone unaddressed for 5 years now. Sorry to say, but we'll be nothing more than a bubble team until we fix those holes.

Time will tell. But the Isles have been in EVERY GAME for a very long time. In the last 22 regular season games they only lost by more than one goal ONCE, 2-0 to the Pens. They are 13-3-6 in the those 22 games. The team is winning and when they aren't, they are close. All teams have needs. The Leafs are in first place and Bozak is their #1C, Phaneuf their #1 Dman, they are up against the cap.

Martinek at practice this morning.

send him to Bridgeport. They need the help.

 

[stranger34]

unfair to compare any team to that Isles team that was arguably the best team ever. All teams have holes.

I see your point about impact players but I also think those are rare. Tavares is among the best of the best at his position, let's not underestimate that impact. The Isles weren't smart enough or bad enough to truly tank, so they have a lot of #5+ picks butnot any 1-2-3 picks, where the can't miss elites are found. And they haven't gotten any Claude Giroux or Ryan Getzlaf types later in the first round.

But there's a lot of good on the team and still a heck of a lot of potential.

I think the best of the crop are: Strome, Nelson, Reinhart and Pulock and that's a lot. Add those to the pretty good core and there's a very good team there.

Also, the Oilers are scratching their superstar right now. Not all players develop well, not all become what they COULD HAVE. Even with a couple of elites, the depth of really-good players is absolutely necessary for the team to be a perennial playoff team. And most important, when it matters, you need players who can elevate their game, and I won't underestimate guys like Bailey, Okposo, Nielsen, Grabner who all played very well in their first playoff series - not to mention the battlers like Cizikas, Martin, McDonald. And Clutterbuck is in that same battle-tested group. These are your modern day Tonelli, Nystrom, Bourne, Goring, Sutters that just battle and don't give an inch, the type that wear down defensemen so through fatigue or fear or anxiety cough up pucks to players like Bossy or Tavares. These guys matter.



Time will tell. But the Isles have been in EVERY GAME for a very long time. In the last 22 regular season games they only lost by more than one goal ONCE, 2-0 to the Pens. They are 13-3-6 in the those 22 games. The team is winning and when they aren't, they are close. All teams have needs. The Leafs are in first place and Bozak is their #1C, Phaneuf their #1 Dman, they are up against the cap.



send him to Bridgeport. They need the help.

Agreeon Radek. I like him but it's over.

 

[stranger34]

They looked fine tonight... "Physicality gained!?"

 

[The Underboss]

They looked fine tonight... "Physicality gained!?"

Let's give it a few games before we declare its back.

 

[bigd]

They looked fine tonight... "Physicality gained!?"

And the results were basically the same. Maybe this game could have been won with Donovan and Cmac in for Carkner and Boulton?

 

[Brunomics]

They looked fine tonight... "Physicality gained!?"

I don't think physicality is the problem. Team chemistry really seems to be a major issue right now but it's still the first month. They are missing on passes all over the place.

 

[stranger34]

Let's give it a few games before we declare its back.

True, but it was fun watching Clutterbuck fly around last night! Hopefully they keep it up.

 

[luki here]

players like Perry are pretty rare and expensive, in dollars and assets. See: Vanek.

I would love the isles going after vanek (i admit it's also part nationalism). He would form a congenial duo with tavares, be that sought after RH shot on the first line and make moulson expendable. Rather throw 8 million at vanek than 5 at moulson IMO.

How would you guys react if Vanek signed with us for 7 years at 8.3 million average?