Scaling question for new season.

[Matt UK]

Just thought it would be a different way of canvassing opinion on the Isles' chances ahead of the new season.

So, if 10 was you are really optimistic about our chances of making the playoffs and think it's pretty achieve, and 0 was you believe we have absolutely no chance of making the playoffs and the season is going to be one almighty struggle from start to finish; what number would you say you're at?

Then, if a high number, why not a lower number?

If a lower number, what (realistically) would you need to see happen in order to give a higher number?

Personally, I'd say a 4.
I think we will be better on D this year but worry we have a huge void in point production.

Click to read more...

 

[boredmale]

I would say we get anywhere from 88-100 points, given that I believe it will take at least 94 points and maybe higher to make the playoffs I think 4 is fair

 

[IslesNorway]

Of making the playoffs 6/10. Winning the Cup 0

 

[seafoam]

3/10 playoffs. 0/10 Cup.

 

[MJF]

This is a 77-82 point team as it stands today.
0/10 for the playoffs.

Sorry boys and girls.

 

[Lights911]

5/10 playoffs

 

[BrockLobster]

5

 

[boredmale]

This is a 77-82 point team as it stands today.
0/10 for the playoffs.

Sorry boys and girls.

I will challenge this. How is this team any worse then the team 2 years ago that got 94 points?

+Barzal -Tavares
+Tortz -Cappy/Weight

So beyond that one would argue the biggest loss between those 2 years is De Haan and I would argue that is fair and would be the biggest argument why we should do worse. I do think all our defense being 2 years older might be a positive with the exception of Boychuk

On the positive side Eberle is a huge improvement over Strome

In terms of goaltending, Halak spent like half the season in the AHL in 2016/17

 

[PWJunior]

This is a 77-82 point team as it stands today.
0/10 for the playoffs.

Sorry boys and girls.

With special talents in Barzal and Pulock, there's always a chance.

1/10 for me.

I would be surprised if this team breaks 80 points.

 

[MJF]

I will challenge this. How is this team any worse then the team 2 years ago that got 94 points?

+Barzal -Tavares
+Tortz -Cappy/Weight

So beyond that one would argue the biggest loss between those 2 years is De Haan and I would argue that is fair and would be the biggest argument why we should do worse. I do think all our defense being 2 years older might be a positive with the exception of Boychuk

On the positive side Eberle is a huge improvement over Strome

In terms of goaltending, Halak spent like half the season in the AHL in 2016/17

1. The goaltending is worse. Mitch Korn can't make chicken salad out of chicken shit. We would have been better off if we didn't run Halak out of here.
2. The defense, while we have good prospects in the AHL, still is made up of Hickey, Mayfield, Pelech and now Sbisa. That's not good.
3. If Brock Nelson doesn't have a good year, we have 1 scoring line.

Barry Trotz will help us cut goals down but he's not a miracle worker. This roster today, Saturday September 29th is not good enough.

 

[MJF]

With special talents in Barzal and Pulock, there's always a chance.

1/10 for me.

I would be surprised if this team breaks 80 points.

Then we'd better be on the Power Play all night long.

 

[boredmale]

Barry Trotz will help us cut goals down but he's not a miracle worker. This roster today, Saturday September 29th is not good enough.

While I don't think this roster is good enough to do much damage in the playoffs, I do think it's the roster of a playoff bubble team(which is more then 82 points) if it remains relatively healthy. I think people underestimate the Islanders ability to score even without Tavares compared to other teams

 

[LeapOnOver]

2/10....was hoping Lehner would show promise during preseason, but he hasn't. Greiss still sucks. I just don't see how a team with Lehner and Greiss can make the playoffs. It's the worst goaltending tandem in the league hands down.

 

[Satan'sIsland81]

Rather than using numbers, I prefer to assess our chances by looking at who we are up against. In my opinion, this is the situation. First off, if we cannot beat out Ottawa, Montreal, Detroit, the Rags and Buffalo, we simply put would not deserve to make the playoffs anyway. These five in my mind are clearly the bottom tier of the conference. Next, I personally believe we should be better than Carolina. On the other end, Tampa, Boston, Washington, Pittsburgh and most likely Columbus and Toronto are significantly better than us. So this is what it comes down to: can we beat out TWO of three out of Florida, New Jersey, Philadelphia?
Is it likely ? No, but I certainly would not say it is out of the realm of possibility.

 

[Sheva7]

3/10 playoffs. 0/10 Cup.

This

 

[buud]

5.

i am ok with the forwards. D is a bit thin on talent, but there seems like lots of options. team D (including PK) will be much better.

the big question mark for me, is the goaltenders. both are capable of getting us to the PO's, but they seem stuck in a rut right now.

it's all on Korn right now, IMO.

 

[Quicklime]

I still stick with my assessment - this team might be better than it looks.

If Cappy can land with a GAA only 0.29 higher than Trotz, the system use by Weight - good for a 3.37 GAA in his time here - may have been a greater problem than assumed.

 

[BelovedIsles]

While I don't think this roster is good enough to do much damage in the playoffs, I do think it's the roster of a playoff bubble team(which is more then 82 points) if it remains relatively healthy. I think people underestimate the Islanders ability to score even without Tavares compared to other teams

Agree w this take. Better than most predict, not good enough to be a playoff lock.

Boredmale is usually a more level headed poster, so I take his word.

 

[ScaredStreit]

20% of making it. We don't have an NHL caliber starting goaltender, a weak defense, and lost our best offensive player. Yes Trotz is awesome, but honestly that's the only silver lining going into this season, so it's easy to put all our hopes on him. We're missing the playoffs, I just hope we win the lottery.

 

[Quickdraw2828]

If the defense stays pretty healthy 4/10

If not

zero

 

[eoin92]

Sports Guy: Ewing Theory 101 - ESPN Page 2
What's the Ewing Theory? Where did it come from?
The theory was created in the mid-'90s by Dave Cirilli, a friend of mine who was convinced that Patrick Ewing's teams (both at Georgetown and with New York) inexplicably played better when Ewing was either injured or missing extended stretches because of foul trouble.

...Two crucial elements needed to be in place for any situation to qualify for "Ewing" status:

1. A star athlete receives an inordinate amount of media attention and fan interest, and yet his teams never win anything substantial with him (other than maybe some early-round playoff series).
2. That same athlete leaves his team (either by injury, trade, graduation, free agency or retirement) -- and both the media and fans immediately write off the team for the following season.

When those elements collide, you have the Ewing Theory.

 

[13th Floor]

1 for me. Hard to put 0 because you never know.

 

[Jester9881]

I believe this team finishes better than last year (35 wins, 80pts), with a miniscule chance at sneaking into the playoffs if everything goes right. I've got them with 88 points on the low end, and as high as 98 points if...

1. One of Griess/Lehner rebound and start 50+ games
2. Barzal, Pulock, Leddy and Boychuk stay healthy
3. Toews plays like he did this preseason and solidifies himself as a top 4 LD
4. The 4th line stays relatively healthy and picks up where it left off ~OR~ some combination of the 3rd line works out

I'm least confident in #1 happening and that's why (gun to my head) I predict an 88-92 point season and no playoffs. Lots of games lost by one goal, and OTL points.

 

[13th Floor]

Rather than using numbers, I prefer to assess our chances by looking at who we are up against. In my opinion, this is the situation. First off, if we cannot beat out Ottawa, Montreal, Detroit, the Rags and Buffalo, we simply put would not deserve to make the playoffs anyway. These five in my mind are clearly the bottom tier of the conference. Next, I personally believe we should be better than Carolina. On the other end, Tampa, Boston, Washington, Pittsburgh and most likely Columbus and Toronto are significantly better than us. So this is what it comes down to: can we beat out TWO of three out of Florida, New Jersey, Philadelphia?
Is it likely ? No, but I certainly would not say it is out of the realm of possibility.

This ignores the conferences. We can better than ALL of Florida, Ottawa, Montreal, Detroit, Buffalo, NYR, Carolina, and 1 of NJD/Philly and still miss the playoffs. And I do not think we are better than all of those teams.

 

[Hunn]

This ignores the conferences. We can better than ALL of Florida, Ottawa, Montreal, Detroit, Buffalo, NYR, Carolina, and 1 of NJD/Philly and still miss the playoffs. And I do not think we are better than all of those teams.

I guess it's not possible: if you are better than 3 teams in Metro and 5 teams in Atlantic, then you get WC2.