So our never ending season has come to a close. It took 370 days to complete. What an odyssey. Couldn't be more proud of the way the boys competed in the playoffs. They can hold their heads up high knowing they did their very best.
Just a few random thoughts:
1. Brock Nelson's two breakaways in this series will always have me wondering what might have been if he'd scored.
2. Nick Leddy was our best defenseman last night. I wish we got that kind of game from him more often.
3. If Mat Barzal wants to be an elite player he's going to have to figure out that you can't keep trying to stick handle through a PK unit that is lining up 3 across on the blue line. Flip it in, dump it in, something. If it doesn't work the first time stop trying the same thing 2 more times.
4. Semyon Varlamov gave us exactly what Lou tried to trade him for 2 years ago and eventually signed him for last season. Every goalie has a bad game in the playoffs once in a while. Varly shook them off. Overall he was magnificent in the playoffs.
5. I think had Derick Brassard given us his playoff performance in the regular season he might have been worth signing to another 1 year deal for next year. That was good enough from a bottom 3 winger. I can't trust that he can though. Gotta let him walk.
6. If we've seen the last of Thomas Greiss, Matt Martin, Josh Bailey, Cal Clutterbuck, Thomas Hickey in Islanders uniforms, we thank you for the way you carried yourselves.
7. Incremental improvement is all you ever could have asked for from this organization. We're getting that, we're getting a new arena in 2021. I believe our future is bright thanks to Scott Malkin, Jon Ledecky, Lou Lamoriello, Barry Trotz and his staff. Hopefully the stench of 1990-2018 has washed away from this franchise and the black cloud that has shrouded us is gone forever.
8. I can't wait for next season. So excited about what our core of Barzal, Nelson, Lee, Sorokin, Beauvillier, Pulock, Dobson, Wahlstrom, Bellows, can do for us.