The Full Tank (Part 1)

[Chapin Landvogt]

The amazing thing is, if JT had signed, last summer or before the end of this season, Malkin probably keeps his buds, snow and weight, since all decisions were going through JT. If Snow is kept, most of these other people never get hired as snow preferred yes men, who were generally unqualified for their position and inexperienced at best.

Yep, this is the assumption I think most are making.

No telling how long we'd be sticking to the status quo if, well, things had stayed the same - just with one of the guys getting 11 million instead of 5.

 

[NC 1972]

That was in 1984 and I believe Lou didn't join the Devils organization until 1987.

Yes you are correct I looked it up it was Billy McMillian,thank you i think Devils and I think LL seems he was there from the beginning but apparently I’m not the only one with a faulty memory from 36 years. ago.

 

[LeapOnOver]

Obviously you haven’t been paying attention, we have Tanner Fritz! He’s the good Fritz.

I've actually been pleased with his play. He reminds me of what Cizikas was like when he first came up in the league. Probably still fourth line ceiling, like Cizikas, but would much rather have hustle guys with little skill than skilled guys with no hustle. Still, the reality of the situation is he's in the AHL if he's property of a competitive hockey franchise.

 

[Newsworthy]

It's simple:

The islanders lost their best player. There are too many holes to fill within one off-season.

LL is working with Trotz to lay the foundation of becoming a tough team to play against, hence all the grinders.

These grinders are here to let the prospects develop at lower levels while Trotz creates a structured team. It's better to sprinkle in 1 or 2 young players at a time instead of having 3 or 4 all at the same time.

During the season, LL will look to move Lee, Eberle, and Nelson. That's why you've heard there's been no extension talks.

LL will stock up on picks/prospects and hope the Isles 2019 first round pick can be a another cornerstone player that can contribute sooner than later.

This is the present day tank. Isles will never say they're tanking, but they know they don't have talent to compete with true playoff teams.

Why make LEE captain only to trade him?
Can't agree on this.

 

[Newsworthy]

To me, one of the biggest examples of this was the University of Tennessee in the late 1990's. They had Peyton Manning, one of the greatest college and pro QBs of all time but couldn't win the big game, especially against the University of Florida.

Manning goes to the NFL and Tee Martin steps in and wins the national championship. Tee Martin went 13-0 his junior season and took down Florida State doe the title. He also went 11-1 in two seasons against his top SEC rivals.

After Manning left, the very good talent at UT just seemed to come together and elevated their game to the next level. And, as a UF fan, that was not fun to watch, lol.

Maybe the Isles can do something similar, bond and gel as a competitive team that is hard to play against and grinds out wins. There is talent on the roster and in the system after all.

So we can be stuck in mediocrity and miss out on a top pick?

 

[danteipp]

So we can be stuck in mediocrity and miss out on a top pick?

I would prefer to have a competitive team that is hard to play against, just miss the playoffs by a few points while the young players develop, then win the draft lottery to take Hughes and add the last core piece. That sound good?

 

[Macch]

Why make LEE captain only to trade him?
Can't agree on this.

Lee wasn’t named captain when I posted this ......

 

[Newsworthy]

I would prefer to have a competitive team that is hard to play against, just miss the playoffs by a few points while the young players develop, then win the draft lottery to take Hughes and add the last core piece. That sound good?

I'm not as high on Hughes as others around here. Certainly not landing a top five pick by just missing the playoffs.

 

[Newsworthy]

Lee wasn’t named captain when I posted this ......

Gotcha.

 

[danteipp]

I'm not as high on Hughes as others around here. Certainly not landing a top five pick by just missing the playoffs.

Carolina and Philly the last two years before to differ. You never know what will happen with the top-three picks anymore. Dallas and NJ also moved up considerably the last two years as well.

Tanking doesn't guarantee anything.
Do the best for the organization long term, scout well, hope prospects develop and let the lottery balls fall where they may.

There is something to be said for good karma. The Isles won some games down the stretch last year and still landed Dobson and Wahlstrom. Nobody expected that.

 

[doublechili]

Tank?!

 

[ThreeLeftSkates]

With our d core and goal tending, how much choice is there? Trotz must by now realize that Hickey's bravery while facing Wilson is completely disconnected from his ability to play hockey.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Tanks do not guarantee Hughes, only picking high nowadays.

It is also very hard to root for your team to lose 82 times this season. What I can say, is there are ways to improve down the middle that quicken things up.

Now it would have been nice if Judas gave the Isles a heads up so they could have gotten at least a #1 pick for him jumping off the good ship Islanders.

But he didn't, and now the Isles need to do what Shero did for NJ, or how it is turning into how the Habs are doing. Drafted Hischier and Kotkaniemi. And added other pieces in trades.

So yes thank maybe Hughes, partial tank pick high. But also make some deals to bring in already drafted prospects to add to Dobson,Wahlstrom, and Barzal.

 

[Islanders4Cups]

Tank is ridiculous and I believe it happens a lot less than people think.
Let’s give this team half a season.

The Islanders opposition is 21-8-3 thus far this season

That’s on pace for 114 points over a season.

 

[13th Floor]

Tank is ridiculous and I believe it happens a lot less than people think.
Let’s give this team half a season.

The Islanders opposition is 21-8-3 thus far this season

That’s on pace for 114 points over a season.

Not to mention the long breaks, start of a West Coast road trip, etc. The only non-playoff team (and probably the only non-cup contending team) that we've played is Carolina. And they look pretty damn good to start... and we beat them.

Besides, nobody unloads their roster in October/November. What's the point of that? We wait until things settle in and we see (1) what we have in our team and (2) what other teams are likely to be sellers because of injury of because of some final missing pieces. Eberle would be a nice haul for a team looking to bolster some second-line scoring, but no team knows how desperately they need that yet.

Patience, people. It's hilarious that everyone is up in arms before the season starts that this team will suck ass, then we play 5 games and don't look good, and everyone is freaking out that we suck ass. This has been the plan the whole season. It's not tanking. It's just a major assessment year. You don't make assessments after 5 games, mostly against tough opponents. So far we've only lost to the 5-1 Predators and the 5-1 Ducks, and only one of those at home. Does that mean we will be good? No. But chill the f*** out.

 

[Doshell Propivo]

This poll is ridiculous

 

[Newsworthy]

Carolina and Philly the last two years before to differ. You never know what will happen with the top-three picks anymore. Dallas and NJ also moved up considerably the last two years as well.

Tanking doesn't guarantee anything.
Do the best for the organization long term, scout well, hope prospects develop and let the lottery balls fall where they may.

There is something to be said for good karma. The Isles won some games down the stretch last year and still landed Dobson and Wahlstrom. Nobody expected that.

Dobson and Wahlstrom aren't Dahlin and Svechnikov.

 

[Newsworthy]

Not to mention the long breaks, start of a West Coast road trip, etc. The only non-playoff team (and probably the only non-cup contending team) that we've played is Carolina. And they look pretty damn good to start... and we beat them.

Besides, nobody unloads their roster in October/November. What's the point of that? We wait until things settle in and we see (1) what we have in our team and (2) what other teams are likely to be sellers because of injury of because of some final missing pieces. Eberle would be a nice haul for a team looking to bolster some second-line scoring, but no team knows how desperately they need that yet.

Patience, people. It's hilarious that everyone is up in arms before the season starts that this team will suck ass, then we play 5 games and don't look good, and everyone is freaking out that we suck ass. This has been the plan the whole season. It's not tanking. It's just a major assessment year. You don't make assessments after 5 games, mostly against tough opponents. So far we've only lost to the 5-1 Predators and the 5-1 Ducks, and only one of those at home. Does that mean we will be good? No. But chill the **** out.

But that's the problem. Not only the losses the scores. This team isn't even fun to watch. It's a boring brand of hockey devoid of offense or offensive creativity. This team is severely lacking skill players. At least last year I got my money's worth. The loss of One player shouldn't have this bad an effect.

 

[13th Floor]

But that's the problem. Not only the losses the scores. This team isn't even fun to watch. It's a boring brand of hockey devoid of offense or offensive creativity. This team is severely lacking skill players. At least last year I got my money's worth. The loss of One player shouldn't have this bad an effect.

It's been 5 games. Not sure what to tell you. The coaching is definitely working. The PK is better. The defense is better. We aren't getting shelled every night. Sure 7-6 games are "exciting" on that night, but to me, being put in a position to win is exciting. I'm happy to Devils-trap my way into the playoffs. You can 7-6 your way into the lottery.

I'm not saying playoffs will happen, but there's too much emphasis being put on "exciting" games. The coaching staff is trying to win, and it has been proven in every sport since the beginning of time that defense and structure wins.

If we finish with a ton of improvement this year, both from individual people and from a total points perspective, you are going to be pissed because you didn't see wild wild west shootouts? What if people like Pulock, I dunno... learn how to play defense in the process?

 

[Newsworthy]

It's been 5 games. Not sure what to tell you. The coaching is definitely working. The PK is better. The defense is better. We aren't getting shelled every night. Sure 7-6 games are "exciting" on that night, but to me, being put in a position to win is exciting. I'm happy to Devils-trap my way into the playoffs. You can 7-6 your way into the lottery.

I'm not saying playoffs will happen, but there's too much emphasis being put on "exciting" games. The coaching staff is trying to win, and it has been proven in every sport since the beginning of time that defense and structure wins.

If we finish with a ton of improvement this year, both from individual people and from a total points perspective, you are going to be pissed because you didn't see wild wild west shootouts? What if people like Pulock, I dunno... learn how to play defense in the process?

Pelech, Mayfield, Leddy
Pulock and Hickey are all showing us that they just aren't good on defense. Maybe Pulock will improve but I'm trying to find something I can hang my hat on and can't. Barzal will regress in this system so no we don't even have him to enjoy.
I'm not looking for shootouts. I'm looking for talent. Young talent. Offensive talent. Skill players not old third and fourth liners. Take a look around the league and it's pathetic.
The Islanders are worse off this season than last. Not only did they lose their best player they did nothing to improve the line up offensively. Greiss and Lehner are back up goalies. LL is trying to put lipstick on a pig.

 

[13th Floor]

Pelech, Mayfield, Leddy
Pulock and Hickey are all showing us that they just aren't good on defense. Maybe Pulock will improve but I'm trying to find something I can hang my hat on and can't. Barzal will regress in this system so no we don't even have him to enjoy.
I'm not looking for shootouts. I'm looking for talent. Young talent. Offensive talent. Skill players not old third and fourth liners. Take a look around the league and it's pathetic.
The Islanders are worse off this season than last. Not only did they lose their best player they did nothing to improve the line up offensively. Greiss and Lehner are back up goalies. LL is trying to put lipstick on a pig.

You are looking at the wrong team then. Not sure what to tell you. Lower your expectations or stop watching.

 

[Newsworthy]

You are looking at the wrong team then. Not sure what to tell you. Lower your expectations or stop watching.

Nobody is watching. I doubt this is what ownership wants.

 

[PK Cronin]

Nobody is watching. I doubt this is what ownership wants.

It's exactly what has to be done. You don't just wake up and say, "You know what? I feel like getting all the great players on my team today. They'll all sign team friendly deals and we'll win the next 11teen cups. Plus, we won't play the trap at all since we don't want to bore people."

 

[Newsworthy]

It's exactly what has to be done. You don't just wake up and say, "You know what? I feel like getting all the great players on my team today. They'll all sign team friendly deals and we'll win the next 11teen cups. Plus, we won't play the trap at all since we don't want to bore people."

We get Stephen Gionta and Luca Sbisa
Undrafted talent would be nice instead of retreads.
Yzerman has done a nice job finding Tyler Johnson, Yann Gourde, and Jonathan Marchessault

 

[BelovedIsles]

Now does that look like a team that’s tanking!?