Welcome back, friends. Tonight, the young, talented team in blue and orange makes the leap to not only a new building and new traditions, but to the realm of being acknowledged as one of the better teams in the league. Speaking with some of you, I am seeing both sheepishness and skepticism, and as well cautious optimism. There's cases to be made for both, but you also have to understand, by many metrics...
this is a good team, period. It won't be easy A) against the Champs tonight/tomorrow, who are also coming in hot after dropping their opener and B) because of the injury bug affecting Halak and Hickey, necessitating a Strait appearance as well as Greiss likely playing 2 of the first 3 with an untested FA rookie to also get a game. You know what I say? Bring it. Bring the adversity. Challenges are good. And remember this: you need not panic if there's a stumble out of the gate. It's a looong season.
Turning to the game itself, there's a lot of festivities planned, not the least of which is a tribute to Al Arbour which should touch many folks. The banners are here. The real goal horn is here. The modernized arena is here. The light on the horizon we hoped for through all these years...it's here.
Your probable lines tonight: (F) - Lee-JT-Strome; Nelson-Grabbo-Kulemin; Bailey-Nielsen-Okposo; Martin-Cizikas-Clutterbuck. (D) - Leddy/Boychuk; de Haan/Hammer; Strait/Zid. As mentioned, Greiss gets the start. Let's hope he runs with it. Let Jaro recover fully before he comes back...we'll need him. Note: L2 and L3 may be flipped during the game.
Some opening night factoids: The Isles will be looking for their third straight Opening Night win, but are 3-7-2 in their last 12 Openers. Overall, the Isles are 11-21-10 on Opening Night (2-4-2 at home). A defenseman has scored the first goal of the season for the Isles in 5 of the last 6 seasons, including Johnny Boychuk last year. Mikhail Grabovski is one of six active players with an Opening Night hat trick.
For those looking for some reassurance, or merely the validation of the positive direction we're headed in, here's some perspective from Dan Rosen at NHL.com:
My advice is stop worrying about three years from now if you're an Islanders fan. Embrace the team you have now. It's a playoff contender heading into a new building, a new era. Embrace Tavares and the superstar that he is. Trust Jaroslav Halak and Thomas Greiss. Enjoy watching Nick Leddy, Johnny Boychuk, Travis Hamonic and Calvin de Haan. Watch for the development of Michael Dal Colle and Ryan Pulock. Believe that the defense got better with the addition of Marek Zidlicky. Hope for the best from Kyle Okposo and that he will stay an Islander. Look for more out of Ryan Strome, Anders Lee and Brock Nelson. Appreciate Frans Nielsen for being one of the most underrated centers in the NHL. Enjoy the energy the Islanders get from Matt Martin, Cal Clutterbuck and Casey Cizikas.
Relax and enjoy being an Islander fan. The team is good and relevant again. Soak it in. |
The city is ready for us:
Are
you ready? I sure as hell am. Let's Go Islanders!
Your meters may overload
You can rest at the side of the road
You can miss a stride
But nobody gets a free ride
More than high performance
More than just a spark
More than just the bottom line
Or a lucky shot in the dark --
In the long run...
You can do a lot in a lifetime
If you don't burn out too fast
You can make the most of the distance
First you need endurance --
First you've got to last...
Yes, L1 makes me all...tingly.
Despite what you'll often hear, they will not be returning. At least not for 25 years. The arena they're building there absolutely can not support a professional sports team. Once it's built, I believe there's talks of the Isles playing 3-5 games that first year and seeing if they can make it a tradition... but even that is unlikely, IMO.
The article below sums it up nicely.
Most recently, Mangano told WFAN.com that he believes "we will see the return of the Islanders at some point." When Mangano trots out such talk, he's skating on thin ice. It's unkind to Islanders fans seeking hope. It's reckless and there's no basis for his comments.
Here's what we do know:
There's far more money to be made in NYC. Sponsorships and tickets are going for higher prices in Brooklyn than they did in Nassau -- and new Coliseum paint won't change that.
The team is about to have new majority owners, who based their valuation and their purchase on a home at Barclays -- not the Coliseum.
Developer Bruce Ratner, who is both majority owner of Barclays and tenant of the Coliseum, apparently is looking to sell his stake in Barclays, according to published reports. That could loosen the connection between the two.
Even when the Uniondale arena is renovated, it won't be built for a major league team -- and it won't come close to Barclays.
That's key. The Lighthouse Project, conceived by Isles owner Charles Wang a decade ago, would've included a $320 million renovated Coliseum. The Barclays Center cost $1 billion. Ratner is spending just $130 million on what amounts to a Coliseum wardrobe change.
Link - ( New Window )
Let's go Islanders!
Actually, it was for the Islanders...
How is it pathetic if it actually is for us? Can't have it both ways, limp dick.
Link - ( New Window )
My associative memory keeps trying to trick me into drawing parallels that aren't there between two situations that shouldn't be connected... but as a Yankee fan, I keep thinking about last year's loss in the same light as I think Edgar Martinez's double in 1995.
Video for any masochists - ( New Window )
The players are taking the LIRR to home games, leaving in the morning for early skate and staying in a hotel for their rest time before the games.
BUT...............are they taking the train home after games at night? Will we be commuting alongside the boys?
I think L1 will work well, especially if JT shoots more. Lee needs to set up his office and get comfy.
Very strong 3 lines. Obviously the 4th is strong and very important against teams like CHI.
Hamonic back makes it a very very strong top 4. But the problem is.....lol.
More than just a shot in the dark...in the long run!!
it would make me feel a whole lot better if they had 1 more NOW player; one the that was a goal scoring threat. or even a power play specialist type that can ignite the PP unit. maybe someone steps up to be that player. I just think Tavares needs to play with more of a goal scorer than a play maker. Maybe Strome can surprise and get close to 30 goals.
i have a feeling if the right trade comes up KO is a goner. with the talent, depth and upcoming expiring contracts he may have priced himself out of the islanders future salary structure. he wants to be paid as the 2nd highest paid forward on the team and I'm not sure he is that. or is going to be that.
it would make me feel a whole lot better if they had 1 more NOW player; one the that was a goal scoring threat. or even a power play specialist type that can ignite the PP unit. maybe someone steps up to be that player. I just think Tavares needs to play with more of a goal scorer than a play maker. Maybe Strome can surprise and get close to 30 goals.
i have a feeling if the right trade comes up KO is a goner. with the talent, depth and upcoming expiring contracts he may have priced himself out of the islanders future salary structure. he wants to be paid as the 2nd highest paid forward on the team and I'm not sure he is that. or is going to be that.
Ryan Strome's performance prior to the trade deadline this year (so about 70% of the season) is going to go a long way in determining what the Islanders are willing to pay Okposo.
In comment 12537081 pganut said:
In comment 12537081 pganut said:
Quote:
That the "NOW" player is Strome. He has all the hallmarks (junior career as evidence) of having elite playmaker talent. I think this is the year he takes the leap, and I have no problem predicting that he'll be an all star within the next 2 seasons, this one included. It isn't a stretch to think that a full year of L1 cohesion will result in some very lofty numbers for all 3.
In comment 12537157 pganut said:
He can quietly have a huge season.
He had 25 last year I would hope he'd be able to repeat that. Would like to see him get an additional 10 assists or so even though that's not really his role
Alexa Ray Joel is horrific.
Good pace so far. And there's Strome with a shot. Like to see it.
Place would have erupted if Nelson put that home
Alexa Joel could ruin Billy's career.
Though I have no idea why Strait is on it