The Isles bring the show to the wretched hive of scum and villainy known as Wells Fargo Center. Huge game as the Islanders sit 3 points out of the WC2 spot currently occupied by the orange ooze. With a regulation win tonight, it becomes a very slim 1 point lead. Lose, and 5 out isn't as exciting. Brock Nelson knows what's at stake:
| “We’ve done some good things now, we’re knocking on the door but we have a little more to give to get where we want to be. It’s a huge game. We expect their best and we expect to be ready.” |
Thomas Greiss to start in net. Same lineup as recent games (Clutterbuck will miss the weekend but will start skating Saturday or Sunday, Hammer still week to week). Despite Ryan Pulock's run of great play in BPT, still no callup yet, so more Seidenberg for everyone.
On the coaching front, Dougie Fresh is having success, so the Isles likely not to jump on the coaching search carousel until after the season. Both Julien and Hitch will probably wait until the offseason to make any decisions, so we're not missing out on anything here. Personally, if they decide not to keep Weight, I'm not a huge Julien fan and would hope we'd go in a different direction altogether. On a related note, Simple Jack is in Las Vegas meeting with McPhee. Who knows, maybe they need some more craps table dealers in the concourse out there.
Still not much clear around the trade deadline and what the Isles will do. The more I read about Duchene or Landeskog, the more likely it seems that the Avs will wait until the draft to make changes. A good Q& A from Staple's mailbag
here that discusses some wide-ranging topics. Finally, Mat Barzal continues his assault on the WHL since returning from the WJC. He had 4 assists last night. 6 points in his last 2, 14 in his last 7, and 20 in his last 10. He's now 7-38-45 in only 27 games played.
Let's Go Islanders
I gotta be honest, I think this has been much ado about nothing. I found the broadcast to be perfectly fine. They were very complimentary of what Leddy and Greiss has done, called Tavares "scary" multiple times. They knew our team well (at one point Prince was carrying the puck in and they called him "the former Ottawa prospect").
If anything, maybe it focused too much on what Philly was doing wrong instead of what the Islanders were doing right, but as a whole I think many of us just wanted to hate them because they're the Philly announcers.
Last year, NYI has a solid draw by moving over to the Atlantic. While they faced a good FLA team in the 1st round, and an even better TB team in the second round, I think most of us would agree that WSH and PIT were certainly better than FLA and likely better than TB too.
This year, the disparity between the Metro and the Atlantic is even bigger. The Metro still has WSH and Pit at the top, two Stanley Cup favorites, but the Atlantic is even worse than it was last year. Montreal is in a tailspin, OTT, TOR and BOS are bubble playoff teams, and TB and FLA aren't currently in playoff position.
Since it doesn't look like either NYI or PHI is going to catch the Rangers (although never say never!), the Rangers winning streak might end up hurting them since they look close to catching Columbus and moving into Metro #3 position.
An ideal scenario would be a complete MTL 2016 style collapse by the Jackets which would put WC #1 in play but it's unlikely enough to happen that I think we have to settle for trying to hold on to WC #2. IMO, we'd be right up there with NYR and Columbus if Greiss had been the #1 goalie to start the year (or if they had fired Cappy a few months earlier).
First off, it is amazing what you have been able to accomplish thus far. I recall chatting with you guys around the holidays and this was beyond your expectations so kudos.
Metnut - great points and post. It seems like that WC1 spot is ideal if you are in the Metro. Unless if a team grabs 2 and Columbus is 3 (or vice versa), but I don't see Pittsburgh or Washington falling back to the Wildcard. It has been wild in the Eastern Conference this year. Over on our thread we are talking about how tight everything is coupled with the expansion draft wondering how it affects the deadline.
Anyway guys, just a complimentary hello. Mike in LB, not sure if you saw me in the other thread but congratulations on that promo.
I just came over here briefly to tell you all to kindly go fuck yourselves.
That is all.
I just came over here briefly to tell you all to kindly go fuck yourselves.
That is all.
MAB - a literal LMAO!!! I guess it's back to Hartford for me!
Thank ya, Sir!
Quote:
I just came over here briefly to tell you all to kindly go fuck yourselves.
That is all.
MAB - a literal LMAO!!! I guess it's back to Hartford for me!
All kidding aside, if the Islanders actually are for real and the last few weeks isn't just fools gold, it's a pretty big deal you guys have hit your stride.
If you had gone 2-2 in the last 4 instead of 4-0, 9 back with 2 in hand with games coming up wouldn't be insurmountable, and with Washington all but locked into the #1 seed that would've been a very big deal.
At this point catching you guys look like a pipe dream, unfortunately.
Still a lot of hockey to be played though and we may hit a rough patch after this saturday - @ CBJ, @ NYI, vs WSH, vs MTL, @ TOR, @ NJ, vs CBJ, vs WSH... that's a tough stretch. And then a California trip in mid March... Rangers can't afford to lose focus just yet to secure at least that WC1.
I'm not fearing the Flyers anymore by the way. They seem done to me. Could be wrong of course, but they really havent looked good at all since their impressive win streak in December. From what i read, Ghostbiere, who was probably their MVP last year, has badly regressed this season.
Any deadline rumors?
I don't think Philly is gonna be in the mix. Boston's puck luck as you noted has been so bad and they're #1 in possession in the NHL. Still, they're in a bit of a weak position with all the games they've played. And Florida is the team no one wants to talk about. They're healthy now and they're going to be very much in the mix.
The resurgence of some players, I think, has reduced some of the potential desire to trade them (ex: Strome, Nelson, Bailey, although I have zero idea if the Isles ever have thought about moving them). Interestingly, if you were to think that the Isles might have wanted to move them earlier, the catch-22 was that while they were underperforming, there really couldn't have been much of a market for them, or at least a market where the Isles would have gotten anything of value in return.
That said, cheap, 1 year contracts are the best rental candidates, and there's really only one guy who fits the bill: Seidenberg. He's affordable for anyone since he's here on a 1 yr, $1M contract. My guess is if they move him, you're only getting a low pick in return.Plenty of teams need D, so you have a Stanley Cup winner with a +21 potentially available. Of course, I have no idea if Weight loves him in an unhealthy fashion like Cappy did Strait which would make Seids untradeable.
My guess is that if anything, the Isles will make a minor move, nothing earth-shattering. The bigger chance for any trades will be after the season/before the draft. Isles will at least be in on Duchene (although I prefer Landeskog). We have many chips to make something happen, including some of the young forwards (ie, Strome, Nelson), the surplus of D with some good prospects pretty much ready and making CDH, Hammer or Hickey expendable (depending on who gets selected in the ED) as well as the Halak situation. I think they'd like to find a way to move him. While he'll get better offers from teams that need goaltending, Keith Kincaid is a FA after the season and I'd love to grab him as a backup to Greiss (also partial since Kincaid went to the same HS on LI that I did).
Final thought: if we subscribe to the notion that as an organization, you need your best players out there to give your team the best chance to win, why the hell isn't Berube just waived, Halak brought up as Greiss's backup, and Seidenberg moved to allow Pulock (or heck, even Toews) to come up and contribute something more than just a nice +/- rating?
I don't expect a trade that will add too much to the current roster, though we can always hope.
I'm actually pretty excited for the expansion draft.
For those who remember the last time they had one - do they announce pick after pick or do they milk it out with a few minutes/highlights/commercials in between?
Pganut, Seidenberg is a veteran who won't make rookie mistakes. If Pulock and/or Towes comes in are they ready for the NHL? As mentioned last night Seidenbergs + 21 is huge. Usually don't see those numbers here. The veterans on this team are huge pieces to our success. They all bought in and respect Weight's coaching. Its obvious.
I don't expect a trade that will add too much to the current roster, though we can always hope.
I'm actually pretty excited for the expansion draft.
For those who remember the last time they had one - do they announce pick after pick or do they milk it out with a few minutes/highlights/commercials in between?
Read an article on Hockey News saying Duchene potential landing spots are Chicago, Ducks, Canes and Sens. Isles were not mentioned.
As for Seidenberg, plus/minus is about as useless of a stat in sports. Yes, it means he's been on for more goals than against. That's good. But his play outside the measure of being a lucky guy and on ice at the time a goal is scored is far, far outweighed by the fact that he's painfully slow, turns the puck over in the d-zone alarmingly often, attempts low-percentage passes, is in bad crease position (typically out of position) and appears to rarely throw a meaningful hit. All of these things get magnified and exposed in the run to and through the playoffs. I know Pulock has worked hard on the defensive side of things and his howitzer would be warmly welcomed on the PP unit. I'd rather take my chances there, make Seidenberg the 7D.
Jay, I think we need an elite player to pair with JT and Ders, so that leaves a need for a winger, which Landeskog is. He's a gifted player. Excellent hands and skill set. One of the fastest skaters in the NHL. Big, and plays with a mean streak. Duchene is a 2C. If we decide to move Strome or Nelson (I think Strome is a better C and Nelson a better RW, so I'd flop them), then I'd be okay bringing him in, and this also assumes we don't install Barzal as the 2C. For my money, Landeskog offers us the more useful player.
Pganut, Seidenberg is a veteran who won't make rookie mistakes. If Pulock and/or Towes comes in are they ready for the NHL? As mentioned last night Seidenbergs + 21 is huge. Usually don't see those numbers here. The veterans on this team are huge pieces to our success. They all bought in and respect Weight's coaching. Its obvious.
+22??? Holy shit I had to see that with my own eyes. Wow