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30 teams in 30 days- NYI; tsn.ca
Topic Started: Sep 4 2010, 04:05 PM (523 Views)
stevedepot
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WISENHEIMER
Pretty dead on and touches on some issues we've been harping about for a while.


http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=332637

Quote:
 
30 TEAMS IN 30 DAYS: NEW YORK ISLANDERS
JAMIE BELL, TSN.CA STAFF
9/4/2010 11:54:38 AM

Join TSN in a 30 teams in 30 days tour of the NHL in preparation for the upcoming season. Teams will be unveiled in reverse order of the pre-season TSN.ca Power Rankings, and the New York Islanders are up next. Get the lowdown on their off-season, the issues they face this season, and Scott Cullen's fantasy analysis. Use the Your Call feature to give us your take on the Islanders!

New York Islanders
2009-10: 34-37-11 (13th in East, missed the playoffs)
General Manager: Garth Snow (4th Season)
Head Coach: Scott Gordon (3rd Season)

What they did in the off-season:

The Isles re-signed Matt Moulson and Rob Schremp while buying out defenceman Brendan Witt.  It took much longer than expected but eventually captain Doug Weight put pen to paper and agreed to a one-year contract extension.  Nino Niederreiter was drafted fifth overall while Mark Eaton, Zenon Kenopka and Jon Sim were signed as a free agents.  James Wisniewski was acquired from the salary cap strapped Ducks.  While the Isles sniffed around Ilya Kovalchuk for a bit, that deal never materialized and it was a very quiet summer in Long Island.

Biggest issue facing the team:

It is generally not a very good sign for an NHL team when your highest paid player is currently playing in Russia. Yes the Isles will be paying Alexei Yashin over $4.7 million this season to not play for them.  The good news is that after this season there is only four years left on his deal…wait that's not very good news at all.  While the Isles have not lost any significant pieces from last year's team they have not exactly added too many impact players to a team that finished 13th in the East, struggled with offense and is by an large comprised of third and fourth line players.  Should John Tavares go through a sophomore slump or should Moulson's 30 goal tally prove to be just an aberration, then the Islanders are going to be in a lot of trouble.  Maybe they can convince Yashin to abandon SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL and return to New York to inject some much needed offensive pop to a team in desperate need of it.  On second thought, maybe Yashin is fine right where he is.

Player to watch:

After missing out on a Calder Trophy nomination last season, John Tavares is looking to break out offensively this campaign the same way Steven Stamkos did during his sophomore season.  Tavares is far and away the most talented offensive player on the Isles, however he does not have a great deal of help around him, and when he went through lengthy goal-scoring droughts, there was no one to pick up the slack.  Although Mark Streit is a legitimate power play quarterback, New York is largely lacking in wingers who know how to put the biscuit in the basket.  While Moulson's 30 goals was an extremely pleasant surprise, many do not believe that he can accomplish the feat again.  Budding power forward Kyle Okposo has not developed as quickly as the team would undoubtedly like. [/B} Youngsters such as Frans Nielsen, Blake Comeau and Josh Bailey all made strides in the right direction in their first full NHL seasons; however it is clear that this team will live and die with the offensive talents of the ‘John John Phenomenon.'
Fortunately for New York, Tavares is a remarkable talent that has been able to pile up points wherever he goes.  In one year's time we will likely be saying his name in the same hushed tones reserved for the truly elite talents in the game.  Until then he will face one of his toughest ever tests as he attempts to drag this once proud franchise back to credibility.

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Bossy22
1st line
I think the piece is garbage. Like any team in the NHL, if their players don't perform to expectations, the team usually fails...not a big secret. Our best players need to play at their best to have a chance and with an extra year under their belt, we should see strides. He doesn't mention that the players will play without fear this year knowing that Gillies, Yablonski and Konaka have their backs. He focuses on Yashin's 4.5 mil...get over it. He would be writing about how much of a waste 9 mil was if he was still here.

I'm not expecting a stanley cup and maybe not even a playoff spot, but I do expect this team to be better then last year and where that puts us in the big scheme of things will depend on the other teams in the conference.
[Posted Image
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Shooter
All Star
Bossy22,Sep 5 2010
09:37 AM
I think the piece is garbage. Like any team in the NHL, if their players don't perform to expectations, the team usually fails...not a big secret. Our best players need to play at their best to have a chance and with an extra year under their belt, we should see strides. He doesn't mention that the players will play without fear this year knowing that Gillies, Yablonski and Konaka have their backs. He focuses on Yashin's 4.5 mil...get over it. He would be writing about how much of a waste 9 mil was if he was still here.

I'm not expecting a stanley cup and maybe not even a playoff spot, but I do expect this team to be better then last year and where that puts us in the big scheme of things will depend on the other teams in the conference.

Here's a cold, hard fact: The Islanders DO NOT have enough great players.

Gillies? You're kidding, right?

Maybe they improve by a few games. Ho hum.

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clebo99
1st line
Shooter,Sep 5 2010
10:23 AM
Bossy22,Sep 5 2010
09:37 AM
I think the piece is garbage.  Like any team in the NHL, if their players don't perform to expectations, the team usually fails...not a big secret.  Our best players need to play at their best to have a chance and with an extra year under their belt, we should see strides.  He doesn't mention that the players will play without fear this year knowing that Gillies, Yablonski and Konaka have their backs.  He focuses on Yashin's 4.5 mil...get over it.  He would be writing about how much of a waste 9 mil was if he was still here. 

I'm not expecting a stanley cup and maybe not even a playoff spot, but I do expect this team to be better then last year and where that puts us in the big scheme of things will depend on the other teams in the conference.

Here's a cold, hard fact: The Islanders DO NOT have enough great players.

Gillies? You're kidding, right?

Maybe they improve by a few games. Ho hum.

If this is supposed to be a rebuild, then yes, we would probably only improve a few games with the 11-12 season being the break out season.

If you bought into "the plan", it is working. If you wanted to try and accelerate (sp?) and way overpay (like the Rangers), then we probably are not where we want to me.
"When you've loved and lost like Frank has, you know what life's all about".
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Snowy
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The Dark Knight
The team at least has a shot at the playoffs this season, which is more than you can say about the previous two seasons. Will they make it? Probably not. But if they are in contention in February I will have more faith than I would have last season.
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rifleman22
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All Star
There are facts that are true here that are somewhat disappointing, but true none the less. Tavares will be expected to carry this team without much help. Fact. Moulson will be expected to give us 30. Fact. We are a weak offnsive team that is hoping fringe players exceed expectations and are major contributors. Fact. Anything can happen and I usually dismiss the crystal ball crap, but these facts are true. I'm hopeful but certainly concerned about what we actually will be. We acquired no top line talent so we are essentially putting the exact same type team on the ice. Second level players expected to perform as top line contributors. At the very least it will be interesting.
THE RIFLE

Sometimes you're the windshield,
sometimes you're the bug.
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oldislesfan
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All Star


Playoffs are a realistic goal for Islanders
Friday, 08.20.2010 / 3:00 AM / 30 in 30
By Brian Compton  - NHL.com Staff Writer

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=535739

different writer, different picture.

So which way do we go??

I see the glass half full.

B)
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The average dog is nicer than the average person
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stevedepot
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WISENHEIMER
Brian Compton is an Islanders fan.

Just thought I'd throw that out there.

;) :yea: B)
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Shooter
All Star
stevedepot,Sep 5 2010
03:41 PM
Brian Compton is an Islanders fan.

Just thought I'd throw that out there.

;) :yea: B)

Does he have seasons? :dontknow:
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LEDZEP
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The Best That Ever Skated 80-81-82-83
Jim Brewer is also an Islanders fan............ :monkeylaugh:
Sometimes I grow so tired, but I know I've got one thing I got to do... Posted Image

What puckhead says is Islander law
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Come in with the milk

"A leader, once convinced a particular course of action is the right one,
must have the determination to stick with it and be undaunted when the going gets rough."

Ronald Reagan
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THEDRIVE4FIVE
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The Kid
LEDZEP,Sep 5 2010
08:57 PM
Jim Brewer is also an Islanders fan............ :monkeylaugh:

So is LEDZEP :monkeylaugh:
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Go Grabs Go!
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LEDZEP
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The Best That Ever Skated 80-81-82-83
THEDRIVE4FIVE,Sep 5 2010
10:01 PM
LEDZEP,Sep 5 2010
08:57 PM
Jim Brewer is also an Islanders fan............ :monkeylaugh:

So is LEDZEP :monkeylaugh:

:monkeylaugh:
Sometimes I grow so tired, but I know I've got one thing I got to do... Posted Image

What puckhead says is Islander law
Posted Image
Come in with the milk

"A leader, once convinced a particular course of action is the right one,
must have the determination to stick with it and be undaunted when the going gets rough."

Ronald Reagan
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LEDZEP
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The Best That Ever Skated 80-81-82-83
LEDZEP,Sep 5 2010
10:03 PM
THEDRIVE4FIVE,Sep 5 2010
10:01 PM
LEDZEP,Sep 5 2010
08:57 PM
Jim Brewer is also an Islanders fan............ :monkeylaugh:

So is LEDZEP :monkeylaugh:

:monkeylaugh:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GblnE-WOwyU........... :monkeylaugh:
Sometimes I grow so tired, but I know I've got one thing I got to do... Posted Image

What puckhead says is Islander law
Posted Image
Come in with the milk

"A leader, once convinced a particular course of action is the right one,
must have the determination to stick with it and be undaunted when the going gets rough."

Ronald Reagan
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