Islanders Robbed

[Gmoney]

Anyone watching the islanders know they are dangerous and our rivals are thankful that we are not going to the dance. The opening road trip followed by Covid cancellations and “illness” was just too much to over come.  With a heathy line up they look great. But making up games is taxing on the best athletes. Watch out for next year.   GO ISLANDERS

Edited April 2, 2022 by TropicalFruitGirl26

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

1 hour ago, Gmoney said:

Anyone watching the islanders know they are dangerous and our rivals are thankful that we are not going to the dance. The opening road trip followed by Covid cancellations and “illness” was just too much to over come.  With a heathy line up they look great. But making up games is taxing on the best athletes. Watch out for next year.   GO ISLANDERS

 

First off, welcome to the boards.

Second, yep.
Islanders were dealt a bad hand, BUT, they wanted that new arena ASAP...they got it, but at the cost of being nomads at the beginning of the year.

Team wasn't ever able to get in sync until way late in the season (as they are playing good hockey now), and of course, now, it's too little, too late.

I was one of the people that actually had the NYI either winning the Metro or finishing top three at the very least.
As for other clubs being "thankful" the Isles aren't playoff bound, well, that is debatable.

Not because the Isles aren't a threat, but because, if you've noticed, the East is absolutely LOADED with beastly teams.... from the back to back Cup Champion Lightning to the monstrous looking Florida Panthers, the Bruins (they kinda remind me of the Isles actually) always nasty draw, and even the Leafs who seem to actually be paying attention to team defense to go along with their offense this year....all out of the Atlantic.

Then in your own Metro, Rangers are up n coming, the Pens and Caps still field strong and solid teams respectively, and the Carolina Hurricanes look to be the new bosses of the Metro for the next several seasons.

So I'd say the Isles would have been just one of many tough teams in the East and the danger to the Islanders, had they gotten in, of being outed by those other teams is just as great as NY doing the same to them.
Even if the Isles come back strong next season, they will have found their division and the East as a whole is just so much better as well.

I am pretty sure the Islanders and Trotz would like a "do-over" for next season, but even that will remain to be seen.
Lots of UFA's on defense, so much will come down to what the GM decides to do there.

Of course, the main pieces on defense, Pelech, Pulock, Mayfield, and the up n coming Dobson will be there, but NY will need to put together an all important third pair.
And provided Varlamov doesn't get dealt at the draft or the off season, goaltending shouldn't be a problem (I will chalk up Varly's lackluster play to the overall team dysfunction during this strange season for them), but then again, I think Sorokin is the man there anyways, so if NY can get a decent haul for Varly, they should definitely do it...especially if they can get some scoring help, because from the looks of it, guys like Kyle Palmieri and Zach Parise, frankly, look like dead weight.

Barzal, Nelson, Lee (despite a down year by his standards), and Wahlstrom still look like guys that can provide a decent core for a good team still.

Good luck with the Isles, they should have an interesting off season.
I am looking forward to what they do when the season ends with regards to either getting forwards help, shoring up their third pair defense, and perhaps even restocking their cupboards a bit at the draft..... and that COULD mean dealing a guy like Varlamov.

Isles' story to be continued.....

Again, welcome to our small corner of the net...any questions or concerns, track one of us mods down, and see ya round the boards!

[SaucyJack]

7 hours ago, Gmoney said:

our rivals are thankful that we are not going to the dance.

The odds of overtaking Washington may be low, but consider that if the Isles win their game-in-hand, and both games against the Caps in the final week, that means a 7-point gap must be overcome in 12 remaining games.

 

Capitals have a tough April schedule, including 7 of their last 9 on the road.  (Yeah the Caps are better away from their home ice but still…)

[SaucyJack]

On 4/2/2022 at 2:10 AM, SaucyJack said:

if the Isles win their game-in-hand, and both games against the Caps in the final week, that means a 7-point gap must be overcome in 12 remaining games

It really is time to give up all hope after the previously-struggling Caps run the table in their past 3 games against other East contenders…while the Isles “only” go 3-2 on their road trip.

 

Caps need 8 points in the remaining 10 games to make it impossible for the Isles to overtake.

 

The Penguins could collapse I suppose.

[SaucyJack]

On 4/10/2022 at 4:01 PM, SaucyJack said:

It really is time to give up all hope

So sad.  (And the Caps thereby clinch a berth without playing any of their Southwest road trip.). “Wait ‘til next season!  Now where’s that new putter?”