Island home needs repairs- year in review

[yave1964]

PRESEASON OUTLOOK Knowing they were starting the year with a bataan death march as they were waiting for the new UBS Arena to open. The plan was to remain at or above .500 through the first 13 games, all on the road and then open their new arena with .70 percent of their games at home for the rest of the year and carry that to a playoff position.

 

FINAL RECORD 37-35-10 84 points 5TH IN THE Metro

 

HIGH POINT OF THE YEAR They were out of it by late October, stumbled and bumbled around most of the year and never got their traction. I guess opening the UBS arena on November 20th (a 5-2 loss to the Flames) could be the highlight, long after the season was lost they went on a 14-6-1 run from March 10th thru April 15th. 

 

LOW POINT OF THE YEAR They got out of the gate strong on their epic grueling road trip (5-2-2) after beating the Jets 2-0 with a nice shutout from Sorokin. Then it ended as quickly as it started. The Wild took them down the next night 5-2 starting a major tailspin, they lost 11 games in a row (0-8-3) From that point on they struggled, getting to .500 then slipping back all year. Their season was done before Christmas.

 

WHAT WENT RIGHT Brock Nelson paced the team with 37 goals and 59 points. Barzal was good. Noah Dobson took a massive step, especially late and he looks like a flat out stud. Anders Lee as per usual was one of the top Cy young leaders (28 goals, 18 assists).Pelech is now established as a fantastic shut down defender. 11 players scored double digit goals. Sorokin went 24-18-8 with a fantastic 2.40 goals against and a .925 save pct.

 

WHAT WENT WRONG Varlamov was lousy early and got a bit better but clearly is the number two. Pageau scored very well late but overall had a very forgettable year. Beauvillier was not a bust, but almost. Kyle Palmieri couldnt buy a goal with Elon Musks money most of the year. Wahlstrom looked lost much of the year, same with Keifer Bellows. They arent quite busts yet but appear headed that way unless they get it together soon. Chara was ok, I guess, but had a forgettable season. Andy Greene has nothing left. 

 

FREE AGENTS Chara and Greene are riding off in the sunset towards the golfcourse. other than that everyone is coming back who they want.

 

TOP PROSPECTS Bellows is no longer quite a prospect, but he isnt established either and is running out of time. Robin Salo is a meh defensive prospect who will play bottom pair minutes and cannot be worse than Greene. Sam Bolduc will get a look in camp as he tries for a bottom six role. Bode Wilde is looking like a bust as he cannot get his game to translate in the NHl.  This is a pretty rotten group of prospects, 

 

A side note on Lou Lamoriello, I did a write up on his drafting with the Devils in here several years ago, he is a lousy drafter, I mean, simply LOUSY. iT HAS not changed with the Islanders. He did get Dobson (and Wahlstrom) his first year on the Island but nobody else who he drafted has with the Islanders has done anything. He reaches for players passing over better prospects, always has and it seldom has worked for him. IMHO Lou is the most overrated front office man in my lifetime. He won in New Jersey because of Brodeur and the nastiest bunch of defenseman to be in one back end in years.

 

STRANGE STAT OF THE YEAR The Islanders  played a league leading 13 day games and several of the players put up very pedestrian numbers in the matinee games. Barzal managed only 1 goal and 3 assists in 11 day games, Josh Bailey was held off the score sheet in 13 day games. Parise and Cizikas only had a single goal each in the day games playing 13 games each. Other than Brock Nelson who had 8 goals in 13 day games, the whole team was lousy during day games. 

 

OFFSEASON OUTLOOK Well the farm system is depleted as all Lou Lamoriello farms are, a lot of fat overpriced over lengthed contracts clog the roster, This clearly looks like a team on the wrong trajectory. Firing one of the best game managing coaches in the league in Trotz and hiring a rookie coach is a bold move, I think they are toast, on their way down towards the bottom of the standings for at least two or three years, possible it will be longer.