THE NYI 16 AND 2/5THS-ERLY REVIEW
A look at Gordon’s gang after 5 measly games
(Top prospect Kyle Okposo is averaging just 12:33 of PT a game)
5:05 pm - It was around Christmas last season when the Islanders started to level off around the .500 mark, which in today’s everybody-gets-a-point!-NHL is far below mediocre. My oldest buddy, the 36-year Islander fan Rob from Hicksville, sent me a text with a proper dose of perspective:
“They are who we thought they were.”
That, of course, echoes the infamous Dennis Green meltdown, but at 2-3 five games into a season in which even some members of the Booster Club probably didn’t pick them to make the playoffs, “They are who we thought they were” pretty much nails it.
Be honest: if you went through the first five games of the schedule before the season and predicted each game, did you not have 2-3? As I wrote in the Pre-Game Show on Saturday, the difference between losing that night or getting the two points against the Panthers would make a night-and-day difference in how the media and fans would feel about the Islanders in the morning. Exhibit A: Greg’s story today – “Islanders Still Trying to Adjust to New System.”
That’s the way it goes in a six-month regular season, a season in which your team is going to have to scratch (like the win in TB) for just about every victory it gets. While the schedule gods have given Scott Gordon the three straight days of practices he was not shy about saying he needed, there are more than 72 hours for the rest of us to analyze the 2-3 start into the ground.
Consider reserving a better read on the opening of the Gordon Era until the end of November. The Islanders will have played 24 games by then, concluding with 6 games between Nov. 21 – 29 against New Jersey, Buffalo, Montreal, Pittsburgh, Boston and Ottawa.
Until then, some observations:
- There’s just no way around it. Blake Comeau is a home-grown 2004 second round pick, gold medal-winner for Team Canada at the WJC and owner of a three-page NYI Media Guide bio off a solid 54-game NHL start last season. When Comeau is sent to Bridgeport (goal Sunday night) and the Islanders reach out for Bruins waiver wire pickup Nate Thompson (yes, we know he’s just 24 years old), it’s just reality – the substance of a gradual rebuild-from-within takes a legitimate step back.
That said, Gordon’s job is to develop players and win, and there’s no questioning his motives. If the Islanders are five games below NHL .500 at the 40-game mark and younger players aren’t getting fair opportunities, there will be plenty of time and reason to poke holes in the first stage of the rebuild.
- Averaging just 12:33 of ice in the first 5 games, 2006 first round pick Kyle Okposo is 9th among Islanders forwards in playing time. Okposo is tied with Mike Comrie for second on the team in shots on goal (14, Bill Guerin leads with 16). Okposo is averaging 4.5 minutes per game less ice than Guerin and Trent Hunter.
When I raised this subject with Gordon this morning, he good-naturedly said, “He’s a rookie”! I half-jokingly responded, “Yeah…so”?! Gordon: “When Kyle has played well, he’s been very good. And when he hasn’t, it’s just been little things we want to take the time to correct.” Asked about the dangers of college players in the early stages of their pro careers, the coach said, “All college players hit a wall in January. We want to keep an eye on Kyle and build it up the right way.” No doubt, Okposo had a long, strange and arduous trip last season from the U. of Minnesota to Bridgeport to the Islanders.
- 2002 first round pick Sean Bergenheim is last on the team with an average of 9:27 of ice per game, although that could change with the news today of his promotion to the Weight-Guerin line.
- Power play is 5-27 (11.1%), 24th in the league and with one shortie allowed. Penalty kill is 5-30 (80.0%), 18th in the NHL and has scored one SH goal. Way too early for a proper sample size on either special teams unit, but fair to give it the old report card staple, Improvement Needed.
- Positives: Joey MacDonald; Mark Streit (above) on the point; Bruno Gervais and Freddy Meyer as solid 5-6 dmen; Jon Sim establishing himself as a pest, Hunter finding the net, Okposo looking like he belongs. The best thing about Saturday: the team has its franchise goaltender back.
To point out anything else positively or negatively after just 5 games would be a reach, and premature.
The Islanders are who we thought they were. With three straight days of practice this week and more time for them to try and come together, let’s see who they are going to be.
Place your 16 and 2/5th reviews in Comments.
27 Responses to THE NYI 16 AND 2/5THS-ERLY REVIEW
A look at Gordon’s gang after 5 measly games
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Joe says:
Unfortunately, this team doesn’t look too much different than they did last year to me.
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HilbertSnipe says:
i am really hoping for camps to come back and step up big on the pp with streit.
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blitz says:
So far, Gordon seems to be maleable with the ice time for the kids. A lot of his public comments about he kids appear to be what he should be doing: teaching the kids, allowing for mistakes, but foregoing punishment to the press box.
December is usually the make or break month for this organization. With so many kids, January/February could be a swoon with the kids feeling the effects of a longer and more rigorous NHL season.
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I agree with that Joe, the only difference is Nolan and a enforcer is not on the bench. I am not saying this team is done for it is to early like CB said However their are some writings on the wall and i can see them. My opinion! One is the fact that you have some vets saying it takes time to get to know this System? and it is 5 games already!Is this an original Gordon System or these guys are just not up to or in shape for it? We will see……..
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I dont like the Comrie Rumors for it is to early in the season and Trading him is not the Answer! The answer is Gordons system and if it works?
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Angelo says:
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. The isles are only 5 games into a season, let alone a multi year Rebuild. the team might not be any better than last year, skill wise, but were it does differ significantly is in developmental potential. If we stick to a plan and keep keenly adding to the structure, I’m imagining 2 or 3 seasons before this rebuild picks up some steam and deals out some damage if executed correctly.
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Gordon might also be trying to gradually integrate KO into the high intensity environment of the NHL. Let’s keep an eye on his minutes over the text month or so and see if they don’t gradually increase.
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kevin says:
i hope we draft tavares. and become 30th in the league for next five years for #1draft picks like pittsburg. i really dont want thta to happen but itll be cool if we can win the cup and become awsome. hey i can dream cant i???
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Doug says:
I have seen at least one positive, I like the forechecking i am seeing this year! We are also Putting a man in front of the next when shooting…..My BIGGEST gripe of the last few seasons!
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I have seen at least one positive, I like the forechecking i am seeing this year! We are also Putting a man in front of the net when shooting…..My BIGGEST gripe of the last few seasons!
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Mike from Queens says:
I watched the game with my friend on Saturday night, and I think he might have wanted me dead after I screamed, “WE DON’T HAVE ANY GOAL SCORERS ON THIS TEAM” for the 15th time.
Even when the Isles scored 4 in Tampa, one went of a D-man and two others were Trent Hunter capitalizing on Kolzig mistakes.
The skill players need more time on the ice to make things happen.
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hey instead of having fritz who cant skate, why not get darren mccarty who can drop em’ and score. beleive me, i would rather hav fritz but if they want a scoring fighter then…..
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NYIsles5 says:
Way to go Chris on calling Gordon on the carpet about KO’s ice time. Isn’t it his job to play the rookies? Is that not what this alledged “youth movement” was supposed to do?
Blake C not playing yet Hilbert and Thompson are getting ice time? I just don’t get it.
By the way which of the next 5 years do you have them relocating? -
Strummer's Army says:
We all knew everyone would need to play up to their potential for the team to shock anyone. We have the best goaltender in the entire NHL but the worst defense. Rick has always played behind overrated defenses.
Islander fans have been screaming for over 2 years now that the team isn’t tough enough. We had to watch Buffalo beat the crap out of three of our guys and then on the next shift Peters punches our Captain Guerin in the back of the head without retribution. That is wrong and says all you need to know about this team.
How can anyone expect this team to be really good with names like Hilbert and Meyer.
There is plenty of talent on the roster and in the system but not enough on the current roster and it is not big enough or tough enough. Protect your best player Snow, get Rick some great d-men and get plenty of big tough guys who can play.
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bCarey says:
claiming that Rick DiPietro is the best goaltender in the league is quite a stretch. he’s in the top ten, but low in that group. there are two goalies within 60 miles that are better than DP. don’t hang his number quite yet. luongo, nabokov, turco, miller, giguere. until he wins a playoff series he cannot be considered better than these guys. he hasn’t even been a vezina finalist yet. we all love DP because of his heart and his potential. but fact is he is injury-prone and has not yet won more than one game in a given playoff year.
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s tough start ..lets see what happens i have a bad feeling about the way this coach runs the show i guess hes learning as he goes.WE HAVE TO GET TOUGH AND THATS WHERE WE MISS TED
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http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=387618
Division notes on the Altlantic.
Not one thing mentioned on the Isles at all until the last sentence or two about DP’s first game back on the ice.
I cant stand it.
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Chris TMC says:
Honestly Jason, I dont know why you care. At least what they did say was factual. I mean, what would you want them to have said?
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Rick is way better then Lundquist and Broduer. Broduer was awesome but has declined. He only gave up one goal in the all-star game last year when the announcer had him distracted. Look how many all the other goalies gave up. His positioning and athleticism is awesome, his rebound control is fantastic, his puck playing ability is the best in the NHL. None of the goalies you mentioned are better then Rick. Loungo has been traded twice now and I was at the game the little sissy wouldn’t come to the aid of his teammates in Tampa or fight Cloutier when challenged.
No goalie in the NHL plays behind such a weak defense. Anytime a GM is saying Martinek is the teams best d-man that tells you all you need to know.
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Brian B says:
The Isles will be around the 8th spot like they always do and it will come down to health and DP’s play to determine if they make the playoffs…This year I’m really just hoping this team is fun to watch and to feel good about the future…to early to tell now but I feel I will.
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TuxTax says:
http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=387618 I guess the Islanders arent in the Atlantic division…according to ESPN’s Division Notes…harumph
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oppps didnt read post 18…guess it just seems so ridiculous it had to be mentioned twice
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Chris TMC -
Just for them to say SOMETHING. Yes it was factual, but every team got their fair share of coverage and the Isles get but a sliver. In the ‘notes’ section no less.
I’m just tired of the lack of recognition. Thats why I care. -
I understand. But I think its kinda good that they are saying less rather than saying the same negative crap that we have already read 50 times over. I think that if Rick had played more than one game, if one of the rookies was turning it up immediately, whatever, they might have said something else. But like I asked before, what would you have honestly wanted them to have said about the Isles through the past 5 games? If they just said “something” I dont think that would have made any of us that much happier.
BTW they did do a couple of nice articles on the Isles in the offseason- that at least counts for something.
Playing their hardest is going to get the Isles their recognition, nothing else.
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dmarie says:
Well said! nothing else to add..
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You’re right. They’d probably bring up DP’s contract or the Neil Smith debacle, or Ted Nolan. And yes they did put up nice articles in the off-season.
Hunters 4 goals in 5 games? Maybe? Bleh.
Who will they be when everyone is healthy?