5 REASONS FOR 5 OUT OF 6
Stability from MacDonald leads the way
Five of the reasons why the Islanders are now in position to reach the .500 mark when they host the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Coliseum on Wednesday night…
Joey MacDonald: Better to be steady than spectacular one game, horsebleep the next. Mentored by Mike Dunham and Sudsie Maharaj, MacDonald has brought a level of stability in goal his team could not survive without.
If his teammates in front of him thought he was shaky, they’d be shaky, too. That’s the way it is in hockey. Other than one bad night in Jersey, MacDonald and the Islanders have looked confident, assured.
Bergenheim-Weight-Guerin: As a line and individually. After 25 points last season, who would have thought the countdown to 1,000 NHL points for Doug Weight - he needs 10 more - would begin before December?
Sean Bergenheim, the fire-starter, appears to have landed on the same page with an Islanders coach with more urgency than any time in his young, coach-filled career. (Maybe Snow should go long-term with him).
Bill Guerin’s profile around these parts seems to come and go with the wins and losses. From this standpoint - last year partially behind the curtain, this year in the peanut gallery - the man has done everything he can since the day he signed on.
The Return of the D: While others admirably held the fort, there really are no substitutes for Andy Sutton, Radek Martinek and Brendan Witt. One of the year’s quiet stories was Sutton’s intense preparation for this season before an injury stalled it. But he’s been good. The other team doesn’t like him.
Martinek and Witt, still rounding into playing like Martinek and Witt, are 22-minute NHL defensemen on their worst nights. Maybe Martinek has his one major injury this season behind him. If he and Witt could go the rest of the way, the Islanders would stumble less frequently.
Competition: Most Islanders are pushing the forecheck to its limits as if every shift is their last. With more players on the verge of returning from injuries - and with so many playing so well in Bridgeport - their motivation is sincere.
Four to Count On: While some returned to the lineup and others picked up their games, the quartet of Islanders consistently effective since the season opener were still there. Take a bow - Trent Hunter, Mark Streit, Richard Park and Andy Hilbert.
ETC: No roster moves today, no word if Kyle Okposo, Mike Comrie or Nate Thompson are any closer. I’ll be at the morning skate and will have reports from the Coliseum on Wednesday. Everyone travel safe and have a wonderful Thanksgiving…CB
No doubt you have your reasons. Comments.
62 Responses to “5 REASONS FOR 5 OUT OF 6
Stability from MacDonald leads the way”
Please Wait
I would love it if Bergie got a long term deal. I want to buy his jersey!
CB, I think you hit it head on. I am buying into this system more and more and look forward to what can be accomplished this year. My biggest fear is that fatigue will set in at one point later in the year and we will see it more and more towards the end of the games. But up until this point I think there is reason for some buzz around the Coliseum. Now let’s move forward with the Lighthouse project. Everyone take care and have a very Happy Thanksgiving. LETS GO ISLANDERS!!
If this team keeps ticking and winning, fans will be happy. If this team tanks, fans will become happy via the draft. Unless you have a team that you know is a top 1-6 choice to win the cup, there is only so much you can aspire to (in one year). I am a happy fan so far this year. I also drank a big class of the Kool-Aid earlier so…
Chris, you have to see TSN’s power ranking. After this past week they didn’t move them from #29 and Scott Cullen said the wins against Ottawa(2)vancouver, and Buffalo were mediocre. Cullen went on to say Shootout wins don’t mean anything.
right now macdonald is more steady then rick has ever been
I’ve said it before, I really like what Snow is doing. There are always going to adjustments needed (due to injury or just a player not fitting in). One thing we have seen so far this year is the system definitely works, and that they have some depth up front. Only if the young guns could score a little more.
The only veteran that should go is Comrie. It is quite clear he doesn’t fit this system. It is too fast for him. Don’t get a draft pick in return, get a young player if you can, or add a pick for a good young player who can help now.
Carbonneau again in the postgame taking shots at Streit for “going where the money is”. (see greg’s blog) What a loser.
CB, great list. Anyone else find it ironic that after all the talk about a youth movement, the Islanders are where they are because of the same old vets (Hunter, Park, Hilbert, Guerin, etc)?
5 JOE RVC on Nov 25th, 2008 21:50:37 said:
“right now macdonald is more steady then rick has ever been”
Right now you have a very short memory. Rick pulled off six wins in a row even when he was hurt. Come on- Joeys been doing great but why in the world do some of you have to make this some dopey “one or the other” thing???
Would “less theatric” make more sense than “steady”? Joey doesn’t make me nervous, especially at the one minute mark.
because the team as a whole has never played this good with rick. he makes stupid mistakes and gets out of position and gives up easy goals..we dont need rick or sillinger or comrie,,we need nielsen back and ko to play well when he comes back..we dont need to build a huge freakin complex on hempstead tpke that will have condos and crap and crap restauarnts theres not enough land around here anyway .
the more i hear about this wang world thing the more i hope the isles go to suffolk or just plain go
Let’s not kid ourselves. Joey hasn’t literally stole a game for us yet. He’s played well, don’t get me wrong, but he hasn’t put in a performance like the 53 save game DP had against the rangers last season. DP is an all-star, JoeyMac is a goalie we can win with.
I meant that as praise for DP, not that he’s an all-star but we can’t win with him…
akeem~ rick will lose a game as fast as he steals a game
Joe, you’re thinking of the Rick from 3 years ago. Last season before he went down as well as 2 years ago before the concussions, he was an absolute wall, one of the best in the world. I had total confidence in him. He might make a mistake, but that one mistake a game usually don’t cost us the game to the extent that his 4-5 saves that Macdonald wouldn’t make steals us the game
Yes, JMac’s sure been a nice surprise for us, steady and solid, and I’m happy for him (and for us!). When Rick comes back he will want to be “stellar” and I’m sure most fans will cheer for him if he can manage that.
What’s it been, six, seven weeks of hockey? Many of us came into the season not looking forward to a good one. And yet I can’t complain (too much lol) about much right now. It’s been pretty interesting and (although I’m still pissed about Franzy) I for one can’t wait to see how the rest of the season goes.
Happy Thanksgiving all.
if the islanders keep this going, we might as well say good bye to our # 1 pick.
winning feels good. telling people you’re an islanders fan feels better.
Akeem, Joey has not stolen a win? He stole that Rangers game at MSG.
I agree with 7th. I do not miss DP’s theatrics AT ALL. I was not a fan of JMac at the beginning of the season, but he has turned out to be a pleasant surprise.
Andy - I agree. I will never “root” for my team to lose to get a draft pick. If it worked out like that, than it would fit the bill as far as our overall objective. I really hope everyone feels that way.
Et al - Folks when DP comes back he will be eased into playing time. If he wins, he will keep playing. If he loses, we know JMac can keep the team competitive. I would expect to see the goaltending “culture” and “system” to be a little different from the last two seasons. Alas, let’s not kid ourselves. DP has 12 (yeah i said 12) more years left on his contract and JMac is here for now. That is reality.
Brian from Massapequa: I agree people shouldn’t be “rooting” to lose the hole season.. But many think we’re going to finish near the bottom anyway. And when you have a chance and getting a superstar in the making like John Tavares, people get excited about it. Look what Sid has done for the Penguins.. Not only has he been one of the best players in the league, the Pens have sold out almost every game since he came into the league.. Even in a dump like the Mellon Arena..
Folks I agree no one wants the team to lose but since great things aren’t going to be accomplished with the current crew and franchise players are so hard to come by then you have to do all possible to end up with Tavares or Hedman.
Any year we made the playoffs after the Toronto series it was pointless. The team had nothing and didn’t perform well. Wang probably liked it because the extra ticket helped ease his losses but it really cost some good players.
Rick DiPietro is one of the top 3 goalies in hockey. He is a very special player. MacDonald has played very well and will continue to do so I feel but Rick is elite. When Rick does come back having a goalie that they know can shoulder part of the load is going to enable the Isles to keep Rick fresh which will only make him better.
Right now it is easy to see MacDonald has been needing a rest. If they don’t want to put Mannanio in on Friday or Sat then hopefully Dannis will be back.
Bergie should be signed long term.
brian,
Here’s a snipet from last year’s prospect watch on a certain someone we got in the 3rd round:
“Expected to be at least a Top 10 pick and possibly a Top 5 despite the lack of a transfer agreement, Petrov could be best described as a power forward with outstanding touch. He excels on the cycle and is supposed to be nearly impossible to knock off the puck. Requires very little room to make a play, he is dangerous from the blue line in every time he steps on the ice. The winger can keep the puck for as long as he wants it, Georges Laraque style, but can either score himself or make plays when need be.”
My gut says he’ll be an NHLer, for sure. He’ll be a shorter wait than drafting a # 1 or 2 at this upcoming draft, for sure!
If this team can aim high and be good at it, we won’t need a top draft pick. Petrov wants to be in the NHL, but he’s a kid who doesn’t want to leave home yet. He’ll get the nhl itch sooner or later and just wait until you see him skating with Okposo and Bailey, it’ll be awesome.
Rooting for your team to lose for a better draft pick??? It’s like selling your soul…. isn’t it?
Bossy was #15 wasn’t he? Trottier was #22… and so on.
DOC
so what exactly happens when dp is ready to come back? if joey mac continues playing this well it’s going to be hard for the isles to justify pulling him in favor of dp. in all honesty, has dp ever gone on a streak like this? if we could deal dp to tampa (who need a goalie and who are in full mad mike milbury mode) and sign joey mac to an extension i’d be happy. i feel very comfortable with joey in goal, much more so than when dp was in net.
Ok….The DP/Big Mac thing
Unfortunately, DP has 12 years left on “the most absurd contract in the history of sports”….that being said, it doesn’t look good long term 4 Big Mac.
Ricky has proven he is an all-star in the past, hopefully he will come back and do the same. I want him to check his ego at the Marriot before he comes into the NVMC. I’ve had enough with his antics of getting caught out of position and his constant giveaways/homerun pass where he is trying to get his name on the scoresheet.
Big Mac has been nothing short of a Godsend. He plays his position well, and he doesn’t try to do TOO MUCH WITH THE PUCK. He lets his D-men play the puck like he’s suppose to and stays in the crease. He is subject to the big rebound, but that I feel will get better with time.
All I’m saying is that I hope DP has been watching not only Mac, but other goalies that win, who aren’t constantly handling the puck AND STAY IN THE CREASE.
Boy, I sure do like winning
Big test against El-Sid…..
LETS GO ISLANDERS! ! !!!
I’d like for just a minute to point out that the Isles have far outperformed my expectations to date.
Despite the MacD-vs-DP debate, whether Martinek sucks or is the anchor on the blueline, whether Tambellini should be given more/less ice time/waived/traded, whether Fritz should be played or benched, whether the Isles are 29th/30th/35th on TSN’s power rankings, and whether or not we should be in sell mode now or there is cap floor issues, the team on the ice gave me a feeling I haven’t had in some time… was that… confidence?
Even down 3-1 in the Bell Centre, I felt like they were still in it. And maybe it took a bit of a miracle, but sometimes thing go your way when you earn them.
I am looking forward to what should be a great game tomorrow night. I’ll worry about the draft pick in June.
Strummer: Good call with getting J-Mac a rest, although it is tough to sit a hot hand. I would love to see Mannino get a spot start. Otherwise he needs to go back to BP, where he was playing great, before he rusts.
We need to lock up Bergie for a while, someone from a previous post also brought up the old infamous Garth Snow line that free agents do not want to come to the Island because of the coliseum…the same goes for the draftees wanting to stay as well. Do you think Bailey wants to play in a packed house in Montreal or does he want to sit in a quiet half empty barn. Same goes for Petrov, he can be a god in Russia. The Lighthouse Project needs to happen for the sake of the franchise. Or we can say goodbye to every last player we draft when their contracts run out. The Lighthouse is priority number one in my book. I believe it will be one giant leap towards establishing the Islanders as a legitimate franchise in the eyes of the rest of the league. I do hope we get to see the headline “Lighthouse Approved” soon.
Before we lose our minds, there is so much parity in the league right now, the isles are 9-10-2 and FOUR points ahead of the worst record in the NHL. If the Isles are not able to maintain this performance level, they will be right back in the race for the worst record in no time.
Hey, CB, any word on Freddy Meyer?
You people are seriously unbelievable. You were crying when they played vets and demanded a youth movement. Now there’s a youth movement and you were crying at the beginning of the season that “this team is garbage.” Now they’re playing well and you’re crying about DP being injured and you want the losing to return. Seriously, just give it a rest, or we can just agree certain people will hate everything this team does and get on with our lives.
John Tavares is NOT Sidney Crosby. From all reports, he has now fallen to no. 3. I won’t cry now if we don’t get a shot at drafting him and I am actually not too excited over drafting a defenseman first overall. So lets not root for a tank job.
Dp vs Mac is a great problem to have. My only fear is the potential ego DP might have that has never really been challenged. He is our number one and everyone knows it but I do not see why it is not possible to ride Joey Mac for a lot more than a couple of games if he is on fire and delivering when given the chance. I just hope the organization plays it super safe and insists he heals longer than necessary, no rushing him back! It will all work out.
I have been entertained all season long. I expected them to fight as hard as they could to compete but knew they had some tough obstacles to overcome. They are playing great now and hopefully it continues. I am all smiles.
I am not sure if Comrie is not a good fit for the system or was just playing hurt/less than 100%. Let’s give him a chance, the more competition on the team the better.
In regards to Tamby, I am rooting for him so hard. I am perplexed why some players kick ass in the AHL but their games do not translate in the NHL. I think he needs the same talk as Hilbert had years ago and hopefully his drive helps create a true NHL player. I would love more insights from anyone who has credibility (scouts), as to why they think he has not taken it to the next level. Does anyone even believe he has the tools to turn himself into another Hilbert if needed? Does he just need a little more time? Can anyone name a prospect on the Isles or elsewhere that mirrored his situation but finally put it together before or after being traded?
Thanks for the hard work Chris, love the blog!
I have almost forgotten about Nate Thompson, but that does not mean I forget what he did for the team when he was healthy. I look forward to him coming back, as I really feel the line of Park - Thompson - Hilbert was truly fun to watch!
Islanders this year more then any other year have been a joy to watch. Garth Snow committed to a new coach with a new idea & I am glad he pulled the trigger and fired Ted Nolan ( though I was a big fan but he makes me sad his dislike for Bridgeport & rookies ).
What is wrong with having a soild back-up for DP that has earned the right to play every 3-4 games and keep DP rested without the added pressure of feeling he needs to be in the line-up every game ( though I love the fact he wants to play all 82 games ).
Bailey is a special special kid and that pass to Campoli was amazing and glimmer of what we are going to see here. KO also was showing signs before he got hurt. Tamby is a gifted player who still needs a little bit of size so he stops getting wiped out on the boards and a little more power will help him get into a position to score & I belive he will…
The vet’s all are amazing as is the “D”.
Its gonna be a fun ride and as for TSN & our low mark, they are hating that we outplayed their teams and can’t phantom the fact that we have a new system & direction and wont respect us til we stay on this course….
We can thank Milbury for that…
LETS GO ISLANDERS!!!
Well, justified or not, I admit I’m nervous about DP coming back. Whether he can play at his former level or not is one thing, but he will continue to wander, handle the puck a lot, take penalties, chirp at opponents, and all the other stuff that he has always done. If he’s healthy, he can probably rise above that stuff and play well, but I wonder if the “Ricky Show” will end up as a distraction and take away from the great chemistry this team has going with a goalie who is happy to just quietly stop pucks. I guess time will tell.
David - I’m no scout, but to me it just seems like Tambs is a fast player who can outskate the game at the AHL level. In the NHL, people aren’t fooled as much by speed alone. He has the physical tools, but seems to have trouble “thinking the game”. Someone like Bailey is the opposite. Not very fast, and not a blazing shot at all, but he can slow the game down to his level when he has the puck. Tambellini, on the other hand, is always racing to keep up with the game. Just my observation, anyway.
I could not agree more with ever point you made. Well done CB!
how is the lighthouse project going to work with condos and all ..when many people cant keep their homes do we need more real estate built and more traffic in nassau county ?? cant they just improve the nvmc
Not really going to overanalyze. . just enjoying what I’m seeing on the ice the past few weeks! When is the last time Islander games have been this exciting to watch on a consistent basis?
And is there any update on DP’s expected return? Hasn’t it been “out a few weeks” for quite some time now? Not that we’re rushing him back or anything
Joe RVC: If people still can’t hold on to their homes in the 7-10 years before the first condo at the Lighthouse was made available, even improvements at the Coliseum wouldn’t make any difference. It would be a sign that the Nassau/Suffolk economy is so miserable that our attendance would continue to be poor regardless.
The Lighthouse is a project for the future, not for today.
You talk about traffic. Name one area of the country that has a robust economy (OK, funny guys, nobody has a robust economy now, but still….) that DOESN’T have a traffic problem. There aren’t any. I don’t like traffic either, but if I want to live in the county adjacent to the biggest city in the country, if I want a strong tax base that can provide good schools, good parks, all sorts of other services, etc. at a certain point you just have to accept traffic. What you can’t have is a robust tax base and no traffic, unless everyone is so rich that they can pay property taxes that make today’s levies look cheap.
On Long Island, we are in competition with other areas at all times for jobs and people. While New Jersey and Westchester have redeveloped their downtowns and built urban-like centers in the middle of suburbia, keeping their young people around, we’ve seen our youth go to the types of places that they desire. Killing the Lighthouse, which you obviously want to do, sends out a signal to every young person that says: if you want to live her, buy a single-familh home. We have no other options. It sends out a signal to every employer already here, or thinking of coming here: we’re closed for business. All we want to do is set up a system where the single family detached home reigns supreme, and we will fight any development that a certain segment of the population thinks threatens that.
If you want to say that, fine. But then please tell us where the tax base for the future is going to come from, where the work force for tomorrow is going to come from, where the jobs for tomorrow are going to come from. If all the homeowners are ready to shoulder the resulting tax burden themselves, OK. Just have the guts to say that.
well said JayK..I am a recent college graduate, working in the city, and looking to move out. There are absolutely no nice places on LI that is I can afford. The lighthouse project would give me one. I have had season tickets with my dad for the last 5 years and once I move out there is no way I am getting a full season. I am sure I am not the only one.
jay-you must have a vested interest in the project..how are you going to get from a condo in uniondale of all places uniondale what a dump, to a job in nyc NO TRAIN LINE .long island like it or not is suburbia with homes and backyards ..ya want a condo move to fla
correct me if im wrong but isnt part of the project a train to uniondale
whos backyard is the train going to go through?
Isn’t it a good thing to have 2 goalies fighting for #1 starter on the same team?
I think DP is doing his home work. He is a smart guy and will learn from his mistakes in the past. JMack looks like a solid NHLer and DP knows it. It will make him better when he returns. Looking forvard to see him healthy.
Where is Okposo?!!!
there is a ton of land right near the deer park train station..tangers just built a mall there.its a good spot for the lighthouse you have the train line already in and you have tons of property to build on. i dont think people are going to spend money on condos to send their kids to school in uniondale
We have a great team that comes out (for better or worse) each night and plays with their hearst on their sleeves. I have confidence that they are going to be the sleepers and spoilers this year and not only make it to the playoffs but finally get past the first round - the vets all have something to prove and the kids are hungry and fighting for their lives to remain here and not get sent to Bridgeport. This is why I think they really will surprise people come April.
I just hope when DP comes back that they don’t just shove Joey Mac to the side like yesterday’s news…he deserves better than that as he has played better than DP ever has. Ego or not, DP can’t just come back and expect his job back full time. Hope Gordon and Snowy realize that.
Hope everyone is going to come out to the game tonight. Should be very entertaining! My 5 year old son Jonah is going to be part of an on ice check ceremony from the Isles to the March of Dimes. If you don’t already have tickets, see CB’s previous post. At the end he has the link to Ticketmaster and deeply discounted tickets for the game which are still available. Great sections and awesome prices! Hope to see you there.
Vlad: “Isn’t it a good thing to have 2 goalies fighting for #1 starter on the same team?”
It could be, sure. It could make both of them better. Or it could upset one or both of their rhythm. Or it could create confusion from game to game when you have a very active goalie in there one game and a far more passive one in the next. Who really knows? It’ll definitely be interesting to see how it all plays out over the rest of the season, and a lot will probably depend on the attitude of both of them.
I’m not so convinced about DP “learning from his mistakes” though. He’s shown consistently over the years that he will make risky plays with the puck despite a number of coaches - and a few times the entire NVMC crowd - pleading with him to stay in the net a bit more often. I think, if he’s healthy, we’ll see the same DP - a very athletic goalie who will make amazing saves, play great for stretches, but also have you pulling your hair out on a few plays from time to time.
Somebody said goodbye to the #1 pick…well ok, I get it, people want to win, but really how far can this team go as constructed right now? They have some good young talent here and in Bridgeport, imagine adding, if he is what the Central Scouting Report says he is, John Tavares, or even Hedman? If they go in the middle again, we are just stuck in the mud as a mediocre team. Look at the Pens, Caps, etc. Thats the only way we will be able to get a sniper here, if it’s Tavares. Its been so long, what’s one more year of futility? I want to see the Isles win as much as anyone, but I am looking long-term, not short-term to just miss the playoffs or lose (again) in the first round.
Steve - In todays NHL there are other ways to turn around a franchise…look at the flyers, they had a decent team that flopped and then they traded away their veterans for young talent (Upshall/ Hartnell), signed some more talent(Briere), and allowed their prospects to develop(Richards)…they went to the conference finals last year…the bruins also look very good right now and they have been built very similiar
i still feel that snows big mistake was not trading vasichek, satan, and fedotenko at the deadline this year…the key to this season is whether on not snow has the balls to trade some of the vets if this team is still sitting at the 10th spot
i really don’t get the lose now crowd. you’re basically asking the isles to intentionally tank a season. that’s borderline illegal (think 1919 white sox). the #1 pick is supposed to go to a team that gave 100% but just weren’t any good, not a team that intentionally tanked it. that wouldn’t exactly help our image or be good for morale. and the last time i checked the devils and red wings haven’t picked first (or anywhere close) in a million years yet all they do is win. if your scouting is good you don’t need to be drafting first. it is possible to teach and win at the same time, eg. last year’s flyers team. let’s hope that continues to happen here.
This is a real serious tension for me…I know getting the 1st overall pick would be the best thing for this team, but I just can’t root for them to lose. We have an entertaining team with some young guys that are proving they can contribute in the NHL. By my lights, that makes this season a success. Nobody here was saying we’d compete for the Cup necessarily, but I want to see steps toward that Cup.
I think the Flyers model should be thrown out the window. They had a lot of young talent and were killed by unstable goaltending and injuries. Every single Islander fan needs to make peace with the fact that this will not be a quick fix. The reason we’re in this mess in the first place is because Milbury could never finish what he started and always went for the quick fix.
JayK - excellent points about the Lighthouse, couldn’t say it any better.
Joe RVC - I and others have explained your issues many many many times. If you still don’t get it then we obviously can’t have a conversation with you. It seems pretty clear to me you’re just another Long Island NIMBY who’s going to have a problem with whatever is built on that site. Sad.
Also, JayK - current plans are for a Lighthouse bus system that takes you both around the project and links to the local LIRR stations in order to prevent people from having to use their cars. There is an abandoned rail spur back there that would be perfect for development, but something tells me half of Garden City would lie down on the tracks to prevent it.
NICK- im pragmatic not a nimby there are places on long island that would make more sense..i would like it near my backyard if it made sense..there are probably some good places in queens also YOU NEED A TRAIN LINE to make this work if it was such a good idea it would alredy be getting done
Well said, Doug (re: post 43). I am 27, graduated from a SUNY college 5 years ago, and I haven’t live on Long Island since. As a young carpenter who has college loans to pay off and a less than $60,000 a year job there is NO WAY in Hell I could live on Long Island. Now, I’ve made some difficult life’s decisions, and decided to move down South. And, in New Orleans, even as a 27 year old carpenter who has loans to pay off and a less than $60,000 a year job, I own my own home outright and am making a profitable future for myself. If I could be in that situation on Long Island, I would. But, that’s not how the cards are delt. It’s just too damn expensive. Maybe if I can become long-term successful I’ll move back. Long Island’s biggest export is the 18-35 year-old demographic. And without things like the Lighthouse to potentially provide some more affordable housing in desirable areas and provide more exciting jobs and entertainment the 18-35’s will continue to leave. No one wants to be broke and bored. People don’t believe me when I say that Long Island could be in a pronounced decline for years to come if we don’t keep more young blood within it’s shores, but I honestly think it’s true.
I am not saying intentionally tank, I am saying of course try to pick up wins, but really look at honestly, develop the youngsters and get a stud draft pick to bolster the team. No big free agents will come here, (i.e. the Red Wings team-they signed some big guys, Hasek,Chelios,Hossa,Shanahan in a trade, etc.) and the Devils play a system with one of the top three goalies ever to play in the NHL. That’s how the win. A No. 1 draft pick isn’t a sure thing, but this kid is close to it. Hey, if they are alive at the trade with the young kids and some vets, great, then it wont matter, the team is maturing with more to come. Milbury blew it-Luongo, Jokinen,not drafting Gaborik or Spezza to take DiP, Chara,etc. I still say Let’s Go Isles!
I agree that for the Lighthouse to really succeed, mass transit is a must. But a couple of things:
–You say that Uniondale is a dump. Agreed. But all you have to do is look at the revival of certain areas in the metropolitan area that were total dumps not that long ago — parts of Brooklyn, White Plains, New Brunswick — to know that areas can revive, particularly with a strong dedication to development
–The condos don’t have to be sold to young families with kids to have an impact on those families. As it is now, an older empty nest couple has few options to move to on LI where they are still in a vibrant community of relatively high density. So they have to go to some boring development in Ridge or some place like that or worse, they stick around in a 5-BR house that could be better used by a young family. What if they could buy a condo in a place like the Lighthouse? Then their house is on the market for that young family. Ultimately, what matters is total supply of housing.
–You may be right. The NIMBY people may win out in the end. But Long Island is going to lose. We’re headed for disaster: we have an aging population. We fight against all sorts of development with higher density. People in other parts of the country are actually moving into areas with greater density, and we fight it like the plague. We have an anti-business attitude that was particularly on display when a company like Canon — who was already here for God’s sake — had to take years to find a new corporate HQ. So please, JoeRVC…tell me how you would fix all that, and you need to do something other than saying “I like the Lighthouse, I just want it somewhere else.” That doesn’t take much courage.
ooo and i wanted to bring up something that i keep hearing…tambellini needs to start playing like hilbert?…i agree that it would be nice for him to be as defensively sound as hilbert but tambellini is supposed to score, and they already have one andy hilbert they dont need too.
Andy has been very good this season but he still needs to be limited in his ice time, he is not a top line player. Same type of player as Shawn Bates, good on the 3rd or 4th line but not 1st or 2nd.
I still think tambellini needs some more time to get it together. Do not waive him, just make him earn his ice time. If that means scratching him thats fine but there is no way he would clear waivers, too much potential.
Jay K,
On the Lighthouse, I’m just going to pose this scenario.
8:AM… “honey, I’m going out to get the paper… I’ll see you for dinner”
I don’t know if SMG, the Rangers or the NHL would ever allow this to happen… but the Islanders need to move into Brooklyn or Queens so they can triple their fan base, get out of that ridiculous lease and be accessible via mass transit.
They could build a 22K seat arena in the parking lot at Aqueduct and fill it 100% of the time in the first three years, and maintain 85% occupancy after that.
If the county wanted to do something RIGHT they would release them from the ridiculous lease so they could leave and allow SOMEBODY ELSE to develop the HEMPSTEAD TOWN CENTER which would completely restructure the area with cultural and entertainment choices that EVERYBODY can enjoy… 100% of the time.
I’m a little sick of WANG WORLD.
CB,
Excellent Post… I agree on all points. Especially the top line and captain. I was definitely a critic of the hypocricy of signing Weight during a declared “youth movement”, but who’s to say they didn’t take 5 candles off his birthday cake. Guerin has been a true captain since he was signed, and this year he seems to be more of the on-ice package as well.
DP v JMac,
Chico v Billy… almost the same scenario. People old enough to remember the days of Howatt and Hart will rememebr that Chico was the #1 Goalie until the Lanny MacDonald goal. When Billy was given the playoff reigns he never let thenm go. But he always had something in the tank come playoff time because they had somebody who could play 30 games and win 20 of them on the bench.
Bergy,
Long Term… YES! I’d like to see him score 20, but he’ll have an impact on 60-80 goals this year in some capacity. I think he needs 5 years worth of ink.
THE “D”,
Witt and Marty… 22 minutes is great. Just using last year as a guide… I’d like to see that be their cap. They now can split the PK time with a responsible pairing of Sutton and Streit, and only Marty will get cameo’s on the PP.
They should get the glut of mins on the Ice against the opposing top line, but all the other time needs to be split between Sutton and the 3rd pairing. THEY GENERATE OFFENSE… but the third pairing needs to upgrade. Gervais is just not responsible enough yet… and at this point he just may not be. It’s too bad Spiller didn’t work out. The dynamic of one MOVER and one SHAKER seems to be a good mix. Neither campoli or Gervais are going to shake anything that can’t also be stirred.
Is it time to sign Joey to a 20 year deal?
On a serious note, Bergy deserves a 3 year deal but I’d like to see him get 5 years.
To JayK… Bravo, for saying what needs to be said so clearly. I work for a county government here in upstate NY, and even though I’m relatively far away from the whole thing, your evaluation of the Lighthouse situation as it relates to the overall state of LI really resonates for a number of reasons. In particular, taxpayers everywhere obviously have no desire to pay more in property taxes. This is especially true in our current fiscal climate. But in the same breath that they’ll complain about any potential property tax increases, many of these same people will stand up against any kind of development that dares to somehow inconvenience them or interfere with their outdated idea of the perfect suburban lifestyle - even if said development would benefit them and their fellow local taxpayers by helping to eliminate (or at least minimize) property tax increases. The good old days are gone. You still want all of the government-provided services you’ve become used to, but you don’t want to pay for them and you don’t want any new development which will help pay for them, either. Can’t have it both ways, folks.
The Islanders certainly need the Lighthouse to become reality, but, more importantly, so does Long Island.
And, just so at least some of this comment has to do with the on-ice product, I couldn’t be more proud of how this team is competing virtually every night, especially given the adversity they’ve been facing since game one. Those of you who are not-so-secretly hoping for them to fail, just for the chance at a draft pick that may or may not work out, should be embarrassed. Crosby, Ovechkin, and Lecavalier are nice, but what about guys like Patrik Stefan, Alexandre Daigle, and even Bryan Berard? Very few “sure” things out there, so why not just enjoy it when our team is playing well?