GRETZKY ON THE REBUILD
“I like what they’re doing.” But…
Wayne Gretzky on the Islanders’ rebuild: “I really like what they’re doing. You’ve got to go through tough times to get back on top. You can’t be impatient. You’ve got to work hard, do your homework and scouting and if you get lucky and get a Crosby and Ovechkin, that helps, too.”
Of course, The Great One nails it. The Islanders have done it the right way. They have been smart to not band-aid. But about that last part? No one is saying Tavares or Hedman are quite in that class, but what if the Islanders come out of this mostly-brutal season without one of them? Will it be worth it?
***One Comment per reader.***
143 Responses to “GRETZKY ON THE REBUILD
“I like what they’re doing.” But…”
Posting Your Comment
Please Wait
Please Wait
I like what they’re doing also. The slow-developing young guys like Bergenheim, Nielsen, Comeau and Tamellini are really starting to come around. Getting them major ice time and playing other super-young guys around them like Okposo, Bailey, and Joensuu is only good for the team in the long run. Smart move too having some of these guys go to B-Port for th eplayoff experience. Maybe alot of you guys on here are wrong about Snowy. He has a plan-it’s just gonna take a few more (dozen) years. Hang in there Isles fans
CB, to answer your question …the answer is simply “NO!”.
It’s one thing to endure losing when you see that light at the end of the tunnel - in this case Tavares/Hedman. It’s a whooole other thing to suffer through all the losing and then finish just “good” enough to miss out on either of those 2 crown jewels. I’m hoping that Tampa and Atlanta start winning more frequantly and an Isles loss here and there wouldn’t hurt either, because without Tavares or Hedman in an Isles uni next season then this whole mess of a year was pointless (excuse the pun).
The last couple of games have shown that the kids have potential. Getting Tavares or Hedman will be fantastic, but not essential.
You can still build a good team without one of them. Quantity over quality is fine as long as there are some decent players. They do not all have to be superstars.
Let’s not get to excited about the last few games. We are not a playoff contender next year. There is still 3 - 4 years left in this rebuild (see LA, Chicago, Boston). Okposo could be a 30 goal scorer next year, but it will take more than that.
What we can appreciate is the strides the team has taken this year which gives us the belief that they are on the right track. We just have to have faith in Scott Gordon and the coaching staff, Ryan Jankowski and the scouting staff, Garth Snow, and Charles Wang. If it all works out great, if not at least they were doing it the right way. There is never any guarantees.
Feel good weekend. . positive articles all over the place about the rebuild. . Who woulda thunk it?
Can’t lose sight of the prize though. 16 games to go - 10 of them on the road. I like our chances.
Like where we are headed with our young guys - Okposo, Comeau, Bergy stand out right now but still feel a bit weak on defense. But to CB’s point, if we go through this year and lose out on getting Tavares or Hedman, it’s a huge huge setback as we need the homerun hitter right now. Oh, and a healthy DP wouldn’t hurt either.
No way would it be worth missing Tavares or Hedman to finish strong.
We are ridiculously far from being a contender and need more than one major piece to the puzzle.
No freakin way!
The answer is still Yes. This team even fully healthy is not a cup contender. The young players need icetime. We are starting to see some positive results now, which makes the losing a little easier to endure. If we dont get one of the top 2, we will still get a very good player. This draft will be huge, along with making some smart free agent decisions (ex/Streit not Redden). If we can add a solid forward or 2, get DP back, and have the kids take another step, we could challenge for a playoff spot next year, while still keeping our plan.
The NHL teams are able to afford basically 3 big name, big dollar players on their team. The Islanders have their big name , big dollar goalie. They need a big name, big dollar D-man and a big name forward. From there they build.
Coach Gordon and the AHL coach have a great program happening. The transition is very smooth and it shows when the kids come up from the bridge. I have said it before, with so many picks this year, Snow will be remembered for this draft. Good or Bad.
TGO says that you can succesfully build a team w/o a player like ovechkin or crosby but if you do get one of those they will help your rebuild a lot. sure tavares or hedman would be wonderful but just as the TGO said, a duchene or an msp would help push along the rebuild too. i don’t think we HAVE to get tavares or hedman to succesfully rebuild.
Still a ton of questions about the draft. Will a huge defenseman like Hedman who doesn’t take the body have all of us pulling our hair out? Exactly what is the drop in skill between Tavares and Hedman on the one hand and Duchene and the Finn with the long hyphenated name on the other hand? Gotta have faith in Jankowski to do the right thing.
Since the departure of the Captain, Comrie, and Sim, this team has looked fresher, faster, and even stronger. I’ve always been on board with what Garth’s been doing, but to truly turn the corner and become part of the feel good story like in Chicago, Pittsburgh, Washington, this team needs one of the top 2 picks. Anything less and this team will not reach that upper echelon as quickly. Duchene may be a good player and might very well be the pick of the litter, when all is said and done, but my optimism for a future Stanley Cup Contender starts with either Tavares or Hedman.
There’s something to be said about this Islander team though. We are approaching 400 man games lost, an AHL lineup, 2 career backups, and a rookie coach. To think that we are still ‘fighting’ for that #30 spot says more about teams like Tampa Bay, Colorado, Atlanta, and Ottawa than it does about the Isles. Imagine if the Isles had one of the stars that these teams have. Put Heatley on this team and we are not in the hunt for TavHeDuch.
I don’t think Tavares or Hedman are needed to move forward. We can draft a good player in the top 5 and still improve. If we do lose out on both of them, I would not mind going after Kovalchuk when hes a free agent after next season. Throw everything at him. We can’t wait and hope we one year get the #1 pick. Gordon is not going to have the team tank. Last sports team i can re-call that tanked for a top pick was the San Antonio Spurs for Tim Duncan.
Absolutely not!
The islanders are still the worst team in hockey by far. If the entire team was put on waivers, besides, with the caveat that they players would have to play in every game the rest of the year and in the playoffs, I doubt ANYONE would be picked up besides Streit and MAYBE Okposo.
That’s pretty sad.
Yes, Tavares would help - but not much.
This will take time and many talented players, at all positions.
As painful as this season is, I dont think it is essential that we land JT or Hedman. IT would sting a little bit but there is plenty of talent again in this years draft. You really have to love the way the kids are playing lately. They really seem to be buying into Gordon’s system. I would be upset if we didnt land either Hedman or JT dont get me wrong, but I would be happier if guys like Tamby, Bergy, Comeau, Bailey, KO Joensuu Hillen etc all to contiue to develop and gain confidence
Derek (#11) hit the nail on the head - this team is super fast minus the guys who were dealt. I was at both weekend games and they were flying out there - EVERYONE! I think we are seeing the right type palyers in Gordon’s system now and it seems to be working, even if they lose, it’s a close well played game. There are no more blowout losses or effortless games. I like the way this is going, we need to add 1-2 RFA’s or UFA’s to bolster the team and oh that #1 pick guy too. I was so happy this weekend with their effort, I bought tickets for 4 more games!
I say we pull the goalie with 10 minutes to go each game, that way the guys can still play hard but be kind of forced to lose. HaHa!!! Anywho, the team could def use Tavares, I’m not going to cry myself to sleep if they don’t but getting the number one pick is pretty important at this point.
Where are the final 3 or 4 forwards and 2 or 3 Ds for next years roster coming from? There not in Bridge so does that mean URAs or trades? We didn’t start the rebuild to give up our prospects or draft piks. Ithink Snows got a problem Speaking of problems Howie rose’ excellent interview with Wang boils down to this; Mr. wang wants to stay on LI He is patient and hopefull but his patience has its limits and he is approaching crunch time. Any suggestions about either or both issues?
It’s kinda funny, for the first half of the season everybody is upset because we are losing. Now we start winning and everybody wants to lose.
The Isles are never boring…
Are we lost without Tavarses or Hedman…no. But that should be the goal right now for the fans.
But with this team winning and having fun with the kids in the line up, I would be a little worried about dropping out of the top 2 spots.
Winning is infectious… they have a taste of it, and now know they can compete every night with any team. They will not give up.
Should be fun…. Let’s go Isles!!!
while it sure would be nice to have Tavares or Hedman, what are you supposed to do? tell all of our young players to stop improving and stop trying to win? we already cut loose almost every veteran we have and have almost no vets in the line-up…we couldn’t have decimated the team any better if we actually tried
also, I just don’t buy the premise that you MUST have one of these two players…who’s to say Tavares isn’t another Alex Daigle or that Hedman will be anything more than a “steadty” defenseman…when was the last time Detroit had a top 2 pick, and they’ve won multiple cups…the Devils have won three cups with no “stars” other than Brodeur (not a top 5 pick) and Stevens (a trade/free agent compensation acquisition), and whose their star now? Parise, who also wasn’t a top 5 pick
no reason we can’t build around good defense and scoring spread across 4 lines
I agree with most of the other comments. This season definitely will not be a waste if we miss out on Tavares or Hedman. I am not denying that every reputable scouting service considers those two a cut above the rest, and I would love to get JT or VH. However, there are many good prospects available in the top 6 or 7 picks. Let’s not forget that LaFontaine and Yzerman were drafted no. 2 and no. 3 in their draft year. Some scouts (Gare Joyce at ESPN) believe that Duchene may end up being a more valuable than JT. There are too many unknowns right now. Let’s just sit tight for another 5 weeks and resist the urge to anoint JT or VH our next savior.
Yes.
Developing the players that are here into good supporting players will make it easier to sign top free agents (once the Lighthouse Project creates some cash flow) if the they are unable to draft a franchise superstar.
In the meantime, developing guys like Okposo, Bailey and Bergenheim into a core group of players will make it more attractive for top free agents (if and when this team has money to spend).
The team needs John Tavares but not at the expense of building a culture of winning and trying hard, which they have done all year. The schedule will bring us losses though people…calm down, everything will be fine…
I really could care less about tavares or Hedman. Either one has the same potential to be a superstar or a locker room cancer.
What I want to see is that huge Okposo grin be spread around next year…to EVERYBODY. They can win the cup with a few solid 25-30 goal scorers, solid “D” and an outstanding playoff run by their number one goalie (whoever that may be).
They are in last place, and can anybody say they haven’t enjoyed the past few weeks just watching guys with 2nd line upside (according to draft analysts) working their butts off and winning games.
They need a few more pieces but who’s to say that Matt Martin isn’t the one. Let’s enjoy the final 17, pick up some pieces in June and July and hope the growth continues next year.
noooooooooo
after suffering through that brutal 2 and a million stretch in December and january-we deserve to be rewarded.
and why is everyone trying to downplay tavares potential??? he’s breaking gretzky’s scoring records and since being traded has averaged over 2 points a game!!!!
what more can the kid do to be the next can’t miss thing.
The pressure is off. Players are playing for jobs next season. Teams may take us lightly. But none of that changes the fact that the players on the ice are winning hockey games which is important to the overall development of individual players. If it was purely the rebirth of Dean McAmmond winning us games we would have something to worry about.
But it’s not. It’ Bergie getting a hat trick. It’s KO picking up points. If those two players finish the season with 20 goals each then I’ll take the “huge downgrade?” to Matt Duchene in a draft that we are extremely well positioned in.
(We picked LaFontaine at #3 overall, not bad right?)
Plus, we’re about to go on the road. Has anyone seen our road record? We’ve been an average team overall in 2009. We’ve been decent at home. Let’s see what the kids do on the road this time out.
Tampa seems primed to overtake us in the loserstakes but I’m doubtful we fall much past #3 overall unless a team below us wins the lottery. And if they do. So be it. We have 5 picks in the first two rounds…I’m sure we’ll see progress out of this draft even if we end up picking 4th or 5th overall in the first.
In the meantime: Root for everyone to win with us.
:),
Mitch
Who of us has not seen teams put together a March rally that will have no effect on next season. I am glad to see the development of some of the younger players, but this team needs major talent infusion to help get them back to respectibility. Great work by the coaching staff in Bridgeport on preparing these guys to step into the lineup.
There’s a guy with a horn up in Loudville that belts out ‘JO-HN TA-VAR-ES’ ‘HE WILL SAVE US’. And Guess what? If you want this team to be a presence again, you better hope we get him. INSTANT MARKETABILITY IN A CAN. The Rebuild would take a few steps and we could use that 2nd First Rounder on an imposing D-man and one of our 2nds on a GoalTender. Then, truly, the rebuild looks ahead of schedule. Bergenhiem, Nielsen, Joensuu, Comeau, Bailey, Okposo, Tavares up front? Sounds good to me.
we absolutly must get either Tavaras or Hedman. It would be the light at the end of the tunnel so to say but we still have a long way to go. CB and anyone else who is close to the sport will tell you that although the last homestand was fun and we won a bunch you cant give much credit to these games in March with the team way out of it. CB care to back me up? Plus even though we have played well at home of late this team has a TERRIBLE road record so this upcoming trip could be an 0fer or a 1 fer based on who we are playing! we will see
Yeah I mean the season isn’t a FAILURE if we draft Duchene at #3. I clearly understand the disappointment, I would cry myself to bed. However, the Isles have had the best week of their entire season. Espescially considering we went through the week without the likes of Bill Guerin, Doug Weight, DiPietro, Hunter, Park, Comrie, Campoli ETC…..
I’m not saying we need to put the New York SoundTigers out for all 82 games in 2009-2010… but I am saying if we HAD TO….. not so bad?
Kyle Okposo looks like a power forward and a champion. Josh Bailey looks like a 16 year old, but at least he looks good in an Islander uniform. Tavares up front with KO would be ridiculous… and they would be 20 and 21 years old… fughettabout it, nevermind… WE NEED THE #1 PICK!
No. That being said they have 10 out of the 16 games remaining on the road and they have been a horrible road team all season.
Most definitely for a number of reasons:
1) If they improve that much it means that the Isles have done a wonderful job developing their prospects
2) Pre-draft rankings don’t necessarily mean one player is better than another. And even if Tavares and Hedman become franchise players, who’s to say Duchene, MSP, or Kane won’t?
This whole miserable season would be mostly pointless if we don’t get either 1 or 2 overall. Shades of 1990 when we squeaked into the playoffs, thereby taking a small step forward only to miss out on the prizes in the top 5 of that draft. Only now its more crucial, the life of the franchise partly depends on it, a winning team with extreme promise for the future can and will hasten the Lighthouse.
Bailey and Nielsen are going to be so much better next year after a summer of Strength training. I can’t wait for next season!
No
Not a lost season, no. The future of this Team, led by KO, Bailey, Nielsen, are getting important ice time which should hopefully speed their maturity. Certainly getting Tavares or Hedman will help us get better quicker and is a good reward for this lost season (record-wise), but there are other things far more important than getting Tavares.
We have a recent #1 pick who is entering his prime, and we are still the worst team in hockey. It takes more than just a #1 draft pick. In fact, we are still waiting for this pick to give a full season of all-star play.
Far more important are continued leadership and right decisions by Snow and Gordon. Equally as important is making sure the Franchise is economically feasible, which it isn’t right now. This means a Lighthouse/new coliseum. These things are far more important than weather or not the Isles get Tavares. Like any franchise or business, this Team will move if it cannot become financially viable even if it gets Tavares in the off season.
No, it will not be worth it.
I’m not a big believer in this notion that the season is a “failure” if we don’t end up with Tavares/Hedman. We’re rebuilding, which means developing young talent and building up to eventually having a winning playoff team (hopefully sooner rather than later).
Now that being said, would Tavares/Hedman help this team in the previously mentioned rebuild? ABSOLUTELY. As I die-hard fan, am I hoping that we are fortunate enough to land one of these guys in the draft? ABSOLUTELY. But I’m not going to say the season was a “failure” if it doesn’t happen.
My opinion is that this season has been a success no matter who we end up with in the draft because of one main reason: We’ve stuck with the plan. The plan to rebuild with our young, home-grown talent. Decimated with injuries all year long, we didn’t go pick up some washed up veteran on waivers to replace them. (like Curtis Sanford when DP and JoeyMac went down) We let Yann Danis play, and look how well that has worked out. We now know that he is capable of being a VERY solid backup to DP next year, or even a starter in the even of an injury. This is just an example that came to mind. But all of the young guys who played this weekend (Joensuu, McLean, Iggulden, Andy MacDonald, etc..) just proves the fact that we have stuck to the plan. By doing this, we’ll be back in the playoffs sooner than all the “experts” think. Mark my words. Let’s Go Islanders!
Mitch #27:
We did get LaFontaine at #3, but that was only due to major brain cramps suffered by Minnesota and Hartford. LaFontaine was ranked #1 for two years prior to the draft, but Minnesota went for the local HS hero, Brain Lawton (presently running Tampa into the ground), and Hartford inexplicably went for Sylvain Turgeon. Detroit picked Yzerman at #4 because they had the magic touch of Jimmy Devellano of Isle fame.
Without question. Playing with the pressure off and winning some meaningless games is all well and good, but we need a superstar. Whether it is Tavares or Hedman I will leave that up to the management. Don’t get me wrong, I love seeing the kids develop, but it is all about the future. And it will look the brightest with Tavares or Hedman in it.
I would have to say it could be a wash. No they wouldn’t get one of the top 2 (3rd pick isn’t too shabby) but I don’t think too many of us expected to get the return we’re getting out of the kids right now. If they keep playing like this there will be nothing to complain about. I can’t see wishing the kids were doing worse so that the team can draft a kid who hasn’t even played a day in the NHL yet. I hope the kids do better and better so we don’t have to worry about drafting the top prospect. The better they do the better the I
The team while improving is still a long way from being a Cup contender! Yes we are young, but you know what, so are Boston, Washington and even Pitt for the most part. We are absolutely developing depth but few first line players. We need Tavares in the worst way! Just for marketing purposes and to increase the value of the Islander brand! It will be a whole lot easier getting something built in Nassau if the whole NHL is watching Tavares in an Islander uniform. The last week has been nice but it really doesn’t change the needs of this team, which are many!We have to have a top 2 pick! Just have to!
Of course it would still be worth it!!! I find it frightening that anyone would dream otherwise. Fans who fixate and place a crown on the head of some pimple-faced kid they have never even watched play more than a game or two tops, what is that? That is not reality. Reality is night in and night out… reality is the group of guys youve got… and one player is not going to do a THING for a team unless that group of guys knows how to win. Look at Atlanta! Look at Tampa Bay! Look at them! They got their 1st overalls, what has it done for them? Even when healthy and sprinkled with #1 picks, they are losers.
There is not one person in the world who knows who the best player will be from this upcoming draft. You tell youselves you know, but you dont. More years than not, the predicted “best” player is not the actual “best” player. Ive watched Islanders fans go from calling Tavares a great player to an exceptional player to an elite player to a generational player and the only thing that is making them build him up and up and up and up is their own minds. sure he looks great. And? Every year there are kids who look great. And many years, they are not the ones that take the NHL by storm more than any other players.
IMO it isnt healthy to peg your hopes on some draft pick that isnt yours. I would love a great talent on the Islanders- but anyone who thinks that HAS to mean one of the top two picks, history states otherwise. Ill go by what the past has already taught us again and again- you just dont know.
Yes, it will be worth it.
If not, you might as well say our current kids as inefficient (at least that’s the tone i’m getting from some people on here). IF we miss out on both (btw, I would rather draft Hedman but Tavares would be nice, too), look at the numbers 3, 4, and 5. I found clips of Matt Duchene and I would be thrilled if the Isles drafted him. He’s fast and has a nose for the puck. He’s NHL ready - in my opinion. Another draftee is Jared Cowen. He already has the size to be an NHL-ready D man.
absolutely would be worth it even if we don’t get Tavares or Hedman. that being said I would love to have either of them but i’d much rather see potential for next year than putting all of my hopes into one player.
I think getting JT wouls speed up this rebuild process. He doesn’t look like he is going to be a bust like Diagle. The kid just set the OHL scoring record. He would draw alot of attention to this once proud franchise. However this is going to be a deep draft so we still can get a great player with a lower pick. Look at the Devils Parise drafted at #17. I hate to watch this team lose but I still would feel better with that first pick.
My answer is NO. While the scoring combination of Tambellini, Bailey, and Okposo was nice at yesterday’s game, adding Tavares is a MUST and would be a great addition to round out “the kids” (especially since Tambellini has been mostly ice cold / invisible during the season). If the Islanders should “lose” the lottery and only get the 2nd pick, Hedman is a MUST for building a solid D! Duchene at #3 is the consolation prize, I guess.
Absolutely agree we deserve and need one of the top 2 picks. The season has been long tough and fustrating to watch at times, but there was also light at the end of the tunnel knowing we will get tavares or hedmen. If that goes to waste because we get hot at the end of the year would really be unfortunate.
If the Islanders lose the lottery and Tampa gets the pick there is a good chance the Bolts would pick Hedman and Isles would get Tavares at 2. This assumes we end up in last place. An NHL ready draft pick would be a real plus for thie rebuild and trading up in the 1st round its critical.
Such a tough call. This season as been brutal at times. One poster said it the other day, without all the injuries we probably are not the worst team in the NHL. On top of that, it is just the lack of respect the Isles get in the media/around the league which make me want to come back stronger than ever in the next few seasons. I still watch the games and we have had stretches of 6-10 games where they were competing and entertaining BUT, to finish the season strong is a catch 22. We are molding young hockey minds here. You cannot quit and stop progress. If things are clicking, you cannot tell them to stop competing. I think it will be a bitter pill to swallow if we do not get the 1st or 2nd pick in the 2009 draft but what can you do? There is plenty of hockey left to be played and we are fielding a team mostly of rookies at this point. You have to play to win and hope things work out unfortunately.
No. It would not be worth it. Charles Wang needs to start dating the woman who owned the Indians in Major League, and he needs to do it quickly. I have been telling myself all year that I didn’t mind all the losing because we would get a 1 or 2 pick, and now they’re going to play spoilers and win games they shouldn’t? I know it bodes well for next year, but we need a top pick to not only improve the team, but also to generate some serious interest in the fan base.
Just lose baby.
Snow needs to just use these young players the rest of the year to see what he has…he should also just bring up Trevor Smith…They really need to get one of the top 2 players in this draft…and Snow should let go of Hilbert & McAmmond, and buy out Sim
This season is what it is no matter how our who we draft. A draft pick does not a season make. Would it be great to secure one of the two afore mentioned junior stars? Yes. But I have been thrilled to watch how KO has come into his own, how Tambs has actually learned how to play hockey the last few games, how we have one of the best D-men in the game in Streit. All is not lost even if we don’t get JT or VH.
OK… for all those that anoint John Tavares as the next big thing… I like the kid… he plays hard but seems to score many of his goals on the pp. Since he’s moved to London his scoring pace has picked up… but he’s playing with some great players (John Carlson, Nazeem Kadri, Michael Del Zotto, Kevin Montgomery and a few others) that are bound for the NHL as well. As a London Knights season ticket holder I can tell you he has a great shot and some great skill… but he doesn’t wow you like Patrick Kane… or Rick Nash. He has the potential to be a top end player, and I’d love to see him in an Isles uniform… but everyone should temper their expectations of what the kid will eventually do.
Having Tavares, Duschene, or Kane makes this seaon worht it. Look at Toronto, they will miss the playoffs by 6-10 points, get a mid level pick and then have nothing to show for it. Burke will go trying to spend his way out and it is going to be the same Leafs as always. We are doing it right.
Tavares is essential!
Having a game plan to build through the draft and sticking to it… WORTH IT.
If you also mean suffering through the past 10 years, with bad picks and trades…NOT WORTH IT
umm if that happens won;t it be because the kids here now stepped up and played .500 hockey for the last three months of the year? and we still could have a top 5 pick and another first rounder for the rebuild. the future would still be uncertain - but might be a bit brighter actually considering the “birds in hand”
I agree with everything JP39 said in post #38. Looking forward to Tuesday!
We’ve spent so much time here hanging all our hopes on two players we’ve barely ever even seen and have yet to play a single NHL game. What if Tavares is a bust and Duchene becomes a solid center? Ultimately, I think playing good hockey trumps any one player’s contributions. Personally, I’d be worried more if we won 10 games all year, lost by blowout most nights with no improvement from our young players, but ended up with Tavares, than if we won 30 games, lost by close margins most nights with signs of improvement throughout the season, and settled for one of the 3-5 guys in the draft (who are all supposed to be very good…).
All that said, I’d still love to land Tavares or Hedman, but I wouldn’t call the season an absolute failure if we don’t land one. Important players we already have made good strides this year, so that’s not a “failure”.
We need Tavares or Hedman, period.
CB, how about a story on Bergenheim, and his road to the NHL? Missing training camp, playing in the SEL, and maybe how he feels about his fellow Finn JJ playing with the Isles?
I cannot bring myself to root for them to lose. That wouldn’t be right. I have seen them lose enough. I am a fan because I want to see them win. I am not a fan because I want to see them win a draft lottery and pick a player that MIGHT end up being great.
Well said Metal. This season would have been a disaster if what is happening right now was not happening. These kids need to feel the joy of winning.
If not, we’d all be going into next season questioning Snow, Gordon and everybody on the team from 19-25. MOSTLY GORDON.
Flash is starting to turn this around, and there will have to be other pieces we don’t even expect because they have a $25M payroll right now.
The biggest thing that happened this year seems to be the ship has STARTED to turn. A good draft will keep it in the right direction, but continuity and accountability will allow for it to move faster than any 19 year old kid will.
Whether we get a top two pick or not, to me, it’s worth it. Look at the confidence young guys like Okposo and Bergenheim are playing with. Even Tambellini has been playing really well as of late. Sure, this season has been tough to take, but there have not been a lot of blowouts, and for the most part, this team has not been too difficult to watch. Even if it’s not a top 2 pick (let’s not forget, a guy like Jagr, who is one of the all time greats was a #6), we will still be getting another very good player, and a bunch more in the top 60. So, for now at least, I ma very excited about the future, even if we need to endure a couple of additional seasons of growing pains.
Things are really beginning to click right now.
I knew bergenheim would excel if given the chance. he was getting put on 4th line duties when vets were still here. Now its his time to sign. But im really surprised about Tambellini finding touch. He finally going to the net. Joenssu (power foward) has some nose to going to net.Hillen and Grevais have completely picked up slack if not delivered more.
Lets not lose focus though, As great ist ot see the excitement of our prospects coming together. we faster and more exciting. Having a player like Tavares is still needed. he broke OHL record this weekend with 3 goals to make 215goals in career.
I’ve never been so excited as isles fan than i have been in some time.
look foward to meeting seeing you tomorrow at Gabrielles.
I dont mind the losing if our players develop and make strides playing together as a team building to long term success. I think I feel alot better about the mess this season developed into by some of the strides and breakouts we have seen, especially lately. On the subject of the top pick, I think if we win enough to lose out on the greatest chance to land the first pick, ala last, all the posiitve steps will be alot less satisfying. We need a top pick just from a PR standpoint and the fans need to rejoice in a Tavares. I think a player of his ability will add to the quality group of young players we have and become another showpiece in the NY area that isnt bloated blueskirt hype.
I would prefer that we do obtain either Hedman or Tavares (prefer Tavares) at the draft. However, this season is not a failure if we end up with Duchene or anyone else.
This year has been invaluable in giving both fans, coaches and management the chance to see if these kids can turn the corner and produce at the NHL.
Some have taken longer then others. But most of our young players look solid. Some may need a bit more time. In either case, I think the Islanders must maintain the path they are on. Keep the young players developing. Give them the chance and they will generate.
If we are picking #1 or #2 its a no brainer—one of those two potential stars will be an Islander. If we pick #3 or #4 then it will be someone else—but still a very very good prospect.
The key to the NY Islanders remains two-fold.
1) Patience with the development of young players and building through the draft. Addition of UFAs very carefully.
2) Managing and working the TOH and County for the Lighthouse project to keep the franchise here.
It would not be worth it if the Islanders did not end up with Tavares or Hedmen. They need an injection of super talented youth, they need a star. Okposo is emerging, but its essential to have another.
The victories make me feel great (7-3 over the devs particularly) but we need to gain some perspective. These aren’t momentum victories heading towards the playoffs. We are out of it for a reason and we need a great draft for a reason.
If we finish strong and do not get pick #1 or #2 it will just be the latest punch in the stomach for Isles fans.
How are the Lightning sooo bad?
Lecavalier 28 34 62
St. Louis 24 41 65
Prospal 17 25 42
Malone 23 15 38
Stamkos 14 18 32
I know their goaltending is hurting now but What The —-?
If they sneak into 1 or 2 and we climb to 3 it will be a disaster.
Right now the #1 prospect in the baseball draft is pitcher Stephen Strasberg of San Diego State.
Best pitching prospect ever (we’ll see).
A scout says he would be a 2 or 3 in a rotation right now.
The papers in Seattle are already writing how the strong finish last year (which did nothing) screwed the team.
To go through all of this and wind up with a second tier prospect would hurt bad.
“You play the game to win”
I want a contender in a few years.
Not a team that struggles every year to make the 7th or 8th spot.
You can’t plan to finish in a certain pecking order of the draft.
Wherever the cards fall… is where it was meant to be.
The key is to draft the best players available at the spots in which you are drafting. Simple as that. When you draft Scissons, Chyzsowski, Cheveldayoff, Volkov, Tunik et al… that’s why your team stinks for 10 years.
Not because you didn’t get the 1st pick in the draft.
DOC
Nice comment by Gretzky. Somewhat ironic that it was on the same day that Tavares secures the all time goal lead in the OHL history (where Gretzky played).
The Isles need J.T., they should be looking at the future of this franchize with determination and to heck with this feel good “kids are all right” approach. Won’t mean squat next year and these chances for a generational player don’t come along often!
If we unfortunately don’t come away with hedman or tavares will I be disappointed…yes. Mad…no. I think it would be great for this team to have someone of that quality at such a young age and it would speed up the rebuild and give us some league recognition having one of those great players. However, we do have two first round picks as of now, and if Garth does his homework for our likely top 5 pick and late round first it will still be ok. If we climb our way out of the basement at this point it’s because the kids did it. And if the kids did it, then all is well in islander country
Just win baby. Winning isn’t everything it’s the only thing. Winners never quit and quiters never win. Win one for the Gipper.
I can’t find a single famous quote or cliche about losing your way to a championship. Must be a reason for that, no?
It will not be worth it if they do not get one of those two players.
Winning does not translate from year to year. It just doesn’t.
Get the potential impact player and move forward with the rebuild.
He said it helps, not that its essential. Look at teams like Chicago, Boston and LA. No Crosbys or Ovechkins there. Of course Taveras or Hedman would go a long way towards moving the process along, but the thought process should be to stay the course and if one drops in our lap, great.
It would be nice to get 1 of the 2 guys sure but there is only one thing that really matters to the NYI and that is keeping Wang from moving the team. We will not even get a chance to see these kids develope if Wang gets his way. I believe he knows the lighthouse will not get built. CB, the most important thing at this point in the season is to tell us what we can do as fans to keep the islanders on LI. My guess is this means dumping corrupt Wang somehow.
TAVARES in KATE MURRAY out!!
Of course it would not be worth it to miss out on the pick and of course it is good for these kids to win. Isles fans should hope we play good competitive hockey yet still finish with the worst record since the record is meaningless if we finish 30th or 25th overall. Much better for the future of the team to finish 30th. So c’mon boys keep playing well. I am rooting harder for tampa bay to win though..LOL
Yes, as long as we can still grab Duschene. That’s just my opinion not having seen any of Tavares, hedman or Duschene play. Take it for what it’s worth.
It is a very tough decision to make at this moment in time. As much as I would love to see Tavares or Hedman in an Islanders jersey next year, I try to put that in the back of my head and think about other options. This method allows me to see landing Tavares/Hedman as gravy. If we land Duchene, I feel that is great also. The kid will be a legit first line center in the NHL, and that is truly what we need. With Duchene, Bailey, Nielsen, and whomever as our fourth line center, we are in great shape still in my mind.
Pete M:
Chicago: Toews, Kane, Havlat
Boston: Savard, Kessel, Krejci
L.A.: Kopitar, Frolov, Brown
I’d take any of those superstars anyday.
It WILL be a MAJOR dissapointment if we do not get a guy like Tavares. I don’t care what anyone says. This guy already has a name for himself and there is no reason to think it wouldn’t carry over.
Again..i’ll say we won’t be getting him. And again i’ll say…luck or conspiracy theory, it won’t come out in our favor just because.
I love that our kids are really coming along nicely. But we still need a centerpiece to make it all come together. The best thing we can hope for is that wherever we end up picking, we pick the best possible player that is available and hope for the best.
It won’t be JT or VH.
We need a marketable superstar and that person is Tavares, period. He becomes the face of the franchise instantly and Rangers fans will be wetting their pants every time he comes into MSG.
My answer is yes. Garth needs to continue to control what he can control. Where he picks this year is out of everyone’s control. Not only do you have to end up dead last but you have to then hope a lottery ball confirms your dead last finish gets you the first pick. In my opinion this year’s unprecedented string of injuries has afforded us a great spot in this years draft and with 5 picks in the first two rounds we are sitting pretty. I think Tavares would create a buzz like no other and would sell tickets so fast that suddenly nobody would notice we were still playing in the same rat hole we have been trying to re-build for over 10 years now! I’m not one for tanking a season just for a good pick but I would most certainly make sure I lose the head to head game against Tampa at all cost’s!
I actually felt bad for Gretzky yesterday. The looks of disappointment on his face after the Isles scored were gut-wrenching. Poor guy. The Isles are a sub-par NHL team, but the Coyotes REALLY stink.
The Islanders do need the buzz Tavares would bring. Tampa has two games left with Atlanta (3 point games would be very nice). The Islanders do play Tampa once more at the Colsiseum. We may have a better handle how this turns out after the 6 game road trip.
It would be a nice ending to a bad year if we draft 1 or 2 but if we don’t we can only draft the best player possible. I like the youth of the last few games. Next year would feel better if we went with youth. Like the Blackhawks but less talent. Then we would have a shot at #1 again. Besides if we draft too many great players we will end up with no cap room over time. We need to draft well for many years to build a great team.
We need Tavares but Hedman would be a good consolation prize.
Chris- i think we are end up with number 3 in the draft and select Matt Duchene. Is this someone we can build around? Any inside scoop on him. I have heard good stuff about him, he just happens to be in a draft with JT AND VH which is causing him to be forgotten a bit ( not always a bad thing). Your thoughts on him as our potential pick? and if we fall to the number 3, is he our guy for sure?
I love an actual converation that doesn’t involve questioning sexuality or parentage. ’nuff said.
To responde to some of the above:
#8 — RickyD is a big name (still needs to earn it, BTW) but even by TODAY’S statndards is not a big $$ goalie. He’ll be even a better deal in the future.
#9 — Snow’s rep as a GM will be made or broken, not by the #1, 2 or 3 pick in this season’s First round, but by what he does with the other first rounder and the three seconds and the other picks he makes this season.
#32 — Evander Kane is a BEAST with a capital B. I’d take him in a heartbeat, but only if Tabvares isn’t there. I’d priobably take him over Hedman, given Hedman’s rep as a soft touch.
I think it will be disappointing but not fatal if we don’t get JT. There are good player out there available.
I dont understand how this is even a debate, the season was over a long time ago for us, developing the kids is #1. That being said, we would be out of our minds to risk losing out on the chance to draft Tavares. We are all in this for the long haul, so this short term winning streak is actually hurting us, why would anyone NOT want to lose the rest of the season and take a true #1 player in Tavares, he will make a huge impact both on and off the ice. In order to win, we must lose
There is no excitement around Hedman. When was the last time you as a fan stood up and went wild over a blocked shot?
Tavares is going to bring the place to its feet. Period.
Anything less than Tavares would be a major dissapointment this year.
All the injuries this season and the worst season since the initial expansion year must be for a reason - to get Tavares or Hedman. So NO it’s not worth it to endure the pain of this season not to get 1 of the 2 top guys in the draft.
With the Isles luck, the Rangers will miss the playoffs by a point and win the lottery and select Tavares. (Do you think the NHL wants to see Tavares in NYC or LI)
***One Comment per reader***Only the 5 worst teams can move up and get the No. 1 pick…CB
I hope the kids run the table the rest of the way. Not going to happen, but I’m gonna be rooting for it every game.
I have to agree with #82 we need taveres…we have those first two pieces in bailey and okposo….taveres is a neccessity
I’ll have no problem if the Islanders end up with #3 in the draft. The draft is a crapshoot, the best player could go #1, #101 or #301. More than likely Tavares and Hedman won’t be the best forward or defenseman drafted.
# 93 TM - THat cannot happen. You only advance 5 draft positions if you win the lottery.
IT’s NOT WORTH IT.
I want the first overall pick. Let us be in the driver’s seat. I have already forgotten those two wins I attended this weekend. I get the feeling Mr. Tavares will sell more tickets than Mr. Iggulden or Mr. McLean……
No thanks, GO THRASHERS and GO BOLTS !
Pat
AM#83 - “He becomes the face of the franchise instantly and Rangers fans will be wetting their pants every time he comes into MSG.”
This sums it up best!
We have quite a few games to go. Hopefully, it will be a fun ride to the end.
I can’t post this enough, but to those who keep saying Tavares is a generational player, please let us know where you have come up with this? You have not seen him play day in and day out. Steve-O I don’t know if you were implying that Tavares is in the same category as Gretzky, but please realize that Gretzky only played one season in the OHL. We should all realize that this team is is playing well right now (2 weeks on home ice) with no players that were the #1 overall pick. Our only current #1 overall pick (DP)(I know, blame Mad Mike)played like a great goalie for half of one season.
Snow must build a team with the picks he has and seems to be doing a good job so far. If he has the 1st or 3rd pick he will take the best player and it will not be the downfall of this franchise if it’s not JT or VH.
I think I’m over 100 words and I will end with what I’ve said in other posts. I want to Tavares, but let’s not make him our savior.
I want Tavares badly because I know the possibilities NEXT year with him in the lineup with the kids. However, every time I watch this team play I get so much enjoyment from their speed and youthful excitement I can’t help but want them to win every game.
As a side note, I know a lot of people loved what Billy Guerin did for this team as the captain, but watching his EFFORT on the pens leads me to believe that he really was dogging it most of his time on the Island. I realize it’s tough to be motivated for a terrible team, but the only thing every player has control of is his effort, and Guerin is only now giving 100%.
They NEED 1 of the 2 top draftees. Chances are that the team will continue to have a difficult time attracting marquee free agents.
The best opportunity for them to get stronger is via the draft. Like I’ve said before, no pick is a slam dunk but talented players like Tavares and Hedman don’t come along too often. Even with the recent success of some of the young guys, there are some gaping holes out there that desperately need to be plugged.
Aside from that, they need to increase their marketability. Especially since they aren’t winning.
In Crosby’s first year the Penguins were still terrible and yet the fans came out to see him play. Others bought his jersey because of who he was. I wouldn’t dare compare either of these guys to Sidney, but the buzz alone is worth a lot more than people realize.
CB,
Of course it will be worth the suffering to come out with Tavares or Hedman. But you can’t only look at this season according to what player the Islanders get in the draft. There is not question that the Islanders future is bright with the current crop of young players: Okposo, Bailey, Comeau, Nielsen, Bergenheim, etc. I think the fact that the Isles have committed the rest of the season to their development is an important step for our future. Next year we will already see the benefits of the development from this year.
Listen, would I rather have a team this year that competes and goes to the playoffs? OF COURSE!!! But maybe it’s best that this team goes through a rebuilding process. Regardless of who we get in the draft (although Tavares would be perfect), we need to build through our system. It appears to be the only way to bring sustained success to the island.
Hopefully we’ll be on the island…
I have been thinking about this team alot the last few days. While thinking about the plans and the future something occured to me I had not thought of previously. I would like to know what others think about what i realized. Snows plan aquire draft pics. ok we see the plan. well if all things go well and we get one of the top 2 or 3 picks to go along with a plethora of other picks snow aquired. Heres the problem what if the islanders get lucky and pull a few gems out of this years draft. Couple them with okposo and bailey. How will the islanders be able to keep these players if all their entry level contracts expire within a year of each other. They will never be able to keep the team together. So even if the rebuild works this team will not be able to stay together. if 4 to 6 youngsters pan out rthier entry level contracts expire roughly at the same time. any thoughts Cb? im just trying to see the big picture. or am i missing something?
They need #91. This home streak is great and all, but finishing third worst would terrible for this franchise. The kids + the opportunity to draft Tavares + Lighthouse approval would finally give Islanders fans hope.
Watching OK, Tamby, JJ, etc… improve and knowing that there is light at the end of the tunnel is what makes this season worth it, not getting the #1 pick.What makes a team a cup contender is a group of talented players playing together as a team, not one superstar. How many championships have the Yankees won since they signed A-Rod?? NONE.If we do not get the #1 pick it will be because Tamby and Comeau and Bergy and OK and Franz and JJ and Danis are scoring and playing the system. That is what will win us the cup in the future, not one supuerstar.If we end up with Tavares great, but I would rather see the Isles developing a system and players that fit that system like they seem to be doing than lose with a bunch of mismatched players(like TB) so we can get the #1 pick.None of the top teams (Detroit,NJ,Boston,Calgary,SJ) have a top two pick on them. I really enjoyed watching the Kid Islanders outplay Gretzky’s team, knowing that HockeysFutures rated his prospects much higher than ours. So much for ratings!!! I will definitely enjoy watching these remaining games and I will be rooting for the Isles to WIN!!! Whether we do or don’t get JT or VH, we WILL get a good player that can help us win the cup. GO ISLES !!
goislesgo105 (105) actually SJ has two top two picks, thornton and Marleau were drafted 1-2 in 1997
We would love one of the top two picks, but 28 teams are going to go without one of these two guys. It’s not make-or-break to have one of these particular two players… If we wind up with Duchesne, MJP, Kane, then so be it. JT or Hedman may not even be better, we have to see.
To the long-ago poster who used 1990 as an example - thank you for stabbing pencils in all our eyes. That was the Scissons/Brodeur draft. Finishing with the sixth pick shouldn’t have been an issue. (Darryl Sydor went seventh, for example.) Draft smart, wherever you draft, that’s the ticket.
i hate being scoffed at by the canadian media and fans. that country loves hockey and loves tavares. i want him just so they are forced to pay attention to us. however, if the last team definitely got him, i’d be all for rooting against the isles. But even if we finish last we can still lose him, and that would sting a ton, and could only be lessened by the fact that our kids took the opportunity given them by growing in confidence, and learning how to make this team theirs, and how to win while doing it.
i think snow trades down if we pick #2. y’all may go crazy, but i think he will try and land komisarek or bouwmeister with a pile of cash, and our first pick will be the forward they see having the most NHL potential long -term. snows not afraid to trust his guys and go out on a limb, so i wouldnt be shocked if he slid down and grabbed other picks while giving someone else hedman if he’s that wanted. i truly believe we will wind up picking the swedish forward or evander kane plus more picks/prospects. just my opinion, i may be dead wrong…
A losing streak would be nice right about now. Tavares or Hedman is the only thing that makes this awful season worth while.
In addition to seeing each of the young kids develop, one of the really encouraging aspects of their recent stretch, for me, is seeing them come together as a team. In other words, the fact that they’re all developing together, and learning to win together and for each other, is what makes this recent stretch worth it, no matter what happens with the draft. Adding a solid player to a group that’s playing as a team is more valuable, in my opinion, than adding an elite player to a complete mess.
i don’t buy this point people are making that these games and wins mean less because the team is not in the playoff race. only a couple of these kids are locked up even for next year. the rest have to prove their worth, to come back here or just prove they’re nhl ready. these guys are not on the ice saying “i don’t feel pressure because we’re not in the playoffs.” it may be a different kind of pressure, but it’s there. and even more so for the goalies.
Assuming the team drafts an NHL ready forward (Dushene, Tavares, etc.) they will have some very interesting roster decisions coming up for next season. I’ve read several folks advocate for re-signing Weight or Guerin or Mcammond, however there are a lot of bodies for some limited slots. If we sign any FAs that shortens the opportunities. Of course there may be some trades but as it looks now these guys are almost guarenteed a spot next fall:
Baily
Nielsson
Okposo
Comeau
Hunter
Tambelini (one-way deal, he’ll be on the team unless dumped or traded)
Bergenheim
That’s 7 of the 12 forward spots. Then consider these possible players:
Hilbet
Jackman (I think he’s earned a spot)
Joensuu (ready for everyday duty?)
McAmmond
Park
Thompson
Then there is Weight and Sillinger- (probably done)
Doesn’t account for Trevor Smith or anyone else moving up.
As much as I appreciate Hilbert, Park and McAmmond I think we can only really carry one of them (maybe two). Especially the way Bergenheim and Okposo have played on the penalty kill recently.
I often find myself saying I hope they keep so and so for next season but when you do the math you really need to free up a few roster spots up front if you plan on bringing in any upgrade in talent through FA or trades.
I would love either player but if Okposo and Bergenheim end up with 20+ goals. Tambellini & Bailey end up with 10 + I mean how can you not like seeing them score. Hedman or Taverse will be only 1 player it takes a whole team to be good. I mean there are 10 road games and 6 at home. even if they go 6-10 they should be in good shape…
Edmonton won a Cup without gretzky, gretzky never won another without Edmonton. One player isn’t going to make or break the Isles, so its not the end of the world if they draft third or fourth, but it wouldn’t suck to have the top pick either. It would annoy me a little to put up with all the losing all year to see them muck it at the end here. 27th place is nothing to stand up and shout about.
Tampa is tanking it no question. Those pukes had Stamkos last year and they have their sights on Hedman I think. They have alot of talent up front so a stud D-man would seem like the right pick for them. But they are tanking I am convinced. Watching these kids is really fun. KO and Baily have a bright future, and Bergy is showing he can contribute. Tambellini is someone we cannot give up on. Love his speed and that nice wrister. He is sticking his nose in and showing potential. Hillbert, I am sorry, we obviosly have guys that will hustle we dont need him.
Dont tell these kids about the number one pick, these kids are playing for a roster spot!!!! We where better of with the vets if we wanted to shore up the number 1 pick. Great stuff, and regardless of where we draft our future looks bright!!!!!
Go Tampa !!!!
If the Isles don’t come out of this season without Tavares/Hedman then in the long run, this losing season wasn’t worth it. In the short run, it is worth it since the kids in our lineup seem to be progressing nicely.
I dont care what draft pick we get because I love the players we have today. I am really excited about the future and am seeing the posibility of a very special team.
103 sincityhockeyfan I have been thinking of that too. The thing is a team has to target what their top players are and then lock them up. The other great prospects would then be used to bring in a rental player for a playoff run inorder to win the cup. A dynasty like the 1980’s Islanders will never happen again because the cap limits the ability to sign all your all-stare drafted players. Lets just hope that the team can correctly target which players are meant to play there for the long term.
A star forward like Tavares does not come around too often. We have to take him. There is nobody else we have drafted that compares to him. I have often vacillated on my choice but we can get bigger on defense later in the draft. The real question we have to ask ourselves is if it is harder to find A stud d-man or a player like Tavares in either FA or the draft. There also is alot of time between now and then and anything can happen regarding someone’s stock slipping or injury. Let’s take Tavares if we can and try and sign Bouwmeister. I think that would be some additions to a solid nucleus. With that combo and DP coming back along with Danis #2, we could make a playoff run. Remember the kids we have should also to continue to develop.
Winning now is very important. One player, either pick one, or two, or twenty, is not enough. There needs to be some free agent pickups as well. Winning now because of a solid work ethic and desire to win showcases not only the youth, but the coach and the system, makes the team more attractive in general.
Even if the Isles somehow drop out of the top two selections, They’re still going to get to pick a terrific player. Matt Duschene is not a terrible consolation prize. But lets not let this winning streak kid anyone, The Isles are still last overall and will likely finish there, second-to-last at best.
Since the 24-game mark, this season has been about using the youngsters, yet I accepted this knowing that there would be a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow…a #1 or 2 pick. If we do not get either (and dont think for a second that I don’t believe the Isles can screw that up too), then this has been useless. I repeat the same thing over and over…this teams needs a bonafide star to build around.
Please just finish last! It doesnt mean tank or play poorly, but Im sorry no other team deserves the #1 pick more than the isladners. I know there is a lottery system, but finishing last would mean no worse than picking 2nd overall. As far as having lack of depth and potential stars on our team or in the system, plus the uncertainity of the Lighthouse, the islanders need the first overall pick X 10 over anyone else. Tampa Bay, are you kididng me? They got the #1 pick last year because there goaltending sucked. They have st. louis who is a star and Lecalvier who is a franchise player. They also have stamkos who is going to be a star. Oh by the way they won the cup only 5 years ago. Atlanta is scoring and wining games so I am not too worried about them, but I am worried about tampa’s lack of goaltending in standing of our way of getting the first overall pick. PLEASE NO ONE DESERVES THE #1 pick as much as the ISLANDERS. Finishing last would give us a 50/50 shot, with doing no worse than 2nd overall. Finishing 29th does not help us at all. I know the kids have played well for a few games at home, but we need that big star, even if Okposo and Bailey turn into stars down the road.
Everyone is slamming Hedman’s lack of physical play, but don’t forget that Chara wasn’t always the beast that he is today
Oh and by the way if you look at the list of players picked 1st overall the past 25 years, most of them turned into stars. Lecalvier is the only one who won the cup, but if Eric Lindros had a full career he would have won the cup as well.
Turgeon, Lecalvier, Crosby, Kane, Nash, Heatley(the real #1 that year), Kovalchuk, Lindros,Sundin,Ovechkin, Joe Thornton…..I would take any of these players. Lets not kid our selves here! We are most likely going to get an all-star to franchise player if we get the first overall pick. Very few duds get drafted first overall.
Question: Is it true that Tavares said that he does not want to play for the Islanders?
Nyles (127): No, it’s not true. There has been at least one mischief-making column (Canadian media) saying that Tavares should refuse to play for the Isles if we draft him, but the kid has never said this. In fact, I think he’s on the record as saying that he’ll be happy to play for whatever team drafts him.
If we can’t get hedman or tavares then we’re fu**ed. We would have to make a huge trade then to get a REALLY good young player, not a project
The Islanders need either #1 or #2 nothing less. This road trip coming up should bring the team down to earth a little.
It feels good as a fan to see them winning and to see the kids having a great time winning, but facts are facts. The Islanders need to grab one of these picks to get to the next level.
This rebuild needs a star player to be successful. We can’t just settle for those decent players to fit into the system all the time, in order to break out of the rebuild were going to need a huge difference maker. Tavares and Hedman are likely to be difference makers. This season is not worth it unless we get Tavares or Hedman.
not true - yet….
I want to see a nice 10 to 12 game loosing streak with Kyle and the young corps scoring points and us loosing by one or 2 goals. That acomplishes 2 things, we get 1st or 2nd overall and the kids get invaluable experience
it would be a failure of collossal proportions if the isles start to win and miss out on tavares or hedman.
i would send okposo comeau and anyone else able to play at bridgeport down by next week and call up the bodies that have not overly impressed or will likely sit during the calder run (fritz, bentivoglio, haley, colliton etc.). it has been great fun watching the development but it would be too great a cost to blow the draft.
#133 I totaally agree, I think by this point the coaching staff knows who will be a starter next year, it time to call up all the guys who havent played in the NHL yet or who may be on the fence, their evaluation period should be now
Victor Hedman is your typical european player.Strong ,good skater,hockey smart and not that physical.Detroit proved you can win with players like that.That being said. The Isles should take Tavares with the first pick if they are selecting there.They need that type of play making ability and touch not to mention the buzz he will generate.But there is no need to panaic if they manage to fall out of the top 2 choices and see Tavares and Hedman go before their choice.I fully believe Garth can go ahead and do the same thing he did last year,which is trade down.take a look at the rest of the class and look them up yourelves.don’t just take someones elses advice on how good they can or can’t be http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/feature/?id=11679There is no problem with garth trading down and selecting a player like Jordan Schroeder(who i feel is going to be a star in this league)and possibly picking up a #1 next year or two # 2’s,if some other team is real high on Matt Duchene.Remeber this is a rebuild and 1 player doesnt win championships just see Dale Hawerchuck,Eric Lindros,Marcel Dionne,Wendel Clark,Phil Housley,Darryl Sittler..you get the idea.
And please people when you see yourself saying that this team doesn’t need veteran leadership like Weight,MaCammond or Guerin(not likely) ask yourself this.Who would you rather have loosening up the guys by taking them out to the bar after losing 6 of 8? 19 year old Josh Bailey or a 500 goal scorer like Guerin? Waht bout if the pp is struggling ? Can Iggy do a better job then say Doug Weight and his 1000+ points? what about when you need a big faceoff win? you feel confident with the Franz? Or would you rather see MaCammond take the slow skate into the circle.Hockey is not just about being young and talented.You need more
USA Today named Yann Danis the Goaltender of the Month for February..(Joe Mac in November, and now Danis). Very Interesting Goalie problem for next year w/ both UFA’s…
Islanders’ Danis, Capitals’ Ovechkin thrive in the clutch in February
Islanders goalie Yann Danis makes a save on Capitals leading scorer Alex Ovechkin in January. Both were clutch performers in February.
By Mike Brehm, USA TODAY
New York Islanders goalie Yann Danis had a pretty short NHL résumé before January.
Undrafted while at Brown University, the Quebec native was signed as a free agent by the Montreal Canadiens in 2004 after being named Eastern College Athletic Conference goalie of the year. But he played six NHL games, all in 2005-06, during his four years with that organization.
He signed as a free agent with the Islanders last July but opened in the American Hockey League because franchise goalie Rick DiPietro and backup Joey MacDonald were ahead of him.
An injury to DiPietro led to a late October call-up, but he got two starts, one mop-up appearance and lots of time on the bench or shuttles back to the minors. But when DiPietro hurt his knee again in January, Danis got his chance because MacDonald strained his groin muscle in that first game back.
Danis ended January with three consecutive wins, and his play in February earned him USA TODAY’s Clutch Goalie title for that month. The computerized formula factors in shutout time, saves, penalty kills and the amount of time playing in a tie game to figure out who’s best when the score is tight.
Washington Capitals winger Alex Ovechkin was the Clutch Scorer, edging Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin, after having a hand in eight go-ahead goals.
He also had plenty of help from teammates as the Capitals went 9-3-1 during February. Defenseman Mike Green and forwards Alexander Semin and Nicklas Backstrom, finished in the top seven in the rankings.
Danis went 3-4-1 with a 1.62 goals-against average and .951 save percentage during the month but could have had a better record if the Islanders got him more goals. Twice he lost 1-0, holding the Pittsburgh Penguins off the board for more than 57 minutes and the Tampa Bay Lightning for more than 53.
He also picked up two shutouts in his last three games, stopping 40 shots in a 4-0 win against the New Jersey Devils and 31 shots in a 2-0 win vs. the Buffalo Sabres.
“Pucks are just hitting me right now,” he told the Islanders’ website. “My positioning has been good; I think that’s been the key to my game. Also, I think the guys are playing really good hockey in front of me.”
Clutch Goalies:
Goalie, team Points
Yann Danis, N.Y. Islanders 99.10
Tomas Vokoun, Florida 91.79
Pekka Rinne, Nashville 84.73
Niklas Backstrom, Minnesota 84.63
Martin Biron, Philadelphia 82.46
Henrik Lundqvist, N.Y. Rangers 81.91
Chris Mason, St. Louis 81.71
Tim Thomas, Boston 76.36
Scott Clemmensen, New Jersey 76.15
Vesa Toskala, Toronto 75.25
Dwayne Roloson, Edmonton 74.71
Ryan Miller, Buffalo 73.82
Jaroslav Halak, Montreal 71.15
It would be worth it no matter what. We’ve had a brutal season and I’ve witnessed most of it, but to tell these guys that their winning is pointless diminishes them as players and tells them that we don’t think they’re ever going to be good enough to be better. All of the yahoos who think that they should lose every game so that one of Tavheduch can come here should turn in their Isles colors and go put on a Rags jersey. Try to enjoy watching these kids starting to come of age rather than worry about someone who may never get here.
Worth it? No … to suffer through all these losses without getting a “potential generational” player would make this season a disaster without a dividend.
The only reason I’ve been able to stomach these losses was to see that the kids were progressing under the dark cloud of this season… but knowing that if they finished last .. at least they can draft a .320 hitting homerun hitter (Tavares) or a .300 hitting gold glove fielder (Hedman) … if we end up with a Duchene … ehhh … OK … it adds a bit of sugar to a bitter diet … but make no mistake … getting Duchene will not make it any easier to swallow this season …. and think how happy Rag fans will be if we draft 3rd or worse.
BTW … I think the Isles will finish 28th overall. The boys are just too good to finish behind the tanking Lightning and Thrashers.
I love what they’re doing - Gordon had me going back & forth there for awhile, but watching this team over the past week has been so much fun, I’m officially sold.
To answer the question: The Islanders must get 1 of the three headed monster that Chris created - Tavheduch. For as great as the young guys look (granted, JJ & Iggy only a few games) - we need ‘that guy’, and I’ll be ecstatic with any of the 3 heads. Anything less will be a disappointment. Of course, should Snow be able to do what he did last year, stockpile the farm & introduce us to Josh Bailey, how could I be disappointed?
I’m not going to get sick over worrying if the Isles get the number 1 pick. There is nothing we can do and very little the Isles can do. They cannot tell the kids to lose. The kids are thinking about proving themselves and could care less about the number 1 pick. That’s the way it should be. The Isles got a pretty nice player with Bailey at 9 so if the the Isles have the bad luck to drop to 3 they should still get a very useful player. Having said all this I still want the 1 or 2 pick.
The Bruins are doing perfectly fine without an Ovechkin/Crosby/Malkin type of talent…and I wonder who helped develop the young talent while they came up in the AHL?
Excellent points Patrick. I would love to add John T or Hedman but life will go on. Remember finishing last does not mean you automatically win the lottery.
No. It will absolutely not be worth suffering through this season without grabbing Tavares. Plain and simple. As much as I like what I’ve seen from some of the kids, there is no true dynamic offensive weapon in the bunch. Tavares is the best chance that this franchise is going to have to grab a guy like this at least until the arena is built. Maybe, and only maybe then will we be able to bring in big time free agents again.