READER POLL: WHO ARE THE NYI BETTER THAN?
A direct, dream-free look at the NYI in the East
WARNING: the following is a “development”-free, one Comment-per-reader zone.
There are at least six teams in the Eastern Conference that at this time I cannot fathom the Islanders having a better record than this season:
Northeast: Boston
Southeast: Washington, Carolina
Atlantic: Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New Jersey
These six would appear to be mortal locks to make the playoffs, even if they endure some significant injuries. If you think this is the year Brodeur and the Devils hit the skids, we’ll have to agree to disagree.
That leaves only two playoff spots. So which of the other teams in the East will the Islanders be superior to in 2009-10?
The Rangers? I don’t see it – not with Lundqvist in net.
Buffalo? Toronto? Montreal? I doubt it.
Ottawa? Florida? Maybe one of them.
Tampa Bay? Add Victor Hedman in front of a healthy Mike Smith and the Bolts shouldn’t be so bad.
Atlanta? The Thrashers seem to have trouble getting out of their own way, so it’s possible. I do like them finally realizing giving Kovalchuk some pals to play with is the way to go.
Look, we’ll have plenty of time to talk about development. No question, Josh Bailey is going to be better. John Tavares will score enough goals to make everyone happy. Hopefully, the Islanders do the right thing with Calvin de Haan. For this discussion, the subject is the Islanders in the here and now. This thread is not for, “As long as X gets better and the kids progress in Bridgeport and juniors,” or “The season will be a success if Y gets 20 goals and…”
No, no, no. There will be plenty of other days for that. Those days will likely be known as “March” and “April.”
Last I checked, the Islanders were charging NHL prices. (As a matter of fact, they’re charging fans even more for certain games on certain dates against certain teams – including the still-not-sold-out home opener). Last I checked, the Islanders were charging $380 for an authentic jersey lettered and numbered. Last I checked, the Islanders came in last in 2008-09. Where is the bar set for this season?
So today’s question is black and white: where will the Islanders finish in the Eastern Conference standings in 2009-10? And if you believe the Islanders have any chance of making the playoffs, please identify the seven teams they will be better than. I do not.
The Point Blank forecast: the Islanders will finish 8 games below NHL .500 – good for 12th in the East.
This is a one Comment-per-reader thread. Please stay on point. Thank you.
193 Responses to READER POLL: WHO ARE THE NYI BETTER THAN?
A direct, dream-free look at the NYI in the East
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Lance says:
First post…..last place.
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Alex says:
i c them finishing 11th.. not good enough for a playoff spot, but good enough to turn some heads and give teams problems! CB you are forgetting the development of one vital player… BLAKE COMEAU! He will be much better than last year and it will show about a month into the season!
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Matt says:
good job CB. to be honest, the Islanders are not better than anyone in the East.
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I see the Islanders doing better than Tampa Bay and Atlanta, but that’s about it. They should be good for somewhere between 75-80 points.
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j says:
Over achieve with solid goaltending, playoff hopes tingle our minds, but nothing more.
11th
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Glenn says:
Sounds right as well. I have to imagine that we’re owed some good karma as Isles fans, so I will say they finish in 11th.
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potvin rocks says:
Islanders finishes in 15th in the East. Only Colorado & Phoenix end up with less points.
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Willis says:
I’m thnking they could be better than Florida and Ottawa and maybe one more team that has a bad break. They would be fourth from last.
But its not the standings, its what happens along the way.
Can’t wait to find out. -
Marc says:
As Charles Wang always says, 29 of 30 teams are losers at the end of each season. You either need to be really good or really bad. I hope for the latter, while the team plays an entertaining, somewhat competitive style. I think the Isles will finish 14th in the conference, although the improved goaltending might help move that up 1-2 spots.
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Tim F. says:
14th. Although at the rate the injuries are piling up again, their record may have to be applied to the AHL standings.
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Moose says:
We’ll finish 10th or 11th.
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Strummer's Army says:
Montreal didn’t have a good summer at all.Price doesn’t look like the goalie he was projected to be and now he’s playing behind a much smaller and worse team.
So Montreal, perhaps Ott and probably FL.
However, they could be worse then all of those and finish dead last.
I have given Snow credit for the moves he did make this summer Tavares and the goalies and the rest of the draft but I can only believe his intention is to have another top 5 draft pick because he ignored glaring areas of need (upgrading the defense and the enforcer issue).
The injuries are already mounting and it’s looking like they will be as ravaged with injuries as the past 2 seasons.
My prediction is the Isles finish last or have a better record then two teams. If Ricky comes back healthy they’ll improve that record.
If Snow improved the defense (2-3 guys) then they could make the playoffs. It’s not his desire.
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i think they will finish last again. its worth it to try and bring in that 1st pick again
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Valentino says:
Deal LAST finish. Taylor Hall or bust.
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Zteller says:
Injuries will again haunt this team…. 12th
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HilbertSnipe says:
I’m going to say they will finish in 12th place. Ottawa, Florida, Tampa Bay, and Atlanta behind them… and the Maple Leafs a few points ahead of them in 11th. Then again, I normally do have a strong sense of optimism.
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mht says:
They are the least in the east 15th place!
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Dadi says:
We’ll have #1 or #2 (lottery
) pick in the 2010 NHL draft… -
Stevie10703 says:
For me, this year isn’t about where we finish in the standings because we are such a young team and our lack of scoring will hurt us. What I want to see is a team that will be a tough out and is in most of the games. Its a long season so there will always be a few stinkers but if we show the same kind of fight we had over the last 20 games or so last season, I think we’ll be an improved team.
My feeling is that we have 2 goalies that will keep us in a lot of games and steal a few. I think points wise, we should improved from last season but, I still think we’re dead last in the division because our division is just to strong for us right now.
My feeling is that in the Eastern Conference, I think us, Atlanta and Ottawa will be down at the bottom of the conference and it will be close so anywhere from 13-15th in the East.
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Chris says:
13th.
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Bryan says:
My prediction is that the Islanders will come in last place in the East. The addition of Dwayne Roloson is the only thing that gives me doubts. The dude can flat out play. So if Roloson plays a full season at Roloson level maybe, MAYBE, they beat out the Thrashers and/or Toronto.
Rob Schremp 100 pts? haha
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kevin27NYI says:
god i hate this but for me it comes down to injuries. over 450 is 14 or 15th place. under 450 is 13-15. goaltending is great. defense is below average. offense is below average. we just have to make the right steps. its not going to be easy. it will take a couple of years until we are contenders. if we get to 13-15 im pretty happy. top five pick. but with that i want tavares,bailey and okposo and other younger players make strides.
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John from ATL says:
Potvin does rock. They should finish 15th in the East, 28th overall, ahead of Colorado and Phoenix. If the preseason means anything, it looks like the Isles will average 2 goals a game. And that’s not enough. But this is year two of the rebuild. They need another top three pick in the 2010 draft.
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Oren says:
It will be a battle for the bottom which will include; the Isles, Toronto, Buffalo… Florida will surprise and maybe make the playoffs, and Toronto dissapoints as Toskala and Gustavsson struggle. At the end Isles will WIN…last place again. Taylor Hall here we come. Patience is a virtue but damn.
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StevieL says:
I will preface this by stating that I just printed out my tickets for Sat. night and I will be cheering loud and long for this team!!
Now realistcly… we are better than nobody!! I think we will be beat up in the more physical East and can see a real injury problem and lack of depth killing this team. I think we settle the Lighthouse issue this season and become a major league Hockey team again next year! This year is about JT and Bailey and a couple of the kids. I have no illusions of making a playoff run! Go Isles! -
Owen J.K. says:
The only point I disagree with is, the Devils. They just can’t can’t can’t keep pulling that Magic, when it just doesn’t fit. But other than that, yeah – unfortunately no realistic reason to think the Isles can grab an 8th Seed. But seriously, does it matter ? Is anybody in the East beating Ovechkin or Crosby/Malkin in the next 5 years anyway ? Lets just hope for some fun otherwise boring Tuesday nights in the Winter. Unless……. of-course TOH wants to take that away from us.
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Mike says:
This hurts. Can’t see them finishing anything but last.
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Priest says:
12th was going to be my prediction as well. I think we’ll be playing “meaningful” games late in the season. By “meaningful” I mean we will be within reach of 8th place, but the reality is that we would have to jump over 3-4 teams to get there, which just doesn’t happen that much. It will still be much more exciting than we’ve seen in a number of years.
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Isle_in_LA says:
15th.
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James says:
12-15th overall in the East, 24-30th overall.
They’ll be better, but they’re still a year away from that “big step up”, and 2-3 years away from contending.
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rb says:
Last place, unless (1) the Thrashers figure they can’t sign Kovalchuk (he played with a lot of pride down the stetch last season and “cost” Atlanta a shot at the top pick or (2) Florida doesn’t even bother to improve, which is possible since the business end is a mess.
Isles’ line-up remains really lousy, but that goes with the territory. I think the GM is biting the bullet in return for another high end pick, and I suspect most fans are on board regardless of the ticket or jersey prices.
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David says:
The Isles finish better than 2 other teams just like the shovel will be in the ground for the Lighthouse Project very soon!
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cgs878 says:
Toronto and Florida for 9th and 10th after surprising late-season runs. Go for last again, Islanders!
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Staten Islander says:
I’m thinking they’ll finish ahead of Florida and Ottawa, maybe Atlanta if things break right. The kids have a year of playing together and the goaltending is improved.
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Dan says:
I never like predicting where teams will finish this early in the season. Too many variables change during the season that changes the outcome.
That being said I think the Islanders can surprise and push for a playoff spot. I see them with an extremely positive year beating out Florida, Montreal, Tampa, Toronto, and Ottawa. Then it would be a three horse race with Atlanta(or one of the prior teams) and the Rag$ to finish in 8th. Reasonably I see them finishing between 8th and 12th. This is probably too optimistic but you gata believe and it helps me think all the money/time spent on tickets/jersey/games is worth it
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MT says:
We’ll be better than last year. I think we might lose most games in overtime and shootouts. It depends on injuries, but I don’t think we’re making the playoffs.
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KP says:
Dead last again.
The only changes they made were subtracting Andy Hilbert and adding John Tavares. The injuries are rearing their head in training camp again, and I don’t think Roloson/Biron/DiPietro will be that much more of an improvement.
Growing pains folks.
Though I expect next year to be remarkably different. They’re getting there. Slow and steady wins the race.
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Carmine says:
I say 14th in east. We will finish ahead of the thrashers only because of there inconsistent goaltending.
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IF we can stay healthy…10th. If we have moderate injury problems? 12th. An utter cavalcade of injury stars again? 15th.
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isles99 says:
here’s my reasoning:
atlantic division: rangers, devils, flyers, and penguins are all better.
northeast: toronto (nasty defense), bruins, canadiens, sabres (miller in net), ottawa (spezza, alfreddson, michalek, and company are better than what we have) are all better.
southeast: carolina, washington, thrasher (ilya’s new teammates), tampa (VH, ohlund, tangauy are better than what we have), florida (vokoun and they did better than us last year) are all better.
Conclusion: the islanders finish DEAD LAST in the east with the only possibility of finishing ahead of florida. Furthermore, only the coyotes will be worse than us so get ready to finsish second to last overall.
side note: i would not be surprised to see us finish dead last in the NHL again with the lack of depth and talent on our roster filled with injury prone players (cough, sutton, martinek, freddy myer, frans nielsen, etc. cough)
WITH THE SECOND PICK OF THE 2010 NHL ENTRY DRAFT, THE NEW YORK ISLANDERS SELECT CAM FOWLER/KIRILL KABANOV! -
mapisles2025 says:
Dead last
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volmeeezy says:
14th East , Bottom 5 NHL , will compete for most the season but wont be able to sustain it for 82 games .. Still a step in the right direction .. LETS GO ISLES
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Dan from NJ says:
It’s the beginning of the year and I wear my heart on my sleeve. The eternal optimist in me says…8th Place…better than than the Rags, Panthers, Canadians, Leafs, Lightning, Thrashers and Sabers….which way to the kool-aid table?? Right, that’s what I thought.
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Lance79 says:
Well CB, not to be snide but if you’re insistent on omitting conditional statements then it’s simple – nobody. I see no team in the Eastern Conference who we can look at right now and say we are definitely better than them.
No team has a more unproven and suspect forward corps than us. No team also can boast such an injury prone defense. And you can’t expect me to believe that our more proven goalies this year will somehow steal 10 more wins than last year.
We’re getting spanked in the preseason, we have no tough deterrent to give KO or JT or Bailey or Schremp their time and space and we’re sure to suffer more injuries. If last year was our 72-73 repeat, this year might be our 73-74 repeat; we’ll likely struggle again but with lots of cause for optimism and a bright future on the horizon.
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Rachel G says:
70 points. 14th place and pick anywhere from two to four in next years draft.
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I agree with you that, barring either (a) insane injuries (again) or (b) more than one player having a trophy season, the Isles will most likely finish around 12th in the East.
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Cincy says:
13th. They trump Florida and the Leafs.
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Jeff says:
Isles top line in 2010-2011:
Taylor Hall – John Tavares- Kyle Okposo
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dmen77 says:
Reality slapping me in the face tells me we can and will be better than Florida and Atlants, good for 13th.
My blue and orange blood tells me Gaborik and Lundqvist go down for stretches during the season…..we’re even better than the Rags for 12th in the conference, 25th in the NHL overall and just missing out on lottery eligible for #1 pick.
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Islesin2010 says:
CB- since you claim in this post that there will be plenty more days in March and April to discuss the future, does this mean IPB will continue?!?!
I believe will consistent goaltending the Isles will be 11th and worst and if all things go well 7 or 8. Production from 3rd and 4th year players are a must for the latter.
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battfist says:
You cant call the 2009-10 Islanders a playoff team. I wish I could but the lack of depth during a long, tough season hurts our team’s chances.
Isles should be better than Ottawa and Atlanta…maybe Montreal, TB, Buffalo.
I thought the Isles would of looked better this preseason. For about 10 minutes in Calgary they looked good until the cheapshot on KO. Since then-the team lost focused.
As an Isles fan-you have to be excited about our young talent…but we are a year or two away from making some serious noise. If they can stay healthy this year-they could finish as high as 10th.
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Bob says:
The best case senario, they finish 14th. More than likely though it’s looking like another 15th place finish in the East and a 28th-30th place overall.
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Terry19 says:
10th in the east, tavares calder w/65 points, okposo scores 30 and bailey has 40 assts. PP is great but 5-5 is a real problem. PK suffers. Rolly is awesome. DP comes back and is mediocre. Streit is an all star.
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Numbers65 in Ohio, From Merrick, LI says:
I wish it was different, but looks like maybe we can get Hall. This team has only improved in net, and added Tavares and some growth, but other teams have added and grown as well.
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Robbie G says:
I love our NYI, but we’re looking at another long season. Better tenders will win us a few more games, but injuries are already killing us. I dont see any other team get players hurt after every game and practice. We’re gonna finish 14th maybe ahead of Atlanta. We’re just not gonna be that good. It sux to think tjis way but its the truth. Rebuild, a legit rebuild doesnt happen overnight folks. But ill be there on saturday and will continue to support OUR NYI!!!
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season tix holder says:
3 more wins due to improved goaltending + 2 more because they can’t possibly have as many injuries and 2-3 more because they will score a few more goals than last year. 35-37 wins puts them 12th or 13th. Hopefully fewer blowout losses and player improvements will make this season tolerable. If the wheels fall off the lighthouse bus then it will be last place again.
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They’ll likely finish 14th or 15th in the conference and be back in the lottery – but with a much more exciting team than we had last year.
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Mikey says:
I am glad to see that the Country has realistic expectations for the upcoming season. I predict 13th in the east, 73 points, and 6th overall pick. It is conceivable that Atlanta, Florida, Ottawa, or the Rangers will be worse than us. I think Toronto and Tampa will be greatly improved. We have a long way to go, but Garth is doing this the right way. Keep the faith. Patience is the key.
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mrlbem says:
Goaltending was A problem last year, but it was not THE problem. Lack of size and skill on offense and defense was THE problem. Weight is a year older and more injury prone. Guerin was not replaced. Just because Streit was great last year doesn’t mean he’ll have the same season this year. Prediction: 15th as we lose a ton of 1-0, 2-1, and 3-2 games. Tavares puts up Stamkos type numbers, better later in the season. Bailey and KO improve, but not enough to offset the team’s shortcomings.
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matt says:
in the range of 13-15th….i can see them surpassing florida and maybe montreal or tampa….atlanta, toronto, ottawa, buffalo and the rags will finish ahead of us
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Mike from Oceanside says:
They’ll finish in a lottery spot…perhaps third.
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Jim M says:
Personally, I just dont see the Islanders as a last place team again OR even a lottery team by the end of next season. IF the team is healthy for the most of the season that in itself tacks on more wins from last year. The amount of AHL talent they were playing for game in, game out last season was just redicolous. Add 2 goalies in the mix that have proven they can play in the NHL(not a combined 23 nhl games of experience with MCd and Danis going into last year), and with the growth of our young talent my prediction stands at 12th place in the East lingering around 80 points.
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Nyichamp39 says:
16 games below .500. Good for 14th in the East. The only
team possibly worse than us in the east is Atlanta. The only team possibly worse than us in the west is Colorado. Islanders finish easily within a lottery position. -
To answer your question Fred…Taylor hall.
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Steve K. says:
they’re going to stink on ice. hopefully they’ll be entertaining though…
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Yitz says:
Florida, Atlanta and Tampa could easily be worse than us. The Habs are my second team and going into this season I have a feeling of impending doom when I think about this season for them, so I wouldn’t be surprised if we just barely finish better than them.
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JJT9090 says:
14th in the east, only to Atlanta. We’ll be in the lottery again this year. Taylor Hall, Kabanov, Fowler. I’ll take any
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O.Bender says:
I’ll take a stab. I see Isles in 13th. Better than Atlanta and Montreal.
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ledzep121212 says:
I expect us to finish 14th in the east ahead of the Panthers. And ending up with the 3rd overall pick and Kirill Kabanov.
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BringBackNyles says:
Dead last in the East, only ahead of Phoenix. The season will be far overshadowed by the stories of how the arena plays out, where the team will play, and who will start the first “Isles to move rumor”
If there is no progress in the Lighthouse (and I doubt there will be) our payroll will sink to the lowest level allowed, attendance will plummet back to the pre Wang days, and our best ioption will be for Wang to sell to the crazy Russian billionaire in Brooklyn
Sorry , I just am not all that optimistic. The Isles took all the JT goodwill and have flushed it before Opening Night, which, is still not sold out by the way.
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Scott says:
The better question is, would a 12th place in the conference result in a good player in the draft who could help the team the following season? I thought the team was a year away from trying to compete. A draft pick in the bottom ten won’t do that. Are we just better enough that we’ll stink for years to come or will we get better? What would a 12th place finish get us? If it gets us something good, then I’ll happily accept it. Or should I be rooting for the worst record overall again?
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Probably 13th or 14th. The possible teams behind the Isles are Florida and Atlanta. The playoffs are a pipe dream, so I would prefer a last place finish and winning the draft lottery again to finishing 12th or 11th. For what, a moral victory? More pieces are needed to make this team a true contender again and that is what we want. A contender, year in and year out.
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transplantedislanderfan says:
Last in the division, 15th in the conference (14th if Atlanta trades Illy), 28th in the league, in the lottery and ending with the second pick in the draft. Despite the low finish, there will be improvements by some of the young players – Bailey, Okposo, Comeau, Berginhiem, Gervais, Hillen. Goaltending will improve. Tavares will contend for Calder with @ 26 goals and 60 points. Injuries and regression for Weight, Martinek, Witt, Tambellini, Meyers, Nilsen & Thompson show that they will not be part of next seasons team. Solid seasons from Striet, Park, Hunter, Sutton and Jackman give support to the young core.
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Mezz21 says:
As much as I love the Isles, I see them finishing last in the East. This is basically the same team as last year. I don’t think there will be enough improvement to overcome any of the other teams in the standings. Hopefully, I’m wrong.
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Mike L says:
Out of all the Eastern Conference teams I honestly think we could be better than Florida, Ottawa and maybe Atlanta. As much as I hate to say it, I think the Rangers will make the playoffs. Florida has some pretty good young guys in Horton, Frolik, Booth and Weiss, as well as a good defense. Atlanta has Kovy, Little and Antropov, but I dont think they will be able to carry the team through a whole season. Ottawa has some good players, but they dont seem to gel well. I expect a top 10 pick at seasons end. We could easily be a top 5 if more players keep falling to injury.
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Shawn says:
The Islanders will finish last in the Eastern Confrene, everyone calling Pheonix to be worse is on drugs (look for them to compete for a playoff spot). The Islanders will be last in the NHL as well, unless Biron/Roloson post AMAZING numbers…look to try and out to win that draft lottery again.
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B-RI says:
I still think this team will shock many people and not be nearly as bad as people think. I’m not going to say who they’re better than, because predictions like that aren’t worth jack. What I do know is that they are a team that will give nothing but effort every night. What I do know is that they will be much better than last year. what I do know is that they will miss the playoffs. And if I had to take an educated guess, I would say they finish 11th in the east, suprising many, and falling out of the Draft lottery. Which isn’t a bad thing, it means the rebuild is doing fine and that the kids are alright.
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Spartiarti-RVC says:
isles will miss playoffs this year. East is just too strong this year.
However i dont see us finishing last this year and chances of getting 1st overall again are slim to none.
I believe Rangers will miss playoffs especially after gaborik get hurt. Montreal not going anywhere. Toronto has better defense than isles but not better goaltending nor are they any better on scoring front. Atlanta still lacks goaltending and tampa although much improved on defense, im not sold on Smith. Ottawa team no doubt is better but what happens if leclair gets hurt. The answer is nothing. I think Buffalo missed their chances to be contender already and are on the decline.
Bottomline, i see isles finishing ahead of toronto, atlanta and possibly over rangers. Ottawa and Florida will suprise. Isles finish 11 or 12 in East.
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Brooks Simpson says:
They will be 13th with a month to go … and drop.
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Viper says:
14th in the East. The lower the better, but I think they can finish ahead of Florida.
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nystrom23 says:
14th in the east…better than atlanta
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Dean says:
Bottom 5 in the LEAGUE, Bottom 3 in the conference. We just aren’t quite there.
Yet. It’s fine. The Rangers will finish out of the Top 8. One of the most overrated lineups they’ve had in years.
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Kevin says:
11th or 12th. I can handle that as long as the LH is approved
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miket239 says:
16th in the East. Will contend with Phoenix for dead last overall. I dont care if Tavares scores 40. This team is brittle and pint-sized in stature. Talent-wise theyre a really good AHL team. I wouldnt mind another #1 overall pick in 2010. Very young team with much growing pains ahead.
Lets go Islanders!
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I’d say Ahead of Florida and tied with Atlanta, with slight edge going to Atlanta on the last three games of the season. Too bad this year draft is considered to be weak, from what I’ve heard.
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SIR WILLIAM says:
FINISH: LAST
WHO’S BETTER: EVERYBODY
WHO’S WORSE: NOBODYSad but true…..Sir William
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rob says:
Ahead of Atlanta for starters. They will be right there with florida, toronto, montreal and the lightning. 10-12 is realistic. But i do expect meaningful games for atleast a week or two after the olympics. call me a wishful thinker i guess.
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The New Isles GM says:
I would love to say we’ll be fighting for an 8th spot. But something tells me we’re going to finish dead last in the East, maybe 2nd to last in the league. I think Colorado is going to win the Taylor Hall prize.
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Will OC says:
The Islanders will finish as a bottome 5 team regardless of injuries….The only teams that are in their realm of competition for the #1 pick are the Avs and Coyotes…All three of these teams are in divisions where the other 4 teams are playoff possibilities out of the gate….In the SE divison atlanta, florida and tampa are all competive enough with each other to trade some wins and the same goes for the NE where toronto and ottawa will split enough games so that neither drops really far in the standings…
The Isles have 24 games against the most difficult division in the NHL imo. If the Isles won 8 of those 24 I’d be suprised….
A top 3 pick is a lock for this year and theres no need for a great progression in the standings….we’re on the right track and we all know it, we just need this year and one more to shed some of the dead weight in the lineup
I have a hunch that everything Snow has done since last summer has been planned around 2011-2012 season….He’s budgeted the team exceptionally so that we have no cap worries, even when our young players are due for their RFA contracts….minus DiPi and some would argue Hunter (not I)all the contracts are a perfect length so that we only have room for young players and fresh FA faces by the time the 11-12 season rolls around….just in time for our new arena…
Just a theory but its not far-fetched
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Rick says:
I see us either last or next to last in the conference this season.
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german islesfan says:
no problem with another year at the bottem 14 th or 15 th place in the east with 70-75 points. tavares 55-60 points okposo 25 goals.
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AB07 says:
Due to a blockbuster trade in december and unbelievable play by Bergenheim and Okposo the islanders who somehow stay healthy and find a completely revitalized and unbeatable DP between the pipes by the second half of the season, find themselves finishing in 8th place due to key injuries around the eastern conference and a tremendous coaching job by Scott Gordon, who proves himself great in a 2009-2010 season that is full of high energy, gut wrenching lows and miraculous highs….Yeah I dream BIG!….But I believe.
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JPinVA says:
With about 90 posts in front of me it looks like CB has made his point. NHL prices for a team who’s fans have the great expectations of maybe 13th place in the Eastern Conference. Welcome to Pittsburg, enjoy your Pirates.
6 goalies drafted or signed over the summer. Not one guy who has scored 30 goals at the NHL level.
2 NHL level goalies signed. Not one guy who can upgrade the defensive play from that of Freddy Meyer, Jack Hillen or Bruno Gervais, or provide depth for if/when Sutton and Martinek spend half the season rehabbing from injuries.
Well done, Bialystock. It’s springtime for groin strains in Uniondale! This may not be the case, but this sure does look like an organization that wants to fail.
No radio team, barely any national TV, and would anybody know who John Tavares was if he held up a bank.
I can’t wait for the season to start because I miss hockey… but I think I’m going to seek therapy to find out if I can get hypnotized out of being an Islander fan. Rooting for this team is like smoking three packs a day.
Who is John Galt?
Prediction… as long as Scott Gordon is the coach… LAST PLACE. -
Okay…I’ll play dreamer…
7th place, first round defeat.
I just hope they end the season 1st in Uniondale.
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Dave says:
15th place….every team is much more improved than us. The only team we might beat out is Atlanta.
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14th….4 points ahead of ATL…6 points more than Bridgeport would have in the NHL….and with a similiar roster
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TM says:
WORST TEAM IN THE LEAGUE…..again. Blatantly ignoring to upgrade the defense, ignoring getting someomeone to get Tavares the puck and ignoring an enforcer, losing Guerin’s goals and too much pressure on kids. I couldn’t even watch games from January on last season and this looks to be the same.
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big dally mac says:
Quick out of the gate only to challange Colorado for dead last. 15th in the conference but point totals will be better. a top 2 pick once again in out future.
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Stephen in Upstate NY says:
I think they will be dead last. They “might” beat Atlanta but I doubt it. I have no problems with that either.
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Schultz39 says:
Last place (clap clap) Last place (clap clap) Last place (clap clap), etc etc etc
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Bruce says:
They will finish ahead of Atlanta for 14th in the East, and probably 27th overall in front of Phoenix and Colorado. The only reason they will finish 4th to last is because they have better goaltending this year
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thepolishprince says:
15th in the East, 28th overall.
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gary9_19_22 says:
I love you CB but in this case… FU!
Forget where they will finish, too many factors, too many things happen over a long season.
John Wooden would never used the words “win” or “lose”. He would just do all he could to prepare his team for each game and build during the season. That’s all we should hope for and look for. Regardless of what’s going on I want to see the team play hard and skate hard every game.
Snow’s goal is slapping us in the face. Be better than last year, but get a top 5-10 pick.
Let’s see Bailey take the next step, Comeau be the player he can be, Gervais add a little extra offense, JT get accustomed the NHL and have a great second half, Hillen continue to impress, KO put the concussion behind him, blah..blah.blah.
If we stay healthy and we make teams play hard we will win our fair share of games, maybe even 8 points out with 20 to go, maybe not. We need to get off to a good start and play Go-Go’s style. One thing they can’t excuse is lack of effort.
Personally I hope by some miracle DP gets healthy and we can trade Rolo or Biron for some talent, play well enough to keep the masses happy and win the lottery. Can you say Taylor Hall???
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bossy22 says:
12th at best. I believe lower. Flo is the only team I believe we’ll be better then. Maybe Atlanta, but they do have some scoring.
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FishBulb says:
Have a fun game I like to play. I start them as #1 in the east and then every time “groin injury” comes up, I drop them a spot. In all seriousness, I think we finish 13th in the east. If the young guys gell quickly, put me down for 11th.
I’m OK with them stinking one more year. Get one more top 5 draft pick in the system and then… no excuses.
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Big Van Vader says:
If they don’t finish in 8th, there’s no point “hoping” for anything else. Yes, we want to see effort, but honestly, if I can see certain players improving and the Lighthouse gets ok’d, it’s a winning season for me. My “prediction” and hope, is the aforementioned and the Isles, if they DO finish in last, to draft the NEXT great one…….TAYLOR HALL!!!
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joe fred says:
Yhe east is a tough div, they finish last. 26th overall. Get the #2 pick next year. So CB what is your prediction on the lighthouse? Still optimistic?
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Tony F. says:
Oh man….last again.
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dp says:
With the injuries piling up like they already are I’d say at best 14th place, bummer. Hopefully the team gels and they prove me wrong. looking forward to Sat.
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Jim says:
last place unfortunatly
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NYI Pole says:
No doubt in my mind the team will finish in the bottom 5. However, im a very optimistic person and I believe we have a chance to finish 8th.
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I think isles finish 12th. This many injuries already i dont see things going that well. Going to be long year.
I think Rangers miss this year. Florida makes it in. Possibly Tampa but not sold on Smith as goalie.
Teams below us are ATL, TOR, Habs.
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Starscream says:
12th in the East. Kids played well down the stretch (didn’t anybody watch the islanders breakout 2009 games on MSG this summer…)
seriously though, Snow is building and planning long term, and he’s doing a great job. Last season and this season are nothing but building blocks, and everyone should either accept that or stop watching them. I know I ‘m not the only one tired of 8th seed, first round eliminated formula we had going for us. -
dj says:
2nd to last because of the goalies…
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therain93 -- terriers fan says:
I am optimistic we will not finish last, much to the disappointment of those looking for another #1 pick (still say we should have swapped 2010 #1 for Hedman…but whatevs).
Isles will beat out florida at minimum, and the coyotes for 15th in the east, 28th overall. Perhaps they’ll even surprise a few teams. I think the goalie acquisitions will balance out the injury plague.
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isles72 says:
the fragility of most of our blueline is of grave concern to me.
once either witt or sutton go down to injury it leaves the toughness factor back there less than desireable because it falls on to one guy (likely Witt).
coach needs to modify his system to accomodate the tools at his disposal , but seems hell bent to do it his way only.
15th in the east , but they will be fun as hell to watch
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zeike says:
Isles better than:
Toronto
Montreal
Ottawa
Atlanta
FloridaAlmost all because of the various goalie situations of the teams above. Montreal makes the list because you can’ty turn over half the team and expect to be good – see Tampa 2008-2009.
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1) The Isles will finish in 15th, again. Better, yes, but not as good as the other 14 ahead of them.
2) Our playoff teams:
Philly
Boston
Washington
Pittsburgh
Carolina
Rangers
Buffalo
Florida -
isles316 says:
Islanders will finish between 13-15th. I truly believe however that there aren’t any god awful teams in the East. I think 15th place this season is in the area of 70 points. Lots of parody.
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Blizzard says: ….the Islanders will flirt with the playoffs for a little while. Thanks to solid goaltending. Ultimatley to fall short due to injuries. They have little depth. The second half of the season JT will show everyone why he was drafted # 1. The islanders will be a lottery team.
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dose says:
no expectations, so no disappointments, except if they don’t play hard.
somewhat like the first 2 seasons for this franchise. then, you knew that better days were ahead. now too, but where? -
Isles Fanatic says:
For my 2 cents worth, the Isles will better their points total of 61 points from last year. If they remain a healthy crew, they will be in a dog fight for 14th place with Atlanta.
They are in my mind headed for a top 2 pick come June 2010 and will be shooting for Taylor Hall.
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big dog says:
With this lineup i see last place in our forecast…yes i think we improve on points and will give us enough to keep watching but inevitably last place.
***disclaimer***
if florida or ottawa amass the amount of injuries we had last year its goodbye to cellar.. -
McLovin21 says:
15th in the east, probably 30th overall. We’re still at the beginning of this rebuild, not the end.
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JC Frank says:
I think they’ll spend most of the season around 11 – 13, close enough to make us think about playoffs but really not that close. I just hope they play hard, don’t get embarrassed too often everyone shows improvement throughout the season.
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Joey303 says:
I would love to say 11/12 -but being realistic – 14th at best with maybe Florida at 15. I dont understand all the posters saying Atlanta being so bad. I spend a lot of time on business down there and get to go to 8-10 Thrashers games. If we had their team, their would be all kinds of playoff talk on here. Kovalchuk has antopov to play with now, Bryan Little scored 30 at 21 yrs old, Bogosian is in his 2nd year (looked great end of last year) and Armstrong up fron. Kubina back line, they are much better. Man for man, except for Streit -they have us beat top 6 forwards and top 6 d-men. I do look forward to watching Tavares, Kyle and Josh this year
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Original Rob says:
Talk all you want about the prospects (and I do think at least KO is going to be a star), but the fact remains that the Isles have ZERO *proven* stars on offense…unless you cound 38-yr-old Dougy Weight.
15th out of 15
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Kaszycki's Krew says:
Isles finish in 13th place in the east Will have the # 5 draft position overall
However, the difference between this year and last will be that the team will be more competitive and will be in almost every game. Lots of 4-3 and 3-2 losses to good teams. All I ask for is winning the season series with the Rag$ and that we actually WIN the games at NVMC this time. Hate having those foul smelling Rag fans soiling our building.
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UIF says:
The smart money says they’re last again. You can’t continue to ignore your weaknesses and expect to get any better. As long as they’re a small team that gets physically dominated, they will continue to suffer injury problems. The more injuries, the less likely you are to win games. Even more so when your regular healthy lineup is maybe 26th (optimistically) best in the league b/c, aside from size, they didn’t see fit to add any established talent (in fact they subtracted those kinds of players from last year) to take pressure off of the kids. It’s not dirty hits that’ll cause injuries, just wear and tear. The Isles will bang out there, but you’re asking 6ft people…
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Isle4Ever says:
A healthy Islander team could finnish 10th, but lets be realistic that won’t happen. With our mostly AHL line-up we’re better than Ottawa and I predict a 14th place finnish. Remember, Ottawa lost Dan Heatly, have sketchy goaltending and Chris Campoli on D. The Thrashers unfortunatley will do better than us only because they will score more goals.
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Eric W. says:
As of this moment we’ll be dead last or second to last. Look at our current lineup it’s pretty dismal (Yes I know we have injuries but I don’t see us ever having a healthy lineup)
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pointblank rocks says:
14th or 15th can’t see how we are better than any of the formentioal teams in the east
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WOW, why do you guys even follow the team.
No one wants to be labeled the Homer, so I’ll take on the title without a problem.
There are only 5 teams in the East that are head and shoulders above the rest.
Flyers, Pens, Bruins, Caps, Canes
So 10 teams are battling for a playoff spot.
Devils – they lost too much and didn’t make up for it, they will struggle.
Rags – lose one of the Queen or Gaborik and they are a worse team than the Isles.
Sabres – will struggle
Habs – smurfs
Sens – will not be as bad as last year but will not be good
Leafs – who’s going to score?
Thrashers – Buddies don’t always make good teammates
Panthers – I’ll take our goalies over theirs
Lightning – the Surprise of the bunch, will make playoffs.One thing that everyone forgets, the Olympic Break. Many players will be overplayed or get hurt. 40 available points after the break. The Isles will probably have NO ONE at the Olympics. Good time to rest, go over the system, and use the experience before the break for the final push.
Prediction, Isles fight for the 8th spot with Leafs, ahead of:
Thrashers
Panthers
Sabres
Canadiens
Rag$
Devs -
Marshall says:
I think good karma would be finishing with the first overall pick again…not winning a few extra games and ending up out of the playoffs, middle of the pack. Teams that turn into powerhouses start from the bottom…not the middle.
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Frank D says:
15th in the East. I hate to say it but injuries will stiffel any consistant push. Without a serious enforcer the Isles will get pummeled creating more injuries. Look at last nights game versus the Devils, Jeremy Reich out with a broken left hand. Gordon pretty much said he had the better shot to make the team over the Wrecker. Reich was a more complete player.
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Hmm…my comment got cut off at the bottom, but the point was made…little people checking big people=wear-and-tear injuries. I’d also add playing in the Atlantic Division won’t help in the win column either.
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Mike from Queens says:
Dead last. We didn’t have a 20 goal scorer last year (Okposo led with 18), and number two on the team in goals was a defenseman (Streit). That, and Okposo just got hammered into Brett Lindros Land. Maybe Tavares will score 20, but that would require Weight to stay healthy at too old an age, or Bailey to step up and start making better than average plays. Tavares was the right pick and all, but he won’t be able to do it by himself.
With Tanguay, I think they would have been out of the basement. Without him, or without another veteran playmaker who isn’t going to turn 39 mid-season, why would anything change from last year?
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TuxTax says:
I’m not expecting the playoffs, but who can tell whats going to happen. If they stay healthy there is no reason that they can have a late push for a 8-10 place east finish. If the injury bug hits again, then they could be dead last simply because they dont have the scoring depth. We can fight about enforcers all we want, but where are those stud forwards in the making in the AHL(aka the Red Wing Way)?
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Rob Queens says:
Last… Taylor Hall or Cam Fowler… here we come!!
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Joseph DiMaggio says:
I predict Trevor Hall will be an Islander next year.
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Sorry Taylor. Oops
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Eric says:
I would not say that Carolina is a definite to make the playoffs because after they won the cup, they missed it 2 consecutive seasons. I think the Islanders finish with a top 5 pick, but not 1st overall.
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art says:
Dead last! However, During year LH gets the OK! Result Wang/Snow makes some trades to dress up the line-up with size and scoring to celebrate and to improve attendance and protect their investment in the young and smallish players.
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Mark P says:
I think they will improve 9-10 points but still stay stuck @ 15 as Tampa and Atlant aalso show signs of life. Boston, Devils, Habs, Panthers will all decrease as the teams will bunch together more.
Colorado 30th, Pheonix 29th, Isles 28th. -
I think the Isles get out of the basement (bottom 5), but by that I mean bottom 6 or 7 in the league: 12-13th in East. I think Hotlanta and the Panthers occupy the bottom of the East.
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Mike says:
last place, bring on taylor hall
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Bobby says:
Better than:
-Florida
-Atlanta
-Tampa BayFinish in 12th place due in part to our upgraded goaltending keeping us on the right side of the tight games we lost last year.
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318J1 says:
so alot of you would like us to finish last again? why? just to get another 1st overall? and then what? when will you stop hoping for failure and start hoping for success! i think anybody still stuck on loosing to move up in the draft is part of the problem and should move to kansas city! c’mon lets be a bit more optomistic this year! we got our pick/kid/superstar? we also have three starting nhl goilies this year, when last year we had none! last year was also plagued by injurys, this year could be the year most of our players stay very healthy and grow together as a team! so there are three very good reasons to hope for a much better season, and a real shot at the playoffs! IF WE CAN MAKE THE PLAYOFFS, THEN WE CAN WIN THE CUP!!!!! WE COULD BE THE FIRST TEAM TO GO FROM LAST PLACE TO LORD STANLEY!!!!! i know this may seem a bit far fetched to most of you but it IS possible!
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Cary says:
14th ahead of Tampa Bay, and even this feels like a bit of a stretch. Ho hum.
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bob l says:
they will not be better than any other team in the league — now i cannot be let down, only pleasantly surprised
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Frank James says:
I think at the end of the season the Isles will be the worst team in the East.
Not because they are so horrifically bad but because of parity.
You have the teams that are head and shoulders above everyone else
Penguins
BruinsThe next level
Capitals
FlyersThen teams that are not great buy ahead of the Isles
Devils
Rnagers
Hurricanes
HabsOne level ahead of the Isles but going nowhere
Panthers
Sabres
SenatorsImproved teams
Leafs
LightningOne trick pony
AtlantaThen our 2009-10 NY Islanders
They are not so far away from teams like Florida, Buffalo, and Ottawa.
The Leafs have improved dramatically- not to compete for the Cup but a big upgrade. The Lightning have the talent and they added Hedman. Atlanta has Kovalchuk who will score.The Isles do not have enough scoring. Once injuries start to hit their forwards again it will be AHL time again.
I hope they get another high draft pick.
But after this season they have to start moving up the standings.
Right now they don’t have the forward depth to compete for a playoff spot.
The lower group of playoff contenders are just a step ahead right now.
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JP says:
I’m hope for that #30 finish and another #1 overall pick. Let’s not hurry to get out of the basement, let’s build a team that will stay in the top 10 of the league for a decade.
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mtrico says:
I think that the Isles probably finish ahead of either Atlanta or Tampa, and maybe both, but that’s about it. It would be nice to be wrong however, and watch them challenge for a playoff spot, but I doubt it.
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tony says:
I think we can do better than a few teams (Phoneix, Panthers) but we will be amongst bottom 5 clubs, and very well could be last again, which might not be a bad thing
I think Tampa has a bounce back year – they have some stud forwards and Ohlund and Hedman will help this achilles heel – the defense. In fact, do not be shocked if Hedman wins Calder trophy over JT.
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Hock says:
We’re starting to see a framework develop, but still several holes to be filled. We’re destined to finish around 13th, but will gain some respect around the league.
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Harold C. says:
This is another development year. To me, if we aren’t in the bottom 3-4 of the league, I would be shocked. Not WISHING for it, but there is still too many holes and too many young players in the developmental stage. I can see the first half of the year being a nightmare but progress in the latter half, but that all adds up to a high draft pick again. Not a gloom and doom scenario, but I think next year will truly be where the Islanders will finally make measurable progress.
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Chris Mc says:
Based on the way they finished last season with practically the same group, Im going out on a limb here and saying 11th. They are better than both Florida teams and I believe since they sured up the goaltender position they are better than both Ontario teams.
I know most of you think this is an AHL lineup but this team didnt have a problem putting up a fight against the likes of Detroit and Boston last year. This team isnt great by a long shot, but they will surprise
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Double W says:
Well, as I see it where do the Islanders have the edge over nay of these teams. They Cannot match offense with any team in teh East, as everyone has greater forward talent than the Isles.
Their defence cannot stay healthy, so cannot compare with any team in the East.
Finally goaltending. This is the only area where the team is actually better than some teams out there. So they lose games 2-1 and 3-2 this year, they still lose games. And, sad as it is they lose more games than any other team in teh East (or West). -
Ethan K says:
I can see them coming in last again. On October 3rd, the Taylor Hall countdown begins. It’s not even worth coming in 13th place.
However, next year is where they turn it around. It took the Penguins three horrible years to turn it around, with the early picks of Malkin, Crosby, and Fleury. For now, the Islanders don’t have the strength to compete with any team in the league, don’t have enough people to get the puck in the net, and don’t have good enough defensemen to keep the puck out of our own net. Next year is where they’ll have to spend some money to get some tough guys, and a solid top 4 d-man. And Taylor Hall.
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jaymz27 says:
Dead last in the league followed by, “With the first pick of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, the New York Islanders are proud to select, from the Windsor Spitfires of the OHL, TAYLOR HALL!!!!!!!!!!!”
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Hoser14 says:
Q:WHO ARE THE NYI BETTER THAN?
A: Based on talent alone (top 6 Forwards, top 4 D-man, #1 Goalie, plus depth) on the other 14 teams in the Eastern Conference, maybe the Panthers on an off game, but the answer is NONE!
The only thing that can lift the Isles out of 15th place is staying healthy, hard work, lights-out goaltending and lots of luck and the opposite happens to some other bottom feeding Eastern team like Florida, Tampa and Atlanta.
Other than adding J.T.(with no help) and improved goaltending, it’s still the same no-talent last place squad as last year’s.
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The Isles will again be the lowest scoring team this coming season. They will finish last and draft first next June. Taylor Hall will be their #1 draft pick.
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Tony says:
The Isles did improve, but so did every other team, and moreso.
Unfortch, this season will be a repeat of the last. As in last in the league in points, last in scoring, etc.
However, they will lead the league in getting their butts kicked in fights and man-games lost to injury. Bet on it.
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152 – please god give me some of what you are smoking. Maybe MAYBE if all 29 other teams lost their top 9 forwards to freak bouts with Polio the isles would be crowned 2010 Stanley cup champs. Other than that, not a chance. Everyone hoping for a good draft pick are the smart fans that dont have their heads in the clouds. We know that the draft is what makes teams good for long stretches of time, which gives you the BEST chance to bring home the cup!
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Tom says:
Last place. Hall or Fowler will be the discussion by Thanksgiving.
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Ugly Roe From Massapequa says:
A lot of people are saying that the Islanders will finish last this season. Yeah, ok. I agree with that.
A lot of people are saying that the Islanders will contend in two or three years.
Oh yeah? What are you basing that on? “See, we’ll get the Lighthouse this year, Taylor Hall next year, and then Charles Wang will allow Garth Snow to sign some free agents and the world will be beautiful again.”
Yeah, ok. I disagree with that.
We’re gonna stink for a long, long time.
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Steve says:
Do you believe in miracles? YESSS Isles grab the 8th spot
You can dream right -
ShardZ says:
Obviously, on paper we’re not really “better” than any other team. However, I would not be surprised if a number of our opponents melt down mid-season. Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Buffalo, Atlanta, Florida, Tampa Bay, to be specific. 0% chance of all of them drastically underacheiving…but one of them? two or three? I’d bet on 2.
I don’t think we will end in last, because I am counting on these meltdowns. If the Islanders overacheive, and a few of those bubble teams really fall apart, we could find ourselves in 9-12 place instead of 13-15.
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JJ says:
The Isles will definitely be really bad again, but not quite as bad as last year.
I have to imagine they’ll lose less men to injury, although the pre-season didn’t exactly make me feel good in that respect!
I have to imagine the isles will win at least another five to 10 games this season simply b/c of their MUCH stronger goaltending.
I say the Isles finish with about 70-75 points, which should be good for b/w 13 and 15 in the East.
I just want to see the young guys start to play well, get another top pick next year, and in 2010-2011 we should contend for the 6-8 spot in the playoffs.
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Jzimm says:
Really, all I want is point improvement. The reality is that the Islanders will be pickin top 5 again. They stand an above average chance of winding up with Hall or Fowler come June. I see a 29th or 30th place finish. It’s going to be between the Islanders and Coyotes.
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geduffer says:
15th in the east, 29th overall at best. Taylor Hall at the draft
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Daryl says:
13th east, 27th overall. Ping pong ball comes up with an additional # 1 overall pick. Ottawa and Buffalo finish behind us in the east, phoenix in the west. I say 70 pts for the year.
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isles71 says:
Barring another 3,231 man-games lost to injury, I think that the Isles have a chance to move up several spots this year. Goaltending is much improved, scoring should increase and hopefully the starting six d-men can play more than 12 games I look to finish 10th in the conference this year. Stay Healthy Boys & go ISLANDERS!!!!!!!!
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corey says: good prediction CB. probably 11th or 12
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Mike from Philly says:
My prediction – Pain, lots of it.
15th place
One more year of this, hopefully the LH gets resolved, we get another top 3 pick and finally add FA’s next summer.
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Metalcoconut says:
Without the significant injuries that are certain to follow I believe that the Isles are better than Atlanta, Phoenix, and Florida. I am not sure that they would be able to overtake Tampa.
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TimQ says:
Unfortunately it’s not 1973 or we could definitely beat out the California Golden Seals
Dead last in the East, after a tough ‘battle’ with Atlanta
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billy says:
Isles will finish 8th by beating out ottawa,rangers,buf,fla,atl,tb
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Hubie McDonough says:
Opening Night, not to mention Charles Wang’s deadline, is a mere 3 nights away, and as fired up as I am to once again be able to watch my beloved Islanders, I can’t help but already feel sick over the recent rash of injuries. I’m as realistic an Islanders fan as you will find, and I really don’t see this team contending for a playoff berth. That said, I really hope the Islanders are competitive and playing meaningful games until, at the very least, the Olympic break. Let’s be honest: It’s pointless to finish between 17th and 25th. If the Islanders are not going to make the playoffs, they might assure themselves of a lottery ball by finishing in the bottom 5. Time (and injuries) will tell how the team pans out. As for my prediction, I’ll go with 13th, hopefully above the Rangers and Maple Leafs, my 2 most despised teams.
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Oliver says:
CB if you could guarantee your prediction I would take itt right now but I think you’re being just a bit too optimistic.
I see our beloved Isles having a few games where they tease us by putting it all together (think Jersey last year when we chased Broduer) but there will be too many nights when the team will still clearly be a work in progress. I see us getting about 70 points and finishing last in the East and bottom three in the League. Prediction: Rangers will be struggling just before the trade deadline and Sather will surrender a #1 for Weight because they need someone to dish it to Gaborik, we’ll trade Biron for another #1 and end up with Taylor Hall as our first pick and quality picks in the other spots. Its nice to see that so many of my fellow fans are on the Hall bandwagon because I sure ruffled some feathers earlier this summer when I advocated for him back then but the only way the Islea get better is by improving the talent in the organization. -
cusi says:
9th place and 8 pts from the playoffs. comeau, bailey, bergy, okoposo, streit and tavares will all have good seasons. Hunter will play like he did 3yrs ago. Goalies will be better and everyone knows the system. One can hope, can’t they…..
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mickeyboy7 says:
I’ve never gone into a season as pessimistically as this one. Where are the goals going to come from? Who is going to hit anybody in front of the net? Or anywhere else on the ice? How are we going to set up our rookie? Who is gonna feed Josh Bailey with a scoring opportunity?
How do we possibly replace Andy Hilbert? OK just looking to see if you are paying attention, but we have so many holes on offense and in leadership areas that I have little hope as we begin the season. YET…somehow I still think that there is a possibility that somehow, someway, something clicks early. That we get on a roll. Confidence builds…the kids show more than we expect and we shock the world. Well I can dream can’t I? -
Ryan says:
Although I’d love to say we’ll contend for the last playoff spot, the brutal reality is we’ll once again come in dead last this year. But patience my friends, patience, because as we all can remember the Pens and Caps we horrible too just a few years ago.
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Frustrated Voter says:
A competitive last place finish – which wouldn’t be as bad as it sounds. They need time for the rebuilding process to take hold. Patience, my fellow Islander fans. At least we get to look forward to another high draft pick.
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Templeton says:
One word: Lottery.
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CIsle says:
13th. It’ll be improvement. See a team like NYR or FLA falling behind the Isles and someone else having such an injury-plagued year, that they unexpectedly fall to the nether-regions of the league.
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19 ISLE in NJ 22 says:
CB – To the point. Only 1 major improvmenet during the offseason … A Huge major improvment at that. Goaltending. I think Garth Snow did an outstanding job taking care of that position… that being said … He didn’t do enough to fix the problem in the standings… EVERY team in the Eastern Conference improved or solidified a weak spot during the offseason .. Even the top teams did … Soooo … The Islanders’ NET gain of improvments = ZERO. The other MAJOR weakness for the Isles was muscle that can skate … and it wasn’t fixed.
John Tavares (25G) will have a great rookie campaign, but I am not going to put the responsibility of turning the Isles around on the Junior Star’s shoulders … that wouldn’t be fair. I think JT helps the Isles compete … but among the Beasts of the East … the Isles will fall way short of the playoffs again even with the improvments.
I’m going to go out on a limb and will make this prediction:
30 W / 44 L / 8 OTL for 68 points. Last in the East.
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Brian in VA says:
15th and 30th… We are not there yet. Plus we didn’t add a meaningful soul in the offseason… The team is REALLY YOUNG! Next year 13th and 27th…
I like your prediction, CB. Sounds about right to me.