Comments on: READER POLL: WHO ARE THE NYI BETTER THAN?A direct, dream-free look at the NYI in the East

By: Brian in VA

Brian in VA — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:31:31 +0000

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…

By: 19 ISLE in NJ 22

19 ISLE in NJ 22 — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 16:02:08 +0000

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.

By: CIsle

CIsle — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:31:31 +0000

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.

By: Templeton

Templeton — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 11:12:45 +0000

One word: Lottery.

By: Frustrated Voter

Frustrated Voter — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 08:13:12 +0000

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.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 04:40:36 +0000

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.

By: mickeyboy7

mickeyboy7 — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 01:54:51 +0000

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?

By: cusi

cusi — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 01:19:55 +0000

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…..

By: Oliver

Oliver — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 01:02:14 +0000

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.

By: Hubie McDonough

Hubie McDonough — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:58:36 +0000

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.

By: billy

billy — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 21:54:19 +0000

Isles will finish 8th by beating out ottawa,rangers,buf,fla,atl,tb

By: TimQ

TimQ — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 21:46:35 +0000

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