ISLANDERS at FLORIDA, 7:00 pm
Sit Josh Bailey twice? Wouldn’t think so.
Live Chat Tonight from 7:00 - 9:45 pm, moderated by CB
- (Florida Panthers Ice Dancer Judy)
Any news that could come out of Islanders camp probably won’t be until an hour or two before the team faces the Panthers tonight. You can count on Dwayne Roloson, who’s only lost a game in regulation once all season, as your starter tonight.
The Panthers will go with Tomas Vokoun, who shut down Boston on Thursday in a 1-0 shootout win. Vokoun is the best NHL goalie available in a trade, but with $6 million due him next season, that’s why Martin Biron is still going to be the best value in the netminding market in a couple of months.
Only Islanders extras from last night skated in South Florida this morning.
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From this viewpoint, the story of the day is whether the Islanders scratch Josh Bailey again. I would not think so. I felt yesterday’s decision to hold him out of the lineup was the correct one, and it took guts from Scott Gordon to do it. But if you scratch your prized first round pick from 2008 on back-to-back nights, I don’t know where you go from there.
Especially if the Islanders continue to win, as they should be favored to tonight against the perennial is-the-the-year? Panthers.
After rushing Kyle Turris into the NHL, the Phoenix Coyotes this season decided to re-evaluate his development and their decision-making and sent the skilled center to the AHL. Do I picture the Islanders doing that with Josh? Not any time in the near future, no.
I believe the Islanders wanted to give Rob Schremp more chances to show what he could do in games before making a decision on him. That said, I just can’t see the Islanders scratching Bailey again. Josh may just be 3-2-5 with only 23 shots in 18 games, but the very talented and dedicated young man needs to be playing hockey. At this stage of his career, he should not be going a week between games.
After tonight, the Islanders are in Boston on Monday and then come home for a few days before playing in Minnesota on Friday.
See you tonight for the live chat. Comment Guidelines.
Mikey like Judy.
Great live chat CB…. I missed most of it though..2nite I won’t. I see nothing wrong with sitting a young player every once in a while. It happens in all sports, a day of rest, clear your head, and take a look from another point of view. Watch him to have a big night tonight. Schremp wouldn’t be scratched, I think Sim and give Thompson and nite off and let Tambs play.
The Bailey situation is a troublesome one for me. Seeing as Snow moved down to get him, one would think that they had some plan for him. Obviously the draft is a crap shoot for the most part, but they have dropped the ball on his development and now are searching for answers. He has skills, he has the hockey sense, but it’s up to the Isles to figure out how to get it all to work. While they are not on the verge of ruining the kid, it’s getting closer to them doing just that. I hope I am wrong, that would be a HUGE asset/pick to mess up.
hes a young kid. it doesnt hurt to watch the game from the press box. hes going to be just fine.
i dont think 2 months in the A would hurt him etiher. let him be the #1 center, play 20 minutes a game and be on the #1 pp.
they definitely rushed Bailey. He was a bright spot on a bad season last year and gave us some hope that we had players on the rise. He will be better as it is obvious he has talent. He is young and will have growing pains. I would not sit Thompson, but Shrimp was waivered for a reason. get Tambi in the lineup with Bailey and sit Schremp, and Comeau
Bailey needs to play with talent. If he plays with tambs and hunter that should help him, but leaves jt and mm with park, who should be on the 4th line
There really doesn’t need to be a discussion about bailey. he’s promising and it shows. i dont think anyone expects him to be a point a game player in his second year since he doesn’t play on the first line. he needed a day off and thats what they gave him. don’t look too far into that.
I still feel that Baiey will be a very good player in the NHL. He just needs more time/experience. I think it was good to sit out yesterday to give him a rest/watch the game. I feel in my gut that this kid will be very good eventually. (IMO,he will be Spezza like) We have three core players who if we want to win, will be able to make mistakes so they can learn from them; Okposo, Tavares, Bailey. This team must build around these three. How bright the future is!
Plus - CB starting each away game with a shot of an Ice Girl/Dancer/Whatever.
Plus - look at the bright side, Filatov has been a healthy scratch for a bunch a games too.
I’d be really curious to see Bailey on a line with KO & MM, and JT with Hunts & Tambs. (with a line like that JT can camp out at the net all he wants )
It needs to be said: great pic CB!!
It seems like Bailey is coming a long like Comeau, Tamby, Schremp, et. al. They all have shown flashes of talent. They all have a unique set of skills. They all play a game that would prevent them from being true 3rd or 4th liners. And they are all terribly inconsistent. The jury, of course, is still out on Bailey and there is a tangible drop off from the number one overall pick to number 12, but Bailey has shown at times that he cannot keep up with the game. From time to time he shows his talent and makes a great pass or takes a great shot, but the game doesn’t always seem to come so easily to him. I guess if he manages to develop some consistency by the end of this season we will all get to know whether he’s progressing or if he’s another addition to the Islanders youth scrap heap.
Also, Judy is amazingly attractive, but the Canes’ ice girls are still better. lol.
I’ve said the same about Turris and Phoenix. Heck, it even gives Garth/Gordon a bit of cover being able to point to players with worlds of potential that have been sent back down after being in the NHL. Don’t know if they’ve called him back up since, but Phoenix also sent Boedker down earlier, who was picked in the same draft, one spot earlier than Bailey.
All that said, Bailey has been better in recent games…not particularly good, but definite improvement over the first 10 or whatever games.
At the end of the day, these young players have to want it bad enough. You can see JT and KO have the talent and the all important desire. It’s not right to just blame the orginazations and the player gets a free pass when they do not develop.
I read IPB for the articles - I swear!
I’m torn about the whole Bailey situation … last year I felt he needed another year in Junior … and don’t take back that opinion.
I feel that Bailey is one of those extraordinary players that displays incredible talent … however I feel that his talent needs to be honed … and worked on in an environment where there is time and a talent level for him to build his confidence to use it.
Bails will be a top 6 forward … I’m confident in that … however I’ve seen enough Connollys in the NHL to know that talent doesn’t always translate to results when a player isn’t allowed enough margin to work on those skills in the AHL. I’m not saying Bailey needs a whole season there … he’s one of the Islanders’ top centers … but for the long term benefit of the Isles and Bailey he may need some intense instruction and confidence building ‘A’ time.
Bailey being better the last few games is not good enough, not for someone like JB who is considered part of the future core (jury is out, imo).
It is time to send him to the Bridge for a month or so. Get him 1st line minutes and confidence in his development. If he was defensively strong it would be a different situation, but he is not really helping the Team in any facet of the game right now.
There are players who are playing better than him. At this early point in the season, it should always, always be about who deserves to play and who gives the Team the best chance to win. Tamby, Sim, Thompson, Schremp should all be playing above him (and Comeau).
My lines for tonight:
Moulson-Taveres-Tamby
Bergenheim-Nielsen-Okposo
Sim-Schremp-Hunter
Park-Thompson-Jackman
Streit-Gervais
Witt-Meyer
Sutton-Hillen
Until Weight returns, this is the forward lineup that gives the Isles the best chance to win, imo.
Before everyone goes crazy about Bailey not producing that much yet…Here are a few names that should remind us all that it does take a teenager from juniors a few years to start putting up good numbers…
Todd Bertuzzi : Remember his first few years on the island–NO OFFENSE AT ALL!
Tim Connally : Well him and Bailey are very comparable-Body type & hands & it took timmy a good 4 years before he started putting up good numbers
Olli Jokinen : This guy took 6 years & three organizations before he became a All Star player
Just be patient the kid will be a 60-70 points a year guy in 3 years..just let him grow & stop being impatient with a kid that should actually be in his last year of Juniors
Bailey is still just a kid in a mens league. At only 20 yrs. old he still needs all the encouragement and reassurance he can get. All that skill that was seen in him at the ages of 17 and 18 is still there, it just has to nurtured properly. How many times have we seen a prospect with an undo amount of pressure crumble, and then when patience runs out see that player traded and explode into a complete player when the pressure is off? Too many times. Burtuzzi, Connelly, JP Dumont, I could go on and on and on…..
Sit him until we lose. If he’s too delicate to take sitting out 2 games in a row, he’s not an NHL’er.
CB … I think even with the soft goals given up by Biron and Rollie now and again we are seeing what good goaltending can do for the Isles. If you told me the Isles would be above .500 by the middle of November I’d say you were nuts. That being said either one of those 6 “loser” points the Isles acquired could go either way … especially if they learned to hold a lead.
As thin as the Bridgeport talent level may be at this time … I think it’s promising that a lot of the Isles’ success has been due to the young talent on the team.
I think players like JT, KO, JB, JH and SB will only improve during the season. Health will be the biggest factor in progress this season. DP is going to be a huge variable.
sorry for the second post, and it’s a bit off topic, but, the pic had me wondering…which nhl teams DO NOT have ice girls?
And, I’m not sure here but, wasn’t that a Wang/Isles idea?
Folks, I have a 17 yr old son who plays hockey. He’s pretty good but boy does he make a lot inexperience “teenage” mistakes. JT & Bailey are only 19 & 20 yrs old, but playing in the NHL! They obviously have talent and hear both work extremely hard. We need to cut them some slack and give them time to mature and grow. I have no worries about either of them developing into very good hockey players.
I would rather watch Bailey go through his growing pains. Schremp was terrible last night.
Juuuuuu-dy, Juuuuuuu-dy!
CB that picture of Judy makes me miss summer already!! I do think the best players who are performing should play. If Bailey is not performing, he sits or goes to the AHL, It is that simple!!
i think strength is still josh’s biggest obstacle to being regular contributor-considering the fact he’s only 20, that will take care of itself in time
from whats posted, some people want JB to either play on a line with one of our top shelf wingers, or go down to the AHL. on the second choice. who is he going to play with at the AHL level that will make him a better player? he gets minutes up here, the same as down there. as CB posted, Bport is rather thin in terms of scoring. So, sending him to Bport to play with lesser players, against lesser talent is going to what? hes not scoring, agreed. but hes not a liability defensively, and hes gotten physically stronger and better at faceoffs at the NHL level.
you dont improve playing with, and against lesser talent. you get better playing with/against superior talent. hes not lost, and a break isn’t a bad thing. it did wonders for two guys with more time as pro’s, tamby and comeau. PATIENCE.
we are 7-6-6. who expected more at this point?
I can’t wait until we play the Dallas Stars.
I agree we should be patient with Bailey. I expect him to get better, especially as he physically matures.
Which is why he should be in Bridgeport. Maturing and developing with confidence.
In the live chat last night, CB was emphatic that Bailey would not be heading to Bridgeport. I’m curious whether that strength of conviction came from sources in the organization, his analysis that it would be the wrong move for the team and the player, or a conviction that Snow and Gordon will not retreat from their position that the young man is an NHL player right now.
Hey Chris,
Long time reader of the blog, just wanted to say Thanks for your hard work and keeping this blog alive. Got to say I love the move to take Bailey out for a game so he can get a high view of the ice and change his perception of what’s going on. He needs to step up, crash the net hard, and get more shots off to at least create some rebounds. Sitting him for more than one game though? Unnecessary. Not to mention to have Schremp over Bailey out there is ridiculous.
Would you be able to shed some light on the current dynamic of the locker room without Dougie? Is anyone stepping up personality-wise? I think these next 4 weeks would be incredibly important for the future of the C on the island. From a armchair coach position it looks like Kyle will be our man.
Baily is in the NHL due to his 1st round status. Not performance in NHL games. His NHL numbers are equivilant to a MLB player hitting 220 with no power at all and avg defense. Pure garbage numbers.
I disagree with his potential. Last year with tons of ice team he was lucky to get 1 shot on net a game. Better NHL players get 3to 4 shots per game. Baily simply won’t produce much at the NHL. He needs yo be in ahl for years not a year. If he learns how to get some shots on net he may become a adequate NHL foward. Unlikely IMO though.
CB Im loving these Ice girls. I had a buddy over for a few brews last night while watching the game (he is not a hockey fan but he shares my hatred of all Sabres fans and their dismal knowledge of the sport), Im slowly converting him into an Isles fan. All he could do was stare at the unfortunately fully clothed Ice girls That Raleigh had to offer lol
Bailey and Tambellini IN.
Comeau and Sim OUT.
I honestly think Schremp has been ok in the last couple games.
He shows flashes of why he was a first rounder. You can def. see he’s got some good hands and he can skate. I like the way he is able to bring the puck into the offensive zone.
See that is why I live in Florida.
I’m not at all worried about Bailey. He played very well in preseaon had a rough start to the season but has since started playing really well. I think he got sat because Snow is attempting to give some sort of value to Schremp and Sim so someone will give up a pick or claim them off waivers.
One concern is the physical department, Isles have been getting lucky. The fact no one took care of that idiot Gleason last night after he tried to fight Tavares is weak.
In 2014, Josh Bailey will be the same age Frans Nielsen is now, and Frans is considered one of the core young players. Just trying to put things in perspective, not saying Bailey shouldn’t be better than Nielsen at 25 (based on his draft position). Patience!
I wish we had ice girls like that. DAAAAAAAAAMN!
I’ve been watching NHL hockey for a long time. I’m not concerned about Bailey as a player. I just hope that he is taken care of properly by the organization.
He’s not as fast as Mike Modano, but I do remember watching a 20 year old Modano play for the Minnesota North Stars. His big instruction from management… SHOOT MORE! It’s more than just that instruction that reminds me of Modano in regards to Bailey, but Bailey is a good skater (not as good as Modano), and he also has very good vision and very smooth hands. I was disappointed that he was out of the line up last night, and I hope he’s in tonight.
Conversely, Rob Schremp has never shown me anything. Not with the Oilers, not with the Islanders, and not with the World Junior teams. He reminds me of another Upstate New York, Edmonton Oiler #1 draft pick, Jason Bonsignore.
We have a 1/3 of our point total from last year in less than 1/4 of the season. Right now we are on pace for 82+ points this year. I don’t think that 20 pts thus far is inflated as there are very few games that the Isles were completely outplayed. Fact is if they didnt blow all those leads we would be one of the top teams, if not thee top team in our division.
A 20 point improvement from last year is nothing to sneeze at. Forget Talyor Hall and the next draft, i dont want to hear any talk about that stuff till this year is over. Lets see about getting a quality winger and Dman and see what we can do!
Lets go Isles!!!
So far Schremp has shown me nothing. He is small and can’t score. He doesn’t shoot the puck like Tamby can and he doesn’t kill penalties. Until Weight comes back my lines would be:
Moulson-JT-KO
Tamby-Nielsen-Hunter
Bergy-JB-Sim/Comeau
Jackman-Thompson-Park
Jack Hillen is a +7! wow
#32, yep, we should have drafted Filatov…and his 2 goals in 13 games. Other than the top 2 3 guys all first round picks from that year are going through growing pains. So what? I am not sure what anyone expected…look at Savard, Thornton, and a long line of others.
Jon Sim wasn’t productive AT ALL last night, he didn’t take the body well, and he was getting creamed the entire game. I don’t understand why everyone is bashing Comeau, at least brings some size with his game, and there is NO WAY that Sim is better than him. Schremp just needs some time on an ACTUAL scoring line (same goes for Tamby). Bailey is in an unfortunate situation with our excess of centers maybe we should consider trading him, I mean Frans Nielsen has already shown that he can be a legitimate second line center so unless Bailey is comfortable with the third line I don’t see a way for this to work out. P.S. That’s ALOT of skin Hot D@MN lol.
I agree #39, the 2010 draft should not be part of any discussion or the thought process. It is more important to develop a winning culture than it is to get another top 5 pick. There are blue chip players in every draft (except 1996… well, there was Daniel Briere, but other than that…).
This team is young, the coach and GM are new. A losing culture would be devestating long term. This team can get along without Taylor Hall or Cam Fowler, but it can not get along with continuous year after year losing. I like the way they’re playing right now, they are in virtually every game. If the Islander come close to the playoffs, there will be a good player available mid-round, if anyone wants to talk about the draft.
Well said Jason, we were all wanting this team to play hard and be better this season; well so far they are doing just that. Now we as fans need to follow through and show this team support and cut down on the negativity.
Yes they still need to work on how to hold leads and how to not allow teams to cycle at will, but that will come with experience. This is a team of young forwards that were just kind of thrown together for this season and they are showing they belong. Last year we were by far the worst team in the NHL; this season the improvement is very much evident and as of now we are in the middle of the pack. Pretty good improvement to start a season I would say, they have to just keep it going. The key will be this road trip, while there are a lot of road games coming up; they aren’t overwhelming opponents.
Why don’t any of the Islander Ice Girls look this this…..We should start taking more road trips…
She’s hot!!!!!!!!!!
Vinnie thinks so too.
Hey CB - I love your blog and think you do a great job with it… but just wanted to give you a small reminder that some of us out here ARE women. While I detest the idea of “Ice Girls” or “cheerleaders” or “dancers” or whatever at hockey games, I understand that the majority of fans are men, and men like boobs. Just wanted to suggest that you throw a few shirtless shots of the more attractive players up there once in while, for us ladies. (Jack Hillen would be a fine start… just fine…)
Next home game have a picture with sim with no shirt on to make #48 happy
CB-ANY CHANCE WE CAN GET JUDY FOR BIRON?
CB, I agree with post #49, while Judy is quite fetching, how about some “beefcake” for us ladies. I know the Caps do something like that for the female fans. . . heck they don’t even have to be shirtless, just a wearing a nice soulful smile.
Silli-lover: I’m with you girlfriend… Hillen would be ok, but I like the art on Witt… or since Isles are playing the Panthers, even McCabe would be ok…
Um, you guys know how other current stars fared in the NHL as 18 and 19 year old kids, right? For every Crosby, and Tavares is a Thornton, and Lecavalier. Some players take years to adjust.
Agreed, CB! The only way we will ever know if Bailey is NHL caliber is if he plays in the NHL. If he improves each year and grows, then good. If not, then he will be an AHL all-star or a European league player.
The problem with Bailey is his size and maturity. He isn’t filled out as an adult male yet and gets pushed around by much bigger and stronger players. Since he does not have great natural speed or scoring ability he must work hard to make himself a great player. Sort of like a Ray Whitney, Cory Stillman, or Craig Conroy type.
Honestly, I think we made a mistake by passing on Schenn but the draft is crapshot. Maybe he can make transition into a better player like Okposo did and Tavares is currently doing.
We all have to be happy with play of the team. If Snow can snag the right top 6 fwd for Biron, we should be in good shape.
holy cow… can we trade tavares for that ice dancer judy?!?