My Plan? Bailey to Nielsen's Spot At Center

New York Islander Fan Central | 11/08/2010 04:08:00 PM |


Garth Snow traded down twice to draft a center who had 96 points with Windsor in Josh Bailey, it's time he play his natural position of center full time regardless of who has to be moved to make that happen.

Frans Nielsen is better suited to the fourth line role because he cannot score at even strength. Rob Schremp had two even strength goals last season, but fifteen points at even strength. The tradeoff from defense is huge between Schremp vs Nielsen and a risk.

No law Konopka cannot play a fourth line wing with Nielsen centering and Weight on right side.

It's also time Blake Comeau go to left wing (as he was Saturday) and stay there for the rest of the season regardless.

Moulson-Tavares-Grabner
Comeau-Bailey-Parenteau
Martin-Schremp-Hunter
Konopka-Nielsen-Weight

Is the right side weak offensively at even strength? Absolutely without Okposo and with Hunter stuck on zero goals, along with Parenteau with a zero at even strength.

Putting Michael Grabner on top line makes that painfully clear also.

They need someone who can produce at even strength on right wing and down the middle.

Will Scott Gordon make these kinds of changes? I doubt it. Weight has been in on four even strength goals, and is only a -1 playing his natural position of center, from last year he had no interest in Schremp on the club as anything but a center.

Absolutely Nielsen is due at even strength and can keep a game close, but he is also not Michael Peca or showing any kind of signs he can produce as a top nine forward this year. If your fourth/third lines are not scoring plus top lines are not producing at five on five what can be done?

On defense they are stuck with the six they have at this time unless a call goes to Bridgeport.

In net Dwayne Roloson let up a goal he cannot allow against Ottawa, Rick DiPietro allowed a soft goal in Philadelphia, he had two turnovers vs Carolina (one stick/one glove) that led to both goals against.

Beyond that the goaltending has not been the problem, but at this point you play the goalie who gives you the best chance at winning, for now that is Roloson but not by the statistical discussion some will make.

Of course if DiPietro does start and win you have to play him.

The losing streak does not bother me (see Toronto) as much as what appears a weakness in the scoring that does not seem correctable so far either with the players here or how they have been used.

Updated:
NHL.com: Brian Compton reports on Monday's practice and believe it or not put together Bailey as a center on a line with Comeau and Parenteau.



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