Well, the injury bug has bitten our team again, it seems a given virtually every year.
The count is up to five players with the injuries no doubt lingering when the players return. Hopefully they escape Bridgeport healthy.
#ISLES TRANSACTIONS: Sebastian Collberg and Brett Gallant have been recalled from @TheSoundTigers
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) October 3, 2014
Boston has another game on Saturday.A sold out Webster Bank Arena filled with Bruins fans should produce a Nassau Coliseum effort where the team comes out energized from opposing fan support in their own affiliate as opposed to empty seats in Uniondale taking energy from the team.
Anyone expecting Calvin deHaan to step in off his latest injury and immediately be a top defender, or Visnovsky at this point in their careers? Really?
Go look at the October schedule, this defense has to be at it's absolute best, and so does the offense/special teams. It's not even close.
The NYI have had a few nice surprises surface on defense, some who were helping the team win with all the injuries at the end of 2013-14 in Scott Mayfield.
Matt Donovan despite getting picked in Boston, or having one bounce in off of him had some great shots at the net in the third period, but his mistakes are very noticeable.
Reinhart had his best game against Devils, but has struggled with a big step up as he should.
Is this really enough to become a playoff team now? No, and again not with this October/November schedule.
Healthy or not the same goes for Ryan Pulock.
Scott Mayfield looks like he did last season at the end, he does not get beaten and is cool under pressure. Same for Kevin Czuczman. Has Ness really hurt himself in these games?
Either Snow trades for a replacement defender at a high cost who's struggling elsewhere or he gives one or two of these kids a chance. Do I think it's enough? No, they have no scoring on the back end right now even if the defense holds.
Anyone's who has watched/listened to preseason sees the Islanders also need a good part of a game to start skating, once they do they gain some confidence or score a goal they look fine.
I'm not sure what's going to happen next Tuesday.
Frankly Strome has not done enough at five on five, neither has Lee.
Are they more talented than the players brought in? Absolutely. But do you want them playing on lower lines? Absolutely not.
Final preseason game and Brock Nelson seemingly get's the final cameo with Tavares/Okposo.
Any real answer emerge from that question? Not close.
Was there some reason Dal Colle/Ho-Sang could not play another preseason game before departing and a real look here on the top two lines?
Note-Both will play in Bridgeport against Bruins.
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Barroway withdraw his lawsuit vs Charles Wang on Friday.
#ISLES Notice of discontinuance Barroway drops lawsuit against Wang now needs his vote to become an NHL owner.
— NYI Fan Central (@nyifancentral) October 3, 2014
I guess Gary Bettman/BOG had their plan all set which was why we saw an Islander ownership vote for a sale not finalized. Now we know why Mr Barroway did not sue the NHL with Wang.
He wants a team.
Funny but now Andrew Barroway needs Charles Wang's vote to approve him if he closes a sale, and you don't sue an organization you want to join.
Wang-Barroway in court was pushed back to 12/16/14 this week, that's now gone for good.
Next week we may see some feel good press conferences from potential new owners/while some very unhappy players depart, and their agents speak for them.
Hopefully it will not be scripted. Speak you're mind for better or worse.
It's going to be incredibly busy.
After that some hockey games, most against the top teams in this league, the kind of stretch that will get a coach/gm fired under new ownership to send a perception change message that will likely happen unless this team makes a serious run at a Stanley Cup this year.
It could happen regardless.
I do not see Garth Snow here when this team opens at Barclay's win or lose.
Despite great negotiations, identifying talents like Streit, Molson, Grabner, Parenteau, earning respect among players/agents and the ridiculous amount of injuries he's paid to win and overcome the Nassau County revenue steams that gave him fewer spending options.
It that fair? Not at all, but fair or not he's had eight years and has not won.
No, Clutterbuck for Niederreiter will never be a good trade.
No, Moulson/Vanek/1st round pick for Collberg will never be a good trade.
And it is about name recognition/perception.
Half the team President's are no more qualified than Snow was in 2006, but they were top players which brings them media bias/support/respect Snow will never have for a team with the worst media anywhere.
That's why Brett Hull can become a half gm in Dallas, and fail with no big attention. Its why John Davidson can be a team president, the media having his back because he was a color commentator.
By that logic Jiggs McDonald can be a great team president/general manager, and maybe he could have.
Ok, once the song and dances end with incoming owners, and they say the right things, we see who's checks clear, who grows tired of losing money or changes their mind in the next two years? Is Wang prepared to throw Snow out the door for a perception change win or lose as he becomes a minority owner?
He's going to have no choice or lose his new partners/and their resources.
Playoffs or not Wang hurt himself keeping Milbury. Don't count on that kind of loyalty again.
On top of that there is the Nets growing ownership circus which effects the Coliseum plans with Ratner, who's well behind on his promises made a year ago, plus he's selling his stake in the Nets.
Anyone want to guess where all this leaves that iron-clad lease?
Funny but for me if the Bruins, Sabres, Wings many past teams can play in smaller rinks why can't the NYI make the rink 191 x 83 like Boston Garden and make all those obstructed view seats unobstructed at Barclay's?
Our team had to play in those buildings 25 plus years against those dimensions at a disadvantage to win Stanley Cups.
Plus Wang no longer owns the Marriott and not one major paper reported on it.
And Dolan's media people are chirping about buying the Devils former home and moving in the Wolfpack, finally something not our problem. Pass the popcorn.
Like I wrote, cannot recall a busier time.