New York 2014-15 Season Continues/Trends/Media Coverage

New York Islander Fan Central | 12/31/2014 07:52:00 AM |
It's only thirty-odd games.

Not a lot to add from the last entry, the trend for the moment is losing three goal leads after basically outworking their competition for large parts of the game with low shots against which is very important.

We will see new/different trends soon. 

Bottom line is always the same-do not lose games in regulation.

It's going to take north of 95 points to qualify. My guess to finish 8th requires 97 points. 100 points for third seed in division, 105-110 for 1st place.

Halak, Johnson and Poulin all lost three goal leads.

Halak has to stop Ovechkin's soft unscreened knuckball from long distance a lot more than Poulin had a chance on deHaan getting beat on a nice give and go by the Sabres, who's record since Nov 15th has been excellent.

No such thing as an easy game in this league, any team that does not work hard does not win.

The schedule is terrible and only getting worse. Other teams do have it much easier, sometimes you catch Calgary (list team) on a losing streak, sometimes you catch a team playing well.

Given how the Caps have been playing to out-shoot them/outplay them is very impressive on the surface, anyone following had to know the Caps get one goal they would be making a very hard charge.

Do not ask me how the Pens bring in failed or average players from other organization, or a new head coach and continue to win at this level consistently with Blake Comeau, and other serious injuries despite Crosby being out for a while.

I do feel Pittsburgh is built only for regular season success, but over 82 games it works very well. 

The Islanders penalty kill for the moment has been much better. Despite Boychuk's excuse-me shot the power-play has been terrible. The Caps defenders were not even forced to skate in overtime or worn down by the Islanders who were completely stagnant, and this was after the shorthanded goal against Buffalo.

Anders Lee is a very good NHL player right now. 

Tavares seems to be regaining his extra step for the first time all season, with no true first line left wing he has to be able to create some space for himself.

For the moment this organization is as close to healthy as it ever will be.

That will not last long even if it forces Boulton or Strait to waivers who will go unclaimed.

Ask me where Matt Carkner fits here if he's cleared? No idea. What I do know is Donovan, Reinhart, and Pulock's agents will be screaming for roster spots and playing time next season while Boychuk will likely test UFA.

Hickey, Leddy, will want big money. If #55 is interested at all he will want huge money, and there will be a big market for Visnovsky if he's healthy.

Kevin Czuczman did not pick the New York Islanders over sixteen teams to stay in Bridgeport.

There is no top six player available in Bridgeport at this time. I would have swapped out Boulton for Heatley but the league gm's agreed with Garth Snow.

McDonald, Conacher are not the answer.

Ok. More games, more new trends, always a mixed bag. 
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Only thing new I can write about the teams local professional media in newspapers (the worst of any franchise in North American sports and only getting worse) in print is this season so far has proven it never had a thing to do with winning or success or fan support.

The New York Islanders are not popular and do not deserve coverage? Funny, but they trend on goggle news and twitter a lot when they play.

No canned food drive for the cash strapped martyrs at the NY Post who cannot afford a daily writer and use AP for home games, it never had a thing to do with standings or any teams payroll, just ask the Devils after the 2012 finals along with the pay-walled NY Times.

Does Brett Cyrgalis have a vindictive streak? I believe so as it seems he's auditioning for Larry Brooks job sooner than later. Of course it's hard to take seriously a person who cannot even get the teams record correct in the newspaper.

Steven Lorenzo, the latest part-timer at Daily News at least can show a little enthusiasm when he's not at Greenberg covering Ranger practice between his mistakes in print.

On those days Arthur Staple decides to work, he is badly outworked by Steve Zipay, and most articles have a negative undercurrent to them despite being at the top of the NHL in wins.

Having Jim Baumbach, Anthony Rieber or a fitness trainer from Washington covering our games is the media equivalent of finally seeing Bart Crashley highlights with the Islanders. 

No, I do not want our writers to be cheerleaders (Knicks have that beat-writer at Newsday+2), but there are some positives that deserve space in print for these teams.

I'm tired of my team being under-rated nationally only because of poor local media coverage, season ticket holders and new fans do not come from a team not getting blanket coverage. 

I'm sorry if Mr Staple is offended by my writing often on twitter why Mr Zipay does a far better job with more depth and positive daily coverage for his team (and the Knicks beat-writer despite the standings), instead of being so sensitive he should look it the mirror and work as hard as Mr Zipay does with the same positive enthusiasm Mr Zipay has for his job or ask editor sports Hank Winnicki for a new assignment.

Our beatwriter from 2000 (John Valenti) did the weather report last 12/31 for Newsday+2.

Our fans deserve better,  and Mr Staple should want to provide that for them. I'm not here asking for charity and Newsday+2 should want to provide that to our fans/and it's customers unless they have other business motives.

No, the other bloggers need followers, business, page-views and networking with other bloggers to link to because many think they are now professional media and selling themselves is their top priority. Mr Staple does his best work there and those folks are very happy to have him because it helps them market themselves, pod-casts. 

Ok, you know the rest, has been written here forever. Only if enough fans got involved (too bad all we had were no chants in August 2011) and stopped worrying about marketing themselves our team and it's fans would be much better served.

That is supposed to be the idea, right? 

What's Next For New York? More Games

New York Islander Fan Central | 12/18/2014 02:21:00 PM |
Not a great deal new to be written here.

The work is just getting started for our 12-10 (without overtime/shootouts) New York Islanders.

There will be more wins, losses, and of course injuries as players come/go off IR.

Key is stay away from regulation losses. 

Donovan/Reinhart in his call-up sent a good message moving forward as future replacements for Boychuk and Visnovsky if they cannot be resigned. 

Nothing resembling a top six in Bridgeport at forward available.

The 30th ranked pk is going to have to be fixed with the backup goaltender issue. Halak's been excellent and that will have to continue.

Capuano will keep trying to find someone who clicks on the top line, everyone has gotten a chance but there is no true fit currently in organization.

For this team to continue to progress it's top players have to carry them because it's going to take a lot more than Clutterbuck, Martin goals long-term which is the only reason this team is not working on a five game losing streak, who were outworked by the exhausted Devils.

It's going to take fifteen games over five hundred to qualify or at least 95 points. This is like the west now but with sixteen teams so even more competition.

Columbus, Florida, Buffalo are making their charge, Philadelphia will not go away quietly. Washington is getting their points, the Wings are a very good team, Toronto is red-hot. The Pens keep finding ways to win, the Rangers have a very friendly schedule filled with long breaks and tired teams coming to play them at home.

Simply put this team must continue winning and make a run at twenty games over five hundred. Any fallback and they will become a bubble playoff team. 

Old Dangerous Habits For New York Resurface

New York Islander Fan Central | 12/10/2014 08:07:00 AM |
As I wrote recently over a full NHL season there are 20+ games a team is not going to skate well or be in any position to win. The games against the Blues or Wild were not two of those games.

You have to bank points with a three goal lead. Those were games with points on the table.

That's what playoff teams do. 

What's coming up are games you are not supposed to win.

For years I have written about injuries here, it's the one constant in this organization virtually every single season.

Boychuk, Hamonic, Halak, Cizikas, Visnovsky, Bailey. It cannot be an excuse with the depth here any more.

This team wins against Minnesota in April 2014 with an AHL defense. The Wild came out and were mailing in two points to the New York Islanders.

Chad Johnson was signed for two years to give his team a chance, he's failed badly to date in his role, even if only one goal was on him against Minnesota (4-2) goal.

We all know about the 1st line issues, they have been written about since the summer. There is nothing that can be done to change this without a significant trade that surrenders a lot. Tavares/Okposo will get their points, but there is no one on that left side who can produce.

I do not want to hear about blaming one player from fans, this is about the team. If a player is struggling it's on management to find or callup a replacement.

The rest is just quoted words from players. 

New York Plays Championship Level Hockey, Halak Sets Modern Era Win Record

New York Islander Fan Central | 12/05/2014 06:53:00 AM |
Thrilled for the franchise & congratulations to Jarolsav Halak.

Such a different era/league from when Smitty set the record without overtime & shootouts, but great to see.

As for the rest, at some point they have to find something to get the top players carrying their share of games, but what I watched in Ottawa was perfect & how you win championships as a team. 

Beyond that the last entry still applies, keep learning to win regardless who dresses.

Injuries are a fact of life in this league and especially with this franchise, which has been more the rule than the exception.

It feels like how they won a lot of games down the stretch last season despite all the injuries regardless who dressed. Sure they have had some puck-luck including the cross-bar at the end of the game, last season all of it went against them with leads late, and it decided the season.

St Louis, Minnesota, Chicago, it's only going to get tougher schedule-wise.
Keep banking points, avoid regulation losses.

This season's just getting started. My guess is it takes 15-17 over five hundred just for the eighth seed like many years in the western conference, sixteen teams, eight spots.