But in the big picture, it's one game in a historically bad season that saw record shots against & a team that from game one could not play defense with some very good players, who got great goaltending from Halak or we are talking about a team at the bottom of the league standings.
Pulock's becoming a very good player, they have something very special in Barzal, Lee. Hopefully experienced coaching can help the rest of a very good core of players.
Short version, they need management changes this summer, either Scott Malkin/Jon Ledecky do that or what's left of this fan base will tune them out entirely.
They also made their commitment to Tavares, and to go be Dolan's tenant in an arena that cannot make money for this team in a suburb, who's so-called LI base has no interest in attending 41 games at the prices required for the kind of revenue to survive no matter how many games they win.
I have been tough on Ledecky/Malkin, maybe they simply said put it in the middle after a year of Dolan & his media in their ears screaming be the only team to go play in a suburb, despite the better success at Barclay's in the stands than most Nassau seasons since 1989 until they made themselves a lame duck franchise in NYC which drove a base undefeated in Dec at home from even attempting to get behind the team.
Dolan's media got behind one thing, selling an Islanders arena that Dolan will run & operate, but will never be the New York Islanders arena, just the one Dolan lost to Ratner in 2013.
It's as big a lie as his media playing that old Long Island card to drive them out of NYC where the majority of the fans are today.
But even at 31st in attendance this season is superior to many Nassau seasons, we don't know anything about the 2/21 latest lease opt out, only that Nassau waived penalty/AHL clauses & Cuomo owes Barclay's 6-10 million to renovate for the NHL.
Does not mean it happens.
As for Tavares..................
He's been all over the map, even being quoted as saying he could resign before the season ends without playoffs. He's struggled, despite his numbers, and not a franchise player who dominates games like his counterparts.
For me, it depends on the money. My instincts also say he's not worth more than 8 million tops, and the walk away factor is the same with Okposo, Nielsen, Moulson, we have seen his best, he's had talented players around him this season.
I'll be happy either way with what's decided, but for many fans, this again would be another final straw.
Ok, we play out the remaining games, see what happens.
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When the team struggles I put more energy into the historical site here, which I think all visitors will absolutely love given this season, it's a forever work in progress.