Status quo barring Lamoriello finding a forward he can trade for to replace a lot of baggage on his top four lines. What you see is what we got at the trade deadline last March among the forwards when Parise/Clutterbuck were re-signed. Bellows/Johnston sit on sidelines.
Wotherspoon remains unsigned as a RFA, and apparently it's Skarek/Appleby for third goalie spot here.
No PTO's/everyone expected to be healthy entering camp including Clutterbuck/Mayfield, so it's one job opening on defense between Aho, Hutton (both need waivers) to go down with 2/3 year contracts, and Robin Salo at 24.
Only drama is will Bode Wilde be allowed in, and if not does he have a right to file a grievance. The place the NYI will again play home games policy requires vaccination to work there. Only the NHL/NHLPA know what they will change or not change.
Don't see a playoff team unless Sorokin is NHL MVP, this forward group will have more rest between games, it's defense I think is very good and much improved/mobile without Chara/Greene, but star players on other teams who can fly are going to dominate Palmieri, Pageau, Bailey, and the aging 4th line. I'm not expecting another high shooting percentage year from Nelson, who was injured a lot, and if it's Parise at his age sitting for Bellows, this is how other teams tilt the ice, and take over the game. Other teams know it, and despite nice words for Lane Lambert, he's been dealt a bad hand, and the best coach in the NHL is gone with some of his staff. We did not seem to get a real reason why Brian Wiseman was un-hired. For this forward group to have a chance a prospect or three have to push some vets out of this organization.
The Failed Experiment at Belmont will announce crowds much higher then real attendance. Malkin Value Retail which should be under construction for 200 million is completely hidden (Newsday does not write about disputes/bad news for buildings they have stake in) so we can see NYRA dig a pedestrian tunnel for 500 people who go to a racetrack that's not necessary. NYAP took green zone promised to neighborhood at the west end of the Emrald city parking lot, and basically do what they do best---whatever they want without any explanation or pushback because it's run/booked by Dolan's people. NYI are just a disposable tenant (who can leave now for only 86.25 million) & need to be back in NYC at Barclay's or a third arena constructed in NYC as Leiweke is doing in Vegas right now next to Golden Knights arena, and Dolan's Msg-Chase Globe which opens next year. Vegas has a lower population base then Nassau-Suffolk and obviously NYC so why not a third new arena here? Belmont was entirely for Dolan to kill the Coliseum he lost despite it's massive renovation. Dolan-owned Newsday has started it's demolish the Coliseum campaign, as they did the vote no $58 campaign in 2011, and were furious Dolan lost the Msg AHL Rangers Coliseum to Ratner, and found plenty of LI bloggers/Newsday staff to hate on Barclays which outdrew Nassau, and got them off the cap floor as we finally saw a playoff series win in a building louder then Nassau. No, I'm not writing Barclay's is perfect but in the right location for this team to survive. The Boston Bruins did at Boston Garden for 60 years with an off-center scoreboard and rink dimensions that would solve most of Barclay's siteline issues immediately.
At least at Barclay's the locker room/team facilites were seen by the public, a year later everything at Belmont is hidden, after the tons of positive propaganda Dolan's media posted for a builing that took preseason game money last year (never played) for a building that opened late, and it's state of the art Covid system gave NYI two Covid outbreaks (which had one Covid case in 13 straight road games Bailey) while many teams picked up easy wins, and Dolan's team got two easy wins and event revenue in two games there which should have been cancelled.
Meanwhile wait until the complaning when the line to that parking garage is enormous coming off one exit ramp. The South lot they love is gone for good.
2.6 million in Nassau-Suffolk and the usual 2-5,000 will purchase season tickets, while UBS correctly advertises the arena as downtown Manhattan, and it's too far for the team to even practice there, and nothing is going to be built at that location because area is not built for an arena.
I will do a post with all the complaints about the failed Belmont experiment but I'm sure many have seen it daily on twitter, as I have been very tough on my readers but honest.
Given we have a header for the historical site with all the legendary players I may take that off this page, along with the current roster, and just keep what's been there for the summer. Many have notice my NYC Islanders logo, that will not be placed at the top of this page, even if it speaks to the changes necessary because a mistake since 1972 (map) needs an update and name does not need to change but word New York should be on bottom.
