Slow and Unsteady Loses the Race

New York Islander Fan Central | 10/25/2023 02:38:00 PM |
What we see is what we are getting. Lambert's too slow comment is resonating from training camp scrimmage. This team is as rested as can be, they got their fluke deflection from Cizikas and a total no-show by Arizona. On top of that ping pong Pageau, can't score, is slow/soft like Palmieri/4th line (Clutterbuck is healthy/noticable) but top star players pick them apart. Worse then that my fear about Barzal and the many out of position forwards who don't backcheck has happened. Barzal is a career center, so is Horvat/Nelson. Barzal is not a winger, and can't even play the left side because Lee can't skate with slow Pageau who has stone hands so ping poing for 5 million and three 5/5 goals last season is getting beat all over the ice.
Palmieri at his best will get his goal, and do things to give up two or more, he was -3 vs Colorado. They have Wahlstrom sitting & moving Holmstrom from wing to wing. Pelech, Pulock are getting beat with slow backchecking forwards, and we know Dobson-Aho will make mistakes, especially with Aho on his off D.
Sorkin gave them a chance against Colorado with some sensational saves, he had them in overtime vs Devils before Pageau/Palmieri were out against Jack Hughes, and last night was a 4-4 game in the third so they are competing despite shots against. Still the skill teams will continue coming at them and many of these aging forwards will not be getting faster to keep up, and the schedule has been as kind as possible, which will be changing.
I have been writing the same things since 2019-20, the mistakes Lamoriello are going to stay, and now they have seven years of Engvall, two of Fasching, and other teams can back them, and Nelson will go cold, and their powerplay struggles have now extended to their penalty killing.
Long story short, they need a trade, they don't need awful Parise who got a ton of fluke goals at 39, they need to find spots for Durandeau, Maggio, Dufour, and they needed a RD, and they don't have the cap room. Other teams are not stupid, they would not take Pageau/Palmieri/4th line for free.