NHL.com: Reasons for optimism, questions facing Islanders

[The Underboss]

https://www.nhl.com/news/new-york-islanders-reasons-questions-30-in-30/c-281360358

The New York Islanders are coming off their second straight season of at least 100 points and last season won a series in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in 23 years.

But they will have a different look when they open training camp next month. Left wing Andrew Ladd, a two-time Stanley Cup champion, signed a seven-year contract July 1 and is expected to skate on the top line with captain John Tavares.

Click to read more...

 

[CREW99AW]

A bit rah rah:. I don't agree that the offense is stronger then last season's.

I will agree that Strome is the wildcard and Boychuk needs a bounce back season,
It is too bad players with NTC have to be protected in the expansion draft because looking at age/play/salary.......Boychuk is the top 5 blueliner that I would prefer to see unprotected.

 

[A Pointed Stick]

Big picture says the team did not take any steps up. Instead all the eggs are in the basket of a young guy turning a corner, whether it is one of the struggling sophomores, or Barzal, or a real wild card in JHS or MDC stepping up. That said I do expect more player movement before the season starts so we shall see.

 

[rikker]

two straight seasons of 100 points, when half the team is under 25. not too shabby.

having Halak and Greiss is the best tandem that we have had in a while. i hope we keep them for this year, at least. best depth that we've had in many a year. more experienced. more grit in the top 6, more speed and skill in the bottom 6.

we gained as much as we lost, point wise, and are more experienced, and cheaper. no quantum leaps, but a slight step in the right direction, IMO.

signing a guy like Hudler, or adding at the deadline, would put us close to contender status.

 

[BarBeauWahlDobLok]

A bit rah rah:. I don't agree that the offense is stronger then last season's.

I will agree that Strome is the wildcard and Boychuk needs a bounce back season,
It is too bad players with NTC have to be protected in the expansion draft because looking at age/play/salary.......Boychuk is the top 5 blueliner that I would prefer to see unprotected.

Written by Brian Compton, who is a fan, so it can't be taken seriously. Six years ago, Brian Compton said, "Don't give up on Josh Bailey," the guy has rose colored glasses.

However, Ladd is better than Okposo. Matt Martin will be a loss, but will Chimera's speed do more for the team than Martin's hitting? I honestly don't know. Neilsen will leave a considerable hole, unless Strome or Nelson decide to be full time hockey players.

 

[WangMustGo]

Written by Brian Compton, who is a fan, so it can't be taken seriously. Six years ago, Brian Compton said, "Don't give up on Josh Bailey," the guy has rose colored glasses.

However, Ladd is better than Okposo. Matt Martin will be a loss, but will Chimera's speed do more for the team than Martin's hitting? I honestly don't know. Neilsen will leave a considerable hole, unless Strome or Nelson decide to be full time hockey players.

I wasn't an Okposo fan, but he is better than Ladd and I would rather have Okposo for 7 years than Ladd for 7 years. Nielsen is a huge hole that won't be replaced easily. Snow needed to Keep Nielsen in the worst way, really disappointed we lost him. We needed to add to the core, not reconfigure and make it weaker.

 

[LeapOnOver]

I wasn't an Okposo fan, but he is better than Ladd and I would rather have Okposo for 7 years than Ladd for 7 years. Nielsen is a huge hole that won't be replaced easily. Snow needed to Keep Nielsen in the worst way, really disappointed we lost him. We needed to add to the core, not reconfigure and make it weaker.

I agree. So tired of this talk about Ladd being better than Okposo. Okposo might be like Ladd when he's his age, but right now he absolutely has the edge being younger and producing better.

 

[islesfan186]

The goaltending was brought up a bunch of times. I seriously hope they do not go in to next season with a Greiss/Berube tandem. Greiss played great last year, but no garauntee that he replicates his performance, and Berube is a wildcard...no one knows what he can truly do at the NHL level.
This team needs Halak unless Greiss and Berube show everyone that they don't

 

[First Blood]

I agree. So tired of this talk about Ladd being better than Okposo. Okposo might be like Ladd when he's his age, but right now he absolutely has the edge being younger and producing better.

Agreed

Okposo has been a top 10 RW point producing wing last couple of seasons, people think that kind of production will be easy to replace but honestly it wont. Our team is already starved enough in terms of scoring behind JT.

I do think Andrew Ladd might be an all around better hockey player than Okposo in terms of two way play, but Okposo definitely has an edge offensively. Without being an Islander homer I really think this season and if we do go into the plays and how far we get will really depend on the players outside of Tavares. Can they carry there weight and produce?

 

[LeapOnOver]

Agreed

Okposo has been a top 10 RW point producing wing last couple of seasons, people think that kind of production will be easy to replace but honestly it wont. Our team is already starved enough in terms of scoring behind JT.

I do think Andrew Ladd might be an all around better hockey player than Okposo in terms of two way play, but Okposo definitely has an edge offensively. Without being an Islander homer I really think this season and if we do go into the plays and how far we get will really depend on the players outside of Tavares. Can they carry there weight and produce?

I think the last couple seasons have been that way. Last season it depended on how well Strome, Lee and Nelson did and only Lee did well imo. Thankfully, great goaltending bailed us out. This season will be the same. If we can have great goaltending AND get secondary scoring from these three we will be at the top of the division, however, if Lee Nelson and Strome play the way they did last season with no marked improvement AND the goaltending reverts back to the norm....we are in for a dog fight to even make the playoffs.

Ladd, PAP, Chimera won't be our downfall. It's again on the rookies to step up. We have three guys in our top 6 that really have to make the jump. If they do, we'll be elite.

The only place missing question mark, it seems, is our defense. It's still pretty solid even if Boychuk keeps declining. I still think last season was an aberration for him and not a show of decline. Still can't believe some people are unhappy with his contract, yet lauding Ladd over Okposo lol. Two more years they'll be doing the same thing with Ladd.

 

[BarBeauWahlDobLok]

I wasn't an Okposo fan, but he is better than Ladd and I would rather have Okposo for 7 years than Ladd for 7 years. Nielsen is a huge hole that won't be replaced easily. Snow needed to Keep Nielsen in the worst way, really disappointed we lost him. We needed to add to the core, not reconfigure and make it weaker.

Okposo was heading towards great before his shoulder injury. Wasn't Moulson the guy who injured him? Ironic in so many ways.

Post-injury, Okposo's hockey sense never ceased to concern me. Until convinced otherwise, I have to take Ladd over Okposo.

 

[LeapOnOver]

Okposo was heading towards great before his shoulder injury. Wasn't Moulson the guy who injured him? Ironic in so many ways.

Post-injury, Okposo's hockey sense never ceased to concern me. Until convinced otherwise, I have to take Ladd over Okposo.

I thought it was a defenseman who hit him.

PS: Went through a few Google choices and couldn't seem to find an answer. Just said it happened in a close door practice when he reached back for a puck. No culprit was given, but I find it hard to believe softy hit him.

 

[WangMustGo]

I thought it was a defenseman who hit him.

PS: Went through a few Google choices and couldn't seem to find an answer. Just said it happened in a close door practice when he reached back for a puck. No culprit was given, but I find it hard to believe softy hit him.

I thought it was Phaneuf in the preseason a few years ago.

 

[eoin92]

I thought it was Phaneuf in the preseason a few years ago.

It was. Happened during a preseason game against Calgary.

 

[BarBeauWahlDobLok]

I thought it was a defenseman who hit him.

PS: Went through a few Google choices and couldn't seem to find an answer. Just said it happened in a close door practice when he reached back for a puck. No culprit was given, but I find it hard to believe softy hit him.

I honestly don't remember, but my mind keeps seeing Moulson.

 

[BarBeauWahlDobLok]

I thought it was Phaneuf in the preseason a few years ago.

No, Phaneuf's hit was open ice. Okposo's shoulder injury was during intersquad.

 

[Isles72]

I think the isles needed to get a bit faster .I suppose the rah rah guy in me believes ladd,parenteau,chimera (prince/quine)accomplish that to a certain degree.

isles relied heavily on nielsen for zone entries so thats going to ''sting'' .

all roads seem to lead to Strome as being the key guy here needing to step it up.

 

[Strummergas]

I honestly don't remember, but my mind keeps seeing Moulson.

Moulson took out Streit in the pre-season causing him to miss all of 2010-11.

 

[teknics]

Moulson took out Streit in the pre-season causing him to miss all of 2010-11.

We lost Okposo and Streit to shoulder injuries. Moulson hit Streit.

Okposo tore his labrum during practice reaching behind him for a puck.

 

[BarBeauWahlDobLok]

Moulson took out Streit in the pre-season causing him to miss all of 2010-11.

Yes, that's right! Thank you.