NHL.com: Islanders place faith in new forwards

[The Underboss]

https://www.nhl.com/news/new-york-islanders-team-reset-analysis/c-281168908

The New York Islanders won a series in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time in 23 years last season when they defeated the Florida Panthers in six games, but they will have a different look when training camp opens in September.

Three pieces of their core, forwards Frans Nielsen, Kyle Okposo and Matt Martin, left on July 1 as unrestricted free agents. Islanders general manager Garth Snow is hoping the replacements he signed -- forwards Andrew Ladd, PA Parenteau and Jason Chimera -- can help them build on the playoff success.

Here is what the Islanders look like today:

Click to read more...

 

[danteipp]

Thanks for sharing! It is a good, quick read and solid enough article.

Although I think the Isles are relying on a combination of the new forwards, growth by the younger players and, perhaps most important, the depth and breath of the defense corps.

It will also be interesting if the Isles play Strome at C or RW. I think Strome might be more focused and comfortable at C than RW, however, he will really need to play better and be much more defensively responsible. The Isles might also need him at RW, perhaps on the Lee and Nelson line.

I will also be surprised if Bailey is on the second line. If so, he also needs to step up his game. It will be interesting to see where Grabo fits, if healthy, and if Barzal makes the team. I think Chimera and Kulemin might also be switched.

 

[LeapOnOver]

Really not happy with that lineup as we still have Josh Bailey playing top 6 minutes. I still think we need one more solid RW option to knock PAP to the second line and Bailey to the third.

If that means getting rid of a center like Nelson or Strome it may need to happen. Especially if Barzal looks ready. Anyway, still time to tinker, but this lineup doesn't thrill me much although Goal and defense should keep us competitive. If we are a one line team in the playoffs though we won't last long.

 

[Yashin for President]

I would be very surprised if the Isles didn't make anymore moves. I say Snow just waiting for dominos to fall. We have serious trade chip at D in Dehaan (low salary and solid player with experience) and an extra goalie. Something has to give.

 

[OlTimeHockey]

Really not happy with that lineup as we still have Josh Bailey playing top 6 minutes. I still think we need one more solid RW option to knock PAP to the second line and Bailey to the third.

If that means getting rid of a center like Nelson or Strome it may need to happen. Especially if Barzal looks ready. Anyway, still time to tinker, but this lineup doesn't thrill me much although Goal and defense should keep us competitive. If we are a one line team in the playoffs though we won't last long.

I have yet to see anyone with better passing chemistry than JT and PAP. I would prefer to not lose that strength up front, personally. i would like a strong two way with size winger on line 2, though.

Bailey is a solid third liner any day of the week IMHO.

 

[SLAPSHOT723]

I would be very surprised if the Isles didn't make anymore moves. I say Snow just waiting for dominos to fall. We have serious trade chip at D in Dehaan (low salary and solid player with experience) and an extra goalie. Something has to give.

deHaan is not a serious trade chip. If we trade him our defense goes from great to average. We have nobody that can fill his shoes, unless you think Thomas Hickey is a top-4 defenseman. I can't tell if people think deHaan easy to replace or if he's a liability, because both aren't true.

Agreed with OlTimeHockey, Parenteau and Tavares showed great chemistry and he was signed to play on the 1st line. I think we need another RW, but a middle-6 one would be great (someone Drew Stafford-esque). If we trade one of our LW's for a RW, our lineup is essentially set.

 

[isles55]

I think the talk about the forward lines is a secondary issue.

The coaching staff needs to figure out how to generate more offense than we had last season, without reverting back to the 14/15 season's all offense system. It's not a coincidence nearly everyone had one of their worst seasons offensively last year.

 

[Richie Daggers Crime]

Bailey is a solid third liner any day of the week IMHO.

False. His corsi is -.03% on alternating Wednesdays against the western conference.

 

[OlTimeHockey]

False. His corsi is -.03% on alternating Wednesdays against the western conference.

DAMN YOU NASA!

OK, he's a solid ledge planter at .917.

 

[blitzkriegs]

I think the talk about the forward lines is a secondary issue.

The coaching staff needs to figure out how to generate more offense than we had last season, without reverting back to the 14/15 season's all offense system. It's not a coincidence nearly everyone had one of their worst seasons offensively last year.

And how was the defense, goaltending, and PK compared to the year before? All went down.

I agree more balance is needed, but people need understand the D&G were a weaker link in 14/15. The Isles also lost their transition game w/o Viz in 15/16.

 

[LeapOnOver]

I have yet to see anyone with better passing chemistry than JT and PAP. I would prefer to not lose that strength up front, personally. i would like a strong two way with size winger on line 2, though.

Bailey is a solid third liner any day of the week IMHO.

Yeah, I have no problem with Bailey in a third line role. I'd almost say he makes an above average third liner. I am not quite sure we are going to get the same PAP back that everyone saw several years ago. He's 33 now...I'm not anticipating him reaching the same level he did when playing with JT previously. Especially from what I saw from him last season. He's more of a PP specialist at this point...Andy Hilbert comes to mind lol.

 

[majormet]

Offseason trades are nearly impossible for the most part. Trades tend to predicated on 3 scenarios and only 1 of them applies to the offseason

1. Team is out of the playoffs they cut some cost unloading a UFA or a veteran, does not make sense now, each tech is equally in the race

2. Player performance issues, not an issue now since now one is performing

3. Cap Issues - not sure where that falls, but that is how we got Leddy and Boychuk.

Isles improvement remains contingent on some degree of the below happening.

1. Ryan Pulock - he walks into the NHL and gets 15 goals, not unrealistic, but that would help

2. Anders Lee - becomes a 30 goal scorer, not unrealistic either, but he regressed last year

3. Alan Quine, Shane Prince, Barzal or Dal Colle breaking into the top 6 on merit and putting up 40 points, this type of thing has happened before but we are really pushing it here.

 

[periferal]

Offseason trades are nearly impossible for the most part.

1. Weber for Subban
2. Brassard for Zibanejad
3. Hall for Larsson

...Just this month alone. What are you talking about?

 

[majormet]

1. Weber for Subban
2. Brassard for Zibanejad
3. Hall for Larsson

...Just this month alone. What are you talking about?

That is just 3 trades, and all are not the types of trades that the Isles need which are now for futures, those deals are not made now

 

[enigmatic]

That is just 3 trades, and all are not the types of trades that the Isles need which are now for futures, those deals are not made now

do i really need to go back 2 offseasons where we traded futures for boychuk and leddy? or is that not comparable as well since theyre defensemen and we need forwards?

 

[Isles Junkie]

I would be very surprised if the Isles didn't make anymore moves. I say Snow just waiting for dominos to fall. We have serious trade chip at D in Dehaan (low salary and solid player with experience) and an extra goalie. Something has to give.

It's such a catch 22 with the expansion draft coming up. We want to get something for dehann, but at the same time we don't really want to give up on dehann. Yeah Pulock is ready, but still. Our defense is not exactly a huge strength.

Plus what can we get for de haan. The team trading for him will be in the same boat when the draft comes up. So we need a team that has no defense, but lots of offense and is ready to move some pieces.

 

[Isles Junkie]

deHaan is not a serious trade chip. If we trade him our defense goes from great to average. We have nobody that can fill his shoes, unless you think Thomas Hickey is a top-4 defenseman. I can't tell if people think deHaan easy to replace or if he's a liability, because both aren't true.

Agreed with OlTimeHockey, Parenteau and Tavares showed great chemistry and he was signed to play on the 1st line. I think we need another RW, but a middle-6 one would be great (someone Drew Stafford-esque). If we trade one of our LW's for a RW, our lineup is essentially set.

What am I missing? Did we make some trade that I'm unaware of? I don't see this as a great defense at all. No disrespect to Pulock, but he still has to prove himself. Boychuk is a shell of his former self. Hamonic is really damn good. Leddy is really damn good. de Haan is inconsistent at this point. Hickey is fine for a bottom pair guy.

I like Pelech & Mayfield a lot, but still, relatively unproven.

I think we're average now and without de haan we're less than average.

 

[SLAPSHOT723]

What am I missing? Did we make some trade that I'm unaware of? I don't see this as a great defense at all. No disrespect to Pulock, but he still has to prove himself. Boychuk is a shell of his former self.

The only defenses in the East that are better than ours are Tampa Bay and Washington. Ottawa maybe if Phaneuf plays well. Boychuk had an off year but I think he was bruised up and will be better next year. He's still a top-4 defenseman.

Defense is by far the biggest strength of our team.

 

[OlTimeHockey]

Yeah, I have no problem with Bailey in a third line role. I'd almost say he makes an above average third liner. I am not quite sure we are going to get the same PAP back that everyone saw several years ago. He's 33 now...I'm not anticipating him reaching the same level he did when playing with JT previously. Especially from what I saw from him last season. He's more of a PP specialist at this point...Andy Hilbert comes to mind lol.

He's better defensively now than he was and as a PP specialist type, he's still got passing and a shot. JT over that time has improved as well. At 33, he's not old, may actually be better with JT. The key is chemistry. The two have it and Ladd on the line instead of Moulson more than makes up for whatever PAP may have lost with age (though, indeed, he gained with experience in overall game play).

 

[A Pointed Stick]

He's better defensively now than he was and as a PP specialist type, he's still got passing and a shot. JT over that time has improved as well. At 33, he's not old, may actually be better with JT. The key is chemistry. The two have it and Ladd on the line instead of Moulson more than makes up for whatever PAP may have lost with age (though, indeed, he gained with experience in overall game play).

I still see zero desire in his game, no desperation at all, and no ability step in once in a while and be "the man."

It is the same problem as always. He is the vanilla master of nothing with a small hint of mint. Not that this is a bad thing on its own, but this club lacks teeth. He doesn't do anything to fix the issue.

 

[LeapOnOver]

He's better defensively now than he was and as a PP specialist type, he's still got passing and a shot. JT over that time has improved as well. At 33, he's not old, may actually be better with JT. The key is chemistry. The two have it and Ladd on the line instead of Moulson more than makes up for whatever PAP may have lost with age (though, indeed, he gained with experience in overall game play).

I hope your right, but I don't think Islander fans were falling all over themselves to keep PAP, and always thought there were better options. Seems like it will be more of the same this season. Would be great if you are right though...

 

[OlTimeHockey]

I still see zero desire in his game, no desperation at all, and no ability step in once in a while and be "the man."

It is the same problem as always. He is the vanilla master of nothing with a small hint of mint. Not that this is a bad thing on its own, but this club lacks teeth. He doesn't do anything to fix the issue.

LOVE the verbiage.....but are we looking for someont to define a line or to accent a star player's line? What is the issue?

Puck control and zone pressure.

What's the fix?

better chemistry and puck possession improving.

And then more scoring/less goals against.

The "teeth" comewith Ladd and a more enabled duo on that line. We weren't going to have more teeth with Moulson and Parenteau or Moulson and anyone.

You have it now. JT looked ready to punch anyone. He would have gotten his arse whooped, but now he has back-up. PAP just has to pass and connect and score.

I seeno issue. Connect, make a lane and shoot/pass. He's gonna do better than most would with JT. That's the whole point. With Ladd instead of Moulson, how can you envision us improving on a solid scoring pair?

 

[OlTimeHockey]

I hope your right, but I don't think Islander fans were falling all over themselves to keep PAP, and always thought there were better options. Seems like it will be more of the same this season. Would be great if you are right though...

Isles fans can fall on themselves over the BK jerseys and shoveling personnel. It matters naught. What matters is chemistry and delivering.

And I thought JT/PAP did better "hockey stuff" than JT and Vanek, whom the fannies wanted to remain on LI at a high cost.

Find two guys who pair very well and you have chemistry. Ask Bill Torrey about chemistry.

 

[rikker]

the grit of Ladd and Chimera in our top 9, will mean a lot. Martin will be missed, but does it sound really weird to say that Bolton could do what he did? platoon him with Quine, depending on the physicality of the opposing team. add in the chemistry of JT and PAP, and i think it's a win for us.

if the kid line of Lee, Nelson and Strome can bring it back to the level of a few years ago, i think we are better. a 3rd line of Chimera, Cizikas, and Bailey might work really well. leaving Prince, Kulemin and Clutterbuck as our 4th.

good balance IMO

 

[A Pointed Stick]

LOVE the verbiage.....but are we looking for someont to define a line or to accent a star player's line? What is the issue?

Puck control and zone pressure.

What's the fix?

better chemistry and puck possession improving.

And then more scoring/less goals against.

The "teeth" comewith Ladd and a more enabled duo on that line. We weren't going to have more teeth with Moulson and Parenteau or Moulson and anyone.

You have it now. JT looked ready to punch anyone. He would have gotten his arse whooped, but now he has back-up. PAP just has to pass and connect and score.

I seeno issue. Connect, make a lane and shoot/pass. He's gonna do better than most would with JT. That's the whole point. With Ladd instead of Moulson, how can you envision us improving on a solid scoring pair?

Teeth not as go out and kill someone. More just playing with the need to get the puck over the other guy. I should have used a different expression, so my mistake. He would increase his value by ten with even 1 dose of aggressive qualities.