The trouble is, in a marathon, they don't have the bodies to last in the back line.
This, my friends, is THE problem. We already saw it in game 1, just as we saw it in probably 50 games last year. We need at least one more solid defensive D man, if not two.
While I totally agree about our D lacking in many area's, dont forget this lineup that did see playoffs a few years back...
Tom Poti D 78 6 38 44 74 -1 6 0 1
Sean Hill D 81 1 24 25 110 6 0 0 0
Marc-Andre Bergeron D 23 6 15 21 10 5 4 0 1
Radek Martinek D 43 2 15 17 40 19 0 0 0
Chris Campoli D 51 1 13 14 23 -3 0 0 0
Brendan Witt D 81 1 13 14 131 14 0 0 0
Alexei Zhitnik D 30 2 9 11 40 13 0 0 1
Bruno Gervais D 51 0 6 6 28 -10 0 0 0
Freddy Meyer D 35 0 3 3 24 0 0 0 0
Drew Fata D 3 1 0 1 5 -2 0 0 0
Allan Rourke D 11 0 1 1 4 0 0 0 0
We havent changed much since then.
I think that D is much better than our current. Poti was very very solid that year and Witt was unbelievable if i am thinking of the right season. No one on that D was as good as Streit, but I think that year's Witt and Poti make that D a bit better. Sean Hill also had a pretty good year I think (much better than Sutton). But you are right, that D is pretty bad and probably shouldn't have made the playoffs either.
I think that D is much better than our current. Poti was very very solid that year and Witt was unbelievable if i am thinking of the right season. No one on that D was as good as Streit, but I think that year's Witt and Poti make that D a bit better. Sean Hill also had a pretty good year I think (much better than Sutton). But you are right, that D is pretty bad and probably shouldn't have made the playoffs either.
Thats basically my point. Sure we can come up with arguments for certain players, but that lineup is not far off from what we have today.
Thats basically my point. Sure we can come up with arguments for certain players, but that lineup is not far off from what we have today.
True. I think we should also factor in the coaching. The 2009-2010 horrible D looks even more horrible in Gordon's run and gun, pinching system. The D probably wouldn't be as horrible in Nolan's system where snails like Witt and Sutton werent' expected to pinch in for 60 minutes and create terrible 2 on 1's.
I'd love to admit i was wrong come April. Playoff hockey in 2010 would be amazing progress in this rebuild.
Botta is right though. It is really annoying that we didn't try to sign anyone this offseason. I really think we are 1 forward and 1 defenseman away from being a playoff team (or close to it). They could have declined to sign Biron and take that money, add another million, and sign a legitimate NHL defenseman. Instead we are in for another long, horrible season.
Can we hang around the middle of the pack until about December, let people talk about how young and promising we are, and how Tavares is lighting it up.... get an arena deal settled, then slowly fade into 30th again and pick up another franchise cornerstone?
Can we hang around the middle of the pack until about December, let people talk about how young and promising we are, and how Tavares is lighting it up.... get an arena deal settled, then slowly fade into 30th again and pick up another franchise cornerstone?
In today's bastardized and contrived NHL point system, it is nearly impossible not to hang around until mid-season.
True. I think we should also factor in the coaching. The 2009-2010 horrible D looks even more horrible in Gordon's run and gun, pinching system. The D probably wouldn't be as horrible in Nolan's system where snails like Witt and Sutton werent' expected to pinch in for 60 minutes and create terrible 2 on 1's.
I'd love to admit i was wrong come April. Playoff hockey in 2010 would be amazing progress in this rebuild.
Botta is right though. It is really annoying that we didn't try to sign anyone this offseason. I really think we are 1 forward and 1 defenseman away from being a playoff team (or close to it). They could have declined to sign Biron and take that money, add another million, and sign a legitimate NHL defenseman. Instead we are in for another long, horrible season.
I disagree. I think we'll make some progress this year, and while making the playoffs would be a miracle it's way too early to count it out. Remember that hockey isn't all on paper.
We'd discuss the pros and cons of a 2 vs. 7 matchup with Washington.
Like I said in the 11/2 game thread...let's worry about this kind of stuff if the Isles are sitting in the same spot on February 3rd, rather than November 3rd. I'm just looking for continued improvement...and so far this season, I'm pleased with what I've been seeing.
We'd discuss the pros and cons of a 2 vs. 7 matchup with Washington.
Like I said in the 11/2 game thread...let's worry about this kind of stuff if the Isles are sitting in the same spot on February 3rd, rather than November 3rd. I'm just looking for continued improvement...and so far this season, I'm pleased with what I've been seeing.
Yep, we can dream.
Stan will be giving us prompts the whole year long at any and every opportunity - his perfect prediction-making reputation is on the line!
Seriously though, preseason predictions are always fun, but soooo much changes in the course of a year. Almost anything is conceivable. Alone the trade deadline kills about 40% of the preseason predictions in one swift and exciting evening. Of course, injuries will always play a role because every year some highly esteemed team loses a key player or two and finds itself out of the playoffs.
Just gotta love this game.
I still believe that we'll not make the playoffs, but that we'll be in the thick of things until the bitter end, probably winding up in spot 10 or 11 once all is said and done. Sliding in as the eigth seed would be a HUGE success for this club!
Nice though that this summer's draft is being heralded as a good 15 players top-heavy.
We'd discuss the pros and cons of a 2 vs. 7 matchup with Washington.
Like I said in the 11/2 game thread...let's worry about this kind of stuff if the Isles are sitting in the same spot on February 3rd, rather than November 3rd. I'm just looking for continued improvement...and so far this season, I'm pleased with what I've been seeing.
Even when we were losing this year, we were still better than last year's team at this point. It seemed to be a confidence/not being able to clear the puck issue earlier in the season. We could have had a lot more wins, if those issues were resolved earlier. It's still too early, but the progress has to be encouraging.
Maybe even the Goron haters come around if this keeps up. On second thought, they're probably just waiting for the next loss to start another thread labeled 'Gordon Sucks!!!'
The reason for our success though has been the play of Moulson, Tambellini, and Sutton. All 3 of those guys have stepped up. Moulson and Tambs are playing like legitimate top 6 forwards right now. Sutton is playing like a true top 4 shutdown dman. Let's hope it continues. I sure hope it does.
Even when we were losing this year, we were still better than last year's team at this point. It seemed to be a confidence/not being able to clear the puck issue earlier in the season. We could have had a lot more wins, if those issues were resolved earlier. It's still too early, but the progress has to be encouraging.
Maybe even the Goron haters come around if this keeps up. On second thought, they're probably just waiting for the next loss to start another thread labeled 'Gordon Sucks!!!'
The reason for our success though has been the play of Moulson, Tambellini, and Sutton. All 3 of those guys have stepped up. Moulson and Tambs are playing like legitimate top 6 forwards right now. Sutton is playing like a true top 4 shutdown dman. Let's hope it continues. I sure hope it does.
How about calling us Overspeed haters, since Gordon now uses a 2-1-2 and a defensive scheme with positioning*
Now Sutton and Witt can play their games and we have two defensemen staying back in a 2-1-2 and the forwards don't have to worry about overskating overback to the overside of the overrink to overwatch the over team overscore*
Gorton coached this new style well, even called a time out and kept the guys energized all game (no overspeed helped).
So mark me as a Scott Gordon fan until he tries Overstink a third time since it failed the last two.
How about calling us Overspeed haters, since Gordon now uses a 2-1-2 and a defensive scheme with positioning*
Now Sutton and Witt can play their games and we have two defensemen staying back in a 2-1-2 and the forwards don't have to worry about overskating overback to the overside of the overrink to overwatch the over team overscore*
Gorton coached this new style well, even called a time out and kept the guys energized all game (no overspeed helped).
So mark me as a Scott Gordon fan until he tries Overstink a third time since it failed the last two.
You may be right, but I haven't a noticed a change in system. I've noticed a change in execution and a rise in performance from guys like Tambs, and Sutton. The return of Nielsen has also helped the forecheck and speed game. I'll keep an eye out for the "new system" changes.
You may be right, but I haven't a noticed a change in system. I've noticed a change in execution and a rise in performance from guys like Tambs, and Sutton. The return of Nielsen has also helped the forecheck and speed game. I'll keep an eye out for the "new system" changes.
Nielson definitely helps, but the biggest thing is the D not pinching, which helps the goalies immensely and the third foreward helping helps us not get ***whipped. Add in the energy we save for late in the game by not chasing the puck everywhere in the overspeed attack fashion.
You may be right, but I haven't a noticed a change in system. I've noticed a change in execution and a rise in performance from guys like Tambs, and Sutton. The return of Nielsen has also helped the forecheck and speed game. I'll keep an eye out for the "new system" changes.
Why even bother trying? Islanders are winning, therefore the system changed. I've noticed adjustments but it's still the same system. Several goals have still come from hard forechecking. It's more of a confidence thing if anything, not a system change, though people are really going to try to say it is so they aren't wrong.
Nielson definitely helps, but the biggest thing is the D not pinching, which helps the goalies immensely and the third foreward helping helps us not get ***whipped. Add in the energy we save for late in the game by not chasing the puck everywhere in the overspeed attack fashion.
The D still pinches, just much less. That's and adjustment, not a system change. There is still a heavy forecheck and it's lead to several goals the last 4 games.
When was the last time our team was tied for 6th in the east!
We have a huge game on wednesday. If we can beat Buffalo again or atleast get another point out of them, I truely think we can call this team a playoff competitor. It is still very early but early is better then never.
Again, if they can play well against Buffalo after beating them 5-0, I don't see why we can not get into the 6,7,8 playoff spot. I can't believe that too. Not after the last two seasons.
Why even bother trying? Islanders are winning, therefore the system changed. I've noticed adjustments but it's still the same system. Several goals have still come from hard forechecking. It's more of a confidence thing if anything, not a system change, though people are really going to try to say it is so they aren't wrong.
I agree with this POV. I've noticed the team playing smarter as a whole. Also, and correct me if I'm wrong, our meltdowns weren't due to dman pinching. We didn't really allow many chances/goals off the rush. We were giving up goals due to poor defensive coverage and inability to clear the puck with any kind of authority.
Yeah and I'm with you with system changes. What you're seeing is not a change in systems, it's better execution, and positive development of a young team. Same system, just a lot sharper in execution. At least that's what I'm seeing.
According to Howie, Renney also said the Islanders are a playoff team. A bit more reputable of a person.
I was wondering if anyone else heard that last night. Renney, former coach of the Isles' mortal enemy, seems certain they will be a playoff team THIS year. Color me surprised, though my inner homer has felt they'll finish as a #6-8 seed (if they can remain moderately healthy) even after the miserable first few weeks of the season. I still wouldn't place any money on them making it, but if they keep their confidence up and continue playing like they have the last few games, they'll be a shoe-in.
When was the last time our team was tied for 6th in the east!
We have a huge game on wednesday. If we can beat Buffalo again or atleast get another point out of them, I truely think we can call this team a playoff competitor. It is still very early but early is better then never.
Again, if they can play well against Buffalo after beating them 5-0, I don't see why we can not get into the 6,7,8 playoff spot. I can't believe that too. Not after the last two seasons.
Probably 2008 pre All Star break when we were flirting with the division, taking the lead (or tying) at various points. Then DP went down. Then we became the worst team in the league.
