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WHAT I DID FOR XMAS VACATION: A Story About The Isles & A Frazzled Blogger |
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What I Did For Xmas Vacation
B.D. Gallof
Everyone tells you, usually with a sly laugh, or if they are male, with a slightly dazed grin, as if you have joined them at the front to some bloody battle, when you tell them you are expecting a first child. Life changes, or this is what they say, and then invariably it does, like the delayed snap of an Indiana Jones whip. Instead of going to the Big Smoke cigar bash at the Marriot in NYC, you are at Lamaze class. As your brothers hit Croxley's in Farmingdale for a lovely Sunday brunch of wings and beer, you are at Bye Bye Baby doing your baby registry, saying bye-bye to your Magic Hat #9 and succulent drumstick swathed in blue cheese.
So as the Isles spun out into the December abyss of upheaval, the wife and I were upheaving my office space, aka the 2nd bdr, ((sob!)) into a nursery. What does this mean? For males, especially those with their own stuff like books, camera collection, game systems, cigars, film mementos, computers, etc? It is the apocalypse.
Never be suckered to thinking that there are 4 horsemen to the Apocalypse. Nope. There is one. With the horse buckling slightly under the weight of a pregnant belly, this horsewoman demands brownies and for you to throw out as much as possible. Then rides off to watch the House marathon on USA in the living room.
Isles vs Toronto
So as the xmas holiday approaches, our plans are set, my fate sealed. I join the Isles for the game versus Toronto. I take over Chris Botta's Islanders Pointblank for a few days, so that Toronto game is part of my coverage. I watch, stunned to stupor, as Rick DiPietro starts. The team plays well, which they did in Nashville and Atlanta despite losses. The difference is confidence and the desire to turn a corner.
I will argue to the end of time on starting a goalie who last won in March of that year, who had two surgeries, without some sort of conditioning stint or a hefty stack of practice times. DP's groin strain was inevitable. His body not attuned to frequent game-level activity. Since then, we have seen him once, in the loss in Phoenix. But, all this said, byproduct of the strain, is some easing into the NHL schedule. Though, I am still surprised by the lack of work of Yann Danis.
Yann Danis will soon return to Bridgeport on a fulltime basis, as DP assumes the #1 slot, and Joey Mac his capable backup. I am still surprised by a seeming reluctance to give him another start before his return or even in that Toronto game. Yes, his NHL stats this season are pretty crappy. But so was the defense in front of him. It might be a subtle statement on what Gordon thinks of Danis and his lack of poise, as Joey Mac has gotten the hefty load of starts while DP convalesced
Meanwhile, back to your poor schlub of a blogger, I am starting to go through my books and deciding who lives and who gets donated. BUT, that very night of xmas eve, the horsewoman of the apocalypse goes down to a NASTY stomach virus for two days. If you haven't caught this little winner that is going around, be glad. It is violent retching and living in a bathroom for at least 12 hours and can last even 2 or 3 days.
So, I am left to loafing and procrastinating, feeding my wife flat ginger ale. We miss Hanukkah with the folks and Xmas day with friends. Eventually that weekend, and I very reluctantly, we go through that office, and do all the domestic things that were on our list for the past month.
They lose to Buffalo in what turns out to be a tie in regulation to Lindy Ruff's horror as they score a late two goals in the final minutes. Mike Comrie suddenly returns with some flair and offensive punch.
Isles play the Rangers, and lose a close one. Once again, they compete, yet fall short. MacDonald is on goal for both the Sabres game and the Ranger game, performing well.
A New Year
Well, it was finally New Years eve. Finally I take in another Isles game from the Blog Box and covering the lockerroom. This new year for me will be a big one of change, adapting, and becoming a Dad. For the Isles, they might not be getting the kid, but they too need to change and adapt, if not only on the ice, maybe internally in personnel. It will be just as big and important, and why so many are focused on this summer's draft with huge names like Hedman and Tavares on the top of the lists. I don't care what anyone says, by the way, the top pick will be Tavares.
The Isles beat the Panthers handily in a sharp and savvy game that is much like the Toronto game. They brought up Trevor Smith, who played well and has a pair of jets on him. Okposo and Comrie looked very good. Comeau also seems to be a mainstay.
On the bad news front, Mike Sillinger hits the IR for now his surgically repaired hip, and I see him talk to one reporter in the lockerroom. I will say this, if there is a lot of talk of retirement, it is for good reason. Silly's career is in jeopardy. A tremendous loss, because Gordo was relying on him for faceoffs. With Silly gone, the Isles have a huge faceoff gap.
Game is over, and I head back in the sub-zero weather to get my clothes on and head to Gabrielle's in Rockville Centre. Gabrielle's in RVC might be familiar to many, it is where Chris Botta held his Point Blank Night. It is also a place my wife and I frequent often on special occasions. We go with my brothers.
Gaby's, as usual, is stellar. I heartily suggest the Black Angus Sirloin. However, as I ordered dinner, I felt something in my stomach that wasn't quite right. By the time my dinner came, I had a cold sweat. I barely touched my steak and wrapped it up, calling off any further revelry to head home at 9:30. As all of you were celebrating, I was in bed, writing in pain, watching Geroge Carlin and then Ricky Gervais do stand-up. Despite knowing exactly what I had, I sat laughing, even while rolling around in stomach pain. Ricky Gervais is one funny effer. By the time Champagne glasses were clinking, I was no longer in my bed . . .
So, as you can guess, I spent the next two days sick with a violent stomach virus. "Welcome to 2009 Mr Gallof", said my toilet in glee as I kneel praying to the porcelain god. Somewhere I hear Garth Snow laughing. That fiend.
Isles Road Trip
Meanwhile, the Isles head on the road to what will be a long road trip that won't have them back to the Coliseum until they meet the Rangers on Jan 13th (stay tuned for a Sibling Rivalry for that one!).
The Isles lose when they face the Coyotes as DP has another start. But, Doug Weight gets 1000 and 1001 in points. Josh Bailey scores his first goal, which is the clear byproduct of shooting more. Richard Park starts a new scoring run. DP isn't exactly stellar in goal, but at least he isn't on the ice writhing holding his nads either.
When the Isles head to San Jose, you can feel Isles fans shudder. San Jose is a monster this year. But, I will say this, and I said it last season when I correctly predicted that they could not get past Detroit. There are flaws to this beast. They shored up these flaws, which was defense last year with Dan Boyle and Rob Blake. These are two guys who would be the ultimate solution to the NY Rangers current trouble as well. Two great dmen. When the Isles played them, you could see how dangerous San Jose really was. Always working. Always pressing. The Isles were back on their heels.
Yet, towards the end, San Jose showed their final flaw that is still there. They let-up, and the Isles started pressing. They made a game of it. And, with that San Jose 3rd period, like the Buffalo 3rd period, you can see that this is not the December Isles anymore. There is some urgency, desperation and some fight left in them. They are competing. This is not the hapless bunch, which included a coach, who was withering in the play and pressure.
Witt's Speaking Out Was When That Corner Turned
When Brendan Witt spoke out, and Gordo had to sit there and admit issues, is when the Isles hunkered down to fix itself. When that team played Nashville and Atlanta, despite the losses, they did come out of the freefall mentally. They were playing, focusing, fighting, and adjusting.
When the defense is focused and on-point, they hold well. When they are just a bit off, they fail. This might be because the current Isles defense simply is not fitting the system needs ultimately. This truth might reveal itself with some changes come trade deadline that might prove or disprove my observation.
Chris Campoli is struggling. So is Bruno Gervais, who is also making mistakes and penalties. He's on pace to doubling his penalty minutes. Witt has his issues. Freddy Meyer has been steady. Mark Streit has been spectacular, eating minutes and creating points, even on these hapless Isles. Pock, well, is just there. Andy Sutton is missed. Radek Martinek, to be honest, in before Glass Radek hurt himself again, wasn't exactly his underrated good self.
There are some big questions that Gordon and Snow face this coming month or two. Is this defense really fitting needs?
I submit that they do not meet needs. That the defense must be retooled. I think that Andy Sutton, the only Isles with a plus/minus in the positives, was excellent in blocking shots, mean streak, and clearing creases. Freddy Meyer is an excellent depth dman. Radek, well, is Radek. Campoli needs work. Only Mark Streit stands out above and beyond, as an all-star to this bunch, and it leaves some gaping holes to who fills in the rest. I am not convinced on Bruno, and he's a wonderful guy and big for the charities, but the Isles defense is not a charity. The Isles have a tough decision to make, and need to start thinking about the D's retooling. Those draft picks and farm system boys do not exactly look ready to make any type of jump anytime soon, save perhaps Jack Hillen. Hillen has 15 points in 24 games for Bridgeport this season.
So What Is Next?
The Isles continue their road trip, yet still sit at rockbottom in the standings with 28 points. Half the Isles fans want this to continue simply to get that type of franchise player that they and the team can rally around. As John Tavares has turned everyone's eyes back on him during the World Juniors, it is clear, at least to me, who the #1 player is. It isn't Hedman. It is Tavs. I am hopeful, just like anyone else, that the Isles get a pick and has a draft this summer that really turns the franchise around and makes the future as bright as we deserve. Moreover, the Isles offense and defense needs some good hard look to make changes.
This team is not last because Rick DiPietro was out. Joey Mac played well, and that is not the reason they sit dead last. They sit dead last because of a lack of skill and talent in key spots. They sit dead last because they are not built to win. They are a team of some potential with youth like Okposo, Bailey and Comeau, but also of glaring needs as well. Needy, yet winning enough games to give some sense of a playoff push is not only a pipedream...it is not best in the big picture to fix what ails the Isles.
They need a blood transfusion.
Garth Snow last year showed a reluctance to part with someone like Mike Comrie at the trade deadline, while also failing to get Huselius for Fedotenko because of an inability to get him to sign longterm. The Isles need longterm answers, not short-term fears. This trade deadline, despite a cap minimum floor, they should be able to move quite a few potential RFAs who are not part of the longterm solution.
Of course during this trade deadline high time in late Feb and early March, I might be distracted with a birth. But . . . just maybe the Isles can get a rebirth.
One hopes.
. . . And, that is what I did for Xmas vacation.
THE END
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