Can you be specific here and nobody that milbury drafted counts
- Dan Petriw

It still counts as it is Charles Wang's Islanders. I mentioned Nino in another post even though it was a trade.

I'm sorry I don't see what you guys are seeing with Martin.. I see a guy who is playing as desperate as he use to.. Not the same energy... I see a guy who bounces off a dman after the puck is long gone. I don't see a guy making a hit to cause a turnover
- Dan Petriw

Agreed. For a while I thought he might be injured but he has had nowhere near the intensity he'd shown prior to his extension.

I'm sorry I don't see what you guys are seeing with Martin.. I see a guy who is playing as desperate as he use to.. Not the same energy... I see a guy who bounces off a dman after the puck is long gone. I don't see a guy making a hit to cause a turnover
- Dan Petriw

Agreed, still hitting but not effective. Mentioned that in a previous post actually. None of those 3/4 guys have been consistently effective. Cizikas has been the most consistent and his play has been up and down.

I'm sorry I don't see what you guys are seeing with Martin.. I see a guy who is playing as desperate as he use to.. Not the same energy... I see a guy who bounces off a dman after the puck is long gone. I don't see a guy making a hit to cause a turnover
- Dan Petriw

So you are saying he is playing as the rest of the team? In that case he is doing just fine

Agreed, still hitting but not effective. Mentioned that in a previous post actually. None of those 3/4 guys have been consistently effective. Cizikas has been the most consistent and his play has been up and down.
- Cptmjl

I agree as well. This line has been very weak in the D zone as well.

Joel Quennville is the NHL's highest paid coach making just over $2million per season. The average NHL coach makes $750k to $1million Do you actually believe Wang, who offered Vanek $62 million and Amac $16 million is cutting corners on a coach over $1million? Come on. I know you want to demonize the guy for not being an outgoing owner but that's a bit silly.
- keaner17

Ok name one good coach that the Islanders have hired that was not of AHl quality

Poulin won't be good anywhere. Nilsson is positionally sound but has no reaction time and sits far back in his net. He is in much more control.
- Isles316

Less than 50 starts and you've figured his whole career out. You should be scouting in the NHL. Crap, I've coached goalies for years and have seen tons of them look like a frantic mess before they adjusted to the level of play. The kid has some bad tendancies and I'm not saying he'll ever be good, but anyone who thinks they can call what type of goalie he'll be from this point in his career loses a bit of credibility in my book. Of course some determined that Nino would never be a good NHL player after his first season based on his +/-, which happens to be a +12 this year.

Ok name one good coach that the Islanders have hired that was not of AHl quality
- kasperrko

Nolan, laviollete but under wang.

Ok name one good coach that the Islanders have hired that was not of AHl quality
- kasperrko

That does nothing to verify your point that this is all about salary. If anything, it stays closer to my point that it's about conformity.

Less than 50 starts and you've figured his whole career out. You should be scouting in the NHL. Crap, I've coached goalies for years and have seen tons of them look like a frantic mess before they adjusted to the level of play. The kid has some bad tendancies and I'm not saying he'll ever be good, but anyone who thinks they can call what type of goalie he'll be from this point in his career loses a bit of credibility in my book. Of course some determined that Nino would never be a good NHL player after his first season based on his +/-, which happens to be a +12 this year.
- keaner17

If he turns out to be a better than average starter for anyone in the NHL I'd be very surprised.

Anders Lee is going to be a good middle 6 winger for years on this team if he continues to play "hahd and smaht"

If he turns out to be a better than average starter for anyone in the NHL I'd be very surprised.
- Isles316

Personally I wouldn't make any judgements on him until he's had an offseason after this one to adjust his game based on what they've seen. They now have a semi-significant period of games to judge his performance on. This is where a goalie coach should have him review his tendancies and work on them. Next year is a watershed moment for his career. I don't think he'll see that opprotunity here, but under the right circumstances with a decent team, I wouldn't bet against him becoming a dependable backup. From there it's a year by year progression. It certainly can't be predicted as of NOW

I'm sure Talbot is just a superstar goalie and does everything without the D.
- ses111

Or just a good back up

Is that not possible??

XxNYIxX

I've been saying it all year Boulton has out played McDonald the whole year. Now with Halmo getting a look I don't see a spot on this team for McDonald next year. I hope they bring Boulton back for the same role next year
- Vukota

Boulton has been a good 4th liner this year

Or just a good back up

Is that not possible??

XxNYIxX
- XxNYIxX

A good backup on a team with a very solid D and system? No way.

Or just a good back up

Is that not possible??

XxNYIxX
- XxNYIxX

Talbot is a really good fundamental goalie. He never panics, always gets back into position after the initial save, takes up a lot of the net, etc.

He was the difference last night and many nights he plays. Hes a good goalie as much as the rangers defense helps.

Personally I wouldn't make any judgements on him until he's had an offseason after this one to adjust his game based on what they've seen. They now have a semi-significant period of games to judge his performance on. This is where a goalie coach should have him review his tendancies and work on them. Next year is a watershed moment for his career. I don't think he'll see that opprotunity here, but under the right circumstances with a decent team, I wouldn't bet against him becoming a dependable backup. From there it's a year by year progression. It certainly can't be predicted as of NOW
- keaner17

Dependable back up is a long haul from good NHL goalie.

Talbot is a really good fundamental goalie. He never panics, always gets back into position after the initial save, takes up a lot of the net, etc.

He was the difference last night and many nights he plays. Hes a good goalie as much as the rangers defense helps.
- rangerdanger94

tough to say he'd be as good playing behind the Isles defense. Our defensive coverage is disgusting and most of those goals last night were gifts due to awful coverage.

I cannot stand the passive defense we play, and how quickly we have forwards leaving the zone while the puck is still being contested.

Our coaching staff is playing an attacking style that isn't working with the majority of our forwards and due to that we continue to fail to support our below average defensemen. The system needs to change and that's only going to happen with a purge of the coaching staff...all of them.

Dependable back up is a long haul from good NHL goalie.
- Isles316

Depends on the roster and the goaltender. Lets not confuse a good goalie with an elite one.

Tim Thomas is an example of a goaltender who didn't become a starter until he was in his 30's.

Dwayne Roloson was another. There are plenty of goalies who make that progression well into their careers.

tough to say he'd be as good playing behind the Isles defense. Our defensive coverage is disgusting and most of those goals last night were gifts due to awful coverage.

I cannot stand the passive defense we play, and how quickly we have forwards leaving the zone while the puck is still being contested.

Our coaching staff is playing an attacking style that isn't working with the majority of our forwards and due to that we continue to fail to support our below average defensemen. The system needs to change and that's only going to happen with a purge of the coaching staff...all of them.
- Isles_since_6

Darth Wang contacts Snow:

Ek told me it's true.
- Cptmjl

Must be then.

tough to say he'd be as good playing behind the Isles defense. Our defensive coverage is disgusting and most of those goals last night were gifts due to awful coverage.

I cannot stand the passive defense we play, and how quickly we have forwards leaving the zone while the puck is still being contested.

Our coaching staff is playing an attacking style that isn't working with the majority of our forwards and due to that we continue to fail to support our below average defensemen. The system needs to change and that's only going to happen with a purge of the coaching staff...all of them.
- Isles_since_6

If I was Talbot, I would not panic either. Especially when my forwards and D are blocking shots like crazy and I'm not facing numerous breakaways and 2-1.

It still counts as it is Charles Wang's Islanders. I mentioned Nino in another post even though it was a trade.
- ses111

I'm still waiting for names.. Niño getting traded was as much his own fault as it was management

Less than 50 starts and you've figured his whole career out. You should be scouting in the NHL. Crap, I've coached goalies for years and have seen tons of them look like a frantic mess before they adjusted to the level of play. The kid has some bad tendancies and I'm not saying he'll ever be good, but anyone who thinks they can call what type of goalie he'll be from this point in his career loses a bit of credibility in my book. Of course some determined that Nino would never be a good NHL player after his first season based on his +/-, which happens to be a +12 this year.
- keaner17

Do the 100 some off starts in bport count for my opinion?

Looks like Strome and Lee are locks for next season up front.

** JT KO
** Nielsen Grabs
Nelson Strome Lee
Martin Cizikas C-Mac
Boulton

They need to add two more forwards who can score goals to that group. They need to move on from Bailey and Clutterbuck. They both suck. Keeping those two pieces of garbage will clog the top six with two forwards that can't score and don't belong on those lines.

** **
Hammer Vis
Donovan de Haan
Hickey (or Strait)

Assuming A-Mac is traded, the isles need two more "D" to fill out the top four. Time to move on from Carkner, Martinek, Strait or Hickey. Maybe Reinhart gets one spot and a true top pair or at least top four guy is signed.

***
Nabokov

I like Nabby...as a back up. They need a legit #1 goaltender. Badly.

Make these changes and I think this team is competitive next year. Discuss.