Play Carkner.. at least he can fight.
- niteislander

Hes on ltir and no facking way

Happy Thanksgiving to all...may your travels be safe....

Like the Isle to stick it to the caps.......

Ermagerd, you guys are supposed to be LOSING!!!

Really they are 15-6 and have played the Sharks 2x Pitt 3x Tampa2x Avs 2x Bruins,Ducks,Kings and have already made their west coast trip which was brutal and still went 3-2. yes its early but they have had a very tough schedule so far and have looked pretty damn good so far, but like you said its early but they look very good right now
- Vukota

Plus they've won four in a row and are 9-1-0 in their last 10. 30 points in 21 games even though 12 of those games have been on the road. I thought they would be a playoff team once they signed Boychuk and Leddy, but I never in my wildest dreams pictured this! To help put it in perspective they are currently on place for a 117 point season. I know it's only been 25% of the season - my point is that's a hell of a start! Especially for a fan base that has been lost in the desert all these years.

Ermagerd, you guys are supposed to be LOSING!!!
- stashu

Nah, we like this! Hopefully you guys will have to scout deep into the draft!

Ermagerd, you guys are supposed to be LOSING!!!
- stashu

Ermagerd, you guys are supposed to be LOSING!!!
- stashu

The winning ways will continue..........
Get use to that bud.....

Nah, we like this! Hopefully you guys will have to scout deep into the draft!
- JimmyP

You rat bastards...winning AND making other teams scout... How do you live with yourselves?!?

- eichiefs9

You rat bastards...winning AND making other teams scout... How do you live with yourselves?!?
- stashu

Years of being a lottery team have made us immune to shame.

- stashu

Aspergers

It was a joke. I dont think anyone would take Ovie over malkin. Including capitals fans.
- Cptmjl

Yeah, I didn't know that Ovechkin thing was part of the discussion (if anyone thinks Vanek and Moulson are sh*t in their own end of the ice, watch tape of this guy sometime ....you'll be watching games drinking Maalox instead of beer). I was just comparing top end Russian talent (and actually, I may rather have Datsyuk than either of them, but he's getting to be too old), and I knew you were kidding about him not wanting to play here. I'm actually thinking that for any Russian we might want who is actually available as a UFA, our only real competition would be one of the other teams that play their home games in the New York metro area....and being as we'll be IN Brooklyn, it wouldn't get much better than that.

Wouldn't be shocked if anyone is moved for picks to replenish what we have traded away. Snow somehow likes to recoup his picks.....
- Ur Not Me

What you'd have to hope for is for a team like Arizona or Dallas trade us their first round pick for someone like Grabner, and then have them totally sh*t the bed for the rest of the year. Of course, if we got one of those first two players in THIS draft, we'd have a serious cap problem about five years from now- but we'd likely raise a few banners in between now and then.

Thank you! Last minute lineup changes and the team pitched a shut out
- Dan Petriw

Not to mention that two years from now, Strait and Donovan won't be our seven and eight; the players in those spots will probably be a lot better than that.

I understand that but how does he put him out there to start overtime in 4-on-4? The guy tripped over his own skates and almost caused a breakaway after we WON a faceoff. He took a horrific penalty, gave the puck up at least 5 times, constantly failed to get the puck out of the zone. WE have much better options in B-port for call ups (Czurczman, Mayfield, Pullock, R-hardt). Strait needs to go away
- niteislander

You've got at most like four or five more months of having to worry about seeing that player in any capacity. I wouldn't sweat it too much- he's there as a 7/8 so those kids you mention can learn the pro game without getting smoked, losing confidence and costing us points (like it or not, he's crap, but he's still better than a 19 year old trying to play defense in the NHL, unless you're talking someone like Bobby Orr). When one of them is clearly ready to play at the NHL level, he'll go through waivers, and then you can watch him fall on his ass playing for Carolina, instead of us.

Donovan played Worlds better than Strait last night. Watch the game tape. Strait played 4 minutes more than him ... please tell me they were showcasing him to move him b/c otherwise our coach is a complete moron.
- niteislander

The only way they're moving him is going to be in a manner comparable to a side effect of malaria. He's going to be waived when anyone in Bridgeport proves he's ready for prime time- guaranteed. The alternative would be to waive Donovan, and that would be stupid.

PS- Your comment about Mayfield is a bit of an exaggeration- he has played one full season for the Sound-Tigers. The first year he appeared in 6 games, so in total games he's been there for less than a year and a half. In my opinion, if we can have all of those guys stay there as a unit, and see something through this year (a deep playoff run), they'll ALL be ready next year.

That is why I put himm last. Anyone is better than Strait right now.. anyone. I'll take Ness for God's sake.
- niteislander

I wouldn't take Ness over having YOU play defense for the Islanders...

Just a shame things did not work out better. Nino could have been the winger for JT we are looking for. It's fine we can move on. Just find it interesting some Isles fans thought he was just a third line player.
- ses111

I never thought he was a third line player. I just thought he was 19 years old and already a first rate pain in the ass. I hope he has a great career- I just wonder how many times he can expect to send his agent after a GM before he ends up in Russia.

when he fell down with the puck off the ot faceoff I just about lost my mind. The guy is just not an NHL defenseman.
- Isles_since_6

Again, the difference to me is that he was serviceable for most of the game. He did make that glaring mistake, which in reality may have simply been a patented Nassau Coliseum ice f**k job. Donovan's presence scared me a lot more than his did, simply because of the experience factor. Strait is much more with this year's program than Donovan is; he's not going to crash into Okposo behind the offensive net while the other team goes on a 4 on 1 break. I'm going to guess that for the rest of the year, if he sees 20 games, it will be a lot- once they have confidence that Donovan gets the new plan, he'll be the 7, because he has more talent, and once anyone (but especially Pulock or Reinhart) is ready, that guy will leapfrog both of those players.

Assuming you knew at that time that deHaan/Hickey couldn't go that night.

And you have to send Strait and Donovan down to make room. And then call them back up and send the young guy(s) down again.

It's absurd. They can play a game or two, it's not the end of the world.
- eichiefs9

....which means waiving both of them....and then if the kids clearly aren't ready, you're f***ed for backups....

What you'd have to hope for is for a team like Arizona or Dallas trade us their first round pick for someone like Grabner, and then have them totally sh*t the bed for the rest of the year. Of course, if we got one of those first two players in THIS draft, we'd have a serious cap problem about five years from now- but we'd likely raise a few banners in between now and then.
- dcb1

Grabner wont fetch u a 1st, maybe multiple picks starting w/a 2nd rd pick and adding a 3rd or 4th or a pick in following year, etc...

Grabs will have to be on fire to acquire a 1st....

Ermagerd, you guys are supposed to be LOSING!!!
- stashu

LOL....like I said, I can't wait until we trade Grabner for Arizona's first round pick and then they lose 40 games in a row....then you guys are REALLY going to be pissed...

Listen I am the first to rip into this team but I cant. They are playing the best hockey I have seen in a real long time. Everyone is clicking right now and having a great time.

The Halak Monster is amazing right now and we have waited for a true number one for a long time. We have not had that since .......

You know we are doing awesome when Boomer and Carton were talking about them this morning, and even though Boomer was ripping the fan base for not showing up I know it is because the Islanders are winning and leading the division.

Season is far from over but I have to think we will at least make the playoffs this year.

Grabner wont fetch u a 1st, maybe multiple picks starting w/a 2nd rd pick and adding a 3rd or 4th or a pick in following year, etc...

Grabs will have to be on fire to acquire a 1st....
- Ur Not Me

We traded Chris Campoli for a 1st round pick- like I said, it would have to be a team that is more of a legend in it's GM's mind than it is on the ice, who is currently fairly high in the standings....and then we'd have to pray that they suck for the rest of the year. Realistically though, what I really hope is that if they do move Grabner, or Bailey or someone like that, it's as part of a package for a 1st line LW.

How many teams in the NHL have good 7th & 8th D-Men? You have to be facking kidding me with your rants today
- Vukota

If we lost that game u would be the loudest of all. If Strait plays Wednesday and Capumoron plays him for 20 minutes I will look forward to your anger.