3 hits and zero fights this season, in 5 games.
- eichiefs9

Exactly. You're adding an element of nothing to the line up with boulton. You're taking out a possible element of scoring with Grabner along with a decent defensive fwd and adding absolutely nothing.

So Bolton is going to prevent that from happening?
- Cptmjl

No,

Im not agreeing that its a right or wrong but right before the PO's might start, I don't need any major player go down from a goonish squad bc they aren't in the PO picture....
- Ur Not Me

My point being is boulton doesn't prevent that from happening. Boulton brings zero toughness, fighting, or anything for that matter. Martin offers that boulton does not. You're removing from the line up without adding anything when boulton plays. Par for the course with Capuanos personnel decisions.

Exactly. You're adding an element of nothing to the line up with boulton. You're taking out a possible element of scoring with Grabner along with a decent defensive fwd and adding absolutely nothing.
- Cptmjl

Isles are not playing a loaded talented team....

Isles are not playing a loaded talented team....
- Ur Not Me

Well they've won their last 8 in a row, so there's that.

edit: 7, sorry.

Isles are not playing a loaded talented team....
- Ur Not Me

What does that mean? We gave up a three goal lead to a team that broke losing records this season not long ago. We are in a battle for home ice with five games left with three teams separated by a point. We haven't even clinched yet. Playing boulton makes zero sense against anyone.

Well they've won their last 8 in a row, so there's that.

edit: 7, sorry.
- eichiefs9

9 of their last ten. Boulton, strait, and donovan are who I want in the line up against a team like this. You know the guys that got us here.

My point being is boulton doesn't prevent that from happening. Boulton brings zero toughness, fighting, or anything for that matter. Martin offers that boulton does not. You're removing from the line up without adding anything when boulton plays. Par for the course with Capuanos personnel decisions.
- Cptmjl

Like I said, it doesn't matter to me, but when Martin has barely dropped the mitts or even try to drop them to spark the team, he hasn't. Last game Martin couldn't do anything bc he was wearing a face-guard. The last game, CLB took liberties, so who cares that Boulton is in line-up for 1 game?
Grabner or anyone else is a merry-go-round convo, bc the team needs to win, will they is the biggest question bc they haven't been playing well regardless of who's in the facking line-up....

Like I said, it doesn't matter to me, but when Martin has barely dropped the mitts or even try to drop them to spark the team, he hasn't. Last game Martin couldn't do anything bc he was wearing a face-guard. The last game, CLB took liberties, so who cares that Boulton is in line-up for 1 game?
Grabner or anyone else is a merry-go-round convo, bc the team needs to win, will they is the biggest question bc they haven't been playing well regardless of who's in the facking line-up....
- Ur Not Me

The other side of this is they should put their best players on the ice. Try to find some consistency and confidence going into the playoffs. Stop with the merry go round player decisions.

Like I said, it doesn't matter to me, but when Martin has barely dropped the mitts or even try to drop them to spark the team, he hasn't. Last game Martin couldn't do anything bc he was wearing a face-guard. The last game, CLB took liberties, so who cares that Boulton is in line-up for 1 game?
Grabner or anyone else is a merry-go-round convo, bc the team needs to win, will they is the biggest question bc they haven't been playing well regardless of who's in the facking line-up....
- Ur Not Me

The problem is there's a connection there. Who knows? Maybe Grabner scores the game winner? Dehaan gets an assist on it? I do know strait and boulton won't do a (frank)ing thing. That's why you play those guys only when you have too. They are depth players if that. You don't give your depth guys more ice time than your first pairing or sit top six fwds for number ten fwds. Maybe that's why the team is playing like poop?

The other side of this is they should put their best players on the ice. Try to find some consistency and confidence going into the playoffs. Stop with the merry go round player decisions.
- JimmyP

Ding ding ding ding

Like I said, it doesn't matter to me, but when Martin has barely dropped the mitts or even try to drop them to spark the team, he hasn't. Last game Martin couldn't do anything bc he was wearing a face-guard. The last game, CLB took liberties, so who cares that Boulton is in line-up for 1 game?
Grabner or anyone else is a merry-go-round convo, bc the team needs to win, will they is the biggest question bc they haven't been playing well regardless of who's in the facking line-up....
- Ur Not Me

When there is only 5 games left, you haven't clinched the playoffs, and you're still battling for an optimal first round matchup/home ice... "1 game" makes a difference, when you're talking about plugging in a no-talent windbag like Boulton.

Punching people in the face doesn't help teams win games or protect their players. Even if it did, Boulton has punched zero people in the face this season and has had 5 games to do so.

The problem is there's a connection there. Who knows? Maybe Grabner scores the game winner? Dehaan gets an assist on it? I do know strait and boulton won't do a (frank)ing thing. That's why you play those guys only when you have too. They are depth players if that. You don't give your depth guys more ice time than your first pairing or sit top six fwds for number ten fwds. Maybe that's why the team is playing like poop?
- Cptmjl

Cappy needs to get Boulton in shape for a game one playoffs start. I do not remember if it was Reasoner or Pandolfo that Cappy started that time?

If the choice is Milbury or Cappy, I'm taking Milbury.
- ses111

That's like saying "if the choice is cyanide or arsenic, i'm taking cyanide"

Exactly. You're adding an element of nothing to the line up with boulton. You're taking out a possible element of scoring with Grabner along with a decent defensive fwd and adding absolutely nothing.
- Cptmjl

Grabs is done with this team. The only way he dresses as an Islander again is if multiple forwards get hurt. Its clear that Cappy doesn't like him as a player. Grabs will be traded this off season.

Grabs is done with this team. The only way he dresses as an Islander again is if multiple forwards get hurt. Its clear that Cappy doesn't like him as a player. Grabs will be traded this off season.
- Jethro09

Ok well thats stupid. So you play inferior players like Kennedy and boulton instead?

Cappy needs to get Boulton in shape for a game one playoffs start. I do not remember if it was Reasoner or Pandolfo that Cappy started that time?
- ses111

It was Reasoner. When asked why he was playing reasoner in game one after scratching him for so long capuano said of course he was going to play reasoner. "He's a playoff warrior" he said. He was a minus four in a 5-0 loss. He was in the box for the fifth goal. Reminds me of a certain someone on our blue line...

Ok well thats stupid.
- Cptmjl

Well, its Cappy. Cappy is practically synonymous with Stupid. If Cappy liked Grabner, he'd dress him and play him.

Well, its Cappy. Cappy is practically synonymous with Stupid. If Cappy liked Grabner, he'd dress him and play him.
- Jethro09

Ala Strait and any other player with a new england accent. Cmac next game book it.

new blog before the game.. I rewatched the second half of the last time these two teams met. a lot of headhunting done by the jackets when they were trailing... tavres and strome took a beating... I still wouldn't play boulton but my guess this is why though

When there is only 5 games left, you haven't clinched the playoffs, and you're still battling for an optimal first round matchup/home ice... "1 game" makes a difference, when you're talking about plugging in a no-talent windbag like Boulton.

Punching people in the face doesn't help teams win games or protect their players. Even if it did, Boulton has punched zero people in the face this season and has had 5 games to do so.
- eichiefs9

i would not dress boulton but you are being a little hard on boulton.. he can play 6 minutes and not hurt you. with that being said i still would have played grabner or even cmac and it is mind boggling why cdh isn't playing at this point

i would not dress boulton but you are being a little hard on boulton.. he can play 6 minutes and not hurt you. with that being said i still would have played grabner or even cmac and it is mind boggling why cdh isn't playing at this point
- Dan Petriw

Not anymore mind boggling than hickey leading all players in ice time along with strait some nights. Funny how that started happening right after leddy and boychuck sogned their contracts.

i would not dress boulton but you are being a little hard on boulton.. he can play 6 minutes and not hurt you. with that being said i still would have played grabner or even cmac and it is mind boggling why cdh isn't playing at this point
- Dan Petriw

I don't disagree for one second that he can play 6 minutes and not hurt the team. But, as you agree with, Grabner and McDonald are both better choices that a) can play hockey and b) can play more than 6:30 per game (which is what Boulton has averaged over his 5 games so far).

Boulton in the lineup puts the burden on everyone else to play more minutes. He may not cost the team a goal in his minimal ice time, but he sure makes his teammates work a lot harder.

What I cannot figure out, is how Capuano came to decide that Boulton was the most deserving candidate. He is labeled as a physical player and/or a fighter, yet he has 3 hits and zero fights in 5 games. He's not doing the one thing he's good at, so why bother playing him? Do Grabner and McDonald need a rest from resting?

I don't disagree for one second that he can play 6 minutes and not hurt the team. But, as you agree with, Grabner and McDonald are both better choices that a) can play hockey and b) can play more than 6:30 per game (which is what Boulton has averaged over his 5 games so far).

Boulton in the lineup puts the burden on everyone else to play more minutes. He may not cost the team a goal in his minimal ice time, but he sure makes his teammates work a lot harder.

What I cannot figure out, is how Capuano came to decide that Boulton was the most deserving candidate. He is labeled as a physical player and/or a fighter, yet he has 3 hits and zero fights in 5 games. He's not doing the one thing he's good at, so why bother playing him? Do Grabner and McDonald need a rest from resting?
- eichiefs9

i had no idea grabner had the flu...i don't think this was announced until today.. the last forward on this team doesn't bother me but what really grinds my gears is hickey or strait playing over cdh

i would not dress boulton but you are being a little hard on boulton.. he can play 6 minutes and not hurt you. with that being said i still would have played grabner or even cmac and it is mind boggling why cdh isn't playing at this point
- Dan Petriw

The de Haan scratching is much more concerning and puzzling than the Grabner one. Grabner has been bad this year and the injury bug with him didn't help things, so i can see dressing other guys over him (not Boulton, but whatever). But de Haan was a top-four d-man on this team and aside from a few bad games, he's been better overall than the guys dressing in his stead. You don't repeatedly scratch healthy top-four d-men. Cappy is just mind-boggling with some of these decisions.