But the stats say they aren't excelling. What I see is a bad team propped up by a goalie playing out of his mind. I've been wrong before and I'l be wrong again, but that's how I honestly see it and the numbers back me up.
- James_Tanner

You're the worst kind of person because not only are you wholly-ignorant but you like to take the hard work others put in doing statistical analysis and shove it down people's throats with a sense of undeserved-arrogance rivaled only by trust-fund kids

His feeble mind can't process the difference between "they're statistically not likely to continue winning" and "they're a bad team". The Isles have been one of the most successful teams in the NHL since about late November yet somehow they stink and he knows more than two future Hall of Famers.
- eichiefs9

all HoF's come with Cum Laude's?

This is the sort of stuff that drives me nuts - I see it on cable news all the time. You're arguing with me, but you don't hear any nuance in anything I say. You assume your opponent is taking an all-or-nothing approach to the argument, and respond as if he's an idiot.

Obviously the Islanders have some good players - Barzal, Pulock, Toews, Eberle, Boutillier etc.

Obviously their coach and GM deserve some credit for where they are and where they might go.

All I'm doing is offering up some context - they are successful for one main reason and that is goaltending. People keep crediting their defense, but the numbers don't back that up.

I'm saying they are a fluke team with very little chance of going anywhere. If they prove me wrong, by all means credit whoever you want to.

BUT we see this in the NHL every year, and every year the talking heads fail to recognize the fluky nature of what's happening. Sorry for using your favorite team to do this.

I honestly think the Islanders have gotten screwed over so many times that I hope they have a great season and if the Leafs can't win the Cup, I hope you guys get it. I don't want them to fail. I am just pointing out a pretty obvious gap in hockey analysis here, as I see it.
- James_Tanner

Boutillier

This is the sort of stuff that drives me nuts - I see it on cable news all the time. You're arguing with me, but you don't hear any nuance in anything I say. You assume your opponent is taking an all-or-nothing approach to the argument, and respond as if he's an idiot.

Obviously the Islanders have some good players - Barzal, Pulock, Toews, Eberle, Boutillier etc.

Obviously their coach and GM deserve some credit for where they are and where they might go.

All I'm doing is offering up some context - they are successful for one main reason and that is goaltending. People keep crediting their defense, but the numbers don't back that up.

I'm saying they are a fluke team with very little chance of going anywhere. If they prove me wrong, by all means credit whoever you want to.

BUT we see this in the NHL every year, and every year the talking heads fail to recognize the fluky nature of what's happening. Sorry for using your favorite team to do this.

I honestly think the Islanders have gotten screwed over so many times that I hope they have a great season and if the Leafs can't win the Cup, I hope you guys get it. I don't want them to fail. I am just pointing out a pretty obvious gap in hockey analysis here, as I see it.
- James_Tanner

Well you're not doing that. You clearly said it was all because of lehner and luck. You typed that I didn't. I can care less that you're "using my favorite team to do this." As far as the 2nd bold goes ill continue to credit whoever I want. Did you actually think you had some bearing on my thought process? That's a good one.

I think its hysterical that you've been beating the same drum since November yet here we are. Up on the Leafs again. I think maybe you should watch a couple Islander games this season(besides when they completely shut down the Leafs with lehner of course, he kept their shots down with his mind power)before you look at some numbers and come to a conclusion. Maybe you would have a better understanding of why they're winning before you dedicate a large chunk of your blog to the team.

Because game reviews are lame, and anyone can find them anywhere. The Coyotes beat the Leafs - big deal, they're not making the playoffs so that was essentially an exhibition game. I wrote something far more entertaining. If you want, you can get a job writing about hockey and then you'll be free to cover whatever topics you want.

Like what are you even saying here? The Coyotes won so I'm afraid to mention it? I think it's great they won, I just thought it was about the most boring hockey game I've ever sat through and I had nothing of interest to say about it.
- James_Tanner

The Coyotes are still in the playoff race. Yes is only the dubious quality of the West Conference that has kept them in it, but in it they still are. So while last nights win might not be a big deal to you, I highly doubt Coyote fans would say the same. And since you, James Tanner, are the blogger for said Coyotes, are you yourself not responsible for providing content to that fanbase? Do you not think it somewhat erroneous to not even mention the game/win AT ALL?

Just saying.

Maybe, but I'm extremely educated, graduated Cum Load swallower and have never been called a spitter in real life. So I guess we'll see.
- James_Tanner

Fixed.

Give yourself a pat

The Coyotes are still in the playoff race. Yes is only the dubious quality of the West Conference that has kept them in it, but in it they still are. So while last nights win might not be a big deal to you, I highly doubt Coyote fans would say the same. And since you, James Tanner, are the blogger for said Coyotes, are you yourself not responsible for providing content to that fanbase? Do you not think it somewhat erroneous to not even mention the game/win AT ALL?

Just saying.
- Wildschwein

Well the coyotes beat the leafs so no.

Fixed.

Give yourself a pat


- nyisles7

Well done😂

I have a hard time with people who don't look into the reason those results exist. You're crediting the coach and GM, but that's just the lazy go-to credit.

To my mind, no analysis is needed if we're just going to go 100% by results. If however, we are interested in knowing if a team is for real, we might choose to look deeper into it.

The Islanders do not belong this high in the standings and it would be a mistake for them to make trades like they do at the deadline. They could even win a cup - Carolina has done it, many undeserving one hit wonder teams have ridden a hot goalie all the way, and maybe the Islanders will too.

But what is more probable outcome? That they overrate themselves, make a trade for the now and set themselves back even farther in the future.
- James_Tanner

No team that wins the cup is undeserving.

No team that wins the cup is undeserving.
- JimmyP

Hot goalie(s). Can’t credit Mitch Korn for that turn around with BOTH goalies. Who hired that guy again? All of those first round picks playing lucky don’t deserve any credit either. Lehner and luck.

Well, I actually enjoyed this one. Although I don't profess to know much about Keith Gretzky, I think you need to give him some time. He can't be any worse than Chayka, we both know my opinion of him....it isn't good.

Jim Benning, you and I both agree, is one of the worst GM's in the league, yet he's managed to draft Boeser, Pettersson and Quinn Hughes in his five years in Vancouver which has made them at least somewhat competitive. A few good moves doesn't make you a good GM though, Chayka's in that same boat.
- LeftCoaster

I might have to rethink my opinion of Jim Benning. Obviously he is an old school dude, and some of his early moves were laughable. Gudbranson especially pops into my mind as a bad trade.......however, you can't deny that he's set the Canucks with some seriously good young players. I definitely like their roster right now. Probably not going to make the playoffs, but the future is super bright.

You're the worst kind of person because not only are you wholly-ignorant but you like to take the hard work others put in doing statistical analysis and shove it down people's throats with a sense of undeserved-arrogance rivaled only by trust-fund kids
- eichiefs9

Or alternatively, you're jealous.

Or alternatively, you're jealous.
- James_Tanner

Yeah you got me there

Amazing what the New York Islanders have accomplished with new ownership,management,coaching and culture. Playoffs for first round out on Long Island at the “old barn” should be unreal. The loyal fan base are one of the most passionate in all of sports and the building literally shakes. Always Believe !!

Yeah you got me there
- eichiefs9

It's not hard to get you, just let you type something and you do it to yourself.

It's not hard to get you, just let you type something and you do it to yourself.
- James_Tanner

You're getting sassy Jim

The real problem here is that videos games capped out their coolness factor in the mid 90s. They became over complicated and less fun over the years.

Nothing will really ever be better than the original Doom, or Street Fighter 2.

I hope the Islanders knock the Leafs out of the playoffs.

The real problem here is that videos games capped out their coolness factor in the mid 90s. They became over complicated and less fun over the years.

Nothing will really ever be better than the original Doom, or Street Fighter 2.

I hope the Islanders knock the Leafs out of the playoffs.
- Finkler

Hopefully Lehner and this luck can keep it up.

Trotz has had success whereever go goes though

At some point, it goes beyond measurable stats. PDO or otherwise

This Tanner guy is unreal. I had actually been thinking about this fool this week, wondering if he had even considered writing something to counter the garbage he wrote earlier this year about the Isles. Ironically, today he instead decided to double down on his insults of the Islanders. Almost 75% of the way through the season, instead of humbling himself and giving credit to a team in first place in its division, second in conference and 4th in the entire NHL, he would rather again talk about how lucky they are, how they are one of the least talented teams in the league and insist that it is still not sustainable, if not just a flat out one year wonder. This guy is such an idiot it is unreal.
He clearly does not watch the games based on what he writes and knows little to nothing about the team. It is not just goaltending, it is solid defense, timely scoring and a balanced offense from top to bottom, including a fourth line center who is about to have a 20 goal season.
But in the end I dont even know why I waste my time with a response like this because Tanner shows what a fraud he is when he states "they could even win a cup, other undeserving teams have done it before for one year." So basically the Isles could win the cup this year and he will still say it is not deserved and then repeat the whole cycle next year if the Isles are good again by saying "there have even been some team who have been lucky for _____ (fill in the blank) years in a row."

I might have to rethink my opinion of Jim Benning. Obviously he is an old school dude, and some of his early moves were laughable. Gudbranson especially pops into my mind as a bad trade.......however, you can't deny that he's set the Canucks with some seriously good young players. I definitely like their roster right now. Probably not going to make the playoffs, but the future is super bright.
- James_Tanner

As guadette, brisbois and other later picks start to enter the lineup, Dahlen lights up the ahl. Leivo is a solid middle six... it’s pretty clear JB has gotten a lot better at his job but has also drafted very well the entire time. Utica looks good and will be a favorite next year.

This Tanner guy is unreal. I had actually been thinking about this fool this week, wondering if he had even considered writing something to counter the garbage he wrote earlier this year about the Isles. Ironically, today he instead decided to double down on his insults of the Islanders. Almost 75% of the way through the season, instead of humbling himself and giving credit to a team in first place in its division, second in conference and 4th in the entire NHL, he would rather again talk about how lucky they are, how they are one of the least talented teams in the league and insist that it is still not sustainable, if not just a flat out one year wonder. This guy is such an idiot it is unreal.
He clearly does not watch the games based on what he writes and knows little to nothing about the team. It is not just goaltending, it is solid defense, timely scoring and a balanced offense from top to bottom, including a fourth line center who is about to have a 20 goal season.
But in the end I dont even know why I waste my time with a response like this because Tanner shows what a fraud he is when he states "they could even win a cup, other undeserving teams have done it before for one year." So basically the Isles could win the cup this year and he will still say it is not deserved and then repeat the whole cycle next year if the Isles are good again by saying "there have even been some team who have been lucky for _____ (fill in the blank) years in a row."
- Satan'sIsland81

Amazing what the New York Islanders have accomplished with new ownership,management,coaching and culture. Playoffs for first round out on Long Island at the “old barn” should be unreal. The loyal fan base are one of the most passionate in all of sports and the building literally shakes. Always Believe !!
- Sign guy

Weird announcement though, would be hilarious if they missed the playoffs

The theory has a big hole in it. The supposed bottom-5-in-the-league team is in fact top 5 and we're almost in March, but it's all because of career backup Lehner? Of course, Lehner is running 1 and 2 for the GAA and save % league lead with his partner, Greiss, another career backup. Now THAT'S a statistical anomaly - two career backups having freakish years simultaneously for the same team. Wow, what are the odds of that happening?!

I've seen teams carried by goalies - this isn't one of them. The goalies are playing well, but not anything extraordinary. It's the coach's system and the players' buy-in that's doing it. And the players are better than commonly thought in July/August because they were coming off a year (many years) being coached by truly, horrendously bad coaches.

As for PDO, it seems like that's actually a measure of a good team, not good luck, since most of the league leaders in points are near the top in PDO also.

BTW, before the season Trotz talked about how he is more concerned about quality of shots for and against rather than quantity of shots for and against and how that would be a big part of the system he would install. [I'd be curious to see if WASH had similar kinds of numbers last year.] Maybe, just maybe, the information gathering that leads to the "underlying numbers" doesn't really capture everything, thereby rendering the supposedly infallible underlying numbers suspect.

The theory has a big hole in it. The supposed bottom-5-in-the-league team is in fact top 5 and we're almost in March, but it's all because of career backup Lehner? Of course, Lehner is running 1 and 2 for the GAA and save % league lead with his partner, Greiss, another career backup. Now THAT'S a statistical anomaly - two career backups having freakish years simultaneously for the same team. Wow, what are the odds of that happening?!

I've seen teams carried by goalies - this isn't one of them. The goalies are playing well, but not anything extraordinary. It's the coach's system and the players' buy-in that's doing it. And the players are better than commonly thought in July/August because they were coming off a year (many years) being coached by truly, horrendously bad coaches.

As for PDO, it seems like that's actually a measure of a good team, not good luck, since most of the league leaders in points are near the top in PDO also.

BTW, before the season Trotz talked about how he is more concerned about quality of shots for and against rather than quantity of shots for and against and how that would be a big part of the system he would install.
- doublechili[I'd be curious to see if WASH had similar kinds of numbers last year.] Maybe, just maybe, the information gathering that leads to the "underlying numbers" doesn't really capture everything, thereby rendering the supposedly infallible underlying numbers suspect.

The problem is reality has the audacity to not to comply with James' theory. Reality clearly doesn't understand that James is an "extremely educated" Cum Laude graduate. It should get it's act together and reflect James' view of the world.