Ben Shelley: Islanders squander great opportunity with back-to-back weekend losses

Ben Shelley: Islanders squander great opportunity with back-to-back weekend losses
- Ben Shelley

Squander is the right word Ben. If they miss the playoffs I will be looking back at these two games.

Squander is the right word Ben. If they miss the playoffs I will be looking back at these two games.
- JimmyP

Yep and put themselves in a position now where these upcoming games are must wins against tougher opponents. Islanders overall have been playing well when you subtract the last two games while being undermanned so that in itself is impressive. Can’t disregard the loss of Barzal on an already offensively starved team.

What they’ve had going for them is the teams chasing them in the WC have been underperforming in the last ten games with sub 500 records minus the Panthers. Sabres look like they may make a push but more then likely they’re out. But if the Pens get it together just a little bit and panthers continue playing decent we’re more then likely out. The margin of error is real small.

Ben Shelley: Islanders squander great opportunity with back-to-back weekend losses
- Ben Shelley

Moving this over because no one wrote 'new blog'

Yup, I'm officially done with the great Bailey experiment. It only took me 15 years to reach this point.
- JohnScammo

The biggest frustration with Bailey is exactly what pre-draft scouts said about him. Great talent but, lacks intensity. If he had a greedy mentality like say Ovechkin, he probably could have been at least a 30 goal guy. His supposed greatest strength of being cerebral is actually his biggest weakness. The praise of him being such a great defensive player is built off the fact that he's a terrible forechecker and therefore behind the offensive play

I would agree...Maybe trying to hard...Kinda of like Parise was doing in the beginning.

Definitely at a bad time and definitely his longest drought of the season.
- Nfdbulldawg

I think my concern with Horvat is that it isn't unreasonable to say that perhaps his spike in goal scoring has people expecting too much.
Before this season, Horvat averaged 24 goals per 82 games. I think of Bo as more of a Pageau guy albeit with a different skillset. He's a great faceoff guy with a good shot that plays a strong two way game. A good penalty killer. What he is not is a great skater or passer. He's 'good' at both.
I just think we probably need to temper our expectations with him. Naturally he doesn't help that he's stuck with Lee and either Holmstrom or Bailey. That said, I don't think he's REALLY a 35-40goal guy. Certainly he is not the type of guy that is going to carry a team. He desperately needs a solid talent like Barzy to help

Moving this over because no one wrote 'new blog'


The biggest frustration with Bailey is exactly what pre-draft scouts said about him. Great talent but, lacks intensity. If he had a greedy mentality like say Ovechkin, he probably could have been at least a 30 goal guy. His supposed greatest strength of being cerebral is actually his biggest weakness. The praise of him being such a great defensive player is built off the fact that he's a terrible forechecker and therefore behind the offensive play
- keaner17

I honestly can't remember anyone claiming that Bailey was "a great defensive player". The guy virtually never takes the body, even when the situation calls for it. Occasionally in the playoffs he delivers what I would describe as an "excuse me" check. I'm not saying that guys have to deliver open ice hits to be considered good defensively, but Bailey's poke checks so often end up looking like "Ole!" defense.

I think my concern with Horvat is that it isn't unreasonable to say that perhaps his spike in goal scoring has people expecting too much.
Before this season, Horvat averaged 24 goals per 82 games. I think of Bo as more of a Pageau guy albeit with a different skillset. He's a great faceoff guy with a good shot that plays a strong two way game. A good penalty killer. What he is not is a great skater or passer. He's 'good' at both.
I just think we probably need to temper our expectations with him. Naturally he doesn't help that he's stuck with Lee and either Holmstrom or Bailey. That said, I don't think he's REALLY a 35-40goal guy. Certainly he is not the type of guy that is going to carry a team. He desperately needs a solid talent like Barzy to help
- keaner17

I guess $8.5 million just doesn't buy what it used to.

Andrew Gross @AGrossNewsday
6m
Josh Bailey out early with usual extras Ross Johnston and Parker Wotherspoon working with backup G Semyon Varlamov. Expecting Simon Holmstrom to draw back in tonight for #Isles as they host #NJDevils.

Andrew Gross @AGrossNewsday
2m
Sebastian Aho (upper body) resuming skating with teammates at today's morning skate for #Isles

I think my concern with Horvat is that it isn't unreasonable to say that perhaps his spike in goal scoring has people expecting too much.
Before this season, Horvat averaged 24 goals per 82 games. I think of Bo as more of a Pageau guy albeit with a different skillset. He's a great faceoff guy with a good shot that plays a strong two way game. A good penalty killer. What he is not is a great skater or passer. He's 'good' at both.
I just think we probably need to temper our expectations with him. Naturally he doesn't help that he's stuck with Lee and either Holmstrom or Bailey. That said, I don't think he's REALLY a 35-40goal guy. Certainly he is not the type of guy that is going to carry a team. He desperately needs a solid talent like Barzy to help
- keaner17

Horvat was consistently a 20g and ~60pt player up until this season. He did score 30 the year prior, so maybe he's found a goal-scoring touch later in his career but he was really never a strong offensive guy. Anyone, including the Islanders, who was expecting him to consistently replicate this season's production was wrong/lying to themselves. He's still a very good player but they're going to need for him to rediscover his scoring touch sooner than later if they want to make the playoffs. They need Barzal back in the worst way.

Andrew Gross @AGrossNewsday
27s
#Isles at morning skate

Parise-Horvat-Fasching
Engvall0-Nelson-Palmieri
Lee-Pageau-Holmstrom
Martin-Cizikas-Clutterbuck
Pelech-Mayfield
Romanov-Pulock
Bolduc-Dobson
Sorokin
Varlamov

(Bailey, Johnston extra Fs)
(Aho an extra D)

I guess $8.5 million just doesn't buy what it used to.
- JohnScammo

No it does not…

I honestly can't remember anyone claiming that Bailey was "a great defensive player". The guy virtually never takes the body, even when the situation calls for it. Occasionally in the playoffs he delivers what I would describe as an "excuse me" check. I'm not saying that guys have to deliver open ice hits to be considered good defensively, but Bailey's poke checks so often end up looking like "Ole!" defense.
- JohnScammo

You're kidding me. We were constantly fed that line over the years. It was the main narrative for why he was constantly thrown on to the top line. We were told that his strong defensive play would help offset Barzy's supposed weaknesses in that area.

Horvat was consistently a 20g and ~60pt player up until this season. He did score 30 the year prior, so maybe he's found a goal-scoring touch later in his career but he was really never a strong offensive guy. Anyone, including the Islanders, who was expecting him to consistently replicate this season's production was wrong/lying to themselves. He's still a very good player but they're going to need for him to rediscover his scoring touch sooner than later if they want to make the playoffs. They need Barzal back in the worst way.
- eichiefs9

Always seem guys have there best year when there a free agent, then sign big contracts then there production drops off.

Always seem guys have there best year when there a free agent, then sign big contracts then there production drops off.
- roadworker

Not really surprising. Dangle millions of dollars in front of them and they're going to bust their asses to get every extra penny they can. I don't think production "drops off" as much as it regresses to the mean

You're kidding me. We were constantly fed that line over the years. It was the main narrative for why he was constantly thrown on to the top line. We were told that his strong defensive play would help offset Barzy's supposed weaknesses in that area.
- keaner17

I believe you, but my memory is a little different. I remember hearing that he was a cerebral player (whatever the fack that means), not a great defensive player. As far as him getting put on Barzal's wing, I know that happened for quite a while, but I thought it was more because they had limited options.

I also have a theory based on something I heard from Moulson's dog that Lou and Barry wanted him gone years ago, but were not willing to part with the assets it would require to unload his contract. So they puffed him up publicly with all this BS about being a cerebral player. They played him on Barzal's line to pump up his point totals. Sadly, it wasn't enough to get anyone to bite. I'm guessing the other GMs probably looked at film...

I believe you, but my memory is a little different. I remember hearing that he was a cerebral player (whatever the fack that means), not a great defensive player. As far as him getting put on Barzal's wing, I know that happened for quite a while, but I thought it was more because they had limited options.

I also have a theory based on something I heard from Moulson's dog that Lou and Barry wanted him gone years ago, but were not willing to part with the assets it would require to unload his contract. So they puffed him up publicly with all this BS about being a cerebral player. They played him on Barzal's line to pump up his point totals. Sadly, it wasn't enough to get anyone to bite. I'm guessing the other GMs probably looked at film...
- JohnScammo

a lot of that cerebral player crap came from Snow and Cappy early on. Ironically it was Cappy's benching of Bailey during a game that reportedly put him on the hotseat with Snow.
Players and coaches have always mentioned how Josh does 'all the little things right' without saying what those little things are. Tavares and Barzy had both at different times said "he's always in the right place". Trotz mentioned that he reads plays and creates turnovers etc. (maybe he meant offensively )
A certain former writer here used to constantly go on about how responsible he was in his own zone and a great analytics guy. (blech)
Either way, I'm done with him. He's never taken advantage of the immense talent he has. He's too passive, too laid back, too slow and all wrong for a team that needs to be more aggressive offensively

a lot of that cerebral player crap came from Snow and Cappy early on. Ironically it was Cappy's benching of Bailey during a game that reportedly put him on the hotseat with Snow.
Players and coaches have always mentioned how Josh does 'all the little things right' without saying what those little things are. Tavares and Barzy had both at different times said "he's always in the right place". Trotz mentioned that he reads plays and creates turnovers etc. (maybe he meant offensively )
A certain former writer here used to constantly go on about how responsible he was in his own zone and a great analytics guy. (blech)
Either way, I'm done with him. He's never taken advantage of the immense talent he has. He's too passive, too laid back, too slow and all wrong for a team that needs to be more aggressive offensively
- keaner17

Yup, after getting benched for several games, I was really looking for a fired up Bailey in the Sabres game. Instead we got the Bailey hat trick..........or did he achieve the Bailey 6-pack? He definitely seems to enjoy that invisibility cloak. I hope he spends his last season in Bridgeport, and enjoys the bus rides.

Yup, after getting benched for several games, I was really looking for a fired up Bailey in the Sabres game. Instead we got the Bailey hat trick..........or did he achieve the Bailey 6-pack? He definitely seems to enjoy that invisibility cloak. I hope he spends his last season in Bridgeport, and enjoys the bus rides.
- JohnScammo

What will be fascinating is when he returns for 12Chainz Appreciation Night ten years from now and everyone goes full revisionist telling us how great he was and demanding #12 be raised to the banners

What will be fascinating is when he returns for 12Chainz Appreciation Night ten years from now and everyone goes full revisionist telling us how great he was and demanding #12 be raised to the banners
- keaner17

After he spent 15 years playing with the Isles, they will be able to cherry pick enough highlights to make him look like Wayne Gretzky.

Yup, after getting benched for several games, I was really looking for a fired up Bailey in the Sabres game. Instead we got the Bailey hat trick..........or did he achieve the Bailey 6-pack? He definitely seems to enjoy that invisibility cloak. I hope he spends his last season in Bridgeport, and enjoys the bus rides.
- JohnScammo

They'd save more money (next year) buying him out than sending him to Bridgeport. Problem with that scenario is that he'd then cost them $1.67M the following year. Cap going up may make that pretty insignificant, but it'd give them a little more flexibility next season

They'd save more money (next year) buying him out than sending him to Bridgeport. Problem with that scenario is that he'd then cost them $1.67M the following year. Cap going up may make that pretty insignificant, but it'd give them a little more flexibility next season
- eichiefs9

Yup, it helps them next season, but hurts them the following season. I'd probably rather be done with him once and for all.

They have to unload him in the off season. Too many other guys they want to resign.

Yup, it helps them next season, but hurts them the following season. I'd probably rather be done with him once and for all.
- JohnScammo

From a business standpoint, buying him out would also save them actual cash too. May ultimately be the preferred option of ownership/mgmt if they're not going to let him play out the final year of his contract, but who knows. Either way it's starting to look like his time is coming to an end here.

They have to unload him in the off season. Too many other guys they want to resign.
- chazpet

Someone has to want him for that to happen. And they really can't afford to be including assets to entice someone into taking him.