Ben Shelley: What are expectations for the Islanders after a quiet offseason?

The goalie is great and the defense is pretty good. Brock Nelson keeps producing and Lee can still score. I think Fasching could surprise with 15-20 goals. I wouldn’t count them out of the playoffs.

The goalie is great and the defense is pretty good. Brock Nelson keeps producing and Lee can still score. I think Fasching could surprise with 15-20 goals. I wouldn’t count them out of the playoffs.
- Minnyhock

Yes, they have a good shot at making the playoffs. I think Ben's point was that they are stuck in NHL purgatory.......perpetual mediocrity. Not good enough to contend for the Cup, not bad enough to contend for the next superstar draft pick.

Yes, they have a good shot at making the playoffs. I think Ben's point was that they are stuck in NHL purgatory.......perpetual mediocrity. Not good enough to contend for the Cup, not bad enough to contend for the next superstar draft pick.
- JohnScammo

Like the Flyers or the Wild or a host of other teams. I get the point but they have a lot of company.

Like the Flyers or the Wild or a host of other teams. I get the point but they have a lot of company.
- Minnyhock

Flyers definitely sound committed to tank mode for a few years at least. If they start off too strong, I expect Briere will sell all he can in season.

Flyers definitely sound committed to tank mode for a few years at least. If they start off too strong, I expect Briere will sell all he can in season.
- jfkst1

Philly has a mess with the triumvirate. Torts wants to win now and Jonesy and Briere are willing to tank. Everyone is expendable except Gauthier and Michkov.

My point was making the playoffs means something. Even if you go out in round one like the Wild always do. I’d rather barely make the playoffs and pick 17-20 than barely miss the playoffs and pick 12-16. If you’re not picking 1-5 it’s a bigger crap shoot.

The expectation should be that this team makes the playoffs. The GM has gambled that the players that are need to make it happen are ultimately already here. That injuries played a huge part in the Islanders struggles.

My expectation is that the power play becomes a stronger component in the Isles game with a healthy Barzal and the addition of Horvat. I would also like Dufour and Maggio get a solid look.

Philly has a mess with the triumvirate. Torts wants to win now and Jonesy and Briere are willing to tank. Everyone is expendable except Gauthier and Michkov.

My point was making the playoffs means something. Even if you go out in round one like the Wild always do. I’d rather barely make the playoffs and pick 17-20 than barely miss the playoffs and pick 12-16. If you’re not picking 1-5 it’s a bigger crap shoot.
- Minnyhock

For ownership it's fine for sure. And it's fine if it happens once or twice.

But for the team and the fans, being a perpetual bubble team is the absolute worst place to be in the NHL. That's where the previous iteration of the Wild were for a long time. Always right at the cut line for the playoffs, almost never good enough to get past the first round and never bad enough to compile the high picks you need to improve past being a bubble team.

The expectation should be that this team makes the playoffs. The GM has gambled that the players that are need to make it happen are ultimately already here. That injuries played a huge part in the Islanders struggles.

My expectation is that the power play becomes a stronger component in the Isles game with a healthy Barzal and the addition of Horvat. I would also like Dufour and Maggio get a solid look.
- Nfdbulldawg

I don't think they're getting enough credit for how good they'll be this season, but it'll still be a long row to hoe to make the playoffs and even harder to have any real success.

For ownership it's fine for sure. And it's fine if it happens once or twice.

But for the team and the fans, being a perpetual bubble team is the absolute worst place to be in the NHL. That's where the previous iteration of the Wild were for a long time. Always right at the cut line for the playoffs, almost never good enough to get past the first round and never bad enough to compile the high picks you need to improve past being a bubble team.
- eichiefs9

Which is exactly why we should’ve dumped what we could last TDL, rebooted this off-season, and focused on this coming season. Would’ve been better in every way then barely making it to the playoffs and not showing up once we got there. Instead we doubled down on and committed to mediocrity, at best, for the long term.

I don't think they're getting enough credit for how good they'll be this season, but it'll still be a long row to hoe to make the playoffs and even harder to have any real success.
- eichiefs9

I don’t think they’ll be that bad but I don’t think they will be that great either.

Any kind of success will more then likely not be sustainable over an 82 game season due to our lack of depth when the injuries inevitably start piling up with an aging roster. We get one or two key injuries we don’t even make the playoffs.

I don’t think we’re as abysmal by any means I just don’t have any faith in this team stringing together what any of us would consider a successful season. It would need some real serious luck with injuries and multiple players superseding expectation’s.

I don’t think they’ll be that bad but I don’t think they will be that great either.

Any kind of success will more then likely not be sustainable over an 82 game season due to our lack of depth when the injuries inevitably start piling up with an aging roster. We get one or two key injuries we don’t even make the playoffs.

I don’t think we’re as abysmal by any means I just don’t have any faith in this team stringing together what any of us would consider a successful season. It would need some real serious luck with injuries and multiple players superseding expectation’s.
- Cptmjl

I think a full season of a healthy Barzal and Horvat playing together will yield some pretty good results. If the two of them plus Nelson can get into the 75-80 point range then that'd be a nice upgrade.

Not saying I think they're going to be a semi-juggernaut but I think the outlook is more positive than negative.

I think a full season of a healthy Barzal and Horvat playing together will yield some pretty good results. If the two of them plus Nelson can get into the 75-80 point range then that'd be a nice upgrade.

Not saying I think they're going to be a semi-juggernaut but I think the outlook is more positive than negative.
- eichiefs9

I think they’re a bubble team. If they can squeak into the playoffs healthy who knows. I just think there’s a better chance they can’t maintain a healthy lineup. Couple that with improvements other teams have made and just the maturation/progression of teams like the Sabres or even the Jackets its going to be a little tougher for them this season imo. I’m certainly not writing them off but I’m just a smidge more bearish then you are.

If we have a young player really step up like Wahlstrom then that obviously makes us much better but I’m not exactly betting on that.

I am waiting on Parise to make a decision. If he comes back it's because he feels the team has a legit cup chance. If he retires or signs somewhere else it says a lot about this team. The only reason for him to play this year is for a cup. So I hope he comes back.

I think they’re a bubble team. If they can squeak into the playoffs healthy who knows. I just think there’s a better chance they can’t maintain a healthy lineup. Couple that with improvements other teams have made and just the maturation/progression of teams like the Sabres or even the Jackets its going to be a little tougher for them this season imo. I’m certainly not writing them off but I’m just a smidge more bearish then you are.
- Cptmjl

I'm looking at it this way:

Philly and Columbus are non-factors, they'll be among the worst teams in the league even though Columbus did marginally improve.

Washington is kind of in their own category. They're not very good, but not bad, and I don't think they'll be a huge threat.

Pittsburgh added Karlsson which will be a huge offensive upgrade, but he absolutely stinks in his own end, their overall defense is suspect, and their goaltending isn't good. Plus they have massive injury risks with some of their top players.

Canes/Devils will likely be the top two teams in the division and the Rangers are a threat to be there as well and will be expected to top-3. But they only outright won 5 more games than the Isles last year (and had 4 more OT/SO losses). They are not lightyears ahead of the Isles.

I don't think it's out of the question at all that the Isles could finish in a top-3 spot in the Metro. It may not be the most likely outcome, but it's not unfathomable.

Where the real trouble will be is in the Atlantic, where there will likely be two or three legitimate candidates for wildcard spots between: BOS/TOR/TBL/FLA/BUF/OTT, in no particular order.

I am waiting on Parise to make a decision. If he comes back it's because he feels the team has a legit cup chance. If he retires or signs somewhere else it says a lot about this team. The only reason for him to play this year is for a cup. So I hope he comes back.
- chazpet

I'm curious how the work the lineup even if he doesn't come back. If he does, I'm completely stumped

Lee-Horvat-Barzal
Engvall-Nelson-Palmieri
Parise(?)-Pageau-Wahlstrom/Fasching/Gauthier
Martin-Cizikas-Clutterbuck/Fasching/Gauthier

I really wonder if Fasching doesn't push Wahlstrom or Clutterbuck out of a regular lineup spot.

I'm looking at it this way:

Philly and Columbus are non-factors, they'll be among the worst teams in the league even though Columbus did marginally improve.

Washington is kind of in their own category. They're not very good, but not bad, and I don't think they'll be a huge threat.

Pittsburgh added Karlsson which will be a huge offensive upgrade, but he absolutely stinks in his own end, their overall defense is suspect, and their goaltending isn't good. Plus they have massive injury risks with some of their top players.

Canes/Devils will likely be the top two teams in the division and the Rangers are a threat to be there as well and will be expected to top-3. But they only outright won 5 more games than the Isles last year (and had 4 more OT/SO losses). They are not lightyears ahead of the Isles.

I don't think it's out of the question at all that the Isles could finish in a top-3 spot in the Metro. It may not be the most likely outcome, but it's not unfathomable.

Where the real trouble will be is in the Atlantic, where there will likely be two or three legitimate candidates for wildcard spots between: BOS/TOR/TBL/FLA/BUF/OTT, in no particular order.
- eichiefs9

Our thinking isn’t far off from each other really minus us finishing in the top 3. I don’t think the Rangers are as wonderful as their fans do. Didn’t think it last year and I feel the same way about them this season. I just don’t think we’re that much better regular season wise at least and I don’t think we’ll finish ahead of them unless they experience some catastrophic string of injuries.

It’s hockey so who knows. We find a way to stay reasonably healthy and Sorokin puts up another Allstar season(which is probably the most sure thing we have going for us)again we could possibly surprise a bit. The reason why I’m a bit more negative on my prediction is I have no faith in us staying reasonably healthy.

Our thinking isn’t far off from each other really minus us finishing in the top 3. I don’t think the Rangers are as wonderful as their fans do. Didn’t think it last year and I feel the same way about them this season. I just don’t think we’re that much better regular season wise at least and I don’t think we’ll finish ahead of them unless they experience some catastrophic string of injuries.

It’s hockey so who knows. We find a way to stay reasonably healthy and Sorokin puts up another Allstar season(which is probably the most sure thing we have going for us)again we could possibly surprise a bit. The reason why I’m a bit more negative on my prediction is I have no faith in us staying reasonably healthy.
- Cptmjl

No we're not too far apart at all.

But I'm not totally understanding where the worry about injuries comes from. They can obviously happen, not saying I expect everyone to be healthy...but there's really no super important players that have major recurring injury issues. Barzal's injury was a freak thing last year and he's usually very healthy. Clutterbuck and Martin could probably fall into the injury-prone category but the Isles aren't living and dying on their health. I guess I could see it for Mayfield/Pelech, with the latter being hugely important. But overall I would't consider the Isles core to be too injury prone. Certainly not like the Penguins core.

No we're not too far apart at all.

But I'm not totally understanding where the worry about injuries comes from. They can obviously happen, not saying I expect everyone to be healthy...but there's really no super important players that have major recurring injury issues. Barzal's injury was a freak thing last year and he's usually very healthy. Clutterbuck and Martin could probably fall into the injury-prone category but the Isles aren't living and dying on their health. I guess I could see it for Mayfield/Pelech, with the latter being hugely important. But overall I would't consider the Isles core to be too injury prone. Certainly not like the Penguins core.
- eichiefs9

My worry isn’t centered around Barzal’s injury or even my prediction of them stumbling because of it. The team performed beyond expectations when he went down last season. It’s more based on that’s not the norm historically with this team. Normally when we lose a player for any extended period of time with this team it seems to have an overall negative effect on the lineup. Even a Martin or clutterbuck(even though their contributions have been more limited the last couple of seasons). Couple that with little to no depth that negativity gets exponentially worse.

We lose someone for an extended period on our blue line we’re hoping Bolduc finds his game again. That’s not an optimum scenario. As I stated in an earlier post if one of these kids suddenly steps up it helps our chances quite a bit. I just don’t have a ton of faith in that happening.

My worry isn’t centered around Barzal’s injury or even my prediction of them stumbling because of it. The team performed beyond expectations when he went down last season. It’s more based on that’s not the norm historically with this team. Normally when we lose a player for any extended period of time with this team it seems to have an overall negative effect on the lineup. Even a Martin or clutterbuck(even though their contributions have been more limited the last couple of seasons). Couple that with little to no depth that negativity gets exponentially worse.

We lose someone for an extended period on our blue line we’re hoping Bolduc finds his game again. That’s not an optimum scenario. As I stated in an earlier post if one of these kids suddenly steps up it helps our chances quite a bit. I just don’t have a ton of faith in that happening.
- Cptmjl

Gotcha, fair enough

Mostly unrelated, but I think Dobson has a big bounce-back season this year

I think a full season of a healthy Barzal and Horvat playing together will yield some pretty good results. If the two of them plus Nelson can get into the 75-80 point range then that'd be a nice upgrade.

Not saying I think they're going to be a semi-juggernaut but I think the outlook is more positive than negative.
- eichiefs9

The Islanders need Lee and Palms to be healthy and productive enough. I'm not worried about Barzal, Horvat, Nelson.

I'm curious how the work the lineup even if he doesn't come back. If he does, I'm completely stumped

Lee-Horvat-Barzal
Engvall-Nelson-Palmieri
Parise(?)-Pageau-Wahlstrom/Fasching/Gauthier
Martin-Cizikas-Clutterbuck/Fasching/Gauthier

I really wonder if Fasching doesn't push Wahlstrom or Clutterbuck out of a regular lineup spot.
- eichiefs9

I have no clue what they are going to do if Parise comes back. Even if he doesn't. That's what they pay LL for I guess.

Philly has a mess with the triumvirate. Torts wants to win now and Jonesy and Briere are willing to tank. Everyone is expendable except Gauthier and Michkov.

My point was making the playoffs means something. Even if you go out in round one like the Wild always do. I’d rather barely make the playoffs and pick 17-20 than barely miss the playoffs and pick 12-16. If you’re not picking 1-5 it’s a bigger crap shoot.
- Minnyhock

Owning a higher first round pick is just one long term benefit to tanking. It also benefits an org. getting greater volumes of futures and retaining cap flexibility to make safer UFA additions.

My worry isn’t centered around Barzal’s injury or even my prediction of them stumbling because of it. The team performed beyond expectations when he went down last season. It’s more based on that’s not the norm historically with this team. Normally when we lose a player for any extended period of time with this team it seems to have an overall negative effect on the lineup. Even a Martin or clutterbuck(even though their contributions have been more limited the last couple of seasons). Couple that with little to no depth that negativity gets exponentially worse.

We lose someone for an extended period on our blue line we’re hoping Bolduc finds his game again. That’s not an optimum scenario. As I stated in an earlier post if one of these kids suddenly steps up it helps our chances quite a bit. I just don’t have a ton of faith in that happening.
- Cptmjl

The issue will be the pressure on the goalies and defense to carry the team again. Sorokin is light out, but he gave up a couple of questionable goals in the Canes series and the Islanders offense could not overcome it and gave very little help.

Gotcha, fair enough

Mostly unrelated, but I think Dobson has a big bounce-back season this year
- eichiefs9

I do think Dobson should have a nice year. The question as always will be if the offense will be good enough? This is a different NHL with more focus on speed and skill.