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Thread: New York Islanders

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    Default New York Islanders

    Hey everyone, I'd like to introduce a man with a lot of charm, talent, and wit. Unfortunately, he couldn't be convinced to do this so I was chosen instead.

    When it was brought to my attention that the Islanders, one of the most exciting young teams has no coverage on this most prestigious forum, I had to do something immediately. Well, it was more like "Hey man, you seem to be wasting a lot of time on this website and one or two of your posts were agreeable, wanna do some team coverage?" - I'm kinda paraphrasing here You all have Shakedown to thank (or curse, depending on how this turns out) for talking me into doing this coverage.

    Now I am by no means a huge Islanders fan. I am a huge Tavares fan and by extension, I like the Islanders a lot. I also like a lot of their young guys and to me they look like one awesome bunch of budding young studs that will keep on getting better and better. I am a Leafs fan (hold your applause, please) because I live in Toronto. Not a die-hard fan, but a cautiously-optimistic one. I feel towards the Leafs the way you feel about an old girlfriend who keeps disappointing and you know you can do better, but for some reason you just can't shake her loose. I like the Islanders players a lot more than I like the Leafs ones. So I'm torn here. I am a fan of the Islanders because I like their players but I am a fan of the Leafs because I live in Toronto. Hmm, maybe I should move to New York. At any rate, the Islanders are one of the most exciting young teams these days and should have their team coverage here.

    The Islanders have had a long streak of top picks (and some astute late ones) so their rebuilding process is nearing a completion. Strome (2011-5), Kichton (2011-127), Niederreiter (2010-5), Kabanov (2010-65), Tavares (2009-1), de Haan (2009-12), Koskinen (2009-31), Baily (2008-9), Hamonic (2008-53), Poulin (2008-126), Okposo (2006-7). All they need is a steady netminder to emerge, Yashin to re-sign (I kid, I kid, I can explain the Yashin rumours with the fact that Snow is doing crack and will wake up sober tomorrow and all will be well again) and one or two solid stay-home defensemen to become a regular competitor for a playoff birth.

    Despite the Islanders' dismal record last year, there is a lot to be optimistic about next year. Their overall record is somewhat misleading. They started awefully: first 28 games, their record was 5-18-5. It was ugly. But next 54 games, a respectable record: 25-21-8. If you project that record over 82 games, you get 38-32-12 record for 88 points. Still not good enough to make the playoffs but much better than their overall season record of 30-39-13. Factor in the absence of Streit and Okposo for most of the year, as well as the usual improvement in the game of their young guns, making the playoffs next year is not entirely unrealistic.

    Since the recipe for a good introduction includes some shortening, I will end now. I'll try to keep a regular posting schedule in this thread.
    I can't promise I'll try but I'll try to try.

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    awesome dude, looking forward to it! I see quite a few games just cause they're what's on so I'll chirp in with anything I hear. I agree that for the first time in a long time, Isles fans have something to cheer for and be optimistic for.


    I am a fan of the Islanders because I like their players but I am a fan of the Leafs because I live in Toronto. Hmm, maybe I should move to New York
    you mean Long Island! Going to an Isles game from the city would be roughly equivalent to driving to Hamilton from TO, the Devils are actually much closer despite being in a different state

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    Wohoo! For some reason I caught a lot of Islanders games this past season. They were pretty interesting to watch. I wouldn't mind chipping in with a few things when I can. Welcome to the club.
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    Unbelievable. I was on earlier tonight hoping for an Islanders thread.

    I really am interested in your take on Frans Neilson. He seems like a lock on the second line with Grabner and Okposo, yet he gets little fantasy attention.

    I am debating dropping Boedker for either him or Peverly to round out my fwds. What do you think?

    Thanks!
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    Welcome to the team! I am positive you will be a stellar addition.

    Enjoy the ride!
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    Well, good on Shakedown for bringing you in. Looking forward to having you help me keep tabs on my man Okposo. Been a long time from drafting him until now - hoping for a nice positive step forward for the Isle.

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    Awesome!! Looking forward to all Islander material

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    Welcome aboard. Lifetime Islander fan entrenched on Long Island here. Glad to have you. 1st request is a piece on prospect Anders Lee. Impressed the hell out of me in the scrimmage and expecting a big breakout. With all the fanfare of the others he may blossom in the shadows.

    As for Nielsen get him. He is a solid player that the coaches love and will lean heavy this year. He is great on the penalty kill and will finally have some help on the wings.

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    Quote Originally Posted by mister_mcgoo View Post
    I see quite a few games just cause they're what's on so I'll chirp in with anything I hear
    Yes, please do.
    Quote Originally Posted by mister_mcgoo View Post
    You mean Long Island! Going to an Isles game from the city would be roughly equivalent to driving to Hamilton from TO, the Devils are actually much closer despite being in a different state
    No, I still stand by my original destination Hamilton's only 45 minutes away from Toronto. No biggie.

    Quote Originally Posted by jeffl97 View Post
    Wohoo! For some reason I caught a lot of Islanders games this past season. They were pretty interesting to watch. I wouldn't mind chipping in with a few things when I can. Welcome to the club.
    Thanks, Jeff. Your chipping in will be greatly appreciated.

    Quote Originally Posted by GMGates View Post
    Welcome to the team! I am positive you will be a stellar addition.

    Enjoy the ride!
    Thanks!

    Quote Originally Posted by Shoeless View Post
    Well, good on Shakedown for bringing you in. Looking forward to having you help me keep tabs on my man Okposo. Been a long time from drafting him until now - hoping for a nice positive step forward for the Isle.
    I'm sure Okposo will be often talked about in this thread. He's an integral part of the Isles' success. And your patience with him should be very soon rewarded big time.

    Quote Originally Posted by Shakedown View Post
    Awesome!! Looking forward to all Islander material
    Thanks!

    Quote Originally Posted by unlisted View Post
    Welcome aboard. Lifetime Islander fan entrenched on Long Island here. Glad to have you. 1st request is a piece on prospect Anders Lee. Impressed the hell out of me in the scrimmage and expecting a big breakout. With all the fanfare of the others he may blossom in the shadows.
    Thanks. Request taken. I'll try to have something on Lee in a few days.
    I can't promise I'll try but I'll try to try.

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    Quote Originally Posted by loco man View Post
    Unbelievable. I was on earlier tonight hoping for an Islanders thread.

    I really am interested in your take on Frans Neilson. He seems like a lock on the second line with Grabner and Okposo, yet he gets little fantasy attention.

    I am debating dropping Boedker for either him or Peverly to round out my fwds. What do you think?

    Thanks!
    How timely for you! Yeah, Nielsen seems to be the natural 2nd line center behind Tavares. I like Nielsen over Boedker for the next two years (and if you're in a salary cap league, he's dirt cheap next year). But I do like Boedker's situation in Phoenix and he could explode if Turris and he find chemistry. I see decent upside in him. And if you have positional requirements, you should also consider that Nielsen is a center while Boedker is a winger and in a lot of leagues, wingers are harder to find. But Nielson should outpoint Boedker next couple of years. After that, I like Boedker. But also remember that Nielsen had a concussion to end his season last year so this should be a little concern.
    Last edited by VincentVega; July 23, 2011 at 1:34 AM.
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    Quote Originally Posted by unlisted View Post
    1st request is a piece on prospect Anders Lee. Impressed the hell out of me in the scrimmage and expecting a big breakout. With all the fanfare of the others he may blossom in the shadows.
    Anders Lee is an under-the-radar prospect at this time. So under the radar that he's not even mentioned in Dobber's prospects report. He was drafted late but that had probably less to do with his hockey skill than the fact he was also a football star in high school (Minnesota high school quarterback of the year) and there was some fear he might choose football over hockey.

    Here's what hockeysfuture has to say about him:
    At 6’3 and 213 lbs, Lee has good size. He is exceedingly strong on his skates and quite mobile, with great balance and agility. He also has some speed to go with it. Lee utilizes his large frame, strength and long reach. He is not only a difficult player to move off of the puck, but he can also power his way through the opposition’s checks too. He is very strong along the boards and in the corners. Drives to the net and protects the puck. He can also deliver some bone-jarring hits.

    Lee has a very heavy shot. He can get pucks to the net and gets his shots off very quickly. He is a smart player who competes hard and sees the ice remarkably well. He is defensively responsible and is a competent penalty killer.

    Excelled on face-offs at Edina. While his passing skills are good, it’s an area that can and should improve with maturity and development.
    Anders Lee averaged exactly PPG in his last year at Notre Dame and lead his team in scoring. He will play one more year at Notre Dame. Then he likely will sign an ELC with the Isles and should challange for a roster spot in two years. If he's flexible and can move to the wing, there'll be better opportinuties. Otherwise, he'll be at best the Isles' 3rd center behind Tavares and Strome. Looking into the Isles' top nine in two-three years, it could look something like:

    Kabanov*-Tavares-Okposo
    Grabner-Strome-Niederreiter
    Lee-Nielsen-Comeau/Petrov/Moulson

    *Kabanov is a wild card at this point but could definitely see him on that top line with Tavares.
    Last edited by VincentVega; July 23, 2011 at 7:48 PM.
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    I had to rub my eyes to make sure I was believing what I was seeing when I watched Lee's notre dame play v.s u-of miami

    he has a huge problem skating backwards .......

    the guy can obviously buldge the twine , drive to the net hard but skating backwards could be an issue .

    I'm sure he's aware of it and can work on improving .....

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    sweet welcome to the team!

    we needed coverage of this team bc they will become very fantasy relevant very very soon.

    so talk to me about Niederreiter? where do we see him playing this year and what kind of stats for the team in my sig.

    I have been getting alot of trade questions but keep saying he isnt available.
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    do you see Tavares moving to the wing ever?
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    Quote Originally Posted by newper114 View Post
    sweet welcome to the team!

    we needed coverage of this team bc they will become very fantasy relevant very very soon.

    so talk to me about Niederreiter? where do we see him playing this year and what kind of stats for the team in my sig.

    I have been getting alot of trade questions but keep saying he isnt available.
    Thanks, newper.

    I expect Niederreiter to make the team this year. I think there was a decent chance he would have stuck around last year if it wasn't for the Isles' losing ways; one of the motivations for sending him down was they didn't want him to start his career in a losing environment.

    Realistically, he probably won't get much top six EV time but should see regular 3rd line minutes and 2nd PP unit. I see him getting around 35 points next year with a steady progression after that eventually settling in on around 70. If he ends up lining up with Tavares regularly, watch out.

    For your league stats, I'd predict:
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    20/15/-5/60/10/0/120
    I can't promise I'll try but I'll try to try.

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