You're kidding right? Any team with John Tavares has a chance to beat any other team on any given night.
- tomburton99

Can you imagine if Wang would spent an extra 20 million on actual players.

If Snow was the GM of the Rangers... they would have won a Cup by now...

Hickey was mismatched...stuck out there against Nash almost every shift (edit -- makes you wonder since Cappy had the last change). That said, he shouldn't be in the lineup over Martinek while Martinek is actually healthy.
- UIF

If you saw my post last night...everytime Tavares' line came on, Totorella put Nash on the ice...Jack was behind on line changes all night...he needed to put on Cizikas-Martin and McDonald or Neilsen's line...crapuano lost the game for the Isles last night...

I guess you all missed it because you talking about who the best guitarists are...

That's the Ranger fan's 'holier than thou' attitude right there. Bottom line is, are the Rangers better than the Islanders? Marginally. I'd be worried about that if I was a Ranger fan. On paper, it shouldn't even be a contest. Factor in the players, and money spent on them.
- Charlie21

Exactly, some of their fans act like they are the Yankees of the NHL. They both reside in NYC but only the Yankees seem to win championships. They forget that is the important part

If you saw my post last night...everytime Tavares' line came on, Totorella put Nash on the ice...Jack was behind on line changes all night...he needed to put on Cizikas-Martin and McDonald or Neilsen's line...crapuano lost the game for the Isles last night...

I guess you all missed it because you talking about who the best guitarists are...
- kear20

Mick Mars....

Can you imagine if Wang would spent an extra 20 million on actual players.If Snow was the GM of the Rangers... they would have won a Cup by now...
- jimmc7722

Garth would pick 20 players off the waiver wire and pay them a million each.

Can you imagine if Wang would spent an extra 20 million on actual players.

If Snow was the GM of the Rangers... they would have won a Cup by now...
- jimmc7722

If they brought in a power forward that scores some, a good defenseman and have Nelson center the 2nd line, I think they would make the playoffs...

Mick Mars....
- jimmc7722

You just lost any credibility you may have had

Weiss would be a nice addition!!!
- jimmc7722

Weiss would be a huge improvement to the 2nd line for this year if he was not hurt. Have to think Strome has the #2 spot next year.

It has to be. It's THE reason the Islanders struggle to be competitive. You guys trolling around here is ridiculous. And you pretending to be diplomatic is laughable.

Your comment about homegrown players is irrelevent. Don't pretend to be an Islander sympathizer, because you get your digs in when the opportunity presents itself.
- Charlie21

As do islander fan they beat the rangers. Please don't tell me that the only reason the Isles lost last night is because they can't spend to the cap.

If you saw my post last night...everytime Tavares' line came on, Totorella put Nash on the ice...Jack was behind on line changes all night...he needed to put on Cizikas-Martin and McDonald or Neilsen's line...crapuano lost the game for the Isles last night...

I guess you all missed it because you talking about who the best guitarists are...
- kear20

We also were talking about drummers and basist

If they brought in a power forward that scores some, a good defenseman and have Nelson center the 2nd line, I think they would make the playoffs...
- kear20

I would take my chances with this team.

As do islander fan they beat the rangers. Please don't tell me that the only reason the Isles lost last night is because they can't spend to the cap.
- tomburton99

What do you think the problem is?

You just lost any credibility you may have had
- Cptmjl

I didn't have any to begin with...

As do islander fan they beat the rangers. Please don't tell me that the only reason the Isles lost last night is because they can't spend to the cap.
- tomburton99

Who is saying that? The Isles lost because they sat on a 1goal lead in the 3rd period and were unable to find a way to go up by 2. I don't care if your playing the Blue Jackets, you can't sit on a 1 goal lead. The Isles played well but not well enough. What makes me laugh is some Rangers fans pumping their chest as if the Isles are so lowly that they meerly feel bad they allowed us to think we had a chance to win yesterdays game.

well, that's a typical Islander fan attitude right there if you want to play that game.

Bringing the money spent into the conversation.

Rangers are always going to spend as much as possible, they are never going to get the first pick overall in the draft because they will never be bad enough to get it, so they have to go out and get them.

But, you have to admit, some pretty good home grown players on these Rangers these days.
- jimbro83

ugh...I realize you may feel you're just responding to an attack but the 'typical' definitions are laughable when it comes to talking about fans. Every team has their messageboard trolls, every team has their level headed fans. The term typical is only thrown out there when intentionally trying to insult the entire group.

I did something I rarely do earlier, which was take a peak at what was being said over on the Ranger board (after Gio whatever came over spouting off) and frankly if you swapped the team names there wouldn't be much difference in the conversation tempos. A few people obssess about the guys on the other teams boards and a few focus on the game. I'm not interested in playing messageboard 'capture the flag' and have very little interest in trying to define a fanbase based on singular behaviors.

I didn't have any to begin with...
- jimmc7722

Hence the "may have had" part, I was trying to be nice

What do you think the problem is?
- Cptmjl

That's part off the problem. But it's not the core issue. I think the Isles lack a 2nd line center. Not for long with Strome coming up. I also think the islanders defense depth is somewhat thin, especially without Visnovsky.

I didn't have any to begin with...
- jimmc7722

That's part off the problem. But it's not the core issue. I think the Isles lack a 2nd line center. Not for long with Strome coming up. I also think the islanders defense depth is somewhat thin, especially without Visnovsky.
- tomburton99

I agree with you. Last night was a kick in the groin but it doesn't mean we are better than them. Of course NYR got a solid team. It is just unfortunate that our team can be really amazing if we pulled some trades and changed our coach.

Who is saying that? The Isles lost because they sat on a 1goal lead in the 3rd period and were unable to find a way to go up by 2. I don't care if your playing the Blue Jackets, you can't sit on a 1 goal lead. The Isles played well but not well enough. What makes me laugh is some Rangers fans pumping their chest as if the Isles are so lowly that they meerly feel bad they allowed us to think we had a chance to win yesterdays game.
- latorrem1

Anyobdy who watched that game saw that it was a good game. Tavares wasn't great, but he wasn't bad either. Grabner was really good, as was Boyes, even though he didn't score. Nabakov was amazing. Rangers did get lucky with that Nash goal, but Nash has been a streak as of late. I thought Lundqvist was good too. Game could have gone either way

- keaner17

Holy poop, what the hell happened to him?

As do islander fan they beat the rangers. Please don't tell me that the only reason the Isles lost last night is because they can't spend to the cap.
- tomburton99

No way. But not spending legitimately to the cap floor is a broader problem over seasons. If ownership doesn't commit to winning, it's an obstacle for any team in any sport. Not the reason a team loses on a given night, but I'd say a reason a team is not successful over multiple seasons. Personally, even with that handicap, I think the roster as currently constructed could pull off a 7-8 finish if it was better coached -- if they played a more defensive style and got proper matchups on the ice when they're home and have last change (Reasoner out against Crosby right from the faceoff coming off a TV timeout is a pretty glaring coaching screw-up). Part of the reason I think that is the number of teams in the East that can't seem to get it going. Anyone who gets on a little roll jumps three spots in the standings in a week.

Don't think we'll find out if that's so though, as it doesn't seem like Cappy's going anywhere.

Holy poop, what the hell happened to him?
- tomburton99

The story is better than the picture!
http://www.thesmokinggun....hamwow-guy-slap-chop-bust

That's part off the problem. But it's not the core issue. I think the Isles lack a 2nd line center. Not for long with Strome coming up. I also think the islanders defense depth is somewhat thin, especially without Visnovsky.
- tomburton99

Yes and Yes, agreed. Both could be corrected with adding 20 million dollars of salary. In fact a ton could be corrected. This team with a tough, stay at home D man, one big top six, and a couple tough third liners would compete. In other words dump Okposo, Acoin and the rest of the waiver wire junk and get some legit NHL players. Adding payroll as you put it would facilitate that so in the end yes. In so many words you could say our inability to spend to the cap led to us losing. I know it's a bit of an obtuse way of looking at things but it's far from illogical. Now also add a new coach, GM that actually gets respect from around the league, and a sane owner and we are in buisness.

Anyobdy who watched that game saw that it was a good game. Tavares wasn't great, but he wasn't bad either. Grabner was really good, as was Boyes, even though he didn't score. Nabakov was amazing. Rangers did get lucky with that Nash goal, but Nash has been a streak as of late. I thought Lundqvist was good too. Game could have gone either way
- tomburton99

Not being a homer but he was pretty damn great. Never gave up on a play and created a ton of opportunities. Unfortunately it did'nt translate to goals but he was great none the less.