Evgeni Nabokov NYI 6 6 152 24 4.44 2 4 2 128 .842

yet the series still went 6 games and two of the pens wins were in OT. If we had a goalie in this series it would have been over in 6 and it would have been the Isles advancing.

When your goaltender allows a softie or two every game and can't make a save when needed, then it's pretty damn difficult to make it a series. Yet it went 6 games. When you have Brad Boyes on the first line turning the puck over left and right, it shouldn't be a series, but it was.

When you have Crosby, Malkin, Iginla, Kunitz, Neal, Dupuis as your top six, it shouldn't even have been close. 6 games, 2 in OT.

Pittsburgh has more talent, a better goaltender and the best 1-2 centers in the league. Yet it still took OT in 2 games and 6 games in total. If Nabby had played one game like he did in the last month of the season the Isles would have taken this to game 7.

We weren't supposed to even bother showing up for this, every pundit had the Isles losing in 4 straight, just like everyone had them finishing at the bottom of the east before the season started.

Add in that we have almost 30 mil in cap space for next year, multiple prospects on the verge of stepping in and contributing plus a core that is extremely young and signed long term and our three holes we need to fill are:

legit starting goaltender
top line right wing
top four defenseman

and you'd think, hey, this team could actually be improving. Hence, the feel good fluff pieces after a good entertaining series.

ps, you can say it was all Fleury, but Vokoun didn't look too hot in game six. Unfortunately for the Isles, Nabby was worse. 4 goals on 21 shots?
- Isles_since_6

Isles have a bright future that's for sure, I said in the Sad Sabres thread earlier that Tavares is a guy that championships are going to follow him. He just has that it factor.

Florida Panthers brought the Devils to game 7 double OT, the Devils later made it to the Stanley Cup finals. This year, Panthers only had 15 wins worst in the NHL, worst in points, worst PK and worst goals to goals against differential.

My point? Don't get too high, even though your team outplayed the pens in this series. Next year is a different year, things happen, things change. Islanders future is very bright. The difference with them is that they have all star players already on the roster (Tavarez, Grabner, Streit) and have great talent coming up (Strome, Nietorietter - botched the spelling).

Go Isles! here's to future success for both our teams!

Honestly, if Luongo was a cap relief trade where nothing of value went back to the Canucks I'd consider it. I thought the Canucks made a massive mistake putting Luongo on the bench after two pretty decent games and playing a guy coming off a groin injury ahead of him who hadn't seen game action in two weeks. Bad move.

I'd think the best thing for the Canucks would be to hold onto Luongo as he's got no value in a trade, and move Schneider as they'd get some assets in return for him. Move edler as well, buy out Ballard and suddenly they have some flexibility and should be able to get some young decent prospects out of trading scheider and edler. Could be a quick retool rather than a rebuild.
- Isles_since_6

that sounds like the total opposite of what the nucks wanna do. trade away their young, promising goalie to keep an old goalie with a contract that will remain on the books after he retires, then trade their best defenseman for prospects that won't help now while their old goalie is still kinda useful, and then buyout a solid top-4 dman. hmmm.

Florida Panthers brought the Devils to game 7 double OT, the Devils later made it to the Stanley Cup finals. This year, Panthers only had 15 wins worst in the NHL, worst in points, worst PK and worst goals to goals against differential.

My point? Don't get too high, even though your team outplayed the pens in this series. Next year is a different year, things happen, things change. Islanders future is very bright. The difference with them is that they have all star players already on the roster (Tavarez, Grabner, Streit) and have great talent coming up (Strome, Nietorietter - botched the spelling).

Go Isles! here's to future success for both our teams!
- BallardHitsHard22

true, things can change and injuries can play a huge part. The difference I see is that the Isles are built through the draft and some waiver pick ups, where florida signed every over 30 UFA that would take an inflated paycheque, and had one good year out of it before falling back to earth.

that sounds like the total opposite of what the nucks wanna do. trade away their young, promising goalie to keep an old goalie with a contract that will remain on the books after he retires, then trade their best defenseman for prospects that won't help now while their old goalie is still kinda useful, and then buyout a solid top-4 dman. hmmm.
- rangerdanger94

who's going to take Luongo and give the canucks anything when they know Gillis has less than a mil to sign 6 players?

Who's going to take Luongo without telling the canucks to pick up 3 mil a year for the remainder of the contract? And even at that point, you're not getting back more than a late round draft pick.

Schneider arguably could bring back a roster player, a prospect and perhaps a pick. This is what they actually need going forward, they have no scoring depth and past their top 5 players the rest of the forwards are complete and utter crap.

Honestly, if Luongo was a cap relief trade where nothing of value went back to the Canucks I'd consider it. I thought the Canucks made a massive mistake putting Luongo on the bench after two pretty decent games and playing a guy coming off a groin injury ahead of him who hadn't seen game action in two weeks. Bad move.

I'd think the best thing for the Canucks would be to hold onto Luongo as he's got no value in a trade, and move Schneider as they'd get some assets in return for him. Move edler as well, buy out Ballard and suddenly they have some flexibility and should be able to get some young decent prospects out of trading scheider and edler. Could be a quick retool rather than a rebuild.
- Isles_since_6

Luongo is exactly what the Islanders need, an experienced goaltender that still has tons of game left in him. The Islanders have trouble getting to the floor. they had to have a 5 million dollar suspended goaltender on their cap hit to reach the floor.

NYI would probably be willing to trade a prospect and a pick for him, time will tell. But I do agree with you about Edler getting moved for some help.

true, things can change and injuries can play a huge part. The difference I see is that the Isles are built through the draft and some waiver pick ups, where florida signed every over 30 UFA that would take an inflated paycheque, and had one good year out of it before falling back to earth.
- Isles_since_6

Panthers have to overspend for sub par players because no one wants to play for a losing organization. I disagree that you think the difference is you build through the draft. Panthers have the best prospect pool in the NHL and still continue to build through the draft. THE MAIN DIFFERENCE is that the Islanders draft NHL players and we draft bums.

who's going to take Luongo and give the canucks anything when they know Gillis has less than a mil to sign 6 players?

Who's going to take Luongo without telling the canucks to pick up 3 mil a year for the remainder of the contract? And even at that point, you're not getting back more than a late round draft pick.

Schneider arguably could bring back a roster player, a prospect and perhaps a pick. This is what they actually need going forward, they have no scoring depth and past their top 5 players the rest of the forwards are complete and utter crap.
- Isles_since_6

just because the nucks are in a tough spot cap-wise doesn't mean they can't get anything for luongo who is still arguably an elite or close to elite level goalie. it just means they have less leverage. but any team that is really looking for a goalie to try to win within the next 2-4 years will be willing to part with a couple solid assets for luongo. not for what gillis is asking for obviously, but that's all just posturing. he will come down eventually when he really needs to move him.

nucks have solid scoring depth...their top players just totally disappeared in the postseason.

Panthers have to overspend for sub par players because no one wants to play for a losing organization. I disagree that you think the difference is you build through the draft. Panthers have the best prospect pool in the NHL and still continue to build through the draft. THE MAIN DIFFERENCE is that the Islanders draft NHL players and we draft bums.
- BallardHitsHard22

love the young prospects the panthers have and I predict two years from now florida will be a much better team. I just hated watching Talon overspend on garbage. The panthers youth is fantastic, they just need time to mature.

just because the nucks are in a tough spot cap-wise doesn't mean they can't get anything for luongo who is still arguably an elite or close to elite level goalie. it just means they have less leverage. but any team that is really looking for a goalie to try to win within the next 2-4 years will be willing to part with a couple solid assets for luongo. not for what gillis is asking for obviously, but that's all just posturing. he will come down eventually when he really needs to move him.

nucks have solid scoring depth...their top players just totally disappeared in the postseason.
- rangerdanger94

if that was the case Gillis would have already been able to move Luongo. At best (and remember this post because you can quote it when he's eventually moved) Luongo will get moved for a 2nd round pick and a middling prospect - at BEST. If the Canucks had cap space they'd be able to wait, but this summer they're in very tough and in order to field a team they have to move Luongo, Ballard and Booth at the very least, and I don't think there's a market for either Ballard or Booth, and even if they buy those two out they're going to have very little money to sign 8 players (they'll need 2 to replace those two if they do buy them out)

Gillis can play hardball and hold onto Luongo for as long as he wants, there are plenty of other less expensive options for teams this offseason. I think Gillis will have to eat 3 mil a year for the remainder of the contract and will have to take scraps in a trade to move him. They're better off keeping him and moving Schneider to get actual value.

love the young prospects the panthers have and I predict two years from now florida will be a much better team. I just hated watching Talon overspend on garbage. The panthers youth is fantastic, they just need time to mature.
- Isles_since_6

ehh it's important to sign veterans to teach the young players though and to be stopgaps so that prospects aren't rushed into the NHL. guys like drury, redden, and richards, albeit albatross contracts and shells of their former selves, are the reason kid like mcdonagh, stepan, etc. are so successful now. they teach them how to handle themselves off the ice and settle them down and give them tips and wisdom. if they gotta overpay a little for that, so be it. god knows the rangers hella overpaid for it but it's all paying dividends now.

ehh it's important to sign veterans to teach the young players though and to be stopgaps so that prospects aren't rushed into the NHL. guys like drury, redden, and richards, albeit albatross contracts and shells of their former selves, are the reason kid like mcdonagh, stepan, etc. are so successful now. they teach them how to handle themselves off the ice and settle them down and give them tips and wisdom. if they gotta overpay a little for that, so be it. god knows the rangers hella overpaid for it but it's all paying dividends now.
- rangerdanger94

the real difference there (and I'll give sather credit) is that the rangers were able to move those terrible contracts and underachieving players to other teams who ended up buying them out.

if that was the case Gillis would have already been able to move Luongo. At best (and remember this post because you can quote it when he's eventually moved) Luongo will get moved for a 2nd round pick and a middling prospect - at BEST. If the Canucks had cap space they'd be able to wait, but this summer they're in very tough and in order to field a team they have to move Luongo, Ballard and Booth at the very least, and I don't think there's a market for either Ballard or Booth, and even if they buy those two out they're going to have very little money to sign 8 players (they'll need 2 to replace those two if they do buy them out)

Gillis can play hardball and hold onto Luongo for as long as he wants, there are plenty of other less expensive options for teams this offseason. I think Gillis will have to eat 3 mil a year for the remainder of the contract and will have to take scraps in a trade to move him. They're better off keeping him and moving Schneider to get actual value.
- Isles_since_6

well i agree that luongo won't get moved for more than a 1st, or a 2nd + decent prospect. but i think that's still better than moving schneider. realistically, schneider won't get as much as you think because bernier is also available, along with mike smith being a UFA. any team that is willing to be X Y Z for schneider will call up the kings and see if they can pay them X Y for bernier and it will drive down the costs for both of them.

also, a good goalie is HUGE in the NHL so keeping schneider who's already developed and ready to be a starter locks up the position for 10+ years, potentially. with luongo, again, you only have 2-4 more solid years left in him and then your stuck with those schneider prospects but no one in net.

value-wise, you're 100% correct that moving schneider is the better move.

as for eating up the $3 mil, it wouldn't matter too much because under the new CBA, the team that originally signed the player gets stuck with the full cap hit until the end of the contract if the player retires and they're traded. so if gillis keeps 3 mil for 2-3 years, then luongo retires, his full cap hit is right back onto the books. although the cap should rise by then so it might balance out.

the real difference there (and I'll give sather credit) is that the rangers were able to move those terrible contracts and underachieving players to other teams who ended up buying them out.
- Isles_since_6

in terms of redden, drury, and richards...we haven't moved any of them for anything. we've been able to get rid of gomez but that's about it.

Luongo is exactly what the Islanders need, an experienced goaltender that still has tons of game left in him. The Islanders have trouble getting to the floor. they had to have a 5 million dollar suspended goaltender on their cap hit to reach the floor.

NYI would probably be willing to trade a prospect and a pick for him, time will tell. But I do agree with you about Edler getting moved for some help.
- LeftCoaster

Yeah but having cap space doesn't mean you need to fill it with expensive, long-term contracts. If I'm Snow I'm not giving up jack for Lu. We just finally got rid of one gross contract, I'm not looking to add another. I'd rather put together a nice package with our 1st round pick and try to pick up Bernier from LAK at the draft. Or a slightly lesser package for Khudobin. Or Halak, who had it out big time with Hitch during their series with the Kings and may be moved.

There are other possible options via trade that don't include paying that absurd contract until 2022.

Yeah but having cap space doesn't mean you need to fill it with expensive, long-term contracts. If I'm Snow I'm not giving up jack for Lu. We just finally got rid of one gross contract, I'm not looking to add another. I'd rather put together a nice package with our 1st round pick and try to pick up Bernier from LAK at the draft. Or a slightly lesser package for Khudobin. Or Halak, who had it out big time with Hitch during their series with the Kings and may be moved.

There are other possible options via trade that don't include paying that absurd contract until 2022.
- eichiefs9

Exactly

in terms of redden, drury, and richards...we haven't moved any of them for anything. we've been able to get rid of gomez but that's about it.
- rangerdanger94

luongo is a very good goalie. he'll get traded. the question is how much the canucks will get back, which probably won't be very much.

Panthers have to overspend for sub par players because no one wants to play for a losing organization. I disagree that you think the difference is you build through the draft. Panthers have the best prospect pool in the NHL and still continue to build through the draft. THE MAIN DIFFERENCE is that the Islanders draft NHL players and we draft bums.
- BallardHitsHard22

Soooooo do you have awesome prospects or Bums?


XxNYIxX

Soooooo do you have awesome prospects or Bums?


XxNYIxX
- XxNYIxX

i really don't feel like going back to the old isles threads but i've been posting there on and off for the past couple weeks and brought up multiple times whether they think they'd be in the playoffs had there been 34 more regular season games and a lot of them said probably not.
- rangerdanger94

funny I live in these threads..guess I missed that

Heading in the right direction or did they just hit their peak?

funny I live in these threads..guess I missed that
- NYI78

you calling me a liar? there were multiple people that said it would be doubtful and i guess you must have missed it because there's no way you read over all the thousands of posts in the isles threads not to mention the times i brought it up to the isles trolls in the rangers thread where they also agreed.

Panthers have to overspend for sub par players because no one wants to play for a losing organization. I disagree that you think the difference is you build through the draft. Panthers have the best prospect pool in the NHL and still continue to build through the draft. THE MAIN DIFFERENCE is that the Islanders draft NHL players and we draft bums.
- BallardHitsHard22

how would they have the best prospect pool in the league if they draft bums...isnt this kinda like an oxymoron lol. Im not trying to be an bumhole but you kinda contradicted yourself.

how would they have the best prospect pool in the league if they draft bums...isnt this kinda like an oxymoron lol. Im not trying to be an bumhole but you kinda contradicted yourself.
- Dedshark

that guy is a notorious troller. everything he posts is literally to troll. like literally everything.

even panthers fans flame him and warn people all he does is troll and that he's not even a panthers fan.

Heading in the right direction or did they just hit their peak?
- RynoBull

yes the islanders have peaked. itll never get any better than this....