Poulin is not the Answer. Nilsson may be but fact that he hasnt stayed healthy doesnt give me comfort.

We lost the Series b/c of Goaltending Depth. If Nabby clearly was burned out from the season that best explains why he was so terrible. ISLES NEED TO GET A BONAFIDE Goalie that can come up big in Playoffs. I think Miller and Smith fit the bill there. Also I do think Bernier and Backstrom make alot of sense.
Also, Nabby going to find out that noone going to be be willing to give him leave of contract he looking for.

And can you guys stop with Nielson not being a legit #2 center> THE BLACKHAWKS wanted him to be their #2 Center and you telling he not good enough to be the isles #2 centre. He has one of the best well rounded attributes on the team. Enough.

Matt Moulson will only get worse hate to say. He played to get his extension and now he got it. He was terrible in the run to make the finals and he is ONLY player on Isles roster that didnt not elevate his game for Playoffs. So unless he was playing with significant injury, that is whom Im most concerned about at Forward. Not Boyes.

Nelson is a stud, and i do beleive Strome will be too. Cizikas is only going to get better.

We may prove to be Pitts toughest Opponent in East Conference.
It is hard pill to shallow that we dominated the pens and lost.
Alot of said Nabby would have to come up big for us to win. I think had he we would of easily won this series.
- Spartiarti

The one thing I love about Matt Moulson is he and JT have an insane work out regiment in the off season. They both work with the same trainers in the same facility. I am cautiously optomistic that He will come back very very strong next year.

By the way another guy who works out with them is Strome. When I met Strome after they drafted him I said on here he looks like a 12 year old kid. I saw him at and Islander event last month and did not even know it was him at first. He has bulked up considerably.... and Matt Donovan is flat out Huge (in a good way).

Sorry guys, I have to complain. I checked the blog for some insight after the series and......this is what you get. I get so much more reading through the posts from the members. Such things as thoughts, observation, insight, questions etc. After that series, and being able to identify with the isles and fans, I'll be following them much more. However, these blogs just keep getting worse.
- cranktheradio

we already have one partime Pittsburgh/Islander fan...always happy to have another! You and Kasper have to share the jersey though...

If you're gonna blame anybody you blame the players for not playing with the same do or die mentality the last 3 games as did they did earlier.
- Vukota

you could blame the coach for changing the personel a lot too. Did Boulton really need to play those games? Reasoner? etc. They hadn't played in a month... why the last 3? resting guys? just dumb.

Not a good list of goalies.....

I did read somewhere that JT looks up to Nabby for on ice/off ice suggestions, so he could be back..
- Ur Not Me

He can be back, but he can't be the starter for every game like he was this year, especially not in the playoffs. He's going to be 38 years old, and he never was Martin Brodeur in the first place. I'd rather see something else done insofar as the starter is concerned. Of course, we can't trade for anyone, because apparently none of the top end prospects are being traded for any reason.

you could blame the coach for changing the personel a lot too. Did Boulton really need to play those games? Reasoner? etc. They hadn't played in a month... why the last 3? resting guys? just dumb.
- niteislander

I also (partly) blame the coach for our game 6 loss along with Nabby. The Isles totally abandoned their forecheck through the final 14 minutes of the game. It reminded me so much of the 2012 Isles where we'd spend an entire period trying to protect a one goal lead. For 45 minutes, the Isles flat out dominated that game to the point that Pittsburgh had only 14 shots, then suddenly started dumping and retreating with over 10 minutes left in the game. To me it sort of epitomized the mistake made during the last 3 games, play it safe, take no risks...it was like watching Marty Schottenheimer coach my Chargers again...

The gentleman from Western Pennsylvania is right.

Check the quotes from Orpik. He did nothing but praise the Isles. This was a 'coming out party' of sorts.

Excluding 02, these playoff series for us was just a blip for the opponent. This time, NHL fans got to see an up and coming team, that is not going to take no crap from anyone.

My head is held up high, and my pride is beaming. Despite being eliminated, it is a great day to be an Islander fan.

Gary Harding
www.islestalk.com
- gharding14

Yeah, the difference is that these guys were obviously upset to the point of tears when they lost. The team we had from 2002-2006 basically had this reaction to losing:

you could blame the coach for changing the personel a lot too. Did Boulton really need to play those games? Reasoner? etc. They hadn't played in a month... why the last 3? resting guys? just dumb.
- niteislander

You blaming Boulton for them dropping to the 8th seed? boulton had played against toronto a few games earlier Reasoner didn't play down the stretch at all. So where were all the changes you just mentioned? Bottom line is they clinched and the players let up a little for whatever reason and they finished 8th. Also factor in they played the last 5 games on the road and the loss to philly was the first regulation loss in like a month. No real reason to complain where they finished.

From what I hear, Miller has an ego and similar attitude as a player that is on a long contract and is no longer with us.

Do you want another one of those?
- gharding14

Yeah, that does concern me....I wouldn't mind Backstrom, but he doesn't have that much left in the tank, either. The more I think about it, I'm thinking more in terms of signing Nabokov as cheaply as possible, and trying to trade for Bernier. Of course, I'd like to try to trade for Bernier, and either Weber or Yandle, and also try to sign a free agent who can play defense, like Murray. Of course, we're not trading any of our draft picks or high-end prospects, EVER, so we're not going to do any of that.

uhh brooklyn is on the logo already its the start of the island
- cmimbri

no... its not

XxNYIxX

You blaming Boulton for them dropping to the 8th seed? boulton had played against toronto a few games earlier Reasoner didn't play down the stretch at all. So where were all the changes you just mentioned? Bottom line is they clinched and the players let up a little for whatever reason and they finished 8th. Also factor in they played the last 5 games on the road and the loss to philly was the first regulation loss in like a month. No real reason to complain where they finished.
- Vukota

Maybe the Isles wanted to play the best of the best, and to be honest the way the played I think they accomplished that and opened everyones eyes

You blaming Boulton for them dropping to the 8th seed? boulton had played against toronto a few games earlier Reasoner didn't play down the stretch at all. So where were all the changes you just mentioned? Bottom line is they clinched and the players let up a little for whatever reason and they finished 8th.
- Vukota

The players let up because they were not constantly reminded how much more of a pain in the a$$ it was going to be to play Pittsburgh than to hammer a sinking Montreal team into submission. Besides the defense and the goaltending, THAT would be the other thing to be addressed during this off-season....difference being, when someone tells me THAT guy isn't going anywhere unless he wants to, I would believe them.

The players let up because they were not constantly reminded how much more of a pain in the a$$ it was going to be to play Pittsburgh than to hammer a sinking Montreal team into submission. Besides the defense and the goaltending, THAT would be the other thing to be addressed during this off-season....difference being, when someone tells me THAT guy isn't going anywhere unless he wants to, I would believe them.
- dcb1

You really think the players had to be reminded?? Listen I'm not the biggest cappy fan but lets be realistic when trying to place blame somewhere.

Maybe the Isles wanted to play the best of the best, and to be honest the way the played I think they accomplished that and opened everyones eyes
- kasperrko

It sure didn't hurt them thats for sure and in the long run playing the pens might have been the best thing to happen to them. We'll see

You really think the players had to be reminded?? Listen I'm not the biggest cappy fan but lets be realistic when trying to place blame somewhere.
- Vukota

Young players need to be focused constantly- not all of them, but some of them most certainly do. And the good news is.....these guys would have cared enough to listen....unlike Milbury's 19 piles of bench feces.....

It sure didn't hurt them thats for sure and in the long run playing the pens might have been the best thing to happen to them. We'll see
- Vukota

that loss and the fact that they were so close against the NHL's #2 over all seed, will fester and grow inside JT, Hamonic, Martin, and hopefully the rest of them & they will want the post season like a drug, this was just the beginning!

XxNYIxX

I'm still bumming about saturday. Almost started getting chocked up after it was all over and just stood in front of the tv in disbelief. I still believe if we didn't get screwed in game 3 we either closed it out at the coliseum or are getting ready for game 7. 4 out of the 6 games we out worked pitt in every way possible. We just didn't have enough talent to match up. But we are close. So close to becoming great again. Need a top end forward for Tavares, get a solid goalie (dp must be bought out it's time to move on it's tavares' team now), and tweak the blueline a bit and we'll be an absolute force. I hope the offseason is productive. I can't wait for next season. I expect them to comeback hungry and more driven then ever. Go Isles!

Young players need to be focused constantly- not all of them, but some of them most certainly do. And the good news is.....these guys would have cared enough to listen....unlike Milbury's 19 piles of bench feces.....
- dcb1

C'mon man you're acting like they are 12 instead of men. Just for the record how do you know if they were constantly reminded or not? This wasn't the 83 Islanders where they were gonna blow everybody away. They lost 1 game in regulation in the like the final month of the season and they were picked to finish near the bottom of the conference how can anybody complain at where they finished?

that loss and the fact that they were so close against the NHL's #2 over all seed, will fester and grow inside JT, Hamonic, Martin, and hopefully the rest of them & they will want the post season like a drug, this was just the beginning!

XxNYIxX
- XxNYIxX

no... its not

XxNYIxX
- XxNYIxX

Yeah...I was going to ask.....which part of the left side of that drawing looks water?....

C'mon man you're acting like they are 12 instead of men. Just for the record how do you know if they were constantly reminded or not? This wasn't the 83 Islanders where they were gonna blow everybody away. They lost 1 game in regulation in the like the final month of the season and they were picked to finish near the bottom of the conference how can anybody complain at where they finished?
- Vukota

The game they lost was against the hottest team in the conference during the last two weeks of the season....I'll give them that one. However, they lost one point against a Carolina team who apparently couldn't beat anyone else BUT the Islanders all year long, and all they really had to do to avoid Pittsburgh in round one was beat Buffalo, who had their cars running in the parking lot so they could be the first to get to the airport and fly home after the game. No excuse for the cr*p effort for 2/3 of both of those games. NONE. ZERO. I said it before the game against Carolina- we are in the driver's seat. The ONLY thing we have to do to avoid Pittsburgh is beat these three teams....and they could not make that happen. The coach has to take at least a little bit of the heat for that, IMO.

I'll give you one thing, though- the good news about playing Pittsburgh is that it CLEARLY exposed their weaknesses, namely that they are simply NOT good enough on the back line, or in the net. Hopefully, that will be addressed during this off-season.

As I said, we are close now to being a real powerhouse. We're not just going to be rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, and I am confident that our current GM's IQ has not been drenched in a sea of liquor, therefore he will not trade our talented youngsters for the second coming of the "Slow Poke, and the Russian short bus". The time to upgrade is now. If we come out of this off-season with two good veteran defensmen, and a good, younger goalie, without getting rid of much off our current major league roster, we will contend for the hardware next summer, guaranteed.

FYI:

NHL - The Butch Goring Show.

Starring 4 Time New York Islanders Stanley Cup Champion and MSG TV Analyst, Butch Goring!

Hosted by Mike Carver and produced by Paul C. Cuthbert.

Mondays from 1pm-2:30pm EST. Listen Live at www.htwradio.com
Broadcasting live from The Muttontown Club and powered by Hockey Active, LLC.

Nabby's career postseason numbers are horrendous. It's time to move on and if he comes back as a backup that is fine. They need a goalie who is young enough to grow with this team and if the answer is not in house then they need to go outside and bring one in.
- Vukota

The goaltending situation needs to be addressed, but IF Poulin/Nilsson are the future (and I mean are going to be elite goaltenders, not just average starters), then I don't want to trade Nino and a first or anything else for an elite goaltending prospect. Those chips would be better used to address the need for a top line forward of a top pair d-man. But if Nilsson and Poulin are not going to be the elite or at least upper tier goaltenders the team hopes they will be, then by all means, trade for Bernier.

You blaming Boulton for them dropping to the 8th seed? boulton had played against toronto a few games earlier Reasoner didn't play down the stretch at all. So where were all the changes you just mentioned? Bottom line is they clinched and the players let up a little for whatever reason and they finished 8th. Also factor in they played the last 5 games on the road and the loss to philly was the first regulation loss in like a month. No real reason to complain where they finished.
- Vukota

People blaming the coaches for the team's roster and play over the last three games as the reason for the first round bow-out are crazy. This team had its pedal to the metal for 8 weeks. They were bound to lose steam and naturally let up a bit after the playoffs were clinched.

FYI:

NHL - The Butch Goring Show.

Starring 4 Time New York Islanders Stanley Cup Champion and MSG TV Analyst, Butch Goring!

Hosted by Mike Carver and produced by Paul C. Cuthbert.

Mondays from 1pm-2:30pm EST. Listen Live at www.htwradio.com
Broadcasting live from The Muttontown Club and powered by Hockey Active, LLC.
- kear20

Will they have a translator for Butchie?

People blaming the coaches for the team's roster and play over the last three games as the reason for the first round bow-out are crazy. This team had its pedal to the metal for 8 weeks. They were bound to lose steam and naturally let up a bit after the playoffs were clinched.
- Jethro09

Thank You