padding his stats as he hides behind Ottawa's super boring defensive system
- Crimsoninja

Wow, either you're trolling or incredibly misinformed.

Wow, either you're trolling or incredibly misinformed.
- AlfieFever

You've officially met Crimson

You've officially met Crimson
- cranford93

Completely agree w what Brandon said on the previous page. All I care about in preseason games are the chemistry & no injuries. Should be able to watch all of tonight's game which will be the first time this preseason I can catch more than a few minutes.

I have to seriously question a mans IQ if he read that blog & did not know it was satire.
- B2B76

Its comments like these that make me rant about how deluded the commentor is. 3 or 4th best player in the world? Exactly how? Because you watch him and he's so exciting and skillful? There is a long list of players that are better than him, including many players that may not look as skilled when you watch them on TV but they have consistently put up top numbers. Getzlaf, Perry are regular names that I would even rank above Tavares right now. JT has only played 4 years in the league. 1/2 of that time, he had mediocre numbers, the other 1/2 he has had good numbers. He hasn't even hit GREAT numbers and you wanna give him TOP 5 in the world? Tell you what, when he is centering the 4th line on Team Canada, or better yet, when he is forced to play wing, maybe then you'll understand that the depth of Great players is a lot bigger above him than you think.

Here's an even better example. If JT was an unrestricted free agent right now, do you honestly think he would get a $9M dollar contract? Not even close. Tavares would probably command a contract thats about $7M per year, AND thats based solely on speculating future performance. If you signed him to a contract just based on past production (as an arbitrator would do), he would probably be around $6-6.75M.
- xcheckmajor

Bud... no comment other than...just watch hockey. John Tavares falls in the second tier top scoring and top two way players in the game. He's up there with players like Stamkos, Toews... Just saying for a player to be considered similarly gifted as any of those two players while playing for islanders (no pun intended) you have to assume the guy is really really really good. Why? Because he has no other starts to play with, unlike Stamkos and Toews. However, I am not saying he is better than them, I am just saying he deserves A+ for participation and talent.

novemberrrrrrrrrr

edit: zuccarello had the most ice time of all forwards at 18:47. the forward with 2nd most ice time at 18:13? taylor pyatt
- rangerdanger94

Seriously? IF a team shats the bed early they will be in big trouble. Look at the metro this year, its probably the toughest division in the league and it looks like Devils are back to boring trap hockey because their roster is filled with third liners. If you face the trap its very hard to put shots on net. There will be lots of close games this year and I hope the Isles do not have their annual ten game losing streak this year.

Bud... no comment other than...just watch hockey. John Tavares falls in the second tier top scoring and top two way players in the game. He's up there with players like Stamkos, Toews... Just saying for a player to be considered similarly gifted as any of those two players while playing for islanders (no pun intended) you have to assume the guy is really really really good. Why? Because he has no other starts to play with, unlike Stamkos and Toews. However, I am not saying he is better than them, I am just saying he deserves A+ for participation and talent.
- PtotheY

agreed.

no, he wouldn't have made an offer sheet, because like you said, you already have like 5 nhl-quality centers fighting for 4 spots. additionally, no GM in the league wants sather with his access to James Dolan's checkbook as an enemy.

how's da costa doing btw?
- rangerdanger94

He's playing very well, but I don't think he should make the team. I think Murray is showcasing him to try to get picks or to package him and other prospects for a second line right wing.

- mighty13duck

Well, if that was a Dee blog...maybe, but nobody reads her sh!t anyway.

Well, if that was a Dee blog...maybe, but nobody reads her sh!t anyway.
- B2B76

you would be surprised how many people read her blogs again and again and then complain. I have the mentality if you don't like it don't read it. Its simple really.

You know what I love, when anyone mentions JT is less the holy light how quickly some Isles fans get so offended and we're homers
- cranford93

oh well... I am not a Isles fan nor a rangers fan... so my comment isn't really biased, but John Tavares is defenitely underrated by rangers fans... maybe you're all too jealous he doesn't play for your team. Frankly, he has the talent to take the isle just as far as the rangers go.

oh well... I am not a Isles fan nor a rangers fan... so my comment isn't really biased, but John Tavares is defenitely underrated by rangers fans... maybe you're all too jealous he doesn't play for your team. Frankly, he has the talent to take the isle just as far as the rangers go.
- PtotheY

Who's jealous or unaware of how good Tavares is? He's a top ten overall player in the league.

Completely agree w what Brandon said on the previous page. All I care about in preseason games are the chemistry & no injuries. Should be able to watch all of tonight's game which will be the first time this preseason I can catch more than a few minutes.
- B2B76

Who's Brandon,

COMEPLETELY DISAGREE

Crosby is in a class by himself offensively, but Ive seen crosby on several occasions get shut down in the offensive end by solid defensive forwards and render him useless in games

Guys who are ELITE over 200 ft of ice turn defense into offense and can impact the game in other areas.

Guys like Toews, Datsyuk, Giroux, Tavares are a danger at any spot of the ice

Yes, Crosby is high and by far the best offensive player in the game, but when Crosby gets a tight, grade A checking assignment on him, you might as well have anyone out there.
- FourFeathers773

sniff...sniff...sniff... how's that line looking? Is it all gone?

Seriously? IF a team shats the bed early they will be in big trouble. Look at the metro this year, its probably the toughest division in the league and it looks like Devils are back to boring trap hockey because their roster is filled with third liners. If you face the trap its very hard to put shots on net. There will be lots of close games this year and I hope the Isles do not have their annual ten game losing streak this year.
- mighty13duck

4 teams in the Metro made the playoffs last year versus the 5 that made it in the Atlantic. Red Wings and Boston are the teams to beat in the Atlantic. In the Metro you only have one team to beat and that's Pittsburgh. Caps and Rangers go up and down all season but manage to pull it together. Montreal usually starts strong and a healthy Ottawa with a tougher Leafs team, the Atlantic will be the toughest division in the league.... just my opinion though

It should be 100% agreement since its not even close. Whats funny is Ranger fans (not you guys) yesterday were saying Stepan is not even that good. Now today these guys are saying Stepan will be top ten in the league and better than JT.
- mighty13duck

Who's jealous or unaware of how good Tavares is? He's a top ten overall player in the league.
- MidnightMarauder

Some of your comrades sir. some other rangers fans are saying how John Tavares is not considered a top talent in the league.

Who's Brandon,
- MidnightMarauder

wHO'S ON 1ST?

4 teams in the Metro made the playoffs last year versus the 5 that made it in the Atlantic. Red Wings and Boston are the teams to beat in the Atlantic. In the Metro you only have one team to beat and that's Pittsburgh. Caps and Rangers go up and down all season but manage to pull it together. Montreal usually starts strong and a healthy Ottawa with a tougher Leafs team, the Atlantic will be the toughest division in the league.... just my opinion though
- Captain_Quiffe

I agree Atlantic will be good but look at teams that missed. Philly and NJD will do all they can to try to sneak back in. Every team in the metro can potentially make the playoffs next year. That is how wide open it is. That's what makes it tough.

Bud... no comment other than...just watch hockey. John Tavares falls in the second tier top scoring and top two way players in the game. He's up there with players like Stamkos, Toews... Just saying for a player to be considered similarly gifted as any of those two players while playing for islanders (no pun intended) you have to assume the guy is really really really good. Why? Because he has no other starts to play with, unlike Stamkos and Toews. However, I am not saying he is better than them, I am just saying he deserves A+ for participation and talent.
- PtotheY

I'm not busting on JT in anyway at all. I've watched hockey for 30 years. Long enough to have seen dozens and dozens of top picks, extremely skilled, talented players that could have been superstars, but for one reason or another, never translated to outstanding numbers on paper. On the flipside, I have seen mediocre players with mediocre abilities, but just really really smart, translate to hall of fame careers. So like I've said a million times, don't classify Tavares into a group of players who have PROVEN they are 100pt. players, dominating night after night, and producing multipoint games more often than not, even when against the best D in the league. He just hasn't reached that point in his NHL career yet. I absolutely can, but hasn't yet. And the whole comparison to Stepan is that both of them have really only proved what they've done. Thats the idea behind a player's ceiling, its a projection. So yes, Tavares' ceiling is much higher than Stepans, it doesn't mean he's there already.

Speaking from a Ranger's standpoint, think about Messier. 2nd greatest scorer in the NHL. Did Messier dazzle and dangle through players? Did he have blinding speed? No, Messier had some of the best positioning and 2 way play in the league. When he shot the puck, he didn't need to triple deke and spin and score, he picked his spots and hit them with incredible accuracy. I'm not Stepan is Messier, of course not, but I'm saying, watching hockey and seeing a flashy player doesn't always translate into worlds best player.

Some of your comrades sir. some other rangers fans are saying how John Tavares is not considered a top talent in the league.
- PtotheY

Probably just Rangers fans busting balls because we hate the Isles, no one I know doesn't recognize JT as a top player in the league, but he is our enemy so F HIM & the Islanders!

Probably just Rangers fans busting balls because we hate the Isles, no one I know doesn't recognize JT as a top player in the league, but he is our enemy so F HIM & the Islanders!
- B2B76

Its like Islander fans with Hank

Some of your comrades sir. some other rangers fans are saying how John Tavares is not considered a top talent in the league.
- PtotheY

That's insane, I can only name three or four centers that are better than him, in the entire league.

wHO'S ON 1ST?
- B2B76

Hahaha