Ok! Good to know! So what do they give up for Vanek?
- 2raven2

To the Isles, I'd assume give up some defensive prospects. Maybe Sproul or Marchenko + a pick and an NHLer like Quincey or Abdelkader. I dunno. Holland is hard to guess what he'll do.



I hope he is right!!!!
- 2raven2

I hope he is not right, Quincey is horrible, Abdelkader is a nice 3rd line F which Isles have a roster full of, and don't know much about their prospects but how many more D prospects are the Isles gonna have????

I hope he is not right, Quincey is horrible, Abdelkader is a nice 3rd line F which Isles have a roster full of, and don't know much about their prospects but how many more D prospects are the Isles gonna have????
- Ur Not Me

Until strait or hickey or Carkner or Martinek are not on this team anymore!!!!!

Until strait or hickey or Carkner or Martinek are not on this team anymore!!!!!
- 2raven2

Don't get the hate from hickey. He's actually been the isles best d man this year. Not that he's terrific but he's pretty good. He's a freaking +6 on this disaster of a team

Don't get the hate from hickey. He's actually been the isles best d man this year. Not that he's terrific but he's pretty good. He's a freaking +6 on this disaster of a team
- Isles316

I'd say de Haan has been our best dman but I agree Hickey doesn't deserve to be included with the Amac and Carkner in the hatefest

I'd say de Haan has been our best dman but I agree Hickey doesn't deserve to be included with with Amac and Carkner in the hatefest
- keaner17

Yea dehann I wasn't including since he's been here half the season but yes I agree.

I'd say de Haan has been our best dman but I agree Hickey doesn't deserve to be included with with Amac and Carkner in the hatefest
- keaner17

Agree, Hickey is being asked to do too much. He should strictly be on neutral zone or O-zone draws, he can't clear the crease but he can direct breakouts at least.

Until strait or hickey or Carkner or Martinek are not on this team anymore!!!!!
- 2raven2

I'll give you an example of why most of our problem is the coach. Strait is what he is- on a decent team, he could be a solid six, up and back, playing his position. On this team, he has to be more than a six.... which is a problem....but it's ten times as much of a problem when I see a straight up and back d-man like him skating around the back of the offensive net like he's Paul f***ing Coffey. Some players simply aren't meant to do that. This coach doesn't get that- and THAT is the REAL problem.

I'll give you an example of why most of our problem is the coach. Strait is what he is- on a decent team, he could be a solid six, up and back, playing his position. On this team, he has to be more than a six.... which is a problem....but it's ten times as much of a problem when I see a straight up and back d-man like him skating around the back of the offensive net like he's Paul f***ing Coffey. Some players simply aren't meant to do that. This coach doesn't get that- and THAT is the REAL problem.
- dcb1

I'm guessing you DONT like Cappy? The Isles 2nd winning coach of franchise history....

I'll give you an example of why most of our problem is the coach. Strait is what he is- on a decent team, he could be a solid six, up and back, playing his position. On this team, he has to be more than a six.... which is a problem....but it's ten times as much of a problem when I see a straight up and back d-man like him skating around the back of the offensive net like he's Paul f***ing Coffey. Some players simply aren't meant to do that. This coach doesn't get that- and THAT is the REAL problem.
- dcb1

It's fustrating as anything seeing these d try to play like Paul Coffey. Have vets like Vish and Nabby not said anything to this coaching staff? Why did this team learn to play D last year and this year they have no clue?

It's fustrating as anything seeing these d try to play like Paul Coffey. Have vets like Vish and Nabby not said anything to this coaching staff? Why did this team learn to play D last year and this year they have no clue?
- ses111

I don't think they learned last year, just weren't taken seriously and plus a shortened season. Teams probably over-looked them.

I'm guessing you DONT like Cappy? The Isles 2nd winning coach of franchise history....



- Ur Not Me

If you coach 12,000 games, you're bound to win 500 of them

If you coach 12,000 games, you're bound to win 500 of them
- dcb1

I don't think they learned last year, just weren't taken seriously and plus a shortened season. Teams probably over-looked them.
- Ur Not Me

No, and that's why I was pissed that they lost the last 3 last year, because I knew that meant Pitt, and that they were f***ed.

I don't think they learned last year, just weren't taken seriously and plus a shortened season. Teams probably over-looked them.
- Ur Not Me

They did seem to have all the forwards getting back on D and the D was just chipping the puck out and making the safe play. You are seeing none of that this year. Maybe it was the short season and getting hot at the right time?

Agree, Hickey is being asked to do too much. He should strictly be on neutral zone or O-zone draws, he can't clear the crease but he can direct breakouts at least.
- Danformo

Hickey is actually pretty good. Great hockey sense and 100% knows how to utilize his size. I wish they give him a chance over AMAC on PP. BTW he doesnt get outmuscled like AMAC in the front of the net.

It's fustrating as anything seeing these d try to play like Paul Coffey. Have vets like Vish and Nabby not said anything to this coaching staff? Why did this team learn to play D last year and this year they have no clue?
- ses111

both Lubo and Nabby are Eastern Europeans, they will not say much in the locker room especially to a coach who is clueless.

B. Pirri traded from Blackhawks to Panthers for picks...

If you coach 12,000 games, you're bound to win 500 of them
- dcb1

Even a blind squirrel finds a nut now and then.

both Lubo and Nabby are Eastern Europeans, they will not say much in the locker room especially to a coach who is clueless.
- ziggy_skalica

Isles need real vet leadership that can settle the team down and work with the young guys. They need more than a guy who just cracks jokes with Stan.

I'm guessing you DONT like Cappy? The Isles 2nd winning coach of franchise history....



- Ur Not Me

Holy crap! Have they really sucked that much for that long!

Holy crap! Have they really sucked that much for that long!
- JimmyP

YES,
Where have uve been...????

Hickey is actually pretty good. Great hockey sense and 100% knows how to utilize his size. I wish they give him a chance over AMAC on PP. BTW he doesnt get outmuscled like AMAC in the front of the net.
- ziggy_skalica

He sure does get outmuscled in front as well as behind the net. Happened about six times during the game on Sunday and Saturday. Hickey is decent on this team due to how bad they are. It's time to move on from players like hickey. Not good enough to be a top four and to small and weak to be a bottom pairing.

Here's another way that you can tell how much the cluelessness runs through the organization- the coach says they're working hard, and doing their best, despite one sh*t performance after another. The players say they talk about what they're "supposed" to be doing over and over again in meetings, but it doesn't translate to the ice, and they're at a loss to explain it. Why is it that someone like me, who knows virtually nothing about the technical intricacies of ice hockey, can easily figure out what's wrong there in about ten seconds, just by listening to what these people say? It's GLARINGLY obvious that whatever it is that they're "supposed" to be doing is stupid and wrong, is it not? One of the cats I used to have earlier in life used to try to open a door by repeatedly closing it with his head- I basically had to go over and open it for him, or he would have given himself a concussion. That's what we're talking about here- this fart goes valiantly off into the blizzard, and everyone follows the stink off the cliff. It's so obvious that it's scary. Yes, our defensemen COULD be better, for sure. Yes, our goaltending has probably cost us at least six or seven games directly. All true- but 90% of the problem, as I said, is Brian Strait and Andrew MacDonald skating around with the puck in the offensive zone like they're wearing number 4 for the Bruins. That has to end, quickly, or else they'll NEVER win.

Here's another way that you can tell how much the cluelessness runs through the organization- the coach says they're working hard, and doing their best, despite one sh*t performance after another. The players say they talk about what they're "supposed" to be doing over and over again in meetings, but it doesn't translate to the ice, and they're at a loss to explain it. Why is it that someone like me, who knows virtually nothing about the technical intricacies of ice hockey, can easily figure out what's wrong there in about ten seconds, just by listening to what these people say? It's GLARINGLY obvious that whatever it is that they're "supposed" to be doing is stupid and wrong, is it not? One of the cats I used to have earlier in life used to try to open a door by repeatedly closing it with his head- I basically had to go over and open it for him, or he would have given himself a concussion. That's what we're talking about here- this fart goes valiantly off into the blizzard, and everyone follows the stink off the cliff. It's so obvious that it's scary. Yes, our defensemen COULD be better, for sure. Yes, our goaltending has probably cost us at least six or seven games directly. All true- but 90% of the problem, as I said, is Brian Strait and Andrew MacDonald skating around with the puck in the offensive zone like they're wearing number 4 for the Bruins. That has to end, quickly, or else they'll NEVER win.
- dcb1

True dat

Don't get the hate from hickey. He's actually been the isles best d man this year. Not that he's terrific but he's pretty good. He's a freaking +6 on this disaster of a team
- Isles316

That's the problem. The fact that an argument can be made that Hickrey, a LA Kings cast off, has been (I wont say best) one of our steadier d-men all year tells the sad tale of the state of the team's defense. If you can argue that Hickey is one of our steadiest d-men, then there is a serious talent and depth issue thst must be addressed. No team with Hickey as one of its best d-men will be a cup contender.