Yes, I think he can be an effective third line defensive forward. If he's not expected to consistently produce points, as all top-six forwards are, he can be pretty valuable as a third liner.

His brain cramps generally come in the offensive zone, when he does things like make the extra pass instead of shooting through a clear lane from the slot. He plays well against opposing team's top competition.
- eichiefs9

Eh, I disagree. When he's off, he's off everywhere. If it was a matter of, "Oh man, Bailey had a great game, he just couldn't get that shot to go" more nights than not, I think there'd be a lot less anger directed at him. The Waldo image and Keaner's empty uniform thing are funny, and not because Bailey's a defensive workhorse out there.

This blog and thread is upsetting me.

Eh, I disagree. When he's off, he's off everywhere. If it was a matter of, "Oh man, Bailey had a great game, he just couldn't get that shot to go" more nights than not, I think there'd be a lot less anger directed at him. The Waldo image and Keaner's empty uniform thing are funny, and not because Bailey's a defensive workhorse out there.
- UIF

I think the bar of expectation was set too high for Bailey. People hoped he was going to be a very good top 6 forward and he hasn't lived up to it at all, but that doesn't mean he completely misses out on the chance to be an effective, contributing NHL player.

You can say he's "off everywhere" when he's off, but those advanced statistics (the ones that I've never claimed to give a complete picture of a player) say otherwise. He may have zero confidence in the offensive zone, but those statistics show that he plays against the second highest quality of competition out of all NYI forwards (Nielsen is #1) and still kept drove possession in a positive direction, despite starting the play more than half the time outside of the offensive zone.

For the record, Nielsen, Bailey, Grabner were the top 3 forwards that played against the highest quality of competition among all NYI forwards and all had positive possession numbers despite having only 47%-45% offensive zone starts. That would be a hell of a third line that could still chip in a respectable point total.

This blog and thread is upsetting me.
- Cptmjl

Your (frank)ing face is upsetting me.

This blog and thread is upsetting me.
- Cptmjl

Need a hug?

XxNYIxX

Untrue...and a bit tiring seeing the stat acolytes crucifying themselves every day on Twitter and elsewhere. Again, all stats, "advanced" or otherwise, tell important parts of the story, but not the whole thing and not entirely in context. Watch the games (as I know you do) and tell me Bailey, in the depths of his brain-cramp slumps, looks like an effective player anywhere on the ice.
- UIF

On the ice? No. But those videos where he's working out in chains look effective!

I think the bar of expectation was set too high for Bailey. People hoped he was going to be a very good top 6 forward and he hasn't lived up to it at all, but that doesn't mean he completely misses out on the chance to be an effective, contributing NHL player.

You can say he's "off everywhere" when he's off, but those advanced statistics (the ones that I've never claimed to give a complete picture of a player) say otherwise. He may have zero confidence in the offensive zone, but those statistics show that he plays against the second highest quality of competition out of all NYI forwards (Nielsen is #1) and still kept drove possession in a positive direction, despite starting the play more than half the time outside of the offensive zone.

For the record, Nielsen, Bailey, Grabner were the top 3 forwards that played against the highest quality of competition among all NYI forwards and all had positive possession numbers despite having only 47%-45% offensive zone starts. That would be a hell of a third line that could still chip in a respectable point total.
- eichiefs9

So you think we should trade him?

XxNYIxX

On the ice? No. But those videos where he's working out in chains look effective!
- JimmyP

They got me moist!

XxNYIxX

I even suggested at one point last season that Bailey see a sports psychologist to try and get some confidence in his game.

"Losing is a disease..."
- UIF

Shall I start posting it?


U know that's my fav....

So you think we should trade him?

XxNYIxX
- XxNYIxX

I would.

I think his time has pretty much run his course on the Island. I just think that if we keep him around and he plays on the third line he'll be an effective player. He's never going to wow anyone but that doesn't mean he should be dumped for a 6th round pick either.

I would.

I think his time has pretty much run his course on the Island. I just think that if we keep him around and he plays on the third line he'll be an effective player. He's never going to wow anyone but that doesn't mean he should be dumped for a 6th round pick either.
- eichiefs9

Agreed.

Trade just for the sake of trading him isnt the way to go.... I dont mind him on the third line with Frans & Gremlin.

XxNYIxX

"However at some point the player has to look in the mirror and be self-motivated to maximize their potential. We saw it with Kyle Okposo last season, now lets hope with can see it with Josh Bailey."

See, it's incorrect comments like this that get people's hopes irrationally high about players like Bailey, which in turn makes them more upset when the player doesn't do it. Okposo didn't "look in the mirror" one day and decide to be good; he'd shown signs of being a good player for years. His possession numbers were always good, and he had scored 20+ goals and 50+ points in a season before last year. He just had a few injuries which really set him back. Once healthy, he had the season everyone knew he could have.

Just because Okposo did that does not mean Bailey will. The difference is that Bailey has never shown the ability to produce like that, besides extremely small spurts. If Bailey has some huge season this year, it will be out of nowhere; Okposo's huge season wasn't really out of nowhere. He just needed to be 100% healthy.
- isles10289

KO's issue was that he wasn't consistent, had nothing to do with health..... Let's not get all gong-ho bc of his 1st consistent season after how many???

They got me moist!

XxNYIxX
- XxNYIxX

So you think we should trade him?

XxNYIxX
- XxNYIxX

Bailey reminds me of the Kyle Turris situation in Arizona ( geez hard to not call them Phoenix anymore ). Just needs a change of scenery and new-found confidence.

Your (frank)ing face is upsetting me.
- eichiefs9

I would.

I think his time has pretty much run his course on the Island. I just think that if we keep him around and he plays on the third line he'll be an effective player. He's never going to wow anyone but that doesn't mean he should be dumped for a 6th round pick either.
- eichiefs9

i agree with this in theory-- i would be fine with JB FN MG as the 3rd line...(un)fortunately we have players like Anders Lee who will be the victim of JB playing on the 3rd line which, in my opinion, hurts the argument for bailey on the 3rd line.

Need a hug?

XxNYIxX
- XxNYIxX

Who doesnt?

I think the bar of expectation was set too high for Bailey. People hoped he was going to be a very good top 6 forward and he hasn't lived up to it at all, but that doesn't mean he completely misses out on the chance to be an effective, contributing NHL player.

You can say he's "off everywhere" when he's off, but those advanced statistics (the ones that I've never claimed to give a complete picture of a player) say otherwise. He may have zero confidence in the offensive zone, but those statistics show that he plays against the second highest quality of competition out of all NYI forwards (Nielsen is #1) and still kept drove possession in a positive direction, despite starting the play more than half the time outside of the offensive zone.

For the record, Nielsen, Bailey, Grabner were the top 3 forwards that played against the highest quality of competition among all NYI forwards and all had positive possession numbers despite having only 47%-45% offensive zone starts. That would be a hell of a third line that could still chip in a respectable point total.
- eichiefs9

In 2010 or whatever, yes, I think expectations were high. Six years in, I believe most people would have been happy or at least satisfied with a player who found a niche and excelled at it. Forget the numbers for just one second and say honestly when you were watching the games this past season whether you were arguing or even thinking that Bailey looked like an effective shutdown forward. Because prior to his annual late-season surge, I don't recall a single person here even mentioning that folks should lay off Bailey because he was getting it done defensively.

The season before, I think he, Nielsen and Okposo most certainly did excel in a shutdown role. They were indeed very good at staying on the forecheck more often than not against other teams' top lines. This past season? "Disaster" would probably accurately sum up the first half+.

Shall I start posting it?


U know that's my fav....
- Ur Not Me

I didn't want to post the actual video and steal your thunder.

Who doesnt?
- Cptmjl

Ill be your Huckleberry!

XxNYIxX

Ill be your Huckleberry!

XxNYIxX
- XxNYIxX

I didn't want to post the actual video and steal your thunder.
- UIF

No worries my man, you can post it anytime, that saying is my all time great..

In 2010 or whatever, yes, I think expectations were high. Six years in, I believe most people would have been happy or at least satisfied with a player who found a niche and excelled at it. Forget the numbers for just one second and say honestly when you were watching the games this past season whether you were arguing or even thinking that Bailey looked like an effective shutdown forward. Because prior to his annual late-season surge, I don't recall a single person here even mentioning that folks should lay off Bailey because he was getting it done defensively.

The season before, I think he, Nielsen and Okposo most certainly did excel in a shutdown role. They were indeed very good at staying on the forecheck more often than not against other teams' top lines. This past season? "Disaster" would probably accurately sum up the first half+.
- UIF

I'm not saying any of your points are invalid or unfounded, we can disagree and it's all good. I just think that he will provide value as a 3rd liner.

I don't think that anyone still has the expectations we had for him now that we had for him in 2010. I didn't really elaborate very well on my thought. What I meant to say was that I think once he fell so far short of the bar we had set for him, there was no changing the majority of fans' minds on him. He would have to truly excel to bring himself into a positive light with fans. I don't think anyone, outside of a few of us and some others, is going to say "oh well Josh had a solid defensive game tonight, he's been good at that lately."

In 2010 or whatever, yes, I think expectations were high. Six years in, I believe most people would have been happy or at least satisfied with a player who found a niche and excelled at it. Forget the numbers for just one second and say honestly when you were watching the games this past season whether you were arguing or even thinking that Bailey looked like an effective shutdown forward. Because prior to his annual late-season surge, I don't recall a single person here even mentioning that folks should lay off Bailey because he was getting it done defensively.

The season before, I think he, Nielsen and Okposo most certainly did excel in a shutdown role. They were indeed very good at staying on the forecheck more often than not against other teams' top lines. This past season? "Disaster" would probably accurately sum up the first half+.
- UIF

One of the things about Bailey being labled a 'decent defensive player' is that he has had the advantage of playing with our best two transition forwards on the team (Grabs and Frans). I can't pay attention to Josh's advanced stats because I think they're totally misleading.

Josh HAS talent, but Josh doesn't have the type of personaltiy that allows him be a 'daring' player. That goes on both offense and defense. His shortcomings get noticed on offense more because that's typically going to be the place fans become most critical, but I've seen him look plenty passive in the defensive zone as well. The kid simply has not grown as a player and at 24, while not old by any stretch, he's getting to the point where the team better consider their options.

"However at some point the player has to look in the mirror and be self-motivated to maximize their potential. We saw it with Kyle Okposo last season, now lets hope with can see it with Josh Bailey."

See, it's incorrect comments like this that get people's hopes irrationally high about players like Bailey, which in turn makes them more upset when the player doesn't do it. Okposo didn't "look in the mirror" one day and decide to be good; he'd shown signs of being a good player for years. His possession numbers were always good, and he had scored 20+ goals and 50+ points in a season before last year. He just had a few injuries which really set him back. Once healthy, he had the season everyone knew he could have.

Just because Okposo did that does not mean Bailey will. The difference is that Bailey has never shown the ability to produce like that, besides extremely small spurts. If Bailey has some huge season this year, it will be out of nowhere; Okposo's huge season wasn't really out of nowhere. He just needed to be 100% healthy.
- isles10289

Okposo took his offseason workout to the next level also my point there is that everyone blames the organization but the player deserves some as well. Okposo said himself that his changing his offseason workout, training and diet made him a better player