From what was said it sounded like we wanted to but he wanted to be a starter. When that didn't pan out he went home and to a team with goaltending that is less than solid. There's nothing to worry about with this. It'll honestly be okay.
- Zschalberg

Pretty sure he played his most games in a season with us last year
He's got a better chance at playing time behind Lehner then he does behind Elliot
But even if he didn't wanna come...
My whole point is that Nilsson blows & there had to be better options

But I'm concerned with how many games we lose while Nilsson is just giving Lehner a night off?

Also...
I liked Ullmark last year for us, but he was shaken in Rochester at times.
Not a sure thing that he can be good enough to get us to the playoffs if Lehner gets hurt or plays poorly
- jdfitz77

rochester was a mess, I put no stock in bad games on that team

But I'm concerned with how many games we lose while Nilsson is just giving Lehner a night off?

Also...
I liked Ullmark last year for us, but he was shaken in Rochester at times.
Not a sure thing that he can be good enough to get us to the playoffs if Lehner gets hurt or plays poorly
- jdfitz77

If Nilsson honestly sucks, and I mean like he's terrible, then we move on and get someone else. It's not like he has this huge contract. There are other goalies in the league that are available.

Same goes for Lehner getting hurt. If that happens and Ullmark can't cut it then you go after a Fluery or a goalie in Dallas or get a free agent.

I'm not saying Nilsson is my first choice or even that I want him as the backup. I'm saying that it's not that big of a deal and worst comes to worst we still have other options. I'm also saying I don't see him being this terrible goalie when he had close stats to Johnson in the same team and then had 10 wins in Edmonton. I mean, they're Edmonton.

20 goals is a MINIMUM for someone who carried on with this whole circus.
- Aetherial

What circus did he "carry on" with? It was entirely media driven. It took him a little over 2 days to make his decision.

It's not like he was TO in his driveway, shirtless, doing weighted situps.

He said he was going to FA, he did a few interviews, looked fairly uncomfortable, and that was it from him. His agents made a number of statements, but that's not the player, that's the agents making a market.

To put this on him like he made the circus is asinine. He didn't make the stupid rule of having him hit FA 6 weeks after the rest of FA began. He handled it quite well, and in a timely manner. He easily could've stretched it to today given the news came in just before 6PM Eastern on a Friday.

Pretty sure he played his most games in a season with us last year
He's got a better chance at playing time behind Lehner then he does behind Elliot
But even if he didn't wanna come...
My whole point is that Nilsson blows & there had to be better options
- jdfitz77

But he wanted to go home. That's the main point.

And sure, there were better. But the margin of better is so low that it's not worth this many posts imo

What circus did he "carry on" with? It was entirely media driven. It took him a little over 2 days to make his decision.

It's not like he was TO in his driveway, shirtless, doing weighted situps.

He said he was going to FA, he did a few interviews, looked fairly uncomfortable, and that was it from him. His agents made a number of statements, but that's not the player, that's the agents making a market.

To put this on him like he made the circus is asinine. He didn't make the stupid rule of having him hit FA 6 weeks after the rest of FA began. He handled it quite well, and in a timely manner. He easily could've stretched it to today given the news came in just before 6PM Eastern on a Friday.
- Wetbandit1

It's a circus if he doesn't go where someone wants. Otherwise it's a rational decision process.

May I ask why? Not including the trade and what we gave up to get him, I don't understand the lack of enthusiasm from some. Cawlidge hawkey he played fairly well, 56 pts in 78 games. US NTDP he had 148 in 196. He scored well in World Junior games (3-10-13 in 17 games) and even got on the score sheet in the NHL (1-1-2 in 7 games).

214 lbs, 6' 2", 21 years old. He can play in Rochester and learn his game instead of needing to rush up. If he can keep up with the speed of the game I don't see the downside.

I don't know if he becomes a perennial 20 goal scorer, but I think he can make it in the NHL. Does he become the next Marcus Foligno or does he have better offense than that is my real question.
- Zschalberg

I must say the sample size if very very small so I am definitely no expert on him but I just wasn't all that enthused about his positioning and reading the play in the offensive zone when I saw him. I didn't think he supported as well as he could have and misread what the other guys were doing.

Like I said, I have only seen him maybe 3 or 4 times so sample size definitely isn't really there.

I was one of them, I will admit it
- homiedclown

I was laughed at when I said I think they will be good this year.

Islanders Backup goalies in the past:

2013-14: 8-7-2, .896 Sv%, 3.11 GAA
2014-15: 8-8-1, .889 Sv%, 3.08 GAA

Guess which one is Nilsson and which one is Johnson
- Zschalberg

Now compare Johnson's stats with us against Nilsson's stats ANYWHERE
Difference is Nilsson has ALWAYS put up poor stats
Johnson had at least shown it with Boston

Nowhere in any of your replies are u saying that Nilsson is good
That's my concern

May I ask why? Not including the trade and what we gave up to get him, I don't understand the lack of enthusiasm from some. Cawlidge hawkey he played fairly well, 56 pts in 78 games. US NTDP he had 148 in 196. He scored well in World Junior games (3-10-13 in 17 games) and even got on the score sheet in the NHL (1-1-2 in 7 games).

214 lbs, 6' 2", 21 years old. He can play in Rochester and learn his game instead of needing to rush up. If he can keep up with the speed of the game I don't see the downside.

I don't know if he becomes a perennial 20 goal scorer, but I think he can make it in the NHL. Does he become the next Marcus Foligno or does he have better offense than that is my real question.
- Zschalberg

He's a big body, hard to move off the puck, works the corners and is a big presence in front of the goalie. I don't get the hate for Fasching but he needs to develop in Rochester under Dan Lambert.

I must say the sample size if very very small so I am definitely no expert on him but I just wasn't all that enthused about his positioning and reading the play in the offensive zone when I saw him. I didn't think he supported as well as he could have and misread what the other guys were doing.

Like I said, I have only seen him maybe 3 or 4 times so sample size definitely isn't really there.
- BigStew

In the NHL or in college? I only saw a few college games and didn't notice too much. In the NHL I don't give him too much grief since it was 7 games and a jump from college straight to the NHL.

But that's reasonable. Hopefully that's something they can teach him.

Vesey didn't want to be here, we should move on.
- SABRES 89

I already have.

If Nilsson honestly sucks, and I mean like he's terrible, then we move on and get someone else. It's not like he has this huge contract. There are other goalies in the league that are available.

Same goes for Lehner getting hurt. If that happens and Ullmark can't cut it then you go after a Fluery or a goalie in Dallas or get a free agent.

I'm not saying Nilsson is my first choice or even that I want him as the backup. I'm saying that it's not that big of a deal and worst comes to worst we still have other options. I'm also saying I don't see him being this terrible goalie when he had close stats to Johnson in the same team and then had 10 wins in Edmonton. I mean, they're Edmonton.
- Zschalberg

If Nilsson goes 2-8-2 he could cost us a spot in the playoffs
Agree or disagree?
And I don't think that's a big "if"
I'd say not to expect any more based on his previous play

I was laughed at when I said I think they will be good this year.
- SomeoneGerman

they could be really good

they could stink again

I'm on the fence

If Nilsson goes 2-8-2 he could cost us a spot in the playoffs
Agree or disagree?
And I don't think that's a big "if"
I'd say not to expect any more based on his previous play
- jdfitz77

lehner's career high of gp in nhl is 36 in 2013-14


that alone should give a normal gm time to pause and realize he probably needs a back up capable of playing 40 games in a season

I already have.
- mhp

Hudler, Pirri, someone's else, or stand pat?

In the NHL or in college? I only saw a few college games and didn't notice too much. In the NHL I don't give him too much grief since it was 7 games and a jump from college straight to the NHL.

But that's reasonable. Hopefully that's something they can teach him.
- Zschalberg

World Jrs and one game in the NHL.

I don't hate him but I just didn't see the things I though I would in him. It could have been that him and his line mates just weren't jelling, that happens. Others seem pretty high on him so I look forward to seeing him more.

Hudler, Pirri, someone's else, or stand pat?
- jdfitz77

he really needs to lock girgens up and prove he is giving the kid another chance, or sign one of those 2 and make a move to shore up the D


tick tock
tick tock
tick tock

Now compare Johnson's stats with us against Nilsson's stats ANYWHERE
Difference is Nilsson has ALWAYS put up poor stats
Johnson had at least shown it with Boston

Nowhere in any of your replies are u saying that Nilsson is good
That's my concern
- jdfitz77

So you mean 1 extra season? With Edmonton? The team that let up the 5th most amount of goals? Sorry, I don't think the world is falling because he went 10-12-2 in Edmonton.

You prove my point even further when Johnson, who looked great in defensively minded Boston, had the same numbers in less defensive NY. Goaltenders are a product of their system unless they are great ones like Lundqvist, Price, Holtby. If the defense is good the goaltending will look better.

And I never said he's good because he's a backup, all he has to do is not be terrible.

It's not like he was TO in his driveway, shirtless, doing weighted situps.

.
- Wetbandit1

can he do a pull up?

World Jrs and one game in the NHL.

I don't hate him but I just didn't see the things I though I would in him. It could have been that him and his line mates just weren't jelling, that happens. Others seem pretty high on him so I look forward to seeing him more.
- BigStew

He's got time to learn it in the AHL. I'm hoping he can put it together because he has the physical tools to play

lehner's career high of gp in nhl is 36 in 2013-14


that alone should give a normal gm time to pause and realize he probably needs a back up capable of playing 40 games in a season
- homiedclown

And if the plan is Ullmark then that worries me
He looked pretty good for us, but was very up & down in Rochester

And if it gets to the point where we have to trade for Fleury, Elliot, etc...
It might be too late at that point
How many points get flushed down the drain until we decide a move has to be made?

If Nilsson goes 2-8-2 he could cost us a spot in the playoffs
Agree or disagree?
And I don't think that's a big "if"
I'd say not to expect any more based on his previous play
- jdfitz77

Why would he go 2-8-2? Where are these numbers coming from? He went 8-8-1 and then 10-12-2. How is that 2-8-2? You're making him a lot worse than he actually is

World Jrs and one game in the NHL.

I don't hate him but I just didn't see the things I though I would in him. It could have been that him and his line mates just weren't jelling, that happens. Others seem pretty high on him so I look forward to seeing him more.
- BigStew

Agreed. Like him as a prospect. Don't get why he fetched two 2nds and McNabb for him when he was drafted in the 4th a year before.



And before anyone asks, Yes I hate Tim Murray, and when the wall is built, he should be on the other side of it.

Dareus hours before going to rehab