The Islanders return home tonight to face the Columbus Blue Jackets at 7pm. Before I rant about the state of this team let’s start with the facts on tonight’s game. Thomas Greiss will tend goal tonight and with the current state of this team, he will be busy. Marek Zidlicky will return to the lineup and Scotty Mayfield will be a healthy scratch.
With Johnny Boychuk injured and Travis Hamonic now out until the all-star break, the Isles’ defense is a work in progress. The defensive combinations tonight will feature Nick Leddy with Calvin de Haan, Thomas Hickey with Marek Zidlicky and rookie Adam Pelech will play with Brian Strait. Head Coach Jack Capuano will throw darts to figure out the forward lines.
Now that we are done with the pleasantries, this team is a dumpster fire. A rudderless ship drifting in a maelstrom. This team is void of leadership from its coaching staff through the players in the locker room. What I have seen the past two games makes my eyes want to vomit. It looks like nobody cares as they are lifeless, careless and passionless. They are currently a disorganized hockey team playing soft soft hockey.
What I saw against the Capitals was downright appalling. When Thomas Hickey was run, no response. When Hamonic was run, no response. At this point the Caps are just having fun out there, running Isles left and right. You want to know why this keeps happening. Because they can and the Isles let them. The Isles simply cower like a puppy and whine in the corner, a perfect reflection of their invisible captain. Do you think for one minute that a captain like Jonathan Toews would allow players on his team to be run?
I totally get that John Tavares needs help. The fact that Josh Bailey is still a top six forward is further testament to the fact that this roster isn’t good enough. Anders Lee has regressed, Ryan Strome has shown signs of life but his season has been a disaster. Kyle Okposo is your typical beacon of inconsistency. With that being said John Tavares needs to help himself. He no longer drives the net. He over passes. He refuses to shoot the puck and he looks disinterested in his own end.
I get that this is a team game but the captain cannot get a pass and is not free from blame. With that being said he desperately needs someone who can create some space for him. This team has been poorly coached but the blame lies on the shoulders of general manager Garth Snow as well. This roster is simply not good enough.
I’m not even going to get into Ryan Pulock, I’ll save that for tomorrow’s podcast. However when looking at tonight’s game as the Isles square off with the dirtiest team in the Eastern Conference wouldn’t you want the physical presence of Scotty Mayfield? Ah, what do I know? I simply see this season going into the crapper and status quo is not good enough. Something HAS to be done. These team has no pulse and it needs a spark. Wait any longer and it will need so much more than that.