Kid needs to work on his skating.... Im fine for not rushing his development, dmen can take longer and im fine w/that
- Ur Not Me

Pulock or Pelech should be up. I'll take my chances with them over Strait or a 38 year old dman that cannot play D. Isles wanted to rebuild with young guys then let's see what they got.

Pulock or Pelech should be up. I'll take my chances with them over Strait or a 38 year old dman that cannot play D. Isles wanted to rebuild with young guys then let's see what they got.
- ses111

Isles are to RH on D, they need a big body LH dman to pair w/Pulock as a 3rd pair, that would have been my choice...
as an ex: a guy like Beauchimen or a cheaper Orpik version

isles very soft on LH dmen, Leddy, Dehaan, Hickey/Strait... ugg

I dont see how you can go with Strait over Mayfield at this point. Mayfield is a big body who can skate.......whats the hard on for Brian Strait for. Is every fan missing something that the all knowing Capuano see's???
- kindlyrick

We're missing the all important "Capuanosense".

Who knows the explanation for the +/- but if I'm going to watch mistakes, I'd rather see them from a kid like Pulock, Mayfield and Pelech with promise and futures than from an aging vet who is likely not going to be an Islander for very long. Besides, sometimes, a vet getting his a** sent to the press box for a kid for a couple of games lights a fire under him. Maybe that will work for Zid?

I know there are roster issues, etc., with calling up a kid, but that stuff can be worked out. At the end of the day, I like the team they started the season with. But it has to play with energy and pace to be any good. These last few games have seemed very ho-hum. The players don't seem to be playing with any urgency, with a couple of notable exceptions.
- Jethro09

This is a good point.

Leddy looks great. I think Leddy needs to get more selfish, instead of looking for pass every time he should shoot more.

Bernier is garbage. I cant tell if that goalie last night is good or did we make it easy for him by firing every puck into his chest of those that actually hit the net.


Im not as negative as some here. Isles outplayed Devs, Carolina and Buffalo. its just we are making poor decesions. Sitting back on 1 goal is not how you do it.

Leddy looks great. I think Leddy needs to get more selfish, instead of looking for pass every time he should shoot more.

Bernier is garbage. I cant tell if that goalie last night is good or did we make it easy for him by firing every puck into his chest of those that actually hit the net.


Im not as negative as some here. Isles outplayed Devs, Carolina and Buffalo. its just we are making poor decesions. Sitting back on 1 goal is not how you do it.
- Spartiarti

Its opinions of ppl who may express the obvious, nothing wrong with that.....
Grant it, some complain for the sake of complaining oh u know who u are......

Mayfield's skating is 110% not a strength of his. He's improved but he is definitely not a "big body that can skate" by any stretch of the imagination.
- eichiefs9

That is something he has to improve on in todays game. Funny thing is he looked fairly mobile in that one game in the playoffs last year. Don't get me wrong he was no Paul Coffey or anything but he looked like he could keep up to an extent and then recently in preseason he looked like he was skating in cement. He'd have to be positionally sound and have a real good puck awareness to be effective in any sense unless he improves his skating from what I saw recently in preseason.

Pulock or Pelech should be up. I'll take my chances with them over Strait or a 38 year old dman that cannot play D. Isles wanted to rebuild with young guys then let's see what they got.
- ses111

The only defenseman that can play both LHD and RHD is Brian Strait. Ask Arthur Staple he'll let you know.

Arthur Staple ‏@StapeNewsday · 4m4 minutes ago
Capuano: Tavares still very sick, getting checked out again today. "I don't expect him here for a little bit."


Mono?

Arthur Staple ‏@StapeNewsday · 4m4 minutes ago
Capuano: Tavares still very sick, getting checked out again today. "I don't expect him here for a little bit."


Mono?
- Vukota

Now I'm sick. That tweet must have been contagious.

It was so clear you should only bring the same team back with a new staff. Same staff and mostly same team will not end well.
- ses111

And the team did not play that well at the end of that season ever since the all star break the team as a whole did not look as good as the first half .

Arthur Staple ‏@StapeNewsday · 4m4 minutes ago
Capuano: Tavares still very sick, getting checked out again today. "I don't expect him here for a little bit."


Mono?
- Vukota

MDW & SmellMyFinger teamed up on JT.....

Now I'm sick. That tweet must have been contagious.
- Cptmjl

Strome should be motivated and show what he can do without JT. Come on Strome.

That is something he has to improve on in todays game. Funny thing is he looked fairly mobile in that one game in the playoffs last year. Don't get me wrong he was no Paul Coffey or anything but he looked like he could keep up to an extent and then recently in preseason he looked like he was skating in cement. He'd have to be positionally sound and have a real good puck awareness to be effective in any sense unless he improves his skating from what I saw recently in preseason.
- Cptmjl

He's improved his skating, no argument there. But it sure doesn't seem like he's where he needs to be, to be an every day defenseman in the NHL. He's going to have to be really positionally sound to make up for his lack of skating skills.

He's improved his skating, no argument there. But it sure doesn't seem like he's where he needs to be, to be an every day defenseman in the NHL. He's going to have to be really positionally sound to make up for his lack of skating skills.
- eichiefs9

Agreed from what I saw in preseason unless that wasnt the norm. Hard for me to form an real opinion when I dont watch these kids all the time but he looked sluggish in preseason.

Agreed from what I saw in preseason unless that wasnt the norm. Hard for me to form an opinion when I dont watch these kids all the time.
- Cptmjl

I want to see more of Pelech. Not necessarily as a call-up, but just in general. He may be a real dark-horse prospect (or he may be pure garbage) but you just don't hear a lot about him. Seems like he may have a similar style of play to Boychuk (not in talent, just the kind of player he is). I think it's pretty likely that at some point he or Mayfield would get moved. Maybe not now but with half of our NHL defenseman locked up very long term and Pulock as the heir apparent to the next open spot...can't keep everyone buried in the AHL forever if they're playing well enough to be NHL guys.

I want to see more of Pelech. Not necessarily as a call-up, but just in general. He may be a real dark-horse prospect (or he may be pure garbage) but you just don't hear a lot about him. Seems like he may have a similar style of play to Boychuk (not in talent, just the kind of player he is). I think it's pretty likely that at some point he or Mayfield would get moved. Maybe not now but with half of our NHL defenseman locked up very long term and Pulock as the heir apparent to the next open spot...can't keep everyone buried in the AHL forever if they're playing well enough to be NHL guys.
- eichiefs9

This is my issue with the management of this team. They seem to have trouble deciding who is ready for the NHL and which guys to move for other needed pieces. You cannot keep guys in the AHL forever and then move them for very little return.

This is my issue with the management of this team. They seem to have trouble deciding who is ready for the NHL and which guys to move for other needed pieces. You cannot keep guys in the AHL forever and then move them for very little return.
- ses111

Exactly which player did they do that with?

Reinhart is the only one that (sort of) fits that story-line and he was moved for what ultimately amounted to Barzal and Beauvillier, which I'm thrilled about.

Exactly which player did they do that with?

Reinhart is the only one that (sort of) fits that story-line and he was moved for what ultimately amounted to Barzal and Beauvillier, which I'm thrilled about.
- eichiefs9

What the hell is going on with JT?

http://islanderspointblan...examined-again-on-monday/

What the hell is going on with JT?

http://islanderspointblan...examined-again-on-monday/
- Cptmjl

He probably has a nasty case of the flu. Strome and Halak had it and doesn't it usually get stronger as it gets passed on? You seem to have more of a medical background than me

I wouldn't be surprised if he was hospitalized and getting fluids, if it's as serious as they want us to believe. I don't know why everyone thinks it's such a mystery though. When two of your teammates, including one that you live with, have the flu...it shouldn't really be much of a "mystery illness".

Exactly which player did they do that with?

Reinhart is the only one that (sort of) fits that story-line and he was moved for what ultimately amounted to Barzal and Beauvillier, which I'm thrilled about.
- eichiefs9

The Nino situation was botched even if he did not also handle the situation the best way. Pulock or Pelech should be up. They are not 18 year old kids just drafted. They put in their time in the AHL.

The Nino situation was botched even if he did not also handle the situation the best way. Pulock or Pelech should be up. They are not 18 year old kids just drafted. They put in their time in the AHL.
- ses111

Nino wasn't handled particularly well, but he was a (frank)ing baby about it too. And frankly, he hasn't exactly lit the world on fire in Minnesota, so I'm not crying about him not being an Islander either. He's a middle-6 forward, something we have in spades.

I don't really see a lot of crossover between that and Pulock and Pelech being in the AHL.

He probably has a nasty case of the flu. Strome and Halak had it and doesn't it usually get stronger as it gets passed on? You seem to have more of a medical background than me

I wouldn't be surprised if he was hospitalized and getting fluids, if it's as serious as they want us to believe. I don't know why everyone thinks it's such a mystery though. When two of your teammates, including one that you live with, have the flu...it shouldn't really be much of a "mystery illness".
- eichiefs9

Nah. Some people handle the same ailments differently but generally speaking that's usually linked to a large age gap or a preexisting condition that worsens it. I'd think if he had the flu they'd just say he has the flu? I really don't see the gain in keeping it a big secret they weren't hush hush about Halak or Strome when they had it? There seems like there may be something more to it considering he's getting another examination.

Nah. Some people handle the same ailments differently but generally speaking that's usually linked to a large age gap or a preexisting condition that worsens it. I'd think if he had the flu they'd just say he has the flu? I really don't see the gain in keeping it a big secret they weren't hush hush about Halak or Strome when they had it? There seems like there may be something more to it considering he's getting another examination.
- Cptmjl

Gotcha. I don't know, honestly. But then again...why were they so vague and mysterious about it in the first place, when he missed the NJD game. They could have just said that Tavares was out with an illness in the first place, rather then calling it an "injury update" and saying they'll provide details after the game.

The only thing I can think of, and I'm not trying to say I think it's logical or agree with it, is that since it's their superstar center...maybe they're trying to play things as close to the vest as possible? I have no real clue.

What the hell else could it possibly be? MRSA?

Nah. Some people handle the same ailments differently but generally speaking that's usually linked to a large age gap or a preexisting condition that worsens it. I'd think if he had the flu they'd just say he has the flu? I really don't see the gain in keeping it a big secret they weren't hush hush about Halak or Strome when they had it? There seems like there may be something more to it considering he's getting another examination.
- Cptmjl

I heard they are worried he might have Mono