You know 7 still wears that green bandana - Vukota
Yup that’s me. I always wanted to go to a game with you guys in the girls club.
The gold wig on you is special
Thanks again for the invite.
Shame you mopes won’t make any games at Belmont because the day of the $25 tickets will be over next season
I'd still take hoffman at the deadline if he's available, unreal shot would give the pp life however his d is slightly better than bellows on d - Upstate_isles
Bellows is dreadful in the d zone and neutral zone and honestly isn’t all that impressive in the O zone.
Location: Prepared for the worst Joined: 07.12.2007
Apr 7 @ 10:40 AM ET
Staple: "The Islanders’ Leo Komarov first-line experiment: Why it’s working and what it does for Mathew Barzal https://t.co/msxXODUCgs"
Is this like some media plant? First Shannon repeatedly talks about how Leo's addition is 'working', now Staple. For the first several games Leo was on that line, they were invisible. Suddenly Barzy and Eberle combine for 5 goals in a game and it's 'working', desoute the fact that Leo was pedestrian during those goals. Hopefully Lou has them chirping this poop to create some value here, but I doubt it
Yup that’s me. I always wanted to go to a game with you guys in the girls club.
The gold wig on you is special
Thanks again for the invite. Shame you mopes won’t make any games at Belmont because the day of the $25 tickets will be over next season - nyisles7
Staple: "The Islanders’ Leo Komarov first-line experiment: Why it’s working and what it does for Mathew Barzal https://t.co/msxXODUCgs"
Is this like some media plant? First Shannon repeatedly talks about how Leo's addition is 'working', now Staple. For the first several games Leo was on that line, they were invisible. Suddenly Barzy and Eberle combine for 5 goals in a game and it's 'working', desoute the fact that Leo was pedestrian during those goals. Hopefully Lou has them chirping this poop to create some value here, but I doubt it - keaner17
Did you read it? Pretty enlightening.
Zero.
That number represents something kind of surprising about the top-line Leo Komarov experiment that reached eight games in Tuesday’s 1-0 win over the Capitals at the Coliseum.
That’s the number of even-strength goals the Islanders have allowed while the Komarov-Mathew Barzal–Jordan Eberle line has been on the ice over those eight games. The true impact of a No. 1 line isn’t how many goals it gives up, of course, but how many it produces — seven, in case you were wondering. But in this case, Komarov’s impact is not purely seen through his work in the offensive zone, which can sometimes look like a 5-year-old just grabbed an Xbox controller for the first time.
When Barry Trotz replaced Kieffer Bellows with Komarov on Barzal’s left four games into life after Anders Lee’s knee injury, he wasn’t looking to light a fire under Barzal. He wanted some stability and predictability, which Komarov always brings; Uncle Leo is and always will be Uncle Leo, inside the room and on the ice.
The idea, it seemed, was to give Barzal an ungainly but reliable winger and let him go do his thing. Lee brought that too, but with incredible skill around the net. Komarov’s predictability has, perhaps, allowed Barzal to play a bit more freely, as evidenced by his hat trick on Thursday that earned him the NHL’s first star last week.
“For the people that aren’t in the game, they think this is fantasy league sometimes. You go, ‘Hey, I’m just going to put my highest scorers together,'” Trotz said. “But you look around the league. Give you an example: You’ve got Toronto — there’s (Mitch) Marner and there’s (Auston) Matthews. Who do they put out with them a lot of the time? Zach Hyman, a guy who does a lot of the heavy lifting. Gives them some weight. There’s certain players that need those type of players. I think Barzy and Ebs need those type of players on their line. That’s why Leesy is so good there, why Leo’s done a good job, why Matt Martin can go in there. If you’re too light of a line, you’re easy to play against.”
Lest you think Barzal isn’t on board with this plan, he echoed Trotz’s positivity about first-line Leo as well as the MMPP (Matt Martin power play) — Martin has figured in the last two Isles power-play goals since being moved to Lee’s spot on Barzal’s power-play group, a mid-air deflection of a Barzal pass and a no-look feed for Anthony Beauvillier from the net-front spot.
“It’s a chance for people to really see how effective Leo and Marty can be,” Barzal said. “Anders Lee, he’s got a certain pedigree, and those guys are known for different things. Leo and Marty work extremely hard. In a game that’s shifting from maybe the grinding, hitting style to more speed, they find ways to slow the game down, and for me, that’s kind of nice. They’re still super effective; those guys do a really good job playing their roles, slowing plays down for me and Ebs.”
Digging into some of the public data also shows that Barzal hasn’t been hampered by Komarov. Along with the zero actual goals allowed at even strength, the Barzal-Komarov duo has an expected-goals percentage of 67.8 (courtesy of Natural Stat Trick) compared with 59.6 percent with Lee, though obviously with a much smaller sample size (87:33 of ice time with Komarov to 348:52 with Lee). Barzal’s xGF numbers are superb with just about every Islander this year, a testament to how strong a season he’s had — he doesn’t have the gaudy numbers that Marner, Matthews and Connor McDavid do, but maybe Barzal sneaks in a Hart Trophy vote this year? It’s not that crazy a thought for a possible division winner.
But that reliability with Komarov has clearly helped. It’s a big reason the four-game experiment with Bellows didn’t last. Barzal is a tricky player to get chemistry with, and Komarov does a bit more of what Lee does. Same with Martin on the power play.
Now, this could all be moot by the time you read this story. Taylor Hall was a healthy scratch on Tuesday for the Sabres; Kyle Palmieri now has been scratched twice by the Devils. Either one could be an Islander at any time, and that would almost certainly shuffle Komarov out of LW1 in favor of a player with more skill.
These eight games could at least provide a template for Trotz should a new addition not work with Barzal.
“It’s a great opportunity,” Trotz said. “You hear all the rumors, and guys are just trying to get a piece of the pie. The trade deadline can be disruptive at times because you do add or you don’t. We’ve got team guys, so if we get someone, guys will be happy, even though someone’s going to lose ice time. If we don’t get someone, you want to have the coach’s trust. That’s the biggest thing.”
Staple: "The Islanders’ Leo Komarov first-line experiment: Why it’s working and what it does for Mathew Barzal https://t.co/msxXODUCgs"
Is this like some media plant? First Shannon repeatedly talks about how Leo's addition is 'working', now Staple. For the first several games Leo was on that line, they were invisible. Suddenly Barzy and Eberle combine for 5 goals in a game and it's 'working', desoute the fact that Leo was pedestrian during those goals. Hopefully Lou has them chirping this poop to create some value here, but I doubt it - keaner17
Comparing Leo in the offensive zone to a 5 yr old picking up the X Box controller might have been the most accurate statement of all time
That number represents something kind of surprising about the top-line Leo Komarov experiment that reached eight games in Tuesday’s 1-0 win over the Capitals at the Coliseum.
That’s the number of even-strength goals the Islanders have allowed while the Komarov-Mathew Barzal–Jordan Eberle line has been on the ice over those eight games. The true impact of a No. 1 line isn’t how many goals it gives up, of course, but how many it produces — seven, in case you were wondering. But in this case, Komarov’s impact is not purely seen through his work in the offensive zone, which can sometimes look like a 5-year-old just grabbed an Xbox controller for the first time.
When Barry Trotz replaced Kieffer Bellows with Komarov on Barzal’s left four games into life after Anders Lee’s knee injury, he wasn’t looking to light a fire under Barzal. He wanted some stability and predictability, which Komarov always brings; Uncle Leo is and always will be Uncle Leo, inside the room and on the ice.
The idea, it seemed, was to give Barzal an ungainly but reliable winger and let him go do his thing. Lee brought that too, but with incredible skill around the net. Komarov’s predictability has, perhaps, allowed Barzal to play a bit more freely, as evidenced by his hat trick on Thursday that earned him the NHL’s first star last week.
“For the people that aren’t in the game, they think this is fantasy league sometimes. You go, ‘Hey, I’m just going to put my highest scorers together,'” Trotz said. “But you look around the league. Give you an example: You’ve got Toronto — there’s (Mitch) Marner and there’s (Auston) Matthews. Who do they put out with them a lot of the time? Zach Hyman, a guy who does a lot of the heavy lifting. Gives them some weight. There’s certain players that need those type of players. I think Barzy and Ebs need those type of players on their line. That’s why Leesy is so good there, why Leo’s done a good job, why Matt Martin can go in there. If you’re too light of a line, you’re easy to play against.”
Lest you think Barzal isn’t on board with this plan, he echoed Trotz’s positivity about first-line Leo as well as the MMPP (Matt Martin power play) — Martin has figured in the last two Isles power-play goals since being moved to Lee’s spot on Barzal’s power-play group, a mid-air deflection of a Barzal pass and a no-look feed for Anthony Beauvillier from the net-front spot.
“It’s a chance for people to really see how effective Leo and Marty can be,” Barzal said. “Anders Lee, he’s got a certain pedigree, and those guys are known for different things. Leo and Marty work extremely hard. In a game that’s shifting from maybe the grinding, hitting style to more speed, they find ways to slow the game down, and for me, that’s kind of nice. They’re still super effective; those guys do a really good job playing their roles, slowing plays down for me and Ebs.”
Digging into some of the public data also shows that Barzal hasn’t been hampered by Komarov. Along with the zero actual goals allowed at even strength, the Barzal-Komarov duo has an expected-goals percentage of 67.8 (courtesy of Natural Stat Trick) compared with 59.6 percent with Lee, though obviously with a much smaller sample size (87:33 of ice time with Komarov to 348:52 with Lee). Barzal’s xGF numbers are superb with just about every Islander this year, a testament to how strong a season he’s had — he doesn’t have the gaudy numbers that Marner, Matthews and Connor McDavid do, but maybe Barzal sneaks in a Hart Trophy vote this year? It’s not that crazy a thought for a possible division winner.
But that reliability with Komarov has clearly helped. It’s a big reason the four-game experiment with Bellows didn’t last. Barzal is a tricky player to get chemistry with, and Komarov does a bit more of what Lee does. Same with Martin on the power play.
Now, this could all be moot by the time you read this story. Taylor Hall was a healthy scratch on Tuesday for the Sabres; Kyle Palmieri now has been scratched twice by the Devils. Either one could be an Islander at any time, and that would almost certainly shuffle Komarov out of LW1 in favor of a player with more skill.
These eight games could at least provide a template for Trotz should a new addition not work with Barzal.
“It’s a great opportunity,” Trotz said. “You hear all the rumors, and guys are just trying to get a piece of the pie. The trade deadline can be disruptive at times because you do add or you don’t. We’ve got team guys, so if we get someone, guys will be happy, even though someone’s going to lose ice time. If we don’t get someone, you want to have the coach’s trust. That’s the biggest thing.” - nyisles7
Wow so I guess we shouldn't make a move and keep him there for the playoffs right? He's been fine as a fill in but in no world should he be the first line winger and you know that as well
