Very difficult division and all they have done is add chara and parise?

I get they had a great yr last year and are a contender, but their offseason has not exactly been a juggernaut.
- Joe Nardone

They are essentially adding Anders Lee as well.

They are essentially adding Anders Lee as well.
- AdamFrench

Damn I forgot they played a ton of games without him last year.... That is a huge add going into this yr.

Lamorillo loves to lie in the weeds, but make no mistake, the Islanders are one of the favorites to win the cup this year. Lou will add more scoring sometime between now and the deadline. Tampa has lost a lot of key players and the Islanders got to the conference Finals the past two years. Any writer or pundit who treats the Islanders as an outsider or some kind of dark horse is either foolish or giving Lamorillo the cover he wants.
- 15Hedberg

Bingo

If the NHL keeps the current alignment in the eastern conference, they're a joke. All 8 teams in the metro are far superior to 4 of the atlantic teams. Tampa, Toronto, Boston and Florida have already qualified for the playoffs and the season hasn't even started. If I was a player in that metro division, I would be mad as hell.
- CGYFlames13

I would be for some kind of NFL division format 8 divisions of 4 teams each 2 conferences , best team of every division makes the playoffs, the last 4 spots are all wild card.

Very difficult division and all they have done is add chara and parise?

I get they had a great yr last year and are a contender, but their offseason has not exactly been a juggernaut.
- Joe Nardone

Resigned their RFA’s and signed Palmieri along with what you mentioned.

True, but this is not the same league it once was when you could literally tackle the first forechecker and thus get a free out going the other way.

That devil team would not have been as successful today. The Isles are in a really tough division.

Sure Martin and Chara would be tough in the corner whenever a winger finds himself down low…. But it’s kinda more of the same for them.
- Joe Nardone

Um yeah why would they change it?

Resigned their RFA’s and signed Palmieri along with what you mentioned.
- Cptmjl

Palmieri with his toughness and skill is an upgrade over Eberle on that 1st line. Offense should also be helped with Parise and Wally on the 3rd line.

You don't get it.

When you get to play 4 of the worst 5 teams in the league so often, you accumulate a lot of points. Toronto, Tampa, Florida and Boston have a playoff spot secured.
- CGYFlames13

I've watched the Leafs long enough to know they struggle more with those bottom feeders than equal or better teams

The isles were a goal away from game 7 ot vs a great tampa team that won back to back cups and has significantly weakened. They are older but mostly the same team and even if palmeri is a push with eberle (I prefer palmerie) Parise is and upgrade on the 3rd line. Add in Chara and they have to be a favorite in the east this year. Chara played 18 minutes a night for the caps I can't see him getting that much here in fact he's gotta be a bottom pair guy. If he's your number 6 dman thats pretty good
- Upstate_isles

Contenders absolutely. Favorites no way. TBL will be the favorites in the East for obvious reasons.

Palmieri was his toughness and skill is an upgrade over Eberle on that 1st line. Offense should also be helped with Parise and Wally on the 3rd line.
- ses111

Agree with all of this. Only question is what the blue line will look like without Leddy on it.

Lou Lamowierdo is building a great team for the 2007-2008 season

They are essentially adding Anders Lee as well.
- AdamFrench

No they’re not. The Islanders lost with him in the lineup the 2 prior seasons. Getting an injured player back is not a roster improvement. You people are lost

Contenders absolutely. Favorites no way. TBL will be the favorites in the East for obvious reasons.
- jfkst1

They lost their entire 3rd line so I don't see them as the favorites, Carolina is going to be really good too

No they’re not. The Islanders lost with him in the lineup the 2 prior seasons. Getting an injured player back is not a roster improvement. You people are lost
- BringNYIhome

What are you smoking, they didn't have Lee in the post season and still almost made it to the finals. This team has three lines that can score and 4 that can grind the opponent down. They are going to roll 4 all year and that adds up come post season

They lost their entire 3rd line so I don't see them as the favorites, Carolina is going to be really good too
- Upstate_isles

This is something that is said every year and I don’t agree with it.

No they’re not. The Islanders lost with him in the lineup the 2 prior seasons. Getting an injured player back is not a roster improvement. You people are lost
- BringNYIhome

So losing your leading goal scorer and captain for the entirety of the playoffs isn’t a big deal? Having him back wouldn’t be impactful?

So losing your leading goal scorer and captain for the entirety of the playoffs isn’t a big deal? Having him back wouldn’t be impactful?
- Cptmjl

Apparently not

This is something that is said every year and I don’t agree with it.
- Cptmjl

Florida should be good too but I think the isles are gonna be good and they have a lot of depth

Florida should be good too but I think the isles are gonna be good and they have a lot of depth
- Upstate_isles

Im not saying Carolina is a bad team I just think their goaltending is suspect just like last year and the year before that…

This is a sneaky good move.
- HockeyBuzzed

Shocked you were late breaking this, kooleus. Ya know, with all your "friends of friends" sources you have..

damn Ottawa got hosed , they traded away Yashin for Chara only for Chara to go back to the island

Apparently not
- Upstate_isles

Completely (frank)ing brain dead.

Lou Lamowierdo is building a great team for the 2007-2008 season
- BringNYIhome

Can you believe there are still Isles fans complaining about what Lou has done the past few years? I assume you would prefer Garth Snow and the Islanders of 2007-2018?

What are you smoking, they didn't have Lee in the post season and still almost made it to the finals. This team has three lines that can score and 4 that can grind the opponent down. They are going to roll 4 all year and that adds up come post season
- Upstate_isles

It’s not an addition. Lee coming back is not an addition. He’s been on the god damn team for a decade. Why is this so hard for people to understand? JFC

Can you believe there are still Isles fans complaining about what Lou has done the past few years? I assume you would prefer Garth Snow and the Islanders of 2007-2018?
- latorrem1

He hired Trotz. You could have done that. Trotz could win with the Worcester Railers roster. If Lou’s the reason they’re winning then why did the team win it’s first season under their watch? They lost Tavares and added Leo and Matt Martin. How is this Lou????