Ben Shelley: Islanders kick off road trip with win over Senators

Just bringing this to the top

Ben Shelley: Islanders kick off road trip with win over Senators
- Ben Shelley

Jesus Christ, Ben. A guy can hardly keep up with your output nowadays.

From the last blog.

Lee is an absolute piece to the puzzle and I’d argue one of if not the best net presence in the league. I just can’t grasp not giving Barzal the winger he deserves. If it means trading Wahlstrom, a prospect and a first I’m all for it (for the right fit)

Bo Horvat is done in Vancouver. Be curious to know the ask.
- kindlyrick

Hypothetically speaking, who among the league qualify as such in your opinion?

Jesus Christ, Ben. A guy can hardly keep up with your output nowadays.
- Wildschwein

Ben's been busy.......writing a new blog after every game.

From the last blog.



Hypothetically speaking, who among the league qualify as such in your opinion?
- Wildschwein

Unfortunately, Andrew Ladd is injured.

Unfortunately, Andrew Ladd is injured.
- JohnScammo

Unfortunately, Andrew Ladd is injured.
- JohnScammo

Well he better play a (frank)ing game this season because we owe our 3rd round pick to Arizona if he doesn't

Well he better play a (frank)ing game this season because we owe our 3rd round pick to Arizona if he doesn't
- eichiefs9

You know damned well that he won’t.

Dude wanted to hit 1,000 games played. Yotes accommodated this, but now that he has reached that goal, he’ll be “injured” till he retires.

Well he better play a (frank)ing game this season because we owe our 3rd round pick to Arizona if he doesn't
- eichiefs9

Sadly, I have already written off that 3rd round pick.

Well he better play a (frank)ing game this season because we owe our 3rd round pick to Arizona if he doesn't
- eichiefs9

I'm pretty sure it was already established that the pick is Arizona's and Ladd will not play.

Sadly, I have already written off that 3rd round pick.
- JohnScammo

Yea not holding my breath, maybe everyone gets injured and he has to play. That'd be nice

From the last blog.



Hypothetically speaking, who among the league qualify as such in your opinion?
- Wildschwein

Qualify as elite talent? The top 50 players in the league, of which the isles have 1 only (and he's closer to the 50 spot). I guess the real question is name me a stanley cup contending team that doesn't have a 1-2 punch of elite talent?

Side note: you can make an argument for Dobson in the top 50, but the discussion was about offensive talent for barzal.

Not ranked: New York Islanders — So let me get this straight, it’s maybe a good thing when you get to play some home games before March?

OK, the Islanders didn’t have to stay on the road quite that long last year. And their season-opening 13-game road trip (while construction finished on their new rink) was far from their only issue, especially since they kept losing once UBS Arena was ready. Last year’s Islanders were just bad. The question was whether it was an outlier or a new normal, especially after Lou Lamoriello fired the best coach in the league and then basically took the rest of the offseason off.

So far, it’s fair to say the needle is drifting toward “outlier.” It’s been dicey at times, with a few big comeback wins mixed in. Those remain rare in today’s NHL, so you could call it a bit of record-boosting good luck. You could also call it an identity, as a team that a lot of us had written off refuses to back down, even against contenders like the Flames and Rangers.

Maybe the biggest story is that the Lane Lambert version of this team doesn’t look all that different from the best of the Barry Trotz era. They’re hard to score on, with good penalty killing and excellent goaltending from Ilya Sorokin. They score more than you think they do, with two top lines that can hurt you. They grind. And so far, they beat good teams, including the Avs and Hurricanes.

Then they lose to the Coyotes and you wonder a bit. But only a bit. With both Washington and Pittsburgh showing signs of closing windows, the path to a Metro playoff spot is looking clearer than we’d thought it would be. And remember, as bad as last season was, the Islanders still finished the year with 84 points, good for the ninth spot in the East. If that’s the worst-case scenario for this group, then the door is open for at least a postseason return.

Road trip to see the Isles in Arizona & Vegas is booked!! Paid a little less for the ticket in Arizona then I did in Vegas which was a little bit of surprise because of the limited seats in Arizona. Pretty pumped to say the least

Not ranked: New York Islanders — So let me get this straight, it’s maybe a good thing when you get to play some home games before March?

OK, the Islanders didn’t have to stay on the road quite that long last year. And their season-opening 13-game road trip (while construction finished on their new rink) was far from their only issue, especially since they kept losing once UBS Arena was ready. Last year’s Islanders were just bad. The question was whether it was an outlier or a new normal, especially after Lou Lamoriello fired the best coach in the league and then basically took the rest of the offseason off.

So far, it’s fair to say the needle is drifting toward “outlier.” It’s been dicey at times, with a few big comeback wins mixed in. Those remain rare in today’s NHL, so you could call it a bit of record-boosting good luck. You could also call it an identity, as a team that a lot of us had written off refuses to back down, even against contenders like the Flames and Rangers.

Maybe the biggest story is that the Lane Lambert version of this team doesn’t look all that different from the best of the Barry Trotz era. They’re hard to score on, with good penalty killing and excellent goaltending from Ilya Sorokin. They score more than you think they do, with two top lines that can hurt you. They grind. And so far, they beat good teams, including the Avs and Hurricanes.

Then they lose to the Coyotes and you wonder a bit. But only a bit. With both Washington and Pittsburgh showing signs of closing windows, the path to a Metro playoff spot is looking clearer than we’d thought it would be. And remember, as bad as last season was, the Islanders still finished the year with 84 points, good for the ninth spot in the East. If that’s the worst-case scenario for this group, then the door is open for at least a postseason return.
- Upstate_isles

3rd most points in the NHL and not ranked? Where is the garbage from?

Road trip to see the Isles in Arizona & Vegas is booked!! Paid a little less for the ticket in Arizona then I did in Vegas which was a little bit of surprise because of the limited seats in Arizona. Pretty pumped to say the least
- Vukota

We'll watch for you. Will you be the one in the Bruno Gervais jersey?

We'll watch for you. Will you be the one in the Bruno Gervais jersey?
- JohnScammo

I'll have my Sororbson 308 jersey on

I was hoping u would wear a Soshnisux one.

Whole lot of Horvat chatter today.

I'll have my Sororbson 308 jersey on
- Vukota

Dobrokin

Road trip to see the Isles in Arizona & Vegas is booked!! Paid a little less for the ticket in Arizona then I did in Vegas which was a little bit of surprise because of the limited seats in Arizona. Pretty pumped to say the least
- Vukota

My buddy was at the Ranger/Arizona game and said the place was actually awesome. Still (frank)ing embarrassing, but at least it's a good time.

Whole lot of Horvat chatter today.
- niteislander

Going where? Here?

My buddy was at the Ranger/Arizona game and said the place was actually awesome. Still (frank)ing embarrassing, but at least it's a good time.
- eichiefs9

One of the main reasons I'm going is to check out a game in that place.

Whole lot of Horvat chatter today.
- niteislander

Let me guess Isles twitter?