Ben Shelley: Islanders keep season alive with narrow Game 5 win over Hurricanes

onward and upward to Friday let's go!

Great win last night. Now bring it home and win game 6!
Lane hasn’t impressed me either way but moving JGP to Barzal’s line was a great move. This made The Canes staff choose whether the put Staal out against Bo or Barzal and it paid off.

We go from one blog every four weeks to four in 36 hours

Judging by Baileys benching for the entire series, I don’t see him being back with this team. Be it trade, or buyout, I think he’s done.

Also 20-25 min is top pair minutes. I’m fine with mayfield in a role on the second pair as more of a stay home, or the puck mover on the 3rd pair. I’ve mentioned before but much like Dobson is heavily relied on at such a young age, Mayfield in the right role, is an asset to this club. In a shut down role, I’m happy with his play…..2.5-3 million
- kindlyrick

Mayfield has been averaging over 21min per game since Thanksgiving. He's a good bottom pairing guy, since he can be tapped into for the pk but I think we can do better in our top four. Pelech, Pulock, Romanov......as to who fits in that other slot, I'd say they need to be a notch up from Mayfield. It should be Dobson but....If the money is there, I'd prefer to find someone that could play defense and move the puck.

I'd be inclined to agree that Bailey is a goner, but I've also learned to not discount his staying power. They tried to deal him before and couldn't find anyone to bite (supposedly). A buyout is an option, but there's honestly no telling what Lou wants to do. You still need to sign those other guys and give Sorokin a massive pay raise.

We go from one blog every four weeks to four in 36 hours




Mayfield has been averaging over 21min per game since Thanksgiving. He's a good bottom pairing guy, since he can be tapped into for the pk but I think we can do better in our top four. Pelech, Pulock, Romanov......as to who fits in that other slot, I'd say they need to be a notch up from Mayfield. It should be Dobson but....If the money is there, I'd prefer to find someone that could play defense and move the puck.

I'd be inclined to agree that Bailey is a goner, but I've also learned to not discount his staying power. They tried to deal him before and couldn't find anyone to bite (supposedly). A buyout is an option, but there's honestly no telling what Lou wants to do. You still need to sign those other guys and give Sorokin a massive pay raise.
- keaner17

Bailey has one more season on his contract and trading him means parting with draft picks or prospects, both of which are in short supply. Whether they buy him out or not depends on whether they need the cap space next season. As I've said before, everything else being equal, I'd rather avoid the buyout and just be done with him completely after one more season rather than spreading out the pain. They could always send him to Bridgeport and save $1 MM, I believe, in cap space from his $5 MM cap hit.

Sorokin is certainly due a massive pay raise, but thankfully, he has one more season under the current contract. That's another reason to be done with Bailey's contract completely after next season.

My guess is that Mayfield tests free agency, but he might consider giving the Isles a hometown discount, and his regular season stats are underwhelming enough that he might scare off a few teams. He did lead the team this regular season in penalty minutes.........by a wide margin.

Bailey has one more season on his contract and trading him means parting with draft picks or prospects, both of which are in short supply. Whether they buy him out or not depends on whether they need the cap space next season. As I've said before, everything else being equal, I'd rather avoid the buyout and just be done with him completely after one more season rather than spreading out the pain. They could always send him to Bridgeport and save $1 MM, I believe, in cap space from his $5 MM cap hit.

Sorokin is certainly due a massive pay raise, but thankfully, he has one more season under the current contract. That's another reason to be done with Bailey's contract completely after next season.

My guess is that Mayfield tests free agency, but he might consider giving the Isles a hometown discount, and his regular season stats are underwhelming enough that he might scare off a few teams. He did lead the team this regular season in penalty minutes.........by a wide margin.
- JohnScammo

Bailey is a tough call. I have an awful feeling he'll be back next year. Chainz never dies, he just smells that way.
Sorokin: it may be interesting to see just when the Isles extend him. I doubt they want to go too far along without an extension in place. Martin, Clutter & Bailey all come off the books in 2024-25, so that frees up nearly $8mm then.

My guess is Engvall will command around $3.5m. Hudson gets around $1.5-$2m. Parise resigns for the min again at $750k. That right there potentially takes up $6mm of our available $6.9mm and we still need a backup goaltender along with extensions for Bolduc, Wahlstrom & Wotherspoon.

I don't see $4m, around for Mayfield honestly.....perhaps more trades are coming

By the way, in answer to Cpt from last night, I just re-watched the 2nd Canes goal. That was more on Pelech than on Sorokin. I did not see where Sorokin had an opportunity to freeze the puck, nor should he have needed to. No one appeared to be on the ice for an extended period. The goal was one-timed from the slot and Sorokin was partially screened. He had little chance to stop that one.

By the way, in answer to Cpt from last night, I just re-watched the 2nd Canes goal. That was more on Pelech than on Sorokin. I did not see where Sorokin had an opportunity to freeze the puck, nor should he have needed to. No one appeared to be on the ice for an extended period. The goal was one-timed from the slot and Sorokin was partially screened. He had little chance to stop that one.
- JohnScammo

Some of the Twittersphere criticisms on Sorokin were comical. One guy was insisting that 3 of the 4 goals in game two were totally on Sorokin. I swear these are the same type of people who blame a quarterback or pitcher for every single loss.
There's another guy who feels we would be better off with Varly

Bailey is a tough call. I have an awful feeling he'll be back next year. Chainz never dies, he just smells that way.
Sorokin: it may be interesting to see just when the Isles extend him. I doubt they want to go too far along without an extension in place. Martin, Clutter & Bailey all come off the books in 2024-25, so that frees up nearly $8mm then.

My guess is Engvall will command around $3.5m. Hudson gets around $1.5-$2m. Parise resigns for the min again at $750k. That right there potentially takes up $6mm of our available $6.9mm and we still need a backup goaltender along with extensions for Bolduc, Wahlstrom & Wotherspoon.

I don't see $4m, around for Mayfield honestly.....perhaps more trades are coming
- keaner17

I agree that Mayfield is probably not worth $4 MM. But then he needs to be replaced. Not sure who they have in-house who's ready. The prospect pool is not impressive. There may be free agents out there, but then they're faced with overpaying for a free agent.

No idea what these other guys will require. If Wally is healthy, and they somehow sign Engvall and Hudson, do they even have room for Parise? I suppose Holmstrom can be sent down to Bridgeport. I dunno. Lots of moving parts...

Some of the Twittersphere criticisms on Sorokin were comical. One guy was insisting that 3 of the 4 goals in game two were totally on Sorokin. I swear these are the same type of people who blame a quarterback or pitcher for every single loss.
There's another guy who feels we would be better off with Varly
- keaner17

I'm glad I don't tweet, but I do enjoy when you guys occasionally post relevant stuff on here.

I agree that Mayfield is probably not worth $4 MM. But then he needs to be replaced. Not sure who they have in-house who's ready. The prospect pool is not impressive. There may be free agents out there, but then they're faced with overpaying for a free agent.

No idea what these other guys will require. If Wally is healthy, and they somehow sign Engvall and Hudson, do they even have room for Parise? I suppose Holmstrom can be sent down to Bridgeport. I dunno. Lots of moving parts...
- JohnScammo

I may be the only one, but I really liked what I saw from Wotherspoon. He did nothing to deserve being removed from the lineup. I found him more consistent and less mistake-prone than Aho & Dobson and even Mayfield to a degree. They also signed those kids out of college so I think that may be some hint that their intention is to find Mayfield's replacement from within.

I would guess that Bolduc, Wotherspoon, Salo, Aidin Fulp, Travis Mitchell and perhaps Isaiah George all get strong looks. They need Salo and Bolduc to take big steps, since none of the other guys should be expected until 2024 at the earliest. Fulp is a wildcard IMO. We could always bring in another castoff tryout like Gustafsson as well, I guess

By the way, in answer to Cpt from last night, I just re-watched the 2nd Canes goal. That was more on Pelech than on Sorokin. I did not see where Sorokin had an opportunity to freeze the puck, nor should he have needed to. No one appeared to be on the ice for an extended period. The goal was one-timed from the slot and Sorokin was partially screened. He had little chance to stop that one.
- JohnScammo

It was a while before the goal, I think, where he had it right in front of him but left it for the d-man to take behind the net, and then they were never able to exit the zone after that. I remember it because I was watching the ESPN broadcast and they had mentioned it on there quite a bit saying that Sorokin could have "managed the play better" or something like that. But a lot of things could have happened differently if you're going back that far before the goal. The team could have managed the puck better and exited the zone. Heck, maybe they lose that hypothetical faceoff and the Canes score anyway!

I agree that Mayfield is probably not worth $4 MM. But then he needs to be replaced. Not sure who they have in-house who's ready. The prospect pool is not impressive. There may be free agents out there, but then they're faced with overpaying for a free agent.

No idea what these other guys will require. If Wally is healthy, and they somehow sign Engvall and Hudson, do they even have room for Parise? I suppose Holmstrom can be sent down to Bridgeport. I dunno. Lots of moving parts...
- JohnScammo

Can Holmstrom take over for Parise and if Wally works out, can Hudon play 4RW for Cal?

I'm glad I don't tweet, but I do enjoy when you guys occasionally post relevant stuff on here.
- JohnScammo

I don't tweet either. I just use it to get some news I'm interested in and have some laughs. There are some funny people on twitter if you can find them.

It was a while before the goal, I think, where he had it right in front of him but left it for the d-man to take behind the net, and then they were never able to exit the zone after that. I remember it because I was watching the ESPN broadcast and they had mentioned it on there quite a bit saying that Sorokin could have "managed the play better" or something like that. But a lot of things could have happened differently if you're going back that far before the goal. The team could have managed the puck better and exited the zone. Heck, maybe they lose that hypothetical faceoff and the Canes score anyway!
- UIF

Problem is that if he freezes the puck, then there's a face-off. Even if they win the face-off, what do they do with the puck? Take it behind the net.

It didn't appear to me that any Islanders were out there for an extended period, but I'll admit I wasn't using a stopwatch. So if I'm right, then it wouldn't make a lot of sense to freeze the puck. Better to keep the clock running with puck possession. How could he know that Pelech would cough up the puck?

I may be the only one, but I really liked what I saw from Wotherspoon. He did nothing to deserve being removed from the lineup. I found him more consistent and less mistake-prone than Aho & Dobson and even Mayfield to a degree. They also signed those kids out of college so I think that may be some hint that their intention is to find Mayfield's replacement from within.

I would guess that Bolduc, Wotherspoon, Salo, Aidin Fulp, Travis Mitchell and perhaps Isaiah George all get strong looks. They need Salo and Bolduc to take big steps, since none of the other guys should be expected until 2024 at the earliest. Fulp is a wildcard IMO. We could always bring in another castoff tryout like Gustafsson as well, I guess
- keaner17

I liked the little we saw of Wotherspoon. No idea why he didn't get a longer look.

It was a while before the goal, I think, where he had it right in front of him but left it for the d-man to take behind the net, and then they were never able to exit the zone after that. I remember it because I was watching the ESPN broadcast and they had mentioned it on there quite a bit saying that Sorokin could have "managed the play better" or something like that. But a lot of things could have happened differently if you're going back that far before the goal. The team could have managed the puck better and exited the zone. Heck, maybe they lose that hypothetical faceoff and the Canes score anyway!
- UIF

Yeah, it was AJ who said that. Ilya plays a style derived from the KHL where rather than freezing pucks they try to keep the play moving. It's also why he tends to kick out shots, reminiscent of the 1970s as opposed to smothering everything. Dobson might not be the best dish option right now

I liked the little we saw of Wotherspoon. No idea why he didn't get a longer look.
- JohnScammo

Very strange Wotherspoon did not get a longer look. He seemed solid.

By the way, in answer to Cpt from last night, I just re-watched the 2nd Canes goal. That was more on Pelech than on Sorokin. I did not see where Sorokin had an opportunity to freeze the puck, nor should he have needed to. No one appeared to be on the ice for an extended period. The goal was one-timed from the slot and Sorokin was partially screened. He had little chance to stop that one.
- JohnScammo

I was burboned up from ten o’clock on yesterday disregard everything I said. I honestly think I was referring to a play from the prior game. Buddy and I were watching old goals from the series. It was that kind of night.

I was burboned up from ten o’clock on yesterday disregard everything I said.
- Cptmjl

I need to get into bourbon more. I'm more of a tequila/mezcal guy. #adventuresawait

I need to get into bourbon more. I'm more of a tequila/mezcal guy. #adventuresawait
- keaner17

I just started a few years ago with the bourbon. I was more of a vodka/beer guy. Haven’t had a vodka since.

I was burboned up from ten o’clock on yesterday disregard everything I said. I honestly think I was referring to a play from the prior game. Buddy and I were watching old goals from the series. It was that kind of night.
- Cptmjl

Consider yourself disregarded. Bourbon is good. I like it on the rocks, but also appreciate a bourbon old-fashioned.

Consider yourself disregarded. Bourbon is good. I like it on the rocks, but also appreciate a bourbon old-fashioned.
- JohnScammo

Love old fashions. Good drink when done properly with the right booze.

Could go for an old fashioned right now.
Next year will be interesting. Lots of players, not a lot of cap and only 23 roster spots.
Lets see them win Friday and be that tough out we thought they would be, at least that would make me feel better. Or an old fashioned.

I just started a few years ago with the bourbon. I was more of a vodka/beer guy. Haven’t had a vodka since.
- Cptmjl

Love various craft beers but have come to appreciate good cocktails and liquors more over the years. I like vodka-based but see little reason to go too high end on it.
We have probably have a dozen different tequilas. Just bought some Clase Azul Gold which is amazing. Also have become a mezcal fan.
For bourbon I have yet to go too high end. More like Buffalo Trace and Jefferson Reserve at this point.

I'm open to suggestions on favorite brands.