Islanders @ Leafs - Mar. 9, 7:30pm - SNO, Fan 590

[Nik]

Not the ideal result, no, but I'll take this over what we saw on Saturday. Tonight was mildly disadvantageous to what the Franchise's goals were, Saturday night made me seriously consider that I should have found something better to do with my time these last 25 years.

 

[bustaheims]

That was worth sticking around to see.  I could totally get behind the Isles as the East's SC finalist.  A million x them over MTL, BOS, etc.

I think they, like many other EC playoff teams, have some significant issues that will lead to struggles in the playoffs. I see Tampa as the team to beat in the East.

 

[ZBBM]

That was worth sticking around to see.  I could totally get behind the Isles as the East's SC finalist.  A million x them over MTL, BOS, etc.

I think they, like many other EC playoff teams, have some significant issues that will lead to struggles in the playoffs. I see Tampa as the team to beat in the East.

My first priority in these Lesfs-in-the-wilderness years is to see that the teams I despise in the East all lose. After that I
don't care.

 

[Highlander]

Thank you Johnny T.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

A lot of that would depend on what they re-sign Kadri, Panik and Bernier for as well as what sort of money they give those hypothetical FA's.

Kadri will get around 5 million? Panik 2 million? Bernier 3 million? A second liner and third liner to play with those guys would get a total of 6 million maybe? Plus a 6th D-Man and Reimer. I don't think that team makes the cap floor.

Based on what I think are fairly reasonable cap estimates on my part, that line-up would have a combined cap hit of about $44.25mil. That's with all those listed players, plus Horton's cap hit, Gleason's buyout figure, and the retained salary on Gunnarsson's contract. The cap floor this season was $51mil, it probably won't move that much. That would mean those 3 UFA's would need to average $2.25mil to get above it. That's definitely possible.

And while I know that Nik was just being hypothetical, there's literally no way Phaneuf, Bozak, Lupul, and Kessel  get moved without any cap hits coming back, one way or another. They combined for about $24.5mil, at the very least we'll see half that in contracts coming back or retained salary.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Eeesh, not a single top-9 F or top-4 D was above 40% in shot attempts last night. 4th line and bottom pairing guys were between 40-45%.

 

[Al14]

Thank you Johnny T.

Where the hell was he with the winning goal in the 3rd period?  He's trolling our tank hard!!! 

 

[L K]

That was worth sticking around to see.  I could totally get behind the Isles as the East's SC finalist.  A million x them over MTL, BOS, etc.

I think they, like many other EC playoff teams, have some significant issues that will lead to struggles in the playoffs. I see Tampa as the team to beat in the East.

Their defense isn't good enough.  And if Nick Leddy is out for any extended length of time that could hurt them.

 

[Chris]

That was worth sticking around to see.  I could totally get behind the Isles as the East's SC finalist.  A million x them over MTL, BOS, etc.

I think they, like many other EC playoff teams, have some significant issues that will lead to struggles in the playoffs. I see Tampa as the team to beat in the East.

Their defense isn't good enough.  And if Nick Leddy is out for any extended length of time that could hurt them.

I wasn't impressed with the Islanders last night. Perhaps they were just playing down a bit to the level of their opposition but I don't see them making a deep run in the playoffs.

 

[hockeyfan1]

Certainly this wasn't the Isles better games, but they won and that's all that counts.  They've played better than this as evidence of their ascension to the top of the standings, thanks to changes they made for this season and the coming to of age of some of their players.

Tavares is having a great year, Okposo, too (before the injury). Add in Nelson, Bailey, et al, plus credible netminding, a far better defence with the addition of Leddy & Boychuk to boot, a system to follow, excellent coaching, and a GM who finally got it right and voil?! These Isles are for real.

Couldn't be happier as an Islander fan!  Feeling sad as a Leafs fan, though, but at least I have another team to cheer for.  Hooray!

Way to go, Johnny T!  Way to go, Islanders!