Tag Archive | Tavares

Islanders Postseason Poll: Keep ‘Em Or Can ‘Em

By Brett Malamud

Yes, we are just 24 hours since the Islanders ended their season. But, by popular demand, let’s take a look at our (very early) edition of Keep ‘Em Or Can ‘Em. Feel free to vote on each poll, as it’ll allow other fans to see what you think.

Offense

John Tavares is the key piece. Not going anywhere. KEEP HIM	Kyle Okposo is riding shotgun to JT. Not going anywhere either. KEEP HIM	Josh Bailey has come to be on the first line. I’d like to see the Islanders snag a first line winger, dropping Bailey to control the second line. KEEP HIM

Brock Nelson scored 20 goals this season and should get a nice deal this summer as an RFA. KEEP HIM	Frans Nielsen heads into the final year of his contract. He’s 31 years old and for less than $3 million a year he’s a no brainer. KEEP HIM	Ryan Strome had a fantastic season, finishing with 50 points, third on the team behind Tavares and Okposo. He’s staying. KEEP HIM

Nikolay Kulemin is better than many thought he would be. He played all 82 games and is on the roster though 2018-19. KEEP HIM	Mikhail Grabovski had his injuries, and that hurt his stock. He’s staying though, also signed through 2018-19. KEEP HIM	Colin McDonald is at the end of the line. The last guy into the lineup night in and night out. If you can get him real cheap, do it. Otherwise, don’t. CAN HIM

Anders Lee is going to get a nice contract as an RFA. If you’re the Isles, you have to retain him. KEEP HIM	Michael Grabner is the odd man out for the Isles. Can’t see him staying. CAN HIM	Cal Clutterbuck has been all that the isles had hoped for: a gritty power forward. He’s signed for two more seasons. KEEP HIM

Tyler Kennedy was a good add at the trade deadline. Keep him only if you can get him for a low price tag. KEEP HIM	Matt Martin is the enforcer. He’s staying. KEEP HIM	Casey Cizikas is another gritty young defenseman, and has one year left on his deal. KEEP HIM

	Eric Boulton is 38 and a UFA. I don’t see him coming back. CAN HIM

Defense/Goalie

Johnny Boychuk is the future. Without him, the defense is nothing. KEEP HIM	The same could be said for Nick Leddy He’s staying too. KEEP HIM	Calvin De Haan Has been good, but not great. I’d keep him for now, but he’s a good trade chip if need be. KEEP HIM

Travis Hamonic is locked up through 2020-21. Not much debate here. KEEP HIM	Thomas Hickey is a restricted free agent. I’d wait on him to see the price, but am not impressed by his -12 stat line. CAN HIM	Lubomir Visnovsky is 38 years old and is an unrestricted free agent. Let him go and bring the kids up from Bridgeport. CAN HIM

Brian Strait is still signed for another year, but he didn’t have a good season. I’ll give him credit for stepping up during the playoffs a bit, but his roster spot can be better used on someone else. CAN HIM	Jaroslav Halak is the goalie that the Isles needed. No debate here. KEEP HIM	Michal Neuvirth was a good acquisition at the trade deadline. If they can sign him this Summer as a UFA, they’ll solve the goalie situation. KEEP HIM

Coaches/Management

Jack Capuano gets the boot from me. This team needs a veteran coach to lead them to the promised land. CAN HIM	Doug Weight led the power play group that went 0-for-14 in the first round of the playoffs. If Capuano is gone, so is Weight. CAN HIM	Garth Snow turned heads when he acquired the two headed monster that is Boychuk/Leddy. Although the majority of people say he needs to leave, I’m going to keep him based on the last 365 days. KEEP HIM

**It’d be unfair to judge the likes of Mayfield and Reinhart since we saw such little time

Finally, I’d like to know everyone’s opinion on Barclays Center. How have your plans changed?

Brett Malamud is an English Rhetoric Major at Binghamton University. He is the co-founder of dabuzzza.com. His favorite athletes are Derek Jeter and Todd Bertuzzi. You can follow him on twitter at @brettnyy

03/13/15

Team of the Future? Islanders Are A Contender For Years To Come

By Brett Malamud

Gone are the days of Fishsticks, golf in April, and Mad Mike. After GM Garth Snow’s recent string of moves, the Islanders have set themselves up to make some noise in the Eastern Conference for the next handful of years.

With Thursday’s news that the Islanders locked up Johnny Boychuk to a seven-year, $42 million deal that comes just two weeks after the team signed Nick Leddy to a seven-year, $38.5 million deal, Snow cemented the top defensive line for the years to come. Snow also has a hefty pool of prospects that are poised for big careers. I’d go so far as to say that the next decade’s defensive pairings could be set if GM Garth Snow wants it. It could look something along the lines of this:

Johnny Boychuk – Nick Leddy

Travis Hamonic – Ryan Pulock

Griffin Reinhart – Calvin De Haan

Matt Donovan

Not to mention that they’d still have the likes of Adam Pelech and Scott Mayfield waiting in the minors for the call. Of course, the Islanders could look to flip one or two of these players, in the hopes of a greater return (whether it be an established player or another draft pick). Whatever the case, this team is extremely deep, thanks to Snow’s key trades and draft picks.

Looking in goal, Jaroslav Halak set the Islanders franchise record for the most wins in a single season. Snow flipped the struggling Chad Johnson for an upgraded backup goalie in Michael Neuvirth, giving the team someone they could rely on down the stretch.

Turning up front, Snow has built up the offense that led the team to last place in the NHL just a few seasons ago. That starts on the first line with homegrown forwards John Tavares, Kyle Okposo and Josh Bailey. Anders Lee, Ryan Strome, and Brock Nelson come together to form the “kid line” of even more homegrown talent. The acquisition of Tyler Kennedy should help the penalty kill and should bring additional depth as this team goes forward into the playoffs this season. The signings of Mikhail Grabovski and Nikolai Kulemin proved to work out in the first season. The Islanders have found themselves with one of the deadliest offenses in the NHL. But don’t think that this is a fluke. No. The Islanders have more talent on the way in the likes of Joshua Ho-Sang, who is tearing it up in juniors. The 19 year old forward has 12 goals and 42 assists for a total of 64 points in just 44 games this season for the Niagara IceDogs of the OHL. But it’s Islanders prospect Michael Dal Colle that is making headlines in Canada, tallying 38 goals and 49 assists for 87 points in just 51 games this season for the Oshawa Generals in the OHL. The two are sure to be in the NHL soon enough, and will look to continue their success. There’s no way to predict the future, but the team is deep on offense and has its focal points locked up to long term deals.

Gone are the days of the team of the future. The future has finally arrived for the Islanders and now is the time to compete for the Stanley Cup in the years to come.

Brett Malamud is a Computer Science Major at Binghamton University. He is the co-founder of dabuzzza.com. His favorite athletes are Derek Jeter and Todd Bertuzzi. You can follow him on twitter at @brettnyy