You have to go back a few years ago when the Isles played Tampa in Game 7 of the ECF as to the last time I was this excited about them. I don't expect them to be good this year, and they probably won't make the playoffs, but new GM Darche is building the team the right way. Our prospect pool now has some legit talent. The Isles should have done this years ago, but Lou kept doubling down on a team that had no shot to win the Cup. It will take some time but hopefully Darche can bring the same success here that he helped build in Tampa. LGI
They played hard and I don't expect much this year as just making the playoffs would be gravy - that said kid looked like he belonged,,,,,,special teams are STILL a nightmare both ways and btw 53 was in the crease celebrating with his stick in the air when that puck hit the goal post = he had a layup if he was paying attention and Horvat has to bury that puck in the back of the net - alll in all they played competitively against a bad team
Schaefer becomes the youngest player in NHL history to score a power play goal. They've played better, but it taking half a game to get going in the home opener is disappointing.
Going to be a long year. Another loss today 5-2 to the Jets to drop to 0-3. At least the Jets won just unfortunate that it was Winnipeg and not New York.
4 GA each game for Sorokin is a concern. This level of ineptitude was always the likely outcome with this roster as it aged and is another indictment of Lou more than Roy IMO. Hopefully guys like Lee, Pageau and Pelech can play themselves into respectable value by the trade deadline. if you’re going to suck, this is the year to do it with McKenna waiting for the lucky team who gets him.
Also, Lightning HC Jon Cooper is in the final year of his contract. He is a very good coach and if he doesn't sign a contract extension then maybe he comes to the Island. He knows Darche from their days together in Tampa. Nothing against Roy but if the Isles could get Cooper I would be all for it.
I'm going to the game on Thursday, which is good, since the season will pretty much be over pretty soon. Looking forward to seeing Schaefer before the league gets a book on him, and he looks more like an 18-year-old rookie.
The Isles don’t have super star players on the roster. They are a bunch of second and third line players that were signed by Lamorello. Look at the really good teams, they all have two guys that are superstars and everyone else falls in line behind them to fill out the supporting roles. In order for this team to be a threat they need two all star scorers that can do damage on power play as well as 5 on 5. Until that happens they will always come up short.
The Isles won't be good this year and probably next year as well. What I do like is new GM Mathieu Darche said when he was hired about the importance of building through the draft and building up the farm system. The Isles have a pretty good farm system now with a decent number of solid prospects. For the first time in a while the Isles are rebuilding which is a lot better than Lou trying to run it back with basically the same team that had peaked a few years ago with that game 7 loss to Tampa in the ECF.
This is really the best case scenario — play poor enough to eliminate any delusion about keeping Lee and Pageau. Hopefully Pullock can be moved as well, and I’d see what I could get for Horvat and Pelech with him. Losing is tolerable if it feels like there is hope on the horizon. The goal for this season should be to ensure the roster on opening day next season looks nothing like this season’s opening roster.
Much to my surprise, it turned out to be a great game, as well as a great victory. The Oilers did a good job on Schneider (he was out there a lot, and didn't make any obvious mistakes, but he was also less impactful). Barzal and of course Horvat looked much better than they looked the first three games of the season. Our seats were 20 rows up at the Isles' first and third period offensive end, so we had a great view of Barzal's goal and Horvat's two third period goals (didn't have a hat to throw on the ice, however).
