David Pagnotta on Twitter: "Bettman says the new building on Long Island and in Seattle will be ready for the start of the 2021-22 season, which is expected to start on time/normal" / Twitter
New York Islanders on Twitter: "#Isles Injury Update: Team captain Anders Lee is out indefinitely with a lower body injury. There will be no further update provided at this time." / Twitter Indefinitely doesn't sound good. Sounds like "Lou speak" for out for the season.
Just when I was beginning to have hope that they might be good enough to make some noise this year ....
I don’t want to sound cold but maybe this could be a positive if it moves Walstrohm to the top line and they have to bring up another one of the young kids to play on third line. I obviously did not want Lee to get hurt but these are circumstances that happen to all teams.
Yeah, and often those circumstances result in the team not doing as well as they would have otherwise. Anything is possible, but I think the possibility that the team will be better without the top goal scorer and #2 guy in +/- is a stretch.
But if he is set to miss the regular season Lou can do exactly what the Blackhawks did in 2015 with Patrick Kane's injury and put Lee on LTIR, eliminating is salary cap hit and opening up room to bring in a player or two, and if Lee is ready for the playoffs, well there is no salary cap for the playoffs.
That's a lot of ifs. I think any expectation right now that Lee's injury is in any way a good thing is simply unfounded - when teams lose their top goal scorer, the vast majority of the time the team gets worse, not better. He has 5 goals in their current 9-0-1 stretch; I'll be thrilled if they can just replace that, but I'm certainly not counting on it. They have a little playoff cushion right now, which is good, but that could disappear if they start struggling for goals again and Philadelphia gets hot. Believe me, nothing would make me happier than to be proven wrong.
I wouldn’t qualify it as a good thing so much as it could create an opening which leads to a positive outcome. Much like you, my reaction when I saw he couldn’t even stand on it was one that was more appropriate to my sailor days than my corporate days.
This is so frustrating, why is Bellows on top line? Walstrohm needs to be on top line to replicate defensive responsibility for Anders Lee and big body in front of net. Bellows is simply not a top line forward on any NHL team, he should be in 3rd line taking Oliver spot. I’m leaving my original comment up and eating crow. I was proven wrong by Bellows, he came through for Islanders. Glad one of the young guys could come in and produce.
Trotz was asked recently about Bellows getting playing time and his reply was simply it was up to Bellows to earn it. It’s unrealistic to expect some crazy scoring tear by him, but this is a good start to staying in the lineup.
Bellows has been so inconsistent that I expected Oliver to go to top line and let bellows take Oliver spot on 3rd but it worked out, glad Bellows produced.
Bellows continuing to be lucky and good, scoring on a deflection off his stomach. Devils tie it up quickly on the PP as Sorokin gives up a big rebound right in front.
Just announced that the reason Pageau and Dobson aren't playing is that they've been put on the COVID list.
My son was on the ice for the first time in a year, and when Subban scored I simply turned it off to watch him. I just found out what happened subsequently.
