Sharks haven’t been great yet this season but nonetheless a great win and performance for the good guys. Fingers crossed we can get this from Lehner all season.
Great game by the Isles a 4-0 win. It's amazing what having a real coach can do. Congrats to Lehner on getting a SO in his first start as an Islander.
Great game for Lehner as he gets the 4-0 shutout. I'm rooting hard for this guy - I think his public honesty regarding his psychological struggles is admirable, and dare I say it, heroic.
This team is in the right hands , we have waited decades for this ! They still lack talent we all know this but they will win and be in games this year due to the coaching alone.I told my buddies they would win 10 more games than last year and be consistent and they laughed at me. We will see what the year brings , theres a lot of hockey left to be played but so far so good.
All the young guys playing for the Sound Tigers are paying attention. Now you guys see why Filpula and Komarov were signed. Hosang, Bellows, Sao, those kids are already buying into BT and what the team represents, they will be so hungry to be part of a winning culture that they will just fall in line. As guys have mentioned, team still needs a little more elite talent but you can see Trotz influence on them already. Team has different energy. It’s fun being an islander fan again.
its hard to change the culture ( just ask the NY Jets they have tried for decades as well with no success ) but give them ( Lou and Barry ) time.
With jets, It’s the people running the team, if Jets had Caldwell as GM and Andy Reid as HC, I’m sure culture would be different already. Casserly 2.0 and Bowles are not going to change anything. Texans hit on a couple of good players when he was one of the scouts and personnel guy but still suck. Mac is taking jets down the same road, he will hit on a couple of good players but it will not be enough to change fortunes of team and Jets will still suck. Trotz and Lamoriello are Dave Caldwell and Andy Reid in the hockey world for islanders and I’m really happy to be able to see the beginning of something good.
The good thing about this mini-break is they can get a lot of practice time in learning the system. A real coach like Trotz is taking advantage of this break in teaching the players what he wants done. This team will still need an upgrade in talent to be a contender so I don't expect miracles from Trotz this year but the organization is definitely headed in the right direction.
surprised NO ONE has brought this up,,,Jan Kovar was cut/ told to report to Bridgeport and then theres 2 stories the first says the Islanders told him not to report to Bridgeport to let the kids play = which I don't buy and the second is that he refused to report. Next scene it appears that the Islanders and Kovar have now agreed to mutually tear up his 2 million dollar contract . I had hopes for this guy especially while seeing Nelson as the 2nd line center------maybe we find out the real story ???? Im happy we are 2-1 but man we could use some talent.
He just wasn’t a good fit for the team. He’s playing against no one in preseason and looked out of place. Adjusting to NHL after being in KHL for so long is not easy. Glad Barry kept Filpula.
Talent is still a problem for this team, and that includes supposed gems like Ho-Sang (who seems to consistently be less in achievement than he is in appearance). Of course we're counting on Lou not being the incompetent boob that Snow was.
With regards to Ho-Sang, he is an assist machine, he’s a creator like Barzal. The question is his defensive discipline, can he play both ways. If Ho-sang can become a two way player he will be called up and be given a chance to stay. If not then he goes back to ST. The scouts were spot on about him and I’m surpised he has not grown up a bit since joining the islanders. It’s ok to be emotional as a player but it just seems he wants to have no accountability and do what he wants whenever he wants.
This road trip is going to force their hand, bring in people who can play against the predators, Kings, Ducks, or they are going to get slaughtered.
