Give the Man a Cookie — Give Him All the Cookies (Mathieu Earned Every One)

Bo Horvat is arguably the most valuable player on the Islanders. He is playing so well right now that there is talk that Team Canada might be calling. I could rattle off all the stats in this blog. I could tell you that he is used in all situations of the game. He is almost as good defensively as he is offensively.

Bo leads by example. He steps up every time he is asked. If he messes up, he is the first to admit it. He pays the piper willingly; he is a player of integrity. Yes, the biggest evidence is how much the Isles' offence has suffered with his loss. His 19 goals cannot be overlooked, that's for sure. Fortunately, he will be back soon. What makes Horvat so valuable is that he is the closest to being a complete player.

Islanders buyers at the deadline?

This brings the lack of depth in scoring to my attention. If the Isles want to remain successful, they will need to address this. I could easily see the Isles in the thick of it until the deadline.

Will the Islanders be buyers at the deadline? The easy answer is yes, but I have never been known for taking the easy way out. If the Isles are close at the deadline, they will try to add a top-six winger. He could be a third liner who could be moved up if injuries occur. Unfortunately, with parity in the NHL, many teams will be trying to address this same issue.

Mathieu freaking Darche

Mathieu deserves a full plate of cookies. What looked like this small signing might be the biggest steal of the season. I am referring, of course, to the signing of David Rittich (Big Save Dave). Especially now, with Ilya Sorokin's health issues. If Big Save Dave continues to deliver, they might not have to rush Sorokin. Ladies and Gents, this shows you how a clutch GM comes through and finds a solution to a dire need.

Final word

The longer the Isles can stay in the race, the longer the Isles can stay relevant. Let's be real, the owners need to be a playoff team to make a profit. The real reason the Isles will not rebuild is for the bottom line. I talked about this on the Flames blog below; the same applies to the Isles as well.

Flames Scratch Pad: Why Owners Choose Retools Over Rebuilds (And What It Means for the Flames)

Paint, Prayers, and Potato Chips: Getting Your Team Those Two Points

Tonight, you are going to a friend’s house to watch hockey. So what is your plan for a successful night? You have a plan, right?

You must plan to win. You expect your team to put in 110%; don’t jinx them by not giving it your full effort. Here are critical points to consider:

The food (that you tell your significant other you’re planning to eat)

You must have the appropriate snacks. These snacks have to fit the four food groups with nutrients that won’t rot your teeth. No sugar. You must not have sugar. It will make you emotional. You must get to sleep early to be ready for work tomorrow. We do not want you to have a headache when we go to work, do we? You need to be clear-headed.

Has your girlfriend or wife left the room yet? Did you convince her you will not be hyped up on sugar? This is critical to your relationship with your non-hockey spouse and how she feels about your next hockey night.

Remember the routine or rituals you followed the last time your team won

The routine is vital for your team’s success. This is why you must remember exactly what you did if you want them to win again.

It is important to remember the steps you took. What did you do to prepare for the battle? Lucky shirt? Socks? Dare I say lucky underwear? Which seat were you sitting in when they scored that game-winning goal? Did you have dip with your chips? Did you get the Doritos in the red bag or the blue one?

This is critical, soldier! Pay attention!

Keep caffeine down

Keeping your caffeine consumption below atomic level is important. You want to keep an even keel, not getting too high in good times, or too low in the bad times. We know hockey is in a season of ups and downs. No team is gonna win every game, unless you have some kind of voodoo in you.

And if you do have the magic touch, use it wisely! We must not get too greedy and use it all before the playoffs.

The paint

How much paint do you put on your face? That depends on what you did the last time your team won. If your team won when you painted a single angry stripe, don’t suddenly show up looking like a clown college exploded on your face.

Are you a painter? Do you have a favourite paint colour? I am not a painter, but I thought I should address this to show that I am not prejudiced against certain groups.

Snacks

I know I already mentioned this, but I cannot emphasize it enough. Always be consistent with the snacks. In a previous post, I addressed how many more you should be allowed to have. Did you discuss this with your boss/significant other? If you haven’t reviewed it recently, here it is:

Flamestr’s Thoughts: The Chips are Down: A Pre-Season Guide to Surviving Hockey Night

Final word

Laugh if you like, but you’d be amazed at what fans are superstitious about and what they will do to help their team win a game.

How far would you go to get your team two points?

Randy 

Riding the Rollercoaster: Islanders vs Knights

As a blogger, sometimes it’s hard to stay professional. It is very hard for me to stay calm after the Islanders’ game against the Vegas Knights. It was one of the most exciting games I’ve seen all year—up and down, up and down, up and down all night long. The game was filled with side action. The coaches might have gray hair because the defense needed improvement.

Downside

The Islanders have to learn to tighten up. At times, they have left the All-Star goalie out on his own. The blame is not on all the defencemen. I’ve seen the forwards floating up at centre ice, hoping for better stats. A lot of people emphasize the offensive numbers, but it’s time to show me the money. Players have to recognize that defence wins the Stanley Cup. And what does the Stanley Cup bring? I have one word for you: ka-ching!

Matthew Barzal

If there’s one player who brings up a lot of emotion, it’s Matthew. It seems that fans either love the guy or want to get rid of him as fast as possible. Send him somewhere—anywhere but Long Island. I think the truth lies somewhere in between. Matthew has indeed shown a lack of discipline and interest in playing hockey. Yet other times, he has been an absolute star and has done everything asked of him. What we need from Matthews is a little more consistency. If he can be consistent and keep his head in the game, Matthew can be an elite forward; I dare say, even the number one forward.

Big Save Dave

From what I am hearing, fans are quite pleased with Dave this season. He has filled in admirably during Varlamov’s absence. Dave gives the New York Islanders a chance to win every time he starts. The major role of a backup goalie is to give his team a chance to win. You can’t expect any more from him. 

 

What is the Biggest Asset of this Team?

The biggest asset of this team is that they play as a team. There are no individuals. Everyone knows his role, accepts a role, and plays a role. There are no passengers on this team right now; as long as they keep this up, they will continue to prove the naysayers wrong. I love watching this team play; their game is fast and exciting. They’re playing like they have nothing to lose. No one had the New York Islanders pegged as a playoff team, or even close. They are playing with free money and might as well spend it.

Final Word

How much credit does Mathieu Darche deserve? The New York Islanders made out like bandits in the Dobson trade. I love the two prospects that we got in the trade. The main prize was Emil Heineman. Everyone is confident in his abilities. I think New Yorkers are going to be okay for some time. Sit back and enjoy the ride. We are running on free money.

Randy 

Unsung Heroes: How Hildeby, Stecher and Laughton Are Quietly Winning Games

This is about the unsung heroes. These players do not need the limelight to perform. They do the little things that are necessary to win. They are players who are not afraid to get their hands dirty.

Dennis Hildeby

Is the Hildebeast the real deal? Hildeby has been playing the best in his career. He has taken every advantage of his chance to shine. He has been fundamentally sound all season. What makes Hildeby so good is his ability to use his size. He uses his size to his advantage to cover his net. I love his quickness when he moves side to side. Does Hildeby make Stolartz expendable? If Dennis keeps up his play, it allows the team to strengthen the forwards by maybe bringing in a top-six forward. It might be an issue as Stolartz recovers from his health.

Troy Stecher

Troy has played beyond anyone's expectations. He just does things right. Troy plays the man who rarely gets caught following the puck. What makes a good player is knowing his limits and not overdoing it. Troy will not cost you the game with his mistakes. He does not panic with the puck. That is because he is busy trying to do more than he is capable of. He is what he is: a solid defenceman who is defensively sound.

Scott Laughton

Scott is the ultimate team player, willing to do whatever it takes to win. Scott has been used in the penalty kill, and his penalty skills are second to none. He is a valuable asset to the team.

Final Word

The Maple Leafs are beginning to learn that they can win in different ways. They are probably playing their best defensive game of the season. They gave away nothing to Tampa Bay. And if they did, then they were stymied by Hildeby.

Three in a Row and Counting: Momentum, Mistakes, and the Next Move

What is next for the Leafs? Do they want a replacement on the blueline? What is Stolarz's current status—how badly is he injured? Was it a long-term or short-term injury? Are the Leafs still going to try to find that missing forward? Do they still believe in themselves?

With all of these uncertainties in mind, it's worth noting that as of the time of writing this blog, the Maple Leafs have defeated the Pens, the Panthers, and the Canes.

The Pittsburgh game was especially impressive, not only because they scored seven goals but also due to their defensive soundness in their own end. The Pittsburgh game might have been the best sixty-minute game of the season.

The Panthers' game was essentially the defeat of a beaten-up squad. Florida might have been short-handed, but you still have to perform. Good on the Maple Leafs for executing their game plan. The key point to their victory was that they beat the Panthers at their own game—playing physically and pushing the pace when they could.  The defence was getting the puck out of the defensive zone, and more importantly, the forwards were giving them targets to pass to. Nothing fancy, just working hard and executing on their chances. What was just as important was that they limited the Panthers' scoring chances. I am a firm believer that defence wins championships.

Carl Kneis was a beast. He played with hustle and refused to give up. Matthews scored his best goal of the season on a 2-on-1. Hildeby was outstanding in the net. He has really fit in nicely as a fill-in for Stolartz. Losing Woll in the game is concerning. Depending on the severity of the injury, we may need to go with goalie shipping.

The main problem for the Maple Leafs is consistency. They go through stages: winning two in a row, then losing two in a row. It is like they get too confident, thinking they're better than they really are, and forget all the basics.

What is next?

• Remember how to win.
• Keep up the hard work.
• Protect your own end.
• Keep track of your man in the defensive zone.
• Fulfil your responsibilities and work together as a team.

Final word

I think the Leafs will get another dman. And if they can, another forward.

It is exciting to see the Leafs getting it together for three wins in a row. Hildeby will earn his keep. It is his time to shine, or should I say, put up or shut up?

What defencemen should the Leafs attempt to acquire? The two best—Andersson and Hughes—are out of the question. Maybe the defenseman Pavel Mintyukov. He would be my pick.

Randy

It’s Time to Talk Turkey — Do the Isles Go All In?

The Isles are at a crossroads this season; they have to make a decision about the direction of this team. In the last blog, I wrote about a replacement for Romanov. Do I dare say the loss of Kyle Palmieri is worse? Where is the offense coming from? If they’re serious about making the playoffs, the Isles need to address the issue.

Unless another forward steps up to help Bo Horvat, the offensive production will be a problem. The Isles’ forwards are going to have to pick it up. I am looking at you, Jonathan Drouin, with three goals this season. He needs to improve. Anders Lee, with five goals, will have to pick up his game, too. The one player who has played well is the unsung hero, Emil Heinemann. He is the only other player in double digits.

The next quandary is what to do with Matt Barzal. Do the Islanders separate the two to add scoring depth? Could Barzal survive on his own? I think he has to for the Islanders’ success. Last but not least, the Isles need the bottom list to pinch in. The scoring as a committee will be full force.

The best solution is the trade route. Can the Isles find a suitable partner who is willing to talk turkey? Pardon the pun, can the Isles find the right dressing to bring the team to the table? It all comes down to whether the New York Islanders want to go all in or play it cool and try to pull off a hockey trade.

Final Word

There is one player I would put high on my list if I were the New York Islanders. Let’s qualify this before I go ahead—I am in no way suggesting that the New York Islanders are talking to the Calgary Flames. This is only a suggestion, not inside info. That being said, the play I would highly recommend is the New York Islanders, with Blake Coleman from the Calgary Flames.

Do you think the Islanders are a playoff team? It’s material at this moment because the fact is, they are within shouting distance of making the playoffs. Like it or not, those are the facts. Whether you feel they are a playoff team or not doesn’t change their position. The New York Islanders will have a choice to make by the deadline. Do they go for it, or will they sell and get ready for the draft next year? That is anyone’s guess. I would look into replacing the injured players and take it from there.

Randy