Islanders' Powerplay, Where are thou?

The Islanders outplayed the Bolts all night. They were forcing Tampa to take stupid penalties and run all over the ice. The problem, though, was that the powerplay was firing blanks. Good for a show, but not so much on the scoreboard.  

The two significant powerplays were the five-on-three and the full five-minute major. The five-on-three was especially concerning. There was no urgency. One play, Victor Hedman intercepted a pass and was allowed to skate down to the Islanders' end. That cannot happen.  

I understand fans' frustration with certain players. I can even strongly see their point. What do I say to that? Trotz's words continue to go through my head: we lose as a team; we win as a team. Ebs did not have a strong game; I get that. But he was not the only player on the ice during the anemic powerplay. 

My first reaction to the powerplay was: "Shoot the ****** puck!" Looking back, I would tone it down to, "Shoot the puck."  In the 1989 Season, the Flames had one of the best powerplays in the NHL. The Calgary Flames had defencemen who could shoot the puck from the blueline. Sound familiar? They would feed Al MacInnis and shoot the crap out of the puck.  Well, the Islanders have Ryan Pulock, who can shoot the crap out of the puck. The Islanders are too busy making things too complicated. I like the KISSD theory (Keep It Simple, Stupid!) When Pulock is not on the ice, let Toews shoot the puck. Go back to the basics. If the Isles had a powerplay, that game is over. Stop trying to impress people and shoot the puck. 

This just in: When you are on a five-on-three powerplay, you should maybe shoot the puck. 

Randy

New York Islanders: is it the goalie or the system?

 

I saw total fear in some of the Isles fans at the start of game four. We don't want Greiss; we want Varly. He is the main reason we are here. But what happened? The same old, same old. The Islanders never lost a beat with the change of goalies.

So maybe this system the Islanders play deserves more credit than I thought. I was among those who questioned the decision to put Greiss in net for the Isles.  

So this system where everyone has their job and does it seems to be working. Just maybe it makes it a little easier to play goal for the Islanders. I mean, everyone looks at this team and shows no respect for the talent and then asks how are they winning? I will tell you why they're winning—because everyone fills in for their teammates. If someone is caught out of position, someone else bails them out. The defence is nothing flashy, yet it is the best in the league. How? 

I will tell you why everyone does their job. The defensemen stand up to play the man, not the puck. Everyone does what they are supposed to. Do you notice that no one does more than they are supposed too? Do you want to know why they don't do the extra? Because eighty percent of the time, they get caught out of position when they do. 

So those people who say it is the defence that makes Varly look so good, they may very well be closer to the mark than you think. The Islanders have shocked me with how well they have played. No other team is clicking s well as they are. They are operating like a well-tuned engine. Sometimes heart wins over talent. Ask the Caps and the Flyers, now on the verge of being eliminated. 

Randy

The top four New York Islanders players of the 1980s

 

I am the first to admit that I didn't grow up an Islander fan. Frankly, the only time I really pulled for them is when they played the Oilers in the finals. But, that does not mean I did not respect them for what they are and what they had become. What they became is the heart of a champion. I know that is a little corny. But the reality is they were champions.

My top Islanders' favourite list was hard to put together. There were so many good players in the 1980s. So my list consists of my favourite underdog Islanders. The list is going to surprise you. You probably have a list of your own. Let me know who is on it! 

John Tonelli

I loved John every time he was on the ice. I knew and expected things to happen. He was a firecracker. He was the one who set the pace. I might have some selfish reasoning for picking John. On March 11, 1986, Tonelli was traded to Calgary for Richard Kromm and Steve Konroyd. In Calgary, he became a huge Flames fan favourite. 

Bob Nystrom

Mr. Hustle was always known for his hard work. He would not step down from anyone; he had a heart like a lion. An interesting statistic that I did not know about Bob is he scored 30 goals in the 1977-78 season. I never knew him as a sniper, but one thing I did remember him on May 24, 1980.

Duane Sutter

Look at his last name. Do I really need to explain to you why? Duane is a man's man. The man squatted in the corners; one would have thought he lived there. A fantastic role player who fought for his teammates. He was known for his role as a leader; being from a Sutter family born in Viking, Alberta, he had to be. You never doubted his heart and who he represented. 

Ken Morrow

Ken Morrow was known for being one of the best stay-home defencemen. 

Ken would do anything to win. He blocked every shot he could. It did not matter who was shooting; Ken would give up his body to stop a goal. The greatest achievement of Morrow was, of course, the gold medal Team USA in 1980.

There are a lot more names come to mind when it comes to underdogs playing for the Islanders. That is what made the 1980s New York Islanders so special. Everyone did what they were told—there was no questioning Mr. Al Arbour, the greatest coach in Islanders' history. What made Al Arbour so good was the cast who believed him. 

Randy

Islanders MVP So Far?

 

So who deserves the most credit for the Islanders? I mean besides Trotz, of course. So you have to think it is between three players. Well, I am going to keep the list to three players because it is my blog. 

Semyon Varlamov 

Where would we be without him? Even more amazing than his record of 8-2 is his 1.50. He is on a roll. What makes him so good is his vision; he keeps track of the puck so well. I love his lateral movement from side to side. He is not the fastest goalie, but by the way, he plays his angles he doesn't have to be. 

Anthony Beauvillier 

Anthony has been outstanding in the playoffs. On any other team, he would be the best. His six goals have been a blessing. Whatever the Islanders need, Beau will get it. He is playing up to his potential as a sniper and a top-six forward. The only bad thing is his next contract negotiations in two years. Anthony is a speed demon with a terrific shot.

Amazing what a little confidence can do for a player. He is running on all cylinders.

Josh Bailey 

Josh is still everything he claims to be. Plus, he is playing like a second-line player. In other words, he has kicked it up a notch. Whether or not he is a second-line or third-line player may be up for debate—but there is no debate in the playoffs. He is a second-line player. 

Last Word

What do the Islanders have to do to win this series? I have noticed one thing: as long as everyone does what he is expected, their chances to win grow. What gets the Isles in trouble is when a player tries to do too much. I am talking to you, Barzal. When they do too much, they make mistakes and leave themselves exposed. Shoot the puck. Do not try to make a play that is not there. Keep it simple. It may be boring, but I promise you, it's effective.

Randy

What makes Trotz So Good?

 

Someone asked me what makes Trotz so successful? That is not easy to answer because he does so many things right. As I see it, an NHL caliber coach must excel in four areas:

Put the players in the position to achieve greatness

I know that sounds corny, but it is every coach's goal to have his team win the Cup. To do that, he has to massage the players. A coach's job is to know when to be a parent or when to be a friend. Barry does this to a T; no one knows his team better than Trotz. You might notice a pattern with Trotz. He always has one top centre. Cizikas led the team with a 53.5% face-off win percentage. Trotz would put Casey Cizaikas on the ice in the final minute for that reason. He puts players in a position to succeed. 

Play to win, not to lose

Too often, I see teams with the lead in the third period, and then it goes all to heck. They seem to forget what got them the lead in the first place. Barry Trotz has a reputation for being a shark. When he smells blood, he goes for the throat. A lot of coaches do not keep to the plan. Trotz rarely strays from the program. He knows what it takes to win. 

No special treatment for his core players

The number one peeve I have is coaches that put the superstars ahead of the role players. Too often, I see coaches give the core players extra rope and let them play with it. That teaches the players, "if you are a star, you can do anything you want." Trotz is as hard on Barzy as he is any of his players. He disciplines everyone when there is a need. Everyone has to pay the piper when it comes to Trotz.

Every player knows his role

When I see a team disorganized or panicking in the defensive zone, usually it is on the coach. It is the job of a coach to explain to his players what is expected of them. I cannot emphasize this enough to often. I often see players commenting after a coach is fired: "We did not know what was expected of us. We were not focused." In a Barry Trotz dressing room, every player knows his role and is expected to fulfill it. 

Last word

Yes, there is a game 5. But don't panic. The Islanders took silly penalties that cost them the game. Barzal has to play smarter. Not to be too hard on him, but it is time to put away the selfish attitude. He is not alone; there were just too many 'me' players and not enough team players. Trotz is one of the best in the business at getting the ship on course; give him some time to achieve it.

Islanders: What went right?

Mr. Trotz knows what he is doing, doesn't he? A significant influence on the kids. So what have the Islanders done right?

Defensive responsibility

Right now, the Islanders are the most defensively coached team in the league. Each of the defencemen thinks defence first. They use their bodies and their size. They play the man and not the puck. They never stop skating. They don't give up on the play. Finally, the most significant quality is that they know when to pinch. It is a great art to know when to pinch and when not to. 

Forwards 

A significant key for the Islanders is that the forwards realize that defence is a team game. They come back to fill the gaps. They take their man and stick to him like glue. Most of all, they give the defencemen a target to pass the puck to. This is huge. The defence needs help. 

Defence is a team game. 

The big players came through

Where would this team be right now without Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Anthony Beauvillier? 

The Barzal and Lee and Ebs line came together. They have been successful because they are skating. They are working with the puck. Their passes are crisp. They are solid defensively. If they continue, the Islanders' potential will be unlimited. 

Randy

Half season coach awards

This is my first blog for my Islander friends. I have a list of three surprise "coach of the year" candidates.

The first surprise of the season is the Montreal Canadians. The Habs look like a well-coached hockey team. Claude Julien has done an incredible job bringing the Canadians to the big boys' club. The key to their success this season is that they have managed to win without Price. This is a fantastic feat that they could not achieve last year.

The Habs should have been a lottery team, yet Julien has them believing in themselves and skating and working hard. The forwards keep their feet moving. They are not standing still.  They may not be the most talented, but Claude has brought hard work back to Montreal. I consider the Habs one of the surprises of the season.

The next obvious choice is in Western Canada. A good old fashioned man's man, Bill Peters has the Flames running smoothly on all cylinders. The Flames were expected to battle for the playoff. As it stands, they are leading the Pacific division. I, for one, did not foresee the Flames' offence exploding this year. Gaudreau,  Longholm, and Monahan have made the Flames one of the most explosive teams in the league.  Peters has a system. He is teaching the Flames to adapt and do whatever it takes to win.

My third choice is Mr. Barry Trotz. He has built a system that works perfectly for the Islanders: take care of the defence first, and the offence will take care of itself. Their in-your-face attitude gives them a ton of grit. With Barzal, Lee, and Nelson on offence, you have the recipe for a winner. This team is a full dessert with a tart taste to it. Your sweet players, as I said before, are Nelson, Barzal, and Lee.  Add smooth skating players Bailey, Beauvillier, and Eberle. Then there are the ingredients with bite: Martin, Leo Komarov, and Filppula. All of these ingredients are nothing without a chef to pull it all together. Trotz seems to know just the right amount of heat to put on these players to bring it all together.