The New York Islanders have garnered a point in each of their last 10 games. Here’s why…
By Justin Weiss
Back on March 5, 2014, totalsportsblog.com wrote an article describing the New York Islanders in not the kindest of words:
“Laughing stock, joke, league doormat, pathetic, worst organization in North American sports.”
Playing in a self-proclaimed “Mausoleum” for 43 years, the NHL commissioner Gary Bettman dubbed it “…probably no worse major league facility right now in North America than the Nassau Coliseum”.
The Islanders spent years upon years waiting for, among other things: legitimate goaltenders, owners, coaches, decision-makers and attendance figures.
Paul Greenwood and Stephen Walsh both owned the Long Island based franchise in the mid-1990s, and were notoriously vilified for their lack of sports backgrounds and fraud.
Garth Snow, who had hung up his skates earlier in the summer and replaced Neil Smith as general manager of the team just thirty days into the job, inked Rick DiPietro, who was the starting netminder when Snow was the backup, to a record-setting 15-year deal in 2006.
John Spano, who was briefly the owner of the NHL club, would end up being thrice convicted of bank fraud, wire fraud, forgery and theft. Mike Milbury once traded Olli Jokinen and Roberto Luongo on draft day in 2000 for Mark Parrish and Oleg Kvasha. Then, he proceeded to send Jason Spezza, the second overall selection in the draft, and Zdeno Chara packing for Alexei Yashin.
But as time passed and the old adage of “you have to be bad to be good” came into effect, the Islanders returned to the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2012-13 for the first time since 2007. They qualified a second time in 2014-15, this time having a real opportunity to win their playoff series in two decades. While they couldn’t best the Washington Capitals in a grueling seven games, it was evident that the team was taking essential baby steps.
Now’s the time to hoist Lord Stanley.
If the Islanders play like they are currently playing, that outlandish goal will become a reality.
Goaltending
Thank the Lord for Jaroslav Halak and Thomas Greiss.
While the defense, which shined in 2014-15 thanks to stellar performances by Nick Leddy, Johnny Boychuk, Travis Hamonic, Calvin de Haan and Lubomir Visnovsky, has struggled immensely from the start, the duo of Islanders netminders have been extremely impressive.
“It’s what I expect, to be honest with you,” Isles head coach Jack Capuano said. “You sign guys to be an impact on your team. Both guys work hard and you expect them to play well and they’ve done that.”
Halak, 30, is 9-4-3 with a sizzling 2.04 GAA and .926 SV%. Up until last week, he had the best goals against average in the league. Greiss, 29, is 9-3-2 with an outstanding 2.03 GAA and .933 SV%. Brought in to replace Michal Neuvirth as the team’s backup goaltender, the Fussen, Germany native has risen up to the challenge and given New York their first legitimate backup netminder in more than a decade.
Fourth Line
While the team’s first line, which features captain John Tavares and two other über-talented players, has struggled out of the gate, the Isles’ fourth line has once again consistently added goals, provided momentum, sparked the intensity level, totaled hits and inspired a good fight.
They were called the greatest fourth line in the history of the NHL last season by NHL analyst Don Cherry:
Coach Capuano, too. This here is the fourth line with their team — the toughest line in hockey. Let me tell you about Clutterbuck, Martin and Cizikas. This here line, believe it or not, Martin and Clutterbuck have lead the league for seven years — off and on, either one — for hits if you can believe it. This may be the best fourth line ever in hockey as far as I’m concerned. Both guys… and ya gotta give Garth Snow credit.
Through 31 games, Cizikas, Clutterbuck and Martin have totaled 13 goals and 10 assists, while Martin and Clutterbuck rank one and three respectively in the hits leaderboard.
Travis Hamonic
Fan favorite defenseman Travis Hamonic, citing personal family concerns, requested a trade before the season and is on the trade block, Elliott Friedman of Sportsnet first reported.
How have the Isles responded to that piece of news?
Quite well, actually. Good teams respond well to adversity, and his teammates were extremely supportive of him. Additionally, New York has played its best hockey of the season following the news.
“Those are guys you go to war with,” Hamonic said. “Some of those guys I’ve been playing with for six years and really know really well. [Capuano] always talks about a brotherhood in there and everything else, but it certainly is. (I was) just explaining what was going on. It was probably one of the more difficult conversations I think I’ve had in life. It certainly wasn’t easy, but they’ve been there for me for many years now in different situations in my life and my career and they’ve certainly been there this morning.”