With regular season action for the Islanders finally back within smelling distance, we conclude this latest look at the team's fantasy prowess with the Specialists. These are the players who ordinarily might not be on your roster because they are one- or two-dimensional, but their abilities in one or two categories make them options if you can absorb their low production on the rest of the board.
First, we begin with a tribute to one of the Islanders' recent top specialists, faceoff-man extraordinaire, Mike Sillinger. At times throughout his career, Silli was more than just a top-notch draw man, but if your league counted faceoff wins or winning percentage, he could certainly be your go-to guy. With his hip now getting the Zamboni treatment, we wish Silli the best.
And now for the rest...
Specialists
PIMs—Tim Jackman is your team leader with 76 PIMs in 34 games. You can likely find better options on other teams. Nate Thompson is your next best bet, on a slightly slower pace than Jackman with 42 PIMs in 24 games.
(+/-)—The wasteland of Islanders fantasy hockey. Nothing to see here.
Shots on goal—It's still Bill Guerin and Trent Hunter up front and Mark Streit from the blue line. If Sean Bergenheim can stay in the lineup, he at least gets some shots away. If you want to package some SOG with some BkS, keep an eye on Andy Hilbert as he comes back from injury. And don't forget about Kyle Okposo as he gains confidence and his role continues to increase.
Hits—Hunter ranks 22nd in the league with 111 hits (Cal Clutterbuck leads with 173). That should give you a healthy idea of what's left when next on the team is Streit at 75 hits. When Freddy Meyer is healthy, he does become an option, having registered 71 hits in only 27 games. Brendan Witt is only at about 2 hits per game, and you're not going to endure his +/- for that. Jackman and Thompson are also good for about 2 per game.
Blocked Shots—Surprisingly, there are no Islanders in the league's top 30. As a whole the team leads the NHL in blocked shots by more than 50 over second-place Montreal. Witt and Streit lead the way with Sutton out. Hilbert ranks sixth on the team, the only forward among the top eight.
Faceoffs—With our hero (see above) now lost for the season, options are few. Of regular shifters, only Richard Park is over 50% (51%, to be exact). Frans Nielsen is knocking on the door at 49.5%. Should he find his way back, Jeremy Colliton did a terrific job in six games, winning 64.3% of his 70 faceoffs.
Time on Ice—Streit ranks 14th in the league at 25:18 per game. The best forward, Doug Weight, comes in 48th among all forwards at 19:05. Of course, Weight is in danger of losing ice time, if not his New York address.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Fantasy Update Continued: Specialists
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Fantasy Update: Villains
When I saw this photo on Point Blank today, I had two thoughts: The Islanders should have won a lot more games in the first half with Sylar in goal. And how did he get hurt?
My goal here isn't really to paint the Islanders as villains. But if you have been counting on any of them for fantasy production over the last while, you may think them a dastardly bunch.
As the team nose-dived in the standings, much of their worthwhile fantasy production also plunged to insufferable depths. Some were held down or held out by injury. Others hit Tailspin Road because their linemates hit the IR Express.
With only three wins since the beginning of December, are there no heroes left in orange and blue tights? Let's have a look.
When we last visited the Coliseum of Justice about five weeks ago, Mark Streit, Doug Weight, Trent Hunter, and Bill Guerin had been carried over in the Player category. Despite the Islanders' inability to post more than a goal or two per game recently, you can continue to hold onto these players. And I say this despite the fact that Hunter was dropped in my league on this very day. Here's what they can do for you.
Players
Mark Streit—Simply put, just play him and don't worry about it. Streit was recently the NHL leader in points by a defenseman and will represent the Isles at the All-Star Game with distinction. As of this writing, he still leads the league in power play points by a defenseman. And just for good measure, Streit is only a -3 on a team with no active plus players (Kurtis McLean doesn't count) despite acquiring 21 of his 34 points with the man advantage.
Doug Weight—Obviously Weight hasn't been doing anything for you lately. But if you were able to stash him in an IR slot, know that he skated today and should be back within two weeks (one of which has no games scheduled). Despite missing time, Weight is still only two off the team lead in points. He should continue to be very productive in assists and on the power play. Of course, keep an eye on his opportunities when he comes back as Scott Gordon has vowed to use his young players in expanded roles the rest of the way. And there's always the chance that a trade will come Weight's way and that could alter his production significantly.
Trent Hunter—Hunter is actually on the bubble here. Believe it or not, since we last did this in the middle of December, he has not registered a goal. In that time, he has managed only four assists. At 11-15-26, he's not that strong of a play anymore. But Hunter does still have a decent shot total at 118, and he's 20th in the league with 111 hits. Note that Hunter is currently recovering from a hand injury suffered in practice.
Bill Guerin—You can also see the downward trend in Guerin's stats. Last time, he was in the top ten in shots on goal. Entering tonight's action he was down to 20th. During this dry spell for the team, he does have three goals and nine assists. At 14-18-32 he may be a marginal play in some leagues, especially since he's added only six PIMs in the last five weeks or so.
I'll have to leave it at that for the moment, but check back later for news on specialists and fantasy prospects Kyle Okposo and...YANN DANIS?!
Monday, December 22, 2008
GMs for Gordon in '09
For the past several days I've been thinking about how little I envy the position in which Scott Gordon currently finds himself. He is now in the midst of a nine-game losing streak, during which his team has only managed to accumulate one thanks-for-playing point. His roster keeps getting turned over like the contents of a cement mixer. Categorize the players any way you wish, and they've been hurt—goalie, defensemen, centers, young players, vets.
And oh, yes, the nine-game losing streak that has no one feeling particularly good. More importantly, it creates a feeling of unrest—some of which is exaggerated by disenchanted fans, but some of which seeps through quotes from the players. We heard all we needed to from Brendan Witt to know he is troubled by the club's style of play. To Witt's credit, he did what so few players do these days—instead of asking to be moved to a rosier situation, he professed his desire to improve the current one.
Still, here's Gordon with young players who have yet to make a serious impact and old players who probably don't love the idea of investing in a future that doesn't include them.
So what does Gordon do? Does he tell his team, "Look, I don't care if we lose every game the rest of the season—this is the way we're playing?"
Or does he give a little? Does he adjust the system to the situation in the hopes of picking up a few more wins here and there? That might at least make things more interesting and less miserable for the guys who have no choice but to win now because there is no later.
Fortunately for Gordon, he doesn't have to make that choice now. Or, at least, he can make the tougher choice—the one that likely leads to a lot more losing right now—without fearing for his job. Such is the value of an unwavering show of support from his General Manager, as delivered by Chris Botta in his interview last night with Garth Snow. Snow does not appear to be panicking as the losses mount.
At this point in time, you have to applaud the clarity of his message. If the players are feeling comfortable enough to voice their concerns about the direction of the team to the media, then further dissent is likely to follow. If you're going to lose a lot, lose together. Don't let the ship go down in a blaze of contentious disaster. Gordon is now free to demand whatever he wants of his team.
There will come a time to pass final judgment on the Snow/Gordon regime. We'll be able to determine whether Josh Bailey, Kyle Okposo, Frans Nielsen, and others were the correct pieces upon which to build. We'll be able to ask whether the Islanders would have been better served by a coach who adapted to the roster he was given, or if the GM failed to produce the roster he vowed would work.
It's simply not that time yet.
Faceoffs (W-L): Weight 1-2, Comrie 8-11, Park 7-6, Hilbert 0-3, Walter 6-8, Bailey 4-7
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Comrie, on a Horse, in a Pinch
A few days ago, Mike Comrie had the following observation for Arthur Staple of Newsday:
"In this system, you've just got to throw pucks at the net and be in the right spot. It's scrambles, not a whole lot of pretty plays."I would argue that if the Islanders had enough players capable of pretty plays, they would be more than welcome in the system.
Just over two months into the season, we have system fatigue. It's not that the players are tired of playing it. They, and the coach, have started to tire of talking about it. I don't blame them. I think a lot of fans are just about done talking about the system, too.
That begs the question, why were we talking about it so much in the first place? My memory may be a little fuzzy here, but I don't recall a lot of people talking about the way the Devils played in the 90s until they started winning. And there's your answer.
Entering this Islanders season, we knew that they didn't have the horses to run with the big stables. But we wanted something to pin our hopes on, and it wasn't a donkey. There was, however, a system. So instead of looking at a successful team and wondering what makes them successful, we were left to embrace a system, and hope it would breed success. To take the equine theme just a little too far, that was putting the cart before the horse.
In the midst of an 0-6-1 streak, one cannot root for a system. In the midst of a 6-0-1 streak, one could certainly marvel at the efficacy of a forecheck, or the daring of a pinch.
Until Comrie, Kyle Okposo, Jeff Tambellini, Josh Bailey, and Frans Nielsen are back and playing with the kind of flair that produces pretty plays, there is nothing to do but throw pucks at the net. And if those guys aren't the ones to do more than throw pucks at the net, others will have to be found.
Good Tidings
Click here to read about the Islanders annual holiday hospital visits. This kind of stuff can't be publicized enough, even though that's not the point. I love the way the whole team gets involved with this and blankets Long Island as best as it can.
Catching up on some old business...
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Fantasy Report: Tough Times Roster Review
How tough are times for the Islanders right now? At about 6:00 Sunday evening I paid a visit to the team's official site. It struck me that of the five news stories highlighted on the home page, not a single one had anything to do with recent play or the state of the current Islanders hockey team.
'Tis the season to be shopping...At first I was willing to pass it off as a slow news day, considering there is no game today. But then I decided to check around to see how other teams approach the same section of their sites. Of the other 29 NHL teams, only one site had a similar lack of current hockey related content. And that one belonged to the Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Red Wings. Even the other bottom rung teams who were coming off losses were still highlighting game content.
So with things going so well that there is nothing for the Islanders to promote but promotions, let's see where the roster now stands from a fantasy perspective. When last we spoke of such things, the following rankings had been achieved:
Players: Mark Streit, Doug Weight, Trent Hunter, Bill Guerin. Rick DiPietro had fallen off the list.
Prospects: Kyle Okposo, Josh Bailey, and Joey MacDonald. Mike Comrie and Jeff Tambellini deep-sixed.
Here are the latest results:
Players
Mark Streit—The Islanders' best overall defenseman continues to be everything the team hoped he would be and more. Streit has 7 goals and 14 assists for 21 points in 30 games. He has accumulated 6 of those goals and 9 assists on the power play, plus a goal and an assist shorthanded for good measure. The 15 power play points are tops for a defenseman in the NHL. The 6 PPG rank 2nd in the league. Streit's 58 shots on goal put him just outside of the top 20 for defensmen. He's also going to the penalty box at the rate of one minute per game, and posts a decent amount of hits and blocked shots, with 46 and 45, respectively.
Doug Weight—The man who was brought on board to revive Bill Guerin has, in the last couple of games, been removed from the center spot alongside his best bud. We'll have to see how that situation develops and what effect it has if it sticks. In the meantime, Weight remains a strong fantasy asset with 6 goals and 21 assists for 27 points in 30 games. The Islanders' top scorer also boats a team-leading 17 power play points on 4 goals and 13 assists. Those 17 power play points have Weight tied with Malkin and Ovechkin one behind league leaders Crosby and Selanne. That's some pretty good company.
Trent Hunter—The one spectacular number you'll get from Hunter is in hits, where he rates 13th in the NHL with 80. But Hunter is proving to be an asset across the board this season. You can also count on him for a good shot total—he's currently 2nd on the team with 85. But more importantly for Hunter, his offense is really on track this year with 11 goals and 11 assists. Add in 3-4-7 on the power play and 29 PIMs, and you've got yourself a well rounded fantasy player.
Bill Guerin—The captain is now 4th on the team in scoring with 11 goals and 9 assists. His shot total of 108 just squeezes him into the NHL's top ten. Guerin contributes significantly on the power play with 4 goals and 7 assists so far. His 40 PIMs are also notable for a guy who is doing some scoring. Again, watch to see what happens with Weight and Guerin at even strength, but if even if they do remain separated for a while, they will continue to play on the first power play unit.
So nothing has changed in the Player category from a month ago. No one new has emerged, no incumbent has fallen.
Prospects
Andy Hilbert—Some may consider this a stretch, but that's what it's come to—stretching. Hilbert is now fifth on the Islanders in scoring with 7 goals and 9 assists. In addition to his penalty killing duties, he is now seeing time on the second power play unit, where he has chipped in a goal and 2 assists. 66 shots on goal aren't going to instill fear in any opponents, but it's a total that won't kill you either. Where Hilbert may be able to make some hay is in blocked shots. He is second on the entire team with 46, a total that leads all NHL forwards by ten.
Rick DiPietro—With a return to the ice now expected around Christmas, it's time to start thinking about DiPietro again. As we've already discussed, the #1 job will be his as soon as he's ready to go. Whether he can thrive in front of the team that is currently making Joey MacDonald's life miserable is another question. In conclusion, know that DiPietro will be ready to go soon, but don't expect him to save your season. If you're desperate for a goalie, he's capable of helping you in the second half—but its definitely requires a wait-and-see approach.
What happend to...
Kyle Okposo—No concrete updates on his return right now, and he wasn't doing enough yet to consider serious consideration for a roster spot before he got hurt.
Josh Bailey—"Islander for the year" Bailey is still averaging almost an assist every other game, despite a recent five-game pointless streak. Other than that, he doesn't done much of anything to warrant attention in fantasyland. Better days lie ahead.
Joey MacDonald—The recent stretch of dismal performances by the Islanders has doomed MacDonald as a fantasy commodity. Even if they weren't winning consistently, his other numbers made MacDonald worthy of consideration for an empty G slot. That's no longer the case, and with DiPietro's return on the horizon, you can pretty much forget about MacDonald for fantasy purposes.
Specialists
PIMs—Sean Bergenheim and Tim Jackman lead the way with 43 PIMs each, although Jackman has earned his in only 17 games versus 27 for Bergenheim. Nate Thompson checks in with 40 in 21 games, Bill Guerin has 40 in 30, and Andy Sutton 38 in 21.
(+/-)—Forget about it. Sutton is +2. Everyone else is currently in the red.
Shots on goal—It's league elite Guerin with 108, Hunter with 85, Bergenheim with 69, and Hilbert with 66. From the blue line you have Streit at 58 and no one else anywhere close.
Hits—Hunter is a star with 80. Freddy Meyer is hitting at a good rate with his total slowed only by an early injury. Brendan Witt is also in the mix.
Blocked shots—The Islanders are still piling up the blocked shots, so there's lots to choose from. All of the defensmen are in on the act. Sutton leads the way with 57 blocks in 21 games. If you need a forward who likes to get in the lanes, you can't do better than Hilbert.
Faceoffs—In his first five games of the season, Mike Sillinger proved he's still quick on the draw by winning an impressive 60.7 percent of his faceoffs. Sillinger is now nursing a groin injury, but he's your man when he gets back on the ice. Of other players regularly taking draws, Richard Park is the only one above 50 percent at 52.5. Weight (201) and Park (178) have the most faceoff wins if you're going by that number.
Time on Ice—Streit's 25:07 puts him in the top 15 in the league. The other d-men don't register an impact at 20:00+ minutes. Weight leads the forwards with 19:37, but that only ranks 44th among all NHL forwards.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Radio Radio
On more than one occasion over the last several weeks, I sat down in front of my computer to tune into Don LaGreca and Chris Botta's NY Hockey This Week radio show on 1050 ESPN Radio. After looking quizzically back and forth between my monitor and speakers on several of those occasions, I finally accepted that the show, which is broadcast over the AM radio waves, is not transmitted through the streaming audio player on the station's Web site.
What's all the more confusing is that during the hour in which NY Hockey This Week is on the air, the audio player displays the name of the show while streaming different content.
Not that it's so unusual for a station to stream alternative content. It happens all the time when the station has a game broadcast and streaming it is contractually prohibited. It also happens when a radio station changes format but wants to keep fans of the old format in the fold. But how much more college football coverage do we need?
I suppose the thinking might be that local hockey fans can simply tune to AM for the show, while out-of-market sports fans have the option of more nationally oriented content. But how many out-of-market sports fans are turning to New York's 1050 ESPN Radio online to get their sports fix?
I won't bore you with the reasons why listening on the computer would be decidedly more convenient for me (although a couple of times I was already at the Coliseum for a game and wanted to listen on my laptop). Let's just say that not having the show online is most unfortunate for out-of-market New York/New Jersey hockey fans and disappointing for those of us who would like to take advantage of the alternative access point.
- WKRB 90.3 FM Brooklyn (All games)
- WLNG 92.1 FM Long Island (Night games)
- WSTC 1400 AM Connecticut (Saturday night games)
- WNLK 1350 AM Connecticut (Saturday night games)
The new stations join WMJC 94.3 FM and WHLI 1100 AM, both on Long Island. If this is going to be the future of Islanders radio, stringing together a network of small stations throughout the region, then good for the organization for coming through on its pledge to add more affiliates. Now keep going! I still can't hear you.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Fantasy Update—Game 25: Capitals 5, Islanders 2
Fantasy Stars of the Game
1st Star: Mark Streit (1 G, 1 PPG, 5 SOG, 2 BkS, 2 hits)
2nd Star: Andy Sutton (1 A, +1, 1 SOG, 1 BkS, 4 PIMs, 2 hits)
3rd Star: Trent Hunter (1 G, 3 SOG, 1 hit)
4th Star: Doug Weight (1 A, 1 PPA, 1 SOG, 2 BkS, 1 hit)
5th Star: Bill Guerin (1 A, 1 PPA, 1 SOG, 1 BkS)
Fantasy notes: Hunter gets the edge over Weight and Guerin thanks to an even rating. The best buds were each -2...Yes, it does seem like Streit, Hunter, Weight, and Guerin are in there every night. That's both good and bad...Andy Sutton is on a tear right now, storming up the Fantasy Star Point rankings...The line of Sim-Hilbert-Park is still seeing significant time on the second power play unit, but without much result...Freddy Meyer is picking up the spare PP minutes alongside Campoli when Streit and Weight aren't manning the points...Faceoffs (W-L): Sillinger 11-8, Weight 10-5, Park 8-12, Bailey 4-7.
Other notes: icethetics recently ranked the Islanders third jersey 3rd overall of the 18 third jerseys currently in use. By the way, icethetics has moved from blogspot to a new home at www.icethetics.info. Always a fun site to check out. Meanwhile, Sports Illustrated ranked the royal blues 15th. That's a travesty. The Flyers do look great in orange though.
Coming tonight: Live blog from the Coliseum. I think I'm going to take a different approach tonight. We'll see how it goes.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Unbrewing the Goalie Controversy
The news that Rick DiPietro has begun skating will likely lead to the intensifying of murmurs among fans and media members that a goaltending controversy will shortly confront the Islanders. The original prognostication of a four-to-six week absence for the All-Star goalie still seems overly optimistic, and I will stick to my initial read of the situation, which said that we are unlikely to see DiPietro return before the new year. But know that any such goaltending controversy upon his return will be purely discussion for the sake of discussion.
I love what Joey MacDonald has done for this team. His performance has been unexpectedly impressive. He has turned a position of doubt into one that inspires confidence. I only hope that he can approach the same standard of play as a backup. For that is what he will be.
As good as MacDonald has been, a healthy, conditioned DiPietro is better. If his athleticism has not been compromised by his injuries, he brings another level to the last line of defense.
And for better or worse, the Islanders have too much invested in DiPietro to undermine his stature. He's still at the point in his career where he expects to best help the team by playing every game—not by splitting time or engaging in some healthy competition for the starting gig.
So if you have climbed all the way aboard the MacDonald train and you're looking for him to get a shot at #1 engineer, I think you'll be disappointed. That being said, the Isles would do well not to immediately throw DiPietro into playing too many consecutive games. Make use of a not-yet rusty MacDonald and give DiPietro a chance to get into real game shape.
AOL's NHL FanHouse featured Islanders prospect Rhett Rakhshani in this week's edition of Hi, My Name Is..., which focuses on NHL hopefuls currently playing college hockey.
It's a shame to see former Islanders coach Peter Laviolette lose his job as head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes. The dismissal demonstrates exactly how much capital a coach earns by winning the Stanley Cup (2+ seasons). Of course, we also learn that five seasons from now, Laviolette will have earned the right to return as Carolina's head coach, as the man he replaced is now doing. Maybe Laviolette and Paul Maurice can invest in a house that they flip back and forth every few years.
Anyway, this looks like a clear case of an organization looking to shake things up, and finding that firing the coach is the easiest way. I tend to root a little bit for other teams in the NHL for various reasons. Any team coached by Laviolette will be one of those teams.
Fantasy Stars Update
Game 21: Islanders 4, Canadiens 3, SO (The O'Byrne Own Goal)
1st Star: Bill Guerin (1 G, 1 A, 1 PPA, +1, 4 SOG, 1 BS)
2nd Star: Doug Weight (2 A, 2 PPA, +1, 1 SOG)
3rd Star: Trent Hunter (1 G, 1 PPG, 3 SOG, 1 BkS, 1 hit)
4th Star: Richard Park (1 G, 1 PPG, 3 SOG, 1 BkS)
5th Star: Josh Bailey (1 A, 1 PPA, 2 SOG, 2 BkS)
Faceoffs (W-L): Weight 4-8, Park 7-10, Hilbert 1-3, Colliton 5-1, Bailey 3-12
Game 22: Penguins 5, Islanders 3 (The Five Unanswered Against)
1st Star: Trent Hunter (1 G, 1 A, 1 PPA, +1, 1 SOG, 1 hit)
2nd Star: Doug Weight (1 G, 1 PPG, 3 SOG, 2 BkS, 2 PIMs)
3rd Star: Bill Guerin (1 G, 1 PPG, 5 SOG, 1 BkS, 2 PIMs, 1 hit)
4th Star: Mark Streit (2 A, 2 PPA, 2 SOG)
5th Star: Josh Bailey (2 A, 1 PPA, 1 SOG, 1 BkS)
Faceoffs (W-L): Weight 8-7, Park 11-13, Colliton 13-5, Bailey 7-3
Notes: Guerin demoted for being a -4; Hunter was the Isles' only plus player.
Game 23: Bruins 7, Islanders 2 (No Reminder Necessary—Or Desired)
1st Star: Nate Thompson (1 G, +1, 3 SOG, 1 BkS, 3 hits)
2nd Star: Mark Streit (1 A, 1 PPA, 1 SOG, 1 BkS, 5 hits)
3rd Star: Andy Hilbert (1 A, 1 PPA, 3 SOG, 1 BkS, 1 hit)
4th Star: Richard Park (1 G, 1 PPG, 2 SOG)
5th Star: Brendan Witt (1 A, 5 PIMs, 3 hits)
Faceoffs (W-L): Weight 6-10, Park 9-5, Thompson 1-3, Colliton 7-3, Bailey 6-8
Game 24: Islanders 4, Senators 2 (IV the Win)
1st Star: Andy Sutton (2 A, +2, 3 SOG, 2 BkS, 2 PIMs, 4 hits)
2nd Star: Freddy Meyer (2 G, 1 A, +2, 3 SOG, 2 BkS, 1 hit)
3rd Star: Andy Hilbert (1 G, 1 A, +2, 4 SOG, 1 hit)
4th Star: Trent Hunter (1 G, 1 A, +2, 3 SOG)
5th Star: Jon Sim (1 A, +2, 4 SOG, 10 PIMs, 1 hit)
Faceoffs (W-L): Weight 7-4, Park 6-6, Colliton 4-5, Bailey 4-8
The Fantasy Star Points Top Ten rankings are now posted at the bottom of the sidebar. Trent Hunter has edged in front of Mark Streit for the lead through 24 games.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Playing a Little Catchup
Before this game at the Forum Bell Centre gets too deep, we need to award some Fantasy Stars for the weekend games at New Jersey and Buffalo. But, first, I just wanted to mention that there have been some excellent responses to the Mike Mottau suspension. Among them, I particularly enjoyed reading Greg Logan, B.D. Gallof, and Lighthouse Hockey.
And now for the hardware...
Game 19: Devils 5, Islanders 2
Fantasy Stars of the Game
1st Star: Trent Hunter (6 SOG, 2 BkS, 17 PIMs, 1 hit)
2nd Star: Sean Bergenheim (1 G, +1, 6 SOG, 2 PIMs)
3rd Star: Andy Hilbert (1 G, +1, 1 SOG, 2 BkS)
4th Star: Brendan Witt (1 A, +1, 4 BkS 1 hit)
5th Star: Andy Sutton (1 A, 1 SOG, 5 BkS)
Game 20: Islanders 4, Sabres 2
Fantasy Stars of the Game
1st Star: Mark Streit (1 G, 1 A, 1 PPG, 1 PPA, +2, 3 SOG, 2 hits)
2nd Star: Andy Hilbert (1 G, 1 A, +1, 4 SOG, 1 BkS)
3rd Star: Joey MacDonald (W, 2 GA, .946 SV%)
4th Star: Doug Weight (2 A, 1 PPA)
5th Star: Josh Bailey (1 A, +1, 2 SOG, 1 BkS, 1 hit)
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Fantasy Report—Game 18: Islanders 2, Senators 1, SO
Fantasy Stars of the Game
1st Star: Tim Jackman (6 SOG, 1 BkS, 5 PIMs, 4 hits)
2nd Star: Joey MacDonald (W, 1 GA, .969 SV%)
3rd Star: Bill Guerin (1 A, 1 PPA, 6 SOG. 4 hits)
4th Star: Frans Nielsen (1 A, 1 PPA, 2 SOG, 1 BkS, 1 hit)
5th Star: Doug Weight (1 G, 1 PPG, 2 SOG, 1 hit)
Notes: Joey MacDonald has quickly played himself into being a legitimate option and is soaring up the Fantasy Star Point rankings (currently 4th)...With Kyle Okposo sidelined and Brett Skinner sent back to Bridgeport to make room for Brendan Witt, there will be two openings on the second power play unit. Look for Jeff Tambellini to pick up Okposo's minutes alongside Josh Bailey and Jon Sim. You might think Sean Bergenheim would get a look at some point but he's received only 45 seconds of PP time this season. Bruno Gervais and Radek Martinek are the top candidates to join Chris Campoli at the point on the second unit...Doug Weight's Fantasy Star Point ranking has dipped to fifth, demonstrating that the Islanders' leading scorer has really been spreading his production out evenly—he's simply good enough to earn fantasy stars consistently, but not spectucular enough to get the top stars very often.
Fantasy Star Points Top Ten
Streit, 36
Guerin, 34
Hunter, 33
MacDonald, 24.5
Weight, 22
Bergenheim, 14
Park, 12
Nielsen, 12
Comrie, 9
Thompson, 8
Jackman, 8
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Looking Around After the Islanders Sweep the Senators
Sometimes things just come to you in pieces...
...Mark Herrman suggests in Newsday that the back-to-back victories by the Islanders over Ottawa may represent the apex of the Islanders' season. And here I was having so much fun watching them the last two nights. Oh, well, I guess I could use those 3 hours several nights a week for more pressing pursuits. Seriously, though, I'm looking forward to seeing performances like those against the Sens more frequently as the season progresses.
...Ross McKeon at Puck Daddy asks, "Why exactly would the New York Islanders have Darryl Strawberry drop the ceremonial first puck, especially when the ex-bad boy had never even attended one hockey game in person beforehand?"
Because it was Autism Speaks Night at the Coliseum, part of the Islanders' "Hockey With a Heart" campaign, and Darryl Strawberry is the founder of The Darryl Strawberry Foundation for Autism. And he's a local baseball hero. And he met Bill Guerin and Doug Weight this summer when the two Islanders took in batting practice at Shea. And maybe, just maybe, his appearance attracted a few extra fans. You know, and awareness for autism.
...Also in Newsday, Jim Baumbach urges Charles Wang to play hardball with the local government in regard to the Lighthouse Project: "Fans, take off your Islanders-colored glasses and look around the Coliseum. This place stinks. And no one is coming."
There is no doubt this needs to get done and is essential for the future security of the Islanders on Long Island. But so is the on-ice product. The honeymoon period for a new arena/stadium is probably around three years. After that, you'd better have something to show or all the amenities in the world are unlikely to sustain high attendance—especially if you assume that said new arena will result in higher ticket prices.
I'm one of those who doesn't really care about the arena from a fan experience point of view. To me, it's a hockey rink. I just want them to have a place to play, and if I'm there, food and bathrooms are necessary. After that, it's all gravy. Of course, the Islanders need the gravy to thrive. I just want to be careful about assuming that the gravy will perpetually bring the gravy train. Can you tell Thanksgiving is coming up?
...Pre-game show? What pre-game show? Time Warner Cable in NYC was a little slow with the switch last night. The newly launched pre-game show did not appear on channel 51 until around 6:50. I should have anticipated a bumpy transition. Who knows if it was MSG failing to notify Time Warner, or Time Warner failing to throw the switch? Whatever it was, I'd like to see it from the beginning next time.
...Last night was my first opportunity to view the alternate uniforms on TV. Beautiful. And the shots of the current home sweaters in the stands made them look that much sillier in comparison.
...Here's a recent article on the Blog Box in Sports Media Journal.
Fantasy Report Game 17: Islanders 3, Senators 2
Fantasy Stars of the Game
1st Star: Jon Sim (1 G, 1 PPG, 1 A, +1, 2 SOG, 2 BkS, 2 PIMs)
2nd Star: Joey MacDonald (W, 2 GA, .950 SV%)
3rd Star: Mark Streit (1 A, 1 PPA, +1, 1 SOG, 3 hits)
4th Star: Tim Jackman (1 A, 1 SOG, 7 PIMs, 2 hits)
5th Star: Sean Bergenheim (1 G, +1, 2 SOG, 1 BkS, 3 hits)
Notes: Roles continue to change on the power play units. At the beginning of the game, Kyle Okposo and Josh Bailey once again found themselves on the first unit with Mark Streit, Bill Guerin, and Doug Weight. The second unit forwards were Trenty Hunter, Frans Nielsen, and Jon Sim. Later in the game, Hunter and Nielsen swapped places with Okposo and Bailey. And there was one strange configuration when the Islanders started the third period in the middle of a power play. In that case, Chris Campoli took the ice with Streit and Weight. I'm not sure who was supposed to be at the points in that scenario, but Weight was at one of them leaving Streit or Campoli to push forward. Perhaps Scott Gordon was just preparing for the combos he wanted when Dany Heatley came out of the box.
In the rare instances that Weight and Streit don't play the full two minutes at the points, Campoli is always the second unit option and Gordon has been favoring Brett Skinner as his partner (Skinner's minutes, seconds really, are very limited there...Richard Park was 12-8 on faceoffs.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Fantasy Report: Roster Review
One note before we get started: The NHL has suspended Thomas Pock for two games for his elbow on Ryan Shannon. The league has also suspended Pock for three games for Jarko Ruutu's elbow on Maxim Lapierre.
Okay, It's time to take a second look at what the Islanders roster offers to the fantasy hockey player. Things certainly have changed since our first look just before the season started.
Once again we will classify individuals as players, prospects, or specialists. The player and prospect classifications highlight individuals, while the specialist classification is centered around statistical categories primarily and then the relevant individuals. Before we begin, here's a quick recap of the classification definitions:
Player: These players provide enough value across the board to be in play in most leagues. Someone in your league probably has them. Is it you?
Prospect: These players have the potential to reward you based on their performance, expectations, and circumstances. They're not no-brainers but could provide decent value given ice time, the right linemates, and/or stepping up their play. Picking them up as free agents/on waivers is not a guarantee of future success. Not picking them up could cause you to miss out on a good depth player.
Specialist: These are players who offer high value in one or two scoring categories. If your roster can absorb a one- or two-dimensional player, look here to bolster a weakness.
Here's how things stood at the beginning of October:
Players: Rick DiPietro, Mark Streit
Prospects: Bill Guerin, Mike Comrie, Jeff Tambellini, Doug Weight, Trent Hunter
And here are the current evaluations:
Players
Mark Streit—The power play quarterback's points per game pace has tailed off a little over the past few games, but there's no reason to give up on him now. He's showing an early pattern of going two or three games without a point and then returning to being a solid contributor. Streit leads the Islanders in power play goals with 3. Overall, he is 4-7-11 with 37 shots, 18 PIMs, -2, 21 hits, and 25 blocked shots. Again, he's not going to be your top defenseman, but there's a place for him.
Doug Weight—The veteran center is a surprise and welcome addition to this class if you're an Islanders fan. He is filling the role of #1 center on a team that needed an offensive boost nicely. Weight is the team's leading scorer on the strength of 3 goals and 11 assists, and also leads in power points with 2 goals and 7 assists.
Trent Hunter—The hits keep coming for Hunter (17th in the league with 44), but the big winger is also second on the team in scoring with 7 goals and 6 assists. Add 46 shots on goal and 4 power play points and you've got yourself a player. Watch the +/- though.
Bill Guerin—The captain is tied for third on the team in scoring with 6 goals and 5 assists for 11 points. He is also 2-4-6 on the power play. Those are nice support stats for the league's 10th most prolific shooter—Guerin has 66 shots on goal.
What happened to...
Rick DiPietro—After sitting out the first four games of the season while recoving from spring (and summer) surgery, DiPietro started two games and then suffered a knee injury in his third appearance. The company line on his return has him back sometime in December. I wouldn't be surprised if we don't see him again in 2008.
Prospects
Kyle Okposo and Josh Bailey—The heralded rookie duo is now being paired together on a line with Andy Hilbert, so the winger and his pivot man of the future are suddenly the present. More importantly, they hooked up on a first-rate power play goal against Ottawa (Bailey's first NHL point) and Scott Gordon gave them time on the first unit with Streit, Weight, and Guerin. Okposo is leading all NHL rookies in shots on goal. His offense will come, maybe not as much as the leading rookie scorers, but enough to keep an eye on. Bailey looks like he belongs in the NHL now. It's dangerous to make reactionary evaluations based on two games, but I have a feeling Bailey stays. Things would get complicated if Sillinger, Comrie, and Thompson are all healthy, but let's see if that happens first.
Joey MacDonald—The current starter in net doesn't have fantasy-worthy numbers right now, but he is filling in for Rick DiPietro very capably. If you need a stop-gap or spot start, you could do a lot worse—especially if the team continues to show progress in front of MacDonald.
What happened to...
Mike Comrie—A lingering hip problem currently has Comrie sidelined. His production prior to taking a break was insufficient for fantasy consideration—2 goals, 6 assists, only one power play point, and a strikingly low 23 shots on goal in 14 games.
Jeff Tambellini—Just not doing anything that's going to interest you.
Specialists
PIMs—Sean Bergenheim and Nate Thompson lead the team in PIMs with 31. Thompson is currently out 2-4 weeks with a strained groin. Andy Sutton should be moving up the ranks after returning from an early season hand injury. He's amassed 18 PIMs so far in eight games.
(+/-)—Not much to see here. Brett Skinner, Sutton, and Radek Martinek are the only plus players, none better than +2.
Shots on goal: It's Guerin (66), Hunter (46), and then Streit (37), Bergenheim (35), and Okposo (35).
Hits—Other than Hunter, Freddy Meyer was the only big hitter (23 hits in 7 games) before going down with an injury. There are a host of Isles to choose from for 1+ hits per game.
Blocked shots—The Isles are doing a good job in this department. Sutton, Bruno Gervais, Andy Hilbert, Streit, and Chris Campoli lead the way. Martinek should be back Saturday night, and don't forget about Witt and Meyer when they return.
Faceoffs—Richard Park is the only Islander with over 100 draws who has been successful more than 50% of the time (a very robust 58.1%). Weight, Nielsen, Comrie, and Thompson all need to do better. Bailey is off to a great start winning 14 of 22 (63.6%) in his first two games.
Time on Ice—On defense, Streit (25:39) has the only big number. Campoli (23:00), Gervais (22:19), and Sutton (21:51). Keep an eye on Martinek after he works his way back in. Weight leads the forwards at 19:22.
Recent Fantasy Stars
Game 15: Flyers 3, Islanders 1
1st Star: Trent Hunter (1 G, 6 SOG, 2 hits)
2nd Star: Jeff Tambellini (1 A, 4 SOG)
3rd Star: Bruno Gervais (1 A, 1 SOG, 4 BkS, 1 hit)
4th Star: Joey MacDonald (2 GA, .935 SV%)
5th Star: Thomas Pock (1 SOG, 3 BkS, 2 PIMs, 1 hit)
Faceoffs: Weight 12-4 (75%), Bailey 7-4 (63.6%), Neilsen 10-9 (52.6%)
Game 16: Islanders 3, Senators 1
1st Star: Joey MacDonald (W, 1 GA, .967 SV%)
2nd Star: Sean Bergenheim (1 A, +1, 4 SOG, 1 BkS, 2 PIMs, 2 hits)
3rd Star: Trent Hunter (1 G, 1 PPG, 5 SOG, 1 BkS, 1 hit)
4th Star: Bill Guerin (1 G, +1, 6 SOG, 1 hit)
5th Star: Doug Weight (1 A, +1, 4 SOG, 2 hits)
Faceoffs: Park 11-6 (64.7%), Bailey 7-4 (63.6%)
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Fantasy Report—Games 13 and 14
Game 13: Thrashers 4, Islanders 3, OT Fantasy Stars of the Game
1st Star: Bill Guerin (1 A, 1 PPA, 7 SOG, 1 BkS)
2nd Star: Frans Nielsen (1 G, 1 A, 3 SOG, 1 hit)
3rd Star: Trent Hunter (1 G, 1 A, 3 SOG, 1 hit)
4th Star: Mark Streit (2 A, +1, 1 BkS, 2 PIMs)
5th Star: Jon Sim (1 G, 1 PPG, 3 SOG)
Extra: Dismal night for faceoffs as the Isles won 24 and lost 42. Nielsen was best at 8-8, followed by Hilbert at 1-1, and Thompson at 6-7. Weight was 5-13, Comrie 2-8, and Park 2-5.
Game 14: Penguins 4, Islanders 3, SO
Fantasy Stars of the Game
1st Star: Doug Weight (1 G, 1 A, +2, 5 SOG, 1 BkS, 2 PIMs)
2nd Star: Andy Hilbert (1 G, 1 A, +2, 3 SOG, 3 BkS, 2 hits)
3rd Star: Andy Sutton (2 A, +1, 8 BkS, 2 hits)
4th Star: Bill Guerin (1 A, +1, 2 SOG, 2 BkS, 2 PIMs)
5th Star: Tim Jackman (1 G, 1 SOG, 2 BkS, 4 hits)
Extra: Park turned it around at the dot going 11-5 on draws, but he was the only one who finished over .500 (other than Hilbert who only took one).
Overall notes: One of the best things going for the Islanders this season is that Doug Weight is capably filling the #1 center role. Weight is leading the team in scoring with 3 goals and 10 assists, 2 and 7 on the power play. The near point-a-game pace is as much as you could ask for from the vet. And even with all those power play points, he's a +1 for the season.
The forward lines are still somewhat in flux with a couple of guys moving in and out of the lineup and Scott Gordon looking for the best combinations. On the top line, Weight and Guerin have gone through Sim, Okposo, and Bergenheim as their third, with the latter moving back there most recently after missing three games with an illness. The loss of Nate Thompson to a groin injury and the recall of Tim Jackman also necessitated some changes. Hunter-Nielsen-Tambellini is the most likely to stay stable. Park-Hilbert-Okposo was new, as was Sim-Comrie-Jackman. Those six could see some shuffling, with a lot depending on whether Bergenheim stays on the top line.
The power play looks a little more settled at the moment. On the first unit, Nielsen centers Hunter and Guerin with Streit and Weight manning the points. On the second unit, Comrie hits the ice with youngsters Tambellini and Okposo, and Chris Campoli as the entrenched point man. Campoli has alternately been joined at the blue line by Bruno Gervais or Brett Skinner recently. That spot is certainly up for grabs. Sim, Park, Hilbert, and Bergenheim will pick up some spare PP time here and there, as evidenced by Sim's tally on the tail end of a power play in Atlanta.
In goal, Joey MacDonald has performed admirably, but he is not a fantasy asset at this time.
Fantasy Star Point Leaders (through 14 games)
Streit, 33
Guerin, 29
Hunter, 25
Weight, 20
Park, 12
Nielsen, 10
MacDonald, 9.5
Bergenheim, 9
Comrie, 9
Thompson, 8
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Horror Show at the Coliseum [Updated]
Canadiens Say Boo; Islanders Jump
In what may have been one of the strangest nights in the history of Nassau Coliseum, the Islanders dominated for two periods before blowing a 4-1 lead to the...delight?...of thousands of screaming...Canadiens fans?
Someone up in Montreal thought this would be a good weekend for a road trip to New York. And that person has lots of friends.
Chris Botta made a very astute observation after the game. Normally, when a team crumbles like the Islanders did, you would hear plenty of booing. But the cheering from the Canadian contingent was so loud that there was no audible booing from the home team's fans.
I have seen Montreal play at the Coliseum before and it was never like this. Chris added that he had never seen such a showing for a visit by the Canadiens. Before I even entered the Coliseum, the only three fans I saw outside the press gate were decked out in their red Habs sweaters. Once the gates opened, they were everywhere.
In the live blog below, I tried to pass it off as visitors from out of town arriving early to check out the arena and have a full experience. But the numbers continued to grow and so did the decibel levels. The reaction to each Montreal goal was louder and more enthusiastic than I have heard from fans of any other team at the Coliseum.
Okay, I won't dwell on it any longer, except to say that you have to be impressed by such support and it made for a terrific atmosphere.
Time permitting, I'll have more tomorrow. In the meantime, if you missed it there are plenty of glorious and grisly details below.
[Update]
One quick observation on Scott Gordon: I have never heard a professional coach offer more specific descriptions and explanations of his team's play. In this case, obviously, he was speaking of the team's shortcomings, what they did wrong, and what they need to do to fix the problems. Take a few minutes and view last night's press conference on Islanders TV. It is refreshingly light on cliches and rich in candid details.
Cowboy Cut Quote
Mark Streit: "We didn't forecheck. We didn't backcheck. We just watched."
Prime Cut Quote
Streit: "When everyone's on board, plays within the system, we can play with any team in the league."
Fantasy Report—Games 9 & 10
Game 9: Flyers 3, Islanders 2, OT
Fantasy Stars of the Game
1st Star: Mark Streit (1 A, 1 PPA, 4 SOG, 1 BkS, 1 hit)
2nd Star: Andy Sutton (1 A, 2 SOG, 3 BkS, 4 PIMs)
3rd Star: Andy Hilbert (1 G, +1, 3 SOG, 1 BkS)
4th Star: Bill Guerin (1 G, 1 PPG, 3 SOG)
5th Star: Trent Hunter (3 SOG, 2 PIMs, 3 hits)
Game 10: Canadiens 5, Islanders 4
Fantasy Stars of the Game
1st Star: Trent Hunter (2 A, 1 PPA, 3 SOG, 2 BkS, 4 hits)
2nd Star: Mark Streit (1 G, 1 PPG, 2 SOG, 4 BkS, 2 PIMs)
3rd Star: Bill Guerin (1 G, 1 PPG, 4 SOG, 2 BkS, 1 hit)
4th Star: Doug Weight (2 A, 1 PPA, 1 SOG)
5th Star: Frans Nielsen (1 G, 1 A, 1 SOG)
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Game 8 Fantasy Report: Rangers 4, Islanders 2
Fantasy Stars of the Game
1st Star: Richard Park (2 A, 1 SHA, +2, 1 BkS, 2 PIMs, 2 hits)
2nd Star: Mark Streit (1 G, 1 SHG, 2 SOG, 3 BkS, 6 hits)
3rd Star: Kyle Okposo (1 G, +1, 7 SOG)
4th Star: Mike Comrie (1 A, +1, 3 SOG, 1 BkS)
5th Star: Doug Weight (1 A, 1 SHA, 1 SOG, 2 PIMs, 1 hit)
Notes
1st PP Unit: Weight-Streit Guerin-Nielsen-Hunter
2nd PP Unit: Campoli-Hillen Tambellini-Comrie-Okposo
It will be interesting to see what Scott Gordon does at the point now that Hillen has been sent down. His spot could realistically be taken by Thomas Pock, Bruno Gervais, or even the returning Andy Sutton. Also watch to see if Nielsen retains that spot on the top unit.
Mitch Fritz has been recalled from Bridgeport and could make his debut tomorrow in Philadelphia. If you are in need of a quick PIMs fix, Fritz is someone you could look it. Sutton can also be a good source of PIMs but his contributions there might be compromised initially having just come off a hand injury. If Fritz does enter the lineup, a forward will have to sit. Thompson, Tambellini, and Bergenheim are your boys on the bubble. Bergenheim likely wouldn't sit out for more than a game, but if Fritz makes an impact, the others might need to pick it up quickly.
Chris Botta reported the following lines at practice today:
Bergenheim-Weight-Guerin
Tambellini-Comrie-Sim
Hunter-Nielsen-Okposo
Hilbert-Thompson-Park
Okposo's stock will probably start to rise soon. He broke through for his first goal Monday night, and of the young players called out to step up in my previous post, his play has been the most consistent and encouraging all along. It's too early to say if he will become a fantasy regular this year, but keep an eye on him.
Finally, with 3 goals and 4 assists in eight games, Streit is showing that he is perfectly capable of generating offense without being surrounded by a gifted cast. Don't hesitate to use him.
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