This has long been my concern about Brock and why I've felt that, even though he put up good goal totals, moving on from him (and a few others) might be best to finally erase the 'country club' aura of the Isles clubhouse. When Snow made picks, he constantly referred to their hockey IQ and overall intelligence. In many cases, I think this caused him to value 'cerebral' guys like that over aggressive/more emotional talents. The problem with that is you don't end up with enough guys who have a killer instinct. Bailey was always a prime example. Josh Bailey had elite skill (some may groan at that). The kid had top tier hands, great passing ability, decent skating and an underrated shot. What he lacked was puck greed...it's that same puck greed that made Ovechkin what he is. Tons of guys have great shots, great hands, great skates..but it's that mindset that makes the most competitive of players great.
I always found Anders, Bailey, Brock and several other Snow guys to simply be too laid back... You need a few guys like that but when your team is inundated with them, you suddenly lack urgency, grit, and aggression, which is precisely what this team has seemingly lacked for years and years. Trotz managed to milk something extra out of them. That said, I also think their success with those two ECF appearances caused them to become too calm in the face of adversity. There was always this "we'll be okay attitude" that real competitors would never settle on.
As guys like Anders age out of the lineup, firey guys like Cole Eiserman should change the team attitude. (Hopefully) - keaner17
I’m too old to engage with arguments for the sake of arguing. Praising Lou is homerish and this organization as a whole has hit a low that is indefensible.
It really boils down to 101 business. Your home is worth 500k. Someone offers you 750k for it and the obvious answer is you take the 750k and buy another 500k home, earning 250k. You don’t turn that down…..it’s the advantage of a volatile market….people pay up.
It seems that Lou was more focused on favoring the player than the organization.
Side note : Brock Nelson has yet to register a point in the playoffs. - kindlyrick
Who gets a point first Landy or Nelly...My gut says Landy.
Question #1. After going 0-21 on the PP in the playoffs, do you bring back MacLean?
Question # 2. At this years deadline, do you load up on picks and prospects, or do you stand pat?
Question # 3. After losing your franchise player to free agency, do you not sign an elite UFA to replace the 10.5 million you offered 91?
Question # 4. Do you put no beards and low jersey numbers as a priority over special teams? - kindlyrick
Question #1. After going 0-21 on the PP in the playoffs, do you bring back MacLean? No I would not bring him back.
Question # 2. At this years deadline, do you load up on picks and prospects, or do you stand pat? No, I would move anything not considered my core for the following year and stock the cabinets with everything I could get.
Question # 3. After losing your franchise player to free agency, do you not sign an elite UFA to replace the 10.5 million you offered 91? They may not have had an option at the time. To sign someone for the sake of signing would not be smart. I would however sign the best available to short term deal and see what shakes out during the season in the trade market. Islanders have always had an issue here.
Question # 4. Do you put no beards and low jersey numbers as a priority over special teams?
I am probably one of the only ones that did not have an issue with Lou's no beard policy. Some of these beards to date are just downright nasty looking. Put a loop at the bottom and they will hold your peck up. Hockey players ever since they were mites and pee wee would get dressed in slacks and a collared shirt no hats. My son through Pee Wee and now in college have been at a minimum collared shirt, tie and slacks. The guys now a days are wearing suits. I think it is great.
If you know nothing about someone and they meet you clean cut and in a suit. Or a guy comes to you beard to his belly, ripped jeans, and flip flops. Who do you want representing your company.
The whole numbers thing I do not agree with as each person has a reason for their number selection.
I agree. Lou did not seem to have a good plan B when plan A did not work out. Lou needed to be more aggressive after the 1st ECF when you have Barry coaching, and you are not a rebuilding team. - ses111
Hundred percent. That was his opportunity to shine. He went for loyalty and not the killer instinct that people are referring to about Brock. I get it...It is great to win with the boys. But you need to tweak things and sometimes upset the apple cart as Torre did in the early years of the cup.
IMHO I believe Lou’s litany of rules was a deterrent for top UFAs. I know if I’m in a position to chose where I wanna go with similar money, I’m definitely not going to a place where I’m being watched under a microscope. I guess we’ll see with whomever is the new GM, but I’d be willing to bet that their free agent signings are more fruitful than Lou Lam - kindlyrick
I do not know if you can make that assumption unless there are players that have come out and said this. As the Islanders for the last 35 years have had trouble luring the big-ticket player outside of getting him here via trade.
No argument there, but Long Island clearly isn't a high-value free agent destination for whatever reason that may be. Only way I see to change that is to draft, and occasionally trade, well and build a strong/competitive team. - Gabe Athaus
This has long been my concern about Brock and why I've felt that, even though he put up good goal totals, moving on from him (and a few others) might be best to finally erase the 'country club' aura of the Isles clubhouse. When Snow made picks, he constantly referred to their hockey IQ and overall intelligence. In many cases, I think this caused him to value 'cerebral' guys like that over aggressive/more emotional talents. The problem with that is you don't end up with enough guys who have a killer instinct. Bailey was always a prime example. Josh Bailey had elite skill (some may groan at that). The kid had top tier hands, great passing ability, decent skating and an underrated shot. What he lacked was puck greed...it's that same puck greed that made Ovechkin what he is. Tons of guys have great shots, great hands, great skates..but it's that mindset that makes the most competitive of players great.
I always found Anders, Bailey, Brock and several other Snow guys to simply be too laid back... You need a few guys like that but when your team is inundated with them, you suddenly lack urgency, grit, and aggression, which is precisely what this team has seemingly lacked for years and years. Trotz managed to milk something extra out of them. That said, I also think their success with those two ECF appearances caused them to become too calm in the face of adversity. There was always this "we'll be okay attitude" that real competitors would never settle on.
As guys like Anders age out of the lineup, firey guys like Cole Eiserman should change the team attitude. (Hopefully) - keaner17
1000%. We've all been complaining for years that there's no one on the team that is shoot first.
Hundred percent. That was his opportunity to shine. He went for loyalty and not the killer instinct that people are referring to about Brock. I get it...It is great to win with the boys. But you need to tweak things and sometimes upset the apple cart as Torre did in the early years of the cup. - Nfdbulldawg
Yep! Islanders were winning Cups and Bill was still trying to improve and not standing pat. Getting past a team like Tampa needing something more.
[quote=Nfdbulldawg]
I would bold the answer but you’ve already done that. 😆
Doesn’t really matter what you or I think in regards to the no beard thing. It matters whether players want to play for a team that has these kinds of rules. A lot of them don’t seem to care for it.
