Last year, the Islanders led the National Hockey League with more than 500 man games lost to injury. That is a pretty obscene number, taking into consideration the fact that these human beings are professional athletes, and they should be physically prepared for a grueling 82-game season. I will not begin to point fingers at the Islanders strength and conditioning staff, as I do not know them personally, and I do not know if they are the reason things went bad last year. What I will do, however, is delve into the Islanders goaltending situation.
Last year, with Joey MacDonald and Yann Danis as the netminders, the Islanders had one of the worst tandems they have ever had in their history. On top of that, the Islanders iced one of their worst teams in their history as well, and it led to a disastrous season.
Now this is where the fun begins. Let’s just say, for arguments sake, that both Rick DiPietro and Dwayne Roloson are both mentally and physically prepared for this upcoming 82 game season. Both are considered excellent goaltenders, when healthy, and both have demonstrated the ability to carry a team on their backs. How significantly could their health, and play in goal, change the Islanders placement in the National Hockey League standings?
We must remember: in the 2007-2008 season, with an Islanders team lacking in talent and experience, Rick DiPietro was able to hold the Islanders in the playoff race until he was hurt in January. As a matter of fact, if we can all recall correctly, the Islanders were in sixth place in the conference for quite some time due to this stellar play, and were still in eighth place by the all-star break. That was quite the accomplishment for an Islanders team whose first line center was Mike Comrie! How do we know this success mainly fell on the shoulders of the ever-scrutinized DiPietro? Well, if you remember Nolan’s defensive system, and the tremendous lack of goal-scorers on that team, then you would see it was the defensive play and goaltending that carried that team to the first half success they enjoyed.
Dwayne Roloson, who has played for the Minnesota Wild and Edmonton Oilers in his past two stints with teams, has found some great success as well. If we can recall the Minnesota Wild’s best run in the playoffs back in the early part of this decade, it was Dwayne Roloson who led them to a strong finish to the regular season, and who carried them through two playoff rounds in the playoffs before they were ousted.
In Edmonton, Roloson was able to do the same thing in 2005-2006, when he carried that team on his back not only through a majority of the regular season, but without a doubt up until game one of the Stanley Cup Finals. Had he not be injured in that game, Roloson would have led his team to a Stanley Cup championship, in my opinion, and he would have won the Conn Smythe for playoff MVP.
So where am I taking this argument? Well, it is evident that both goalies are capable of stealing a decent number of games throughout the season when healthy. If both are healthy for the 2009-2010 season, and with the natural maturation of Okposo, Bailey, Tavares, Bergenheim, and Gervais, do you think the Islanders have a chance at winning ten or games this season than they did last season?
It is a pretty dry time of year to write, so I have decided to write this kind of ‘questioning’ blog in order to get the opinion of the readers. Feel free to leave comments or questions in the ‘comments’ section below by simply clicking on it, or send me an email at IslesNet@Gmail.Com.
Have a great weekend! If all goes well, there may be one or two more postings sometime throughout this weekend from Glen and I.
-Justin
5 comments:
I hate to say it but I think DiPietro is a joke. He has had some good times but not enough to justify his contract or the thought that he can be anything more than an average goalie. He just can't stay healthy and be relied upon for a full season. Roloson was a great pick-up and though I think he is on the downside, he still can fill in and give solid goaltending. If the team around them were better and more experienced then this goalie tandem would be good enought o get the Isles into the playoffs.
But are the Islanders trying to get into the playoffs? I don't think so. We just finished year one of a rebuild, and, in my opinion, after another good draft this year, we are really starting to add depth to this organization.
Even if Justin's "Mock GM moves" were done by the Islanders, I don't think they would get past the first round...again. This current team is unproven. Too many injuries, and too many call-ups last year that we lost track as to who was on this team.
Last year we filtered out the veterans who didn't fit the system. Now year two of the rebuild should take a look at the younger players and goalies, to see who fits, not wondering if the Islanders make the playoffs with the current goalie tandem.
Then wasn't signing Roloson a curious move? He's 39 and definitely won't be around to see Okposo, Bailey or Tavares in their primes nor see the Islanders make the playoofs at all. Maybe a younger goalie with upside would have made sense; someone like Antero Niitymaki. He still has the ability to develop into a NHL starter while also pushing DiPietro.
Not a curious move at all. Roloson can handle a full season, better then Niitymaki, and will probably steal a few more games for us. In the past Niitymaki's record, GAA, and save percentage when playing over 45 games is awful.
Roloson was signed just in case DP is not ready for the season, and keeps the Islanders competitive. The extra year gives the goalies in the minors some extra seasoning, but certainly need to prove themselves while they're down there.
But by saying you are in a rebuild you are almost saying that the results this season don't matter. If you want to rebuild then you want players who are going to be around when the team is successful again; maybe 2 - 4 years? Why sign Roloson to keep you "competitive" for the next year or two when Niityamki MIGHT do the same AND be a solid goalie in 2 - 4 years.
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