nhl 21

New York Islanders: 1 Trade Option for Jordan Eberle

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New York islanders, Jordan Eberle

New York Islanders‘ forward Jordan Eberle has disappeared in the playoffs as of late. Well, he does more for the opposing teams than he does for the Isles. Once again, Jordan Eberle will most likely be traded due to his playoff play, or lack thereof. There’s a slight problem, Eberle does have a no-trade clause in his contract. But, this ends next year, and then he only has a 16 team no-trade list clause. Eberle might not have the best trade value due to his contract, but there’s a place for everyone. There is one destination I believe that would trade for Jordan Eberle.

Seattle Kraken

The Islanders roster is going to take a hit with another expansion team joining the fray. But, that doesn’t mean the Isles can’t fleece the situation as they did with Vegas. I believe the Islanders will protect seven forwards, three defensemen, and one goalie. The Islanders must protect Mat Barzal, Anthony Beauvillier, Anders Lee, Brock Nelson, J.G. Pageau. I also believe the Islanders will choose to protect Josh Bailey and Casey Cizikas. On defense, they will protect Ryan Pulock, Adam Pelech, and Devon Toews. And the Isles will protect Ilya Sorokin. This means players like Kieffer Bellows, Scott Mayfield, and Semyon Varlamov will be unprotected. The Islanders could trade Eberle to sway the Kraken into choosing a less valuable player. The trade could be Eberle and a 4th round pick, so the Kraken chooses someone like Grant Hutton.

Replacements

The Islanders can’t make this move without knowing they have someone who can step into the first-line forward spot. I believe Anthony Beauvillier will be on the first line by then with Barzal and Lee. I also believe Kieffer Bellows or Oliver Wahlstrom will play their line onto the second line. So the Islanders need a good third-line forward. Using the cap space freed up by Jordan Eberle, the Islanders can find themselves a legit sniper. Tanner Pearson is the first name that comes to mind. Pearson recorded 21 goals and 24 assists this year. He can be the goal scorer the Islanders have needed all along.

Conclusion

The Islanders roster works itself out with this one move. With the coaching of Barry Trotz and Lane Lambert, the internal players will continue to grow. While the trade opens up more cap space to get a better goal scorer. The Islanders should make this move.

New York Islanders: Lineup Changes for the Future

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New York Islanders

The New York Islanders are not going to win the Stanley Cup this year. The Islanders finally ran into a team that can outplay them for a full 60 minutes. A good coach and a good system can only get a team so far. Eventually, the roster must be improved greatly. This is the Islanders’ true problem and the reason why they won’t beat Tampa. Tampa is a more talented team than the Islanders. But, this doesn’t mean the Islanders can’t make a run for the cup next year. Their key pieces aren’t that old, and they have some good prospects. What changes should Lou Lamoriello make for the roster next year?

Forwards

The Islanders need a consistent goal scorer, but they don’t have the cap space to get one. This means the goal scorer must come from the system. It could be someone on the roster like Anthony Beauvillier, J.G. Pageau, or Brock Nelson. Though, I’m thinking like someone a bit younger and from the AHL. Kieffer Bellows is the first name that comes to mind. In his debut, he scored two goals against the Los Angeles Kings. One of these goals was an absolute snipe from 50 feet left of the net. Oliver Wahlstrom could also make his long-awaited NHL stay next year too. So, barring any major free agency signings, here are the forward lines for next year. Also, in this, we keep Matt Martin.

Anders Lee-Mat Barzal-?

Anthony Beauvillier-Brock Nelson-Josh Bailey

Kieffer Bellows-J.G. Pageau-Oliver Wahlstrom/free agent winger

Cal Clutterbuck-Casey Cizikas-Matt Martin

Defense

The defense is good, but it can be better. The Islanders need a better bottom line pairing because Nick Leddy and Andy Greene aren’t cutting it. Too many turnovers in their own end, and they can’t hold the blue line. One solution is Noah Dobson taking a spot. This is a move that all Islanders fans want. Noah Dobson is the future, and it’s his time to show the world what he’s made of. The other spot will most likely be filled by a free agent. Cheap defensive options include Mark Borowiecki, Luke Schenn, and Andrej Sekera.

Adam Pelech-Ryan Pulock

Devon Toews-Scott Mayfield

Andrej Sekera-Noah Dobson

Conclusion

Those are my predictions for the 2020 lineup. Obviously, I have a 10% chance of even getting one move right. Lou Lamoriello doesn’t let anything slip under his nose, and that’s never going to change. What are your thoughts?

New York Islanders: Recapping Game 4 loss

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New York Islanders

The New York Islanders have their backs against the wall following the game four loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Game 5 makes or breaks the series; everything the Islanders have in the tank needs to come out. Today’s loss was painful for Isles fans across the globe. The Islanders looked not only a step slower, but they looked like they didn’t want to win. Pucks weren’t getting to the net, and the defense was out of place. It all culminated in a downer of a loss for the Islanders. How did the Islanders lose today, though?

First Period

Tampa Bay absolutely dominated the first period. The Islanders only had six shots on the net, and one of them came after the final whistle blew. It was a lot of chipping and chasing for the Islanders. Something the Isles are ordinarily good at became a weakness in this period. Semyon Varlamov shined in this period as he always does. The highlight of this period came at the end where Cal Clutterbuck socked Yianni Gourde in the face after the period ended.

Second Period

The Islanders stepped up their play a bit in this period. After killing a power-play to start the period, the Islanders finally got shots on the net. Brock Nelson would open up the scoring by roofing one glove side past Vasy. A great goal after some great forechecking. Not even 10 seconds later, Blake Coleman scores and levels it up. Not even 5 seconds later, Ondrej Palat scores to put the Lightning up by one. The Isles could not cover the slot today for some reason, and it cost them.

Third Period

Tampa dominated another period, and it happened to be the most crucial one. Brayden Point would make the game 3-1 after Mat Barzal forgets to backcheck. Varlamov was great today, but it proved not to be enough. Not enough shots got on the net and too many defensive turnovers. Too many plays where a defenseman lost his guy. Half efforted performance from the Isles today.

New York Islanders: 3 Stars of the Game 3 Win

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Semyon Varlamov, New York Islanders

The New York Islanders have made the Eastern Conference Finals a real series. Game 3 was easily one of the most entertaining games of the 2020 playoffs. The Islanders played their hearts out, and it shows. A mix of desperation and frustration led them to clutch out the win. There were three stars that led the Islanders to victory last night. Their efforts did not go unrecognized, and honestly, I believe three stars are too little to show how good the Isles played last night. But, without further ado, here are the three stars of the night.

Semyon Varlamov

Amazing is almost an insult to how Semyon Varlamov played last night. Varly single handily kept the Islanders’ hopes alive. There were 3 or 4 sequences from the Lightning last night that should’ve been goals, but Varlamov stood on his head. I don’t know what changed for Varlamov from the regular season to the playoffs, but he’s just been fantastic. Even though he did let in 3 goals, there was a possibility it could’ve been 6. The Isles fans are 110% behind their outstanding goalie.

The 4th line

I have to include the entire 4th line here because, oh my god, what a game they played. J.G. Pageau was acting like a goon out there, and he’s a foot shorter than every other player. Not only did Pageau play like an enforcer, but he got an assist on the beautiful Adam Pelech goal and scored the empty-net goal. Don’t forget about the line clearing brawl at the end of the game. Victor Hedman had to save Kucherov from Pageau. Matt Martin continued his hot streak and played amazing defense. Great forechecking as well, as always, and he clocked Barclay Goodrow in the back of the head six times. Sydney Martin has got to be proud of her husband. Also, can’t forget about Cal Clutterbuck sniping Vasilevskiy to open up the scoring. 4th line looked amazing even without Casey Cizikas playing.

The “B” line

When the “B” line gets hot, it’s normally “goodnight Jim Kite.” Josh Bailey had two assists last night as he continues his quest for the Conn Smythe. Anthony Beauvillier scored last night on a beautiful play from Brock Nelson. Not only that, but Beauvillier assisted Nelson’s game-winning goal with a beautiful turn around pass. Brocktober came early Isles fans. Brock Nelson was in prime form last night and would win the game for the Isles. The second line continues to be dangerous.

Honorable Mention

Also, as an honorable mention, what a game for Adam Pelech. Pelech scored his first career playoff goal, so congratulations to him. It was a total snipe, and it got all the Islanders fans excited. Especially the #pelechposse created by Jake Basile (a.k.a. @BathtubJake on Instagram). Pelech was thumping too, a bunch of big hits for the big man. Great game from a shutdown defenseman.

New York Islanders: 2 Keys to Winning Game 3

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New York Islanders, Brock Nelson

The New York Islanders‘ only have one choice tonight, and that is to win. If the Islanders go down 3-0 in the series, it’s “goodnight Jim Kite.” Game 2 was winnable; it all came down to one costly turnover by Andy Greene in the last 10 seconds. The Islanders have little room for mistakes tonight, but they do have some help. Brayden Point is a game-time decision. Also, Alex Killorn is out to his cheap hit against Brock Nelson. However, Vasilevskiy is playing. There are two keys to winning tonight’s game that the Islanders must follow.

Shooting Stick Side

Andrei Vasilevskiy is almost unstoppable. The keyword is unstoppable; there’s a weakness in every good goalie’s play. For Vasy, it’s definitely his short side. I mean, it’s the only spot the Islanders have been able to confidently score on. His five-hole is too strong on breakaways, and his glove is everywhere. There’s only one way to combat this: lift the puck to his short side. Get a low shot rebound from the right-winger and let the left-winger or center clean up the rebound and put it in the toy department. The Islanders cannot shoot it into his chest and hope it trickles in. This is not a 22-year-old goalie, this is one of the best goalies in the NHL for at least the last decade.

Getting Pucks in Deep

The Islanders’ forecheck is one of the best in the league. Those “pesky” Isles, as everyone calls them, are phenomenal at creating turnovers through the forecheck. Not only do the Islanders have power, but they’re very fast through all four lines. The second line is so good at creating turnovers. And the fourth line is the best forechecking line in the league. The Islanders must get the pucks in deep.

Conclusion

There’s not much to it; the Islanders must deliver tonight to keep their season alive. No matter what the outcome is, the Islanders have had a hell of a season, and Isles’ fans must be proud.

New York Islanders: Will Noah Dobson Get the Starting Spot Next Year?

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New York Islanders, Noah Dobson

New York Islanders‘ defenseman Noah Dobson is close to NHL ready. There’s one problem for Dobson, though; there’s a million other defensemen on the roster. The Islanders have established defensemen like Nick Leddy and Johnny Boychuk. Both of those defenders have long, expensive contracts. This makes them hard to trade and lowers Dobson’s chances of starting a lot.  How can Noah Dobson start next year?

Have a Strong Training Camp

Training camp is a time for unproven draft picks, old veterans, and undrafted free agents to show that they have what it takes. Noah Dobson is no different. Just because he was the number 12th overall pick doesn’t mean he gets a hall pass. Dobson has to give it his all on every single rep and take the spot away. Last year, general manager Lou Lamoriello has stated that he would give Dobson every shot to make the team. It won’t be as hard to make the team for Dobson, but it will still be a challenge, especially if he wants to be in the top 6. Sliding in with Nick Leddy or whoever stays around isn’t a gift; he will have to earn every minute.

Trading Talent

There are a few defenders that need to go if Noah Dobson wants a shot of making the team. Nick Leddy has the most trade value out of all those defenders. If the Islanders can unload Nick Leddy off for someone like Tomas Tatar, Dobson moves up in the depth chart. Johnny Boychuk already has one foot in the grave. Andy Greene took his spot for the playoffs indefinitely. Boychuk doesn’t have much trade value; he’s old and costs a lot of money. It would be nice for the Islanders to trade Boychuk due to cap space problems, but it’s unlikely.

Conclusion

Noah Dobson has a good shot to start next year, but he has to work for it. There are many obstacles in front of him, but adversity builds character.

New York Islanders: Matchup Analysis with Tampa

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New York Islanders, Johnny Boychuk

The New York Islanders are in the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 27 years. That means for Islander fans who are between the ages of 1-27, this is the most exciting moment of your lives. It’s by far the best team they’ve put on the ice since the dynasty. Also, this team has the best coach the NHL has seen since the dynasty. I mean, if you match up this year’s team and the dynasty’s team, there’s a lot of parallels. But, the Islanders aren’t playing against the dynasty teams; they’re playing Tampa Bay. The Tampa Bay Lightning is an up and down team for sure. Many years with deep runs, early exits after being the best team in the regular season, and one year ended with them just missing out on glory. How well do the Islanders match up with Tampa?

Forwards

I believe that Tampa is more talented on the forward side of the spectrum. Tampa has forwards like Brayden Point, Nikita Kucherov, and Yianni Gourde. This Tampa forward group is insanely gifted and can put up a bunch of points, but are they better together than the Islanders?

Yes, I’m talking about chemistry, something that every team needs to win. The Islanders’ second and fourth lines have the best chemistry I’ve ever seen. Tampa is currently missing their best centerman, Steven Stamkos, but that hasn’t stopped them from gelling as a group. Long time players like Tyler Johnson and Ondrej Palat have kept the chemistry in check. I think this could go down the middle, but talent-wise the Lightning are the better forward group.

Defenseman

I don’t care if the other team has Roman Josi, Victor Hedman, Drew Doughty, and John Carlson; the Islanders are a better defensive team. Especially when the Islanders defenseman is jumping up, they’re dangerous. On the other hand, the Lightning defenseman jumps up too often. And the Islanders have the speed to make the Lightning pay. If Anthony Beauvillier gets through a defensive pinch, it’s a 90% chance that’s a goal. The Lightning have more known names in their defensive group, but names don’t mean anything in the Playoffs.

Goalies

Andrei Vasilevskiy, that’s really all there is to it. He’s been one of the best goalies of the 2010s. When he’s on fire, there’s not much you can do. And the Islanders are somehow cycling through goalies, and they’re in the final four. It shows you the power of Barry Trotz.

New York Islanders: Barry Trotz must Change the Lineup for Game 7

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New York islanders, Jordan Eberle

The New York Islanders have blown their 3-1 lead against the Philadelphia Flyers. Game 7 is on Saturday, and the Islanders need to make some lineup changes. With little to no momentum on their side, the Islanders need to come out swinging. Not literally swinging, but pressuring the Flyers as they did in game 1. I’ve penciled in 3 lineup changes that I believe are detrimental for the Islanders to close out the series.

Thomas Greiss

Before overtime, the Flyers had 20 shots on net, and the Islanders had 50. What was the score, you wonder? 4-4. One out of every five shots that the Flyers took went in. This is not how you win a series. Thomas Greiss is the only solution to this problem. Greiss made some huge saves during game four as the Islanders took a 3-1 lead in the series. Griess isn’t always the most reliable, but Varlamov isn’t either right now. It’s a risky move for sure, but I believe this change must occur.

Tom Kuhnhackl

Tom Kuhnhackl was excellent against the Florida Panthers and was only taken out because of the Isles’ inability to stop the power-play. Now, the Flyers’ power-play is even worse than the Islanders’. Komarov isn’t better than Kuhnhackl on offense, and the offense is what the Islanders need right now. Kuhnhackl’s forechecking works perfectly with Pageau’s ability to jump up on the defense. You can either play Kuhnhackl and get more offense or stick with Komarov and see what works.

Jordan Eberle

Jordan Eberle had at least four chances to end the series last night. Playoff Eberle has fallen off the map completely. He’s taking enough shots, but none of them are going in. I believe he has to move down a line. I don’t know who you would move up because the “B-B-B” line is doing so well. Maybe moving Josh Bailey up a line is the right move, but that’s Trotz’s decision.

Conclusion

The Islanders only have one more shot at winning this series. This is the biggest game in Islanders’ history in 27 years. The pressure is on.

New York Islanders: 3 Possible Forward Options in Free Agency

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New York Rangers, Jesper Fast

The New York Islanders are still in the playoffs; they currently have a 3-2 lead over the Philidelphia Flyers. This doesn’t mean we can’t look ahead into free agency to see who Lou Lamoriello should target. This free-agent class is either a boom or bust, but not because of whos available. This class doesn’t favor the Islanders as it’s defenseman heavy. Could the Islanders go after another defenseman? Sure, is it likely, though? Probably not, but there are some good wingers left that the Islanders could use. I’m not including Mike Hoffman on this list due to originality.

Jesper Fast

Jesper Fast has been archrivals with the Islanders since his debut with the New York Rangers in 2013. Fast is not that perennial goal scorer who all Islanders’ fans want, but that doesn’t mean he can’t score. Putting Fast on the 3rd line with JG Pageau would strike fear into the hearts of the opposition. Like it says in his name, Fast is fast. Fast is a speedy winger who has great hands to dangle around defenseman. Not only that, but he’s solid on defense. Barry Trotz asks of one thing from all his players: play defense. Fast is an excellent option to sure up that 3rd line winger spot for cheap money.

Evgenii Dadonov

If you look past Mike Hoffman (and Taylor Hall), his teammate Evgenii Dadonov is the best winger in this class. Since returning to the NHL, Dadonov has put up three seasons in a row with 25+ goals. In 2019, Dadonov recorded a career-high 70 points. This move means Lamoriello must pay big money. Elite snipers on the wing don’t come cheap. And the Islanders aren’t in the best spot in terms of cap space. In a perfect world, though, Dadonov signs and plays on the 1st line with Mat Barzal and Jordan Eberle. And Anders Lee gets demoted to the second line because Dadonov is left-handed. If Lamoriello somehow pulls this move off, it will only further his Hall of Fame legacy.

Valeri Nichushkin

Since joining the Colorado Avalanche, Valeri Nichushkin’s career has had some kind of a renaissance. In 2018, with the Dallas Stars, Nichushkin picked up just 10 assists in 57 games. But, this year, Nischushkin recorded 13 goals and 14 assists. Nischushkin is a solid defensive forward with a boatload of potential. I could see him filling out the 3rd line right winger spot, or even a 4th line spot. Yes, I know Ross Johnston exists, that doesn’t mean I believe Johnston should play all 82 games though. This is a cheap move for the Isles, and it makes a lot of sense.

Conclusion

There are wingers in free agency who are not named Taylor Hall or Mike Hoffman. Remember, just because they’re a big name doesn’t mean they fit with every team.

New York Islanders: How the Islanders can Win Game 6

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New York Islanders, Islanders

The New York Islanders are one win away from making the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 27 years. The problem is, the Philidelphia Flyers aren’t ready to roll over. The Islanders were atrocious in game 5. The Islanders cannot repeat that performance; there cannot be a game 7. There are some mistakes the Islanders need to fix if they want to take the next step to the dance of immortals.

Breakout Passes

The Islanders have a lot of trouble breaking out of their own zone, especially in overtime. This is an elementary problem that is an easy fix. But, this one simple problem could be the end of this Cinderella run. A breakout pass creates offense and takes the pressure off the defense. If a team can break out of their own zone, they most likely will live to see another shift. That’s two overtime’s in a row where a line got caught on a long shift, and the Isles paid the price. Barry Trotz isn’t stressing over the little things, but the teams who perfect the little things win championships. This problem is not about the system, it’s the players.

Faceoffs in Big Moments

The Islanders are loaded at the center position, and they win a lot of faceoffs in regular time. Once overtime came around, the Flyers won almost every faceoff. If you have JG Pageau, Brock Nelson, and Derick Brassard on the same roster, there is no excuse to lose multiple faceoffs in a row. That’s normally why the powerplay conversion percentage is so low. If you lose the faceoff, it takes another 20 seconds to get back into the offensive zone. The same thing goes for overtime; the Islanders must win more than half of the faceoffs.

Fighting Screens

The Flyers might have three actual goals all series. Every Flyers’ goal has been some sort of tip-in. There is way too much traffic in front of Semyon Varlamov. Varlamov is a great goalie who has been on fire, but it’s hard to stop a 101MPH slapshot when five guys are in your face. The Islanders need to start using their bodies more. Ryan Pulock, Anders Lee, and Matt Martin are all big guys who have to use their bodies more. If you can move people out of the crease, Varlamov will have a field day.

Conclusion

The Islanders need to shore up on the little things before they can think about the big things. It all starts with the fundamentals of the game. Barry Trotz will whip them into winning shape, so Isles fans, there is no need to worry.