BY FAN FUEL – HOCKEY CENTRAL INSIDERS
In this week’s edition of Hockey Central Ask the Insiders, several fan questions are answered including which goalie the Insiders would pick to build an NHL franchise around; should the Maple Leafs rest their regulars and who deserves the credit for the success of the New York Islanders.
CLAY ROBINSON ASKS: If you were starting up a franchise and you had your choice of goaltenders, who would you go with, Price, Schneider, Reimer or Anderson?
Nick Kypreos: Despite the Canadiens end of season fizzle Clay, I’ll take Price as my go to goalie to build around. I think he’s as technically sound as any goalie in the league and more importantly unflappable. Even with a slump this guy doesn’t get rattled. Coaches and teammates ask of only one thing from there goalies. “Give us a chance to win” and up to about a week ago Price did that as well as any goalie in the league. That’s why I’d still pick him for my guy between the pipes.
Doug MacLean: Clay, I’m taking Price. I think he has best upside over the next number of years. He has it all. Skill, size and a tough attitude. This is a big playoff for him but he’s my choice.
Neil Smith: Clay, I’d have to go with Carey Price in the scenario that you’ve asked about. Not only is Price arguably the best goalie of the group today, but he is also the most tenured and is only 25 years old.
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DAVID ASKS: With the Steve Tambellini firing, who do you see as the next GMs who are in danger of being replaced?
Scott Morrison: Hard to say if there will be more casualties, but there has been speculation that Darcy Regier in Buffalo, Jay Feaster in Calgary and Greg Sherman in Colorado could be sitting on warm seats.
John Shannon: Wow, that’s a difficult question to answer David. I’m really not sure how many guys will be fired after this stub season. More importantly, I’m not sure any owner should be in any panic to move their GM after this season based on team performance, simply because there are too many outside influences in any team’s success (or lack of )over a 48 game season. No camp, compressed schedule, injuries are at least three excuses any manager can make at his underperforming team, and I think he might have a valid argument. That said, I fully expect four changes before the puck drops in October, but your guess is as good as mine.
Jeff Marek: I think Buffalo tops that list, as it seems Buffalo is about to undergo a significant facelift. And yes, I know the Sabres just gave Darcy Regier a new contract but as we’ve seen before Terry Pegula isn’t shy about throwing around money if he thinks it’ll help his team. Remember this is the owner who once mused if he wanted to make more money he’d drill another oil well. Former Sabre (and current Montreal assistant GM) Rick Dudley’s name has been whispered as a possible replacement.
Dallas may look at bringing in a new GM and if they do don’t be surprised if they turn to Brian Burke who knows the owner from his days in Vancouver.
Calgary’s had a horrible season as we all know and it may cost Jay Feaster his position and perhaps Philadelphia makes a move on Paul Holmgren.
CALVIN COLEMAN ASKS: I appreciate MacT will aggressively try and surround the core of his team with motivated veterans but, so will ever other team! So how do you get players on the Oilers to hate losing?
Brad May: MacT and the Edmonton Oilers have to make some tough decisions with respect to personnel. Are they willing to part with some really talented young players to re-jig their lineup? I think it will only take a few moves and the Oilers will have a better makeup overall. The real issue that will arise is, will free agents choose Edmonton?
That answer will play out this summer and will be managed by Craig MacTavish and his management team. Edmonton has a lot of great qualities to sell to these players. A history of winning, great young talent, a very attractive tax bracket in Canada, a new building on the horizon, as well as other intangibles. I’m sure we will all be waiting to see if these players are willing buy what the Oilers are selling.
PETER ASKS: How dangerous are the Ottawa Senators come playoff time if they have a healthy Erik Karlsson in the lineup? Are you shocked that he is close to returning?
John Shannon: Peter, certainly they will be more effective with Karlsson and Spezza in the line-up, but bigger questions will be IF they return, and how close to 100 per cent the two players will be, and how much they can contribute. Certainly, the Senators power play which has plummeted to 20th in recent weeks will be improved.
How shocked am I that Karlsson is this close to returning? Totally shocked. Give credit to the doctors, and probably even more to the DNA of an elite athlete in unbelievable shape. That said, he hasn’t played a game yet, and for Sen fans that can’t come too soon.
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Brian Lawton: First off a couple things like are the Senators going to make the playoffs? Check. Second is Erik Karlsson actually going to be playing? Not so fast on that check.
Ottawa is a very well-run organization that you can bet will not rush Erik back into play no matter what happens. The long term safety and future of Erik has been and will remain the top priority. Sorry fans, even trumping the short-term gain an Erik Karlsson at 70 per cent would clearly bring to the club. It just doesn’t make sense so don’t be surprised if he doesn’t make it back in this year.
Now if he is healthy look out. A fresh Erik Karlsson up against a tired NHL is not a match up opposing GM’s, forwards, D and goalies will be looking forward to. The results would be off the charts for Ottawa. Erik is that talented and proved it last year with his wire to wire play over a full schedule that netted him a well-deserved Norris Trophy.
This year was a fluke accident, sorry Eugene not withstanding your forensic results I just don’t believe Matt Cooke intended to kick Erik. The really good news is Erik is not an injury prone player and when the dust settles he will be back to where he was as a player with a bright future for a very long time.
I don’t believe Erik is anywhere near his peak yet so it should be entertaining for a long time for Ottawa fans. I just am not sure the entertainment will start back up again this season! If it doesn’t don’t fret the club has had an amazing year that has far exceeded anyone’s wildest expectations with the totality of the major injuries they have suffered to key players who are all expected back and healthy for next season!
ROB ASKS: Now that the Maple Leafs have FINALLY made the playoffs, if you were the coach would you want to rest your veterans a bit the last few regular season games (for example Dion Phaneuf has played loads of ice time) or is the danger that the team gets out of its groove?
Nick Kypreos: I wouldn’t over think this too much if I were Carlyle. If players are healthy enough they want to play, not sit in the stands. If you want to back off minutes that’s fine but these guys are amongst the most competitive athletes on the planet. Like you said Rob If they are feeling like they are in a groove, don’t mess with it. Every team and every player feels lulls in the season but over-all Leaf players feel really good about the season they’ve had. The key for Carlyle the next few games is to send them success reminders without derailing a single thing.
Scott Morrison: I agree with what Randy Carlyle intends to do, which is continue to push his team as long as the games are meaningful with respect to positioning in the standings, then rest the team. But I would be inclined to make sure any banged up players got some time to heal up and I might dial down some ice time.
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Brad May: If a player is hurt or injured I understand the caution a team may have by playing those players. But If I’m Toronto, and my players are healthy? I don’t mess with my lineup. Randy Carlyle doesn’t like to take his foot off the gas. So I’d assume Toronto continues to play their players and keep their guys sharp. Winning games and executing your game plan is the best remedy for a team’s confidence. The team playing best at playoff time will win. Not the best team playing at playoff time. This is the best time of year for a hockey player. I can’t wait to watch.
MIKE ASKS: Who deserves the credit for the remarkable surge happening with the New York Islanders? Is this a fluke due to the shortened season or has the organization turned a corner?
Doug MacLean: Mike, I think Tavares deserves the most credit. He has become a star. He is the key player in the transformation of this franchise. He has made others around him much better (Moulson, Boyes etc.). Nabokov has also been a key guy in goal. A number of young players are starting to mature. Things are looking up for the Isles.
Neil Smith: Mike, I don’t believe this is a fluke year for the Islanders. However they are still not a very deep team and injuries or departures during the off-season or plain bad play could put the Isles back in their familiar non-playoff position next season. As for credit, I would give most of the credit to number 91 John Tavares and a good job by the coaching staff.
Jeff Marek: There are a few. GM Garth Snow has done a nice job given limited resources and the feeling out there that established top end players do not want to play for the Islanders. He’s been in on the bidding for high priced talent but has come up short and ends up doing things the quick-fix way using the waiver wire to help fill out his roster nicely. The most notable waiver wire pick-up has to be Evgeni Nabokov, who’s been nothing short of sensational for the club. A great GAA (2.53) and save percentage (.909), Nabokov’s won every game for this team save one. Pretty impressive. But the person most deserving of the nod is John Tavares. All the offence goes through the Oakville native both 5 on 5 and power play. He’s a point a game player who leads by example on the ice. And where once his skating was an issue, nobody says he has a hard time getting around the ice anymore. Tavares is also very much in the conversation for the Hart Trophy as his high-end consistency has been wire-to-wire.
Brian Lawton: When you have the type of results like the New York Islanders have this year it is never just because of one individual or event. Generally it is a combination of a lot of different factors coming together at the same time.
In this case that is exactly what has happened. When you look at the history of what has transpired over the past seven drafts for the Islanders it is easy to say that they should be where they are solely because of the draft. It is true to a degree as the Islanders have had six top 10 picks in the past seven drafts including first overall John Tavares in 2009.
However, the draft position is clearly not the only driving force behind the Islander resurgence.
Garth Snow has been pounded along with the organization as a place that players didn’t want to play. Lubomir Visnovsky and Evgeni Nabokov being exhibit A and B. However all Garth has done is quietly defuse those situations and bring those players into the fold. He has given the Islanders a steady hand through many turbulent times for the organization and he deserves a lot of credit for where they are today. It is easy to Monday morning quarterback any GM but it is hard to actually role your sleeves up and come up with solutions to the problems. Garth has had the sleeves up to the shoulder many times in the past and the results are a thing of beauty to watch.
Jack Capuano is a lifelong friend of both Garth Snow’s and mine as we all went to school in RI. Garth and myself actually went to Mt. St. Charles together while Jackie played at a rival school against us. Jackie will laugh when he reads this but I will say it anyhow and it is no slight against him but he clearly is a better coach than he was a D as a player. To this I am not surprised as he is just a great guy. Jackie deserves a lot of credit for his communication skills with this very young group he has along with his understanding of the technical changes in today’s game. In particular I love what he has done with his forward group building two offensive lines as well as the work he has done with the development of his young D. He has been very instrumental in this run for the Islanders.
This leads me to another major reason why the Islanders have taken a big step forward this year and that is clearly the players. The Islanders have two dominating offensive lines that have led the club to success. When Moulson, Tavares and Boyce aren’t going Grabner, Neilsen and Okposo are and that has been a key for the club this year. On the back end the D led by Streit and Visnovsky along with Hamonic and McDonald have developed nice chemistry which is leading this young team to playing a lot more time in the offensive zone this season. In goal Nabokov has been the perfect calming influence this team needed.
Top all that off with the Islanders ownership on the way to solving their arena issues by moving to Brooklyn and the future hasn’t been this bright for the New York Islanders organization since Denis Potvin, Bryan Trottier and Mike Bossy were following the lead of Al Arbour and Bill Torey. And folks that is an act that has taken nearly 30 plus years to even be mentioned with.
Congratulations goes to all of the above and many others as winning in the NHL is a lot tougher than fans realize.