Islanders News: One day away; Utah opens with a win
The Duke is very familiar with Roy and is ready to be LW1. | Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images
Also, the Islanders will be good, despite what lazy talking heads will tell you. The first official night of the NHL season is in the books, and the Utah Hockey Club has joined the league with a victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. Their reward: a cross-country flight to face our New York Islanders for their first-ever road game. We’re almost there, folks. Islanders hockey is just one day away. Celebrate or mourn accordingly.
Over here, I’m excited. I think the Islanders are going to surprise a lot of people. Too many pundits are underrating the new additions and a full season of Patrick Roy. (Elliotte Friedman picked Roy to win the Jack Adams but also for the Islanders to miss the playoffs, which is (1) probably not possible for both to happen at the same time and thus (2) stupid.) Most are lazily saying they brought back the same exact roster that couldn’t score despite adding at least one bona fide top-six winger and potentially two of them. Lazily discounting that Ilya Sorokin was off last year, or how horrendous a head coach Lane Lambert was.
I can tolerate legitimate criticism, but they usually just aren’t. It’s never something like “how long can we expect Brock Nelson to score 30+ goals in his 30s” or “Kyle Palmieri hit 30 goals for only the second time in his career and he’s in his 30s, can he get close again.” It’s just “Islanders = same team = boring = some team I’d rather see in the playoffs, who I actually am going to deep-dive, is going to beat them out.” And when Islanders fans rightly point out how lazy their analysis was, the response never involves any sort of introspection; it’s always “wow these Islanders fans are crazy!”
I know it’s never going to change, but I use it as fuel for fandom—everyone needs a healthy outlet for their anger. I imagine the players, to the extent they’re even aware of this dynamic, would use it as bulletin board material. Stanley Cup 2025, baby.
Islanders News
Ethan Sears says a lot of what I wrote above. The line that this is the same old team—uttered most notably by a ghoul that used to be a decent insider, Frank Seravalli—simply isn’t accurate anymore. [NY Post]
Roy is a demanding and fiery coach. He always has been. But as Anthony Duclair and others who played for him in juniors or the Avalanche know, he meant well, but his approach is a little different now. [The Athletic]
Duke feels good about his ability to handle LW1 next to Mat Barzal and Bo Horvat. [THN]
Horvat, long-time captain of the Canucks and a natural leader from the moment he got here, was named an alternate captain, taking over the ‘A’ with Cal Clutterbuck no longer around. [NY Post]
Noah Dobson broke out to become one of the NHL’s elite defensemen last season and is looking to build on that even more. [NY Post]
Arthur Staple writes Bold Predictions for The Athletic, as the command from on high is to write Bold Predictions, lest the publications be deemed Boring. [The Athletic]
Three themes to open the season: Roy is in charge, power play good(?), Sorokin ready. [Newsday]
Eric Hornick’s NYI Skinny is back once again and has a season preview to offer.
Casey Cizikas: a smart guy.
Zeeker the @mets fan. #isles pic.twitter.com/4hK7FD33sE— ɱΔ₸₸ Professional Contrarian, or not (@unflinching) October 8, 2024
Elsewhere
Last night’s NHL scores include the Blues coming back on the Kraken, the Panthers dominating on Banner Night, and Utah getting its first win.
Sights and sounds from Utah HC’s first game. [Sportsnet] “Let’s go Utah” sounds like “Let’s go sportsbar” from those dumb Buffalo Wild Wings commercials. Good job waiting on a team name, Ryan Smith—a disgrace to my last name!
Jordan Eberle, a member of the Kraken after getting plucked from the Isles in the Expansion Draft, was named the second captain in franchise history. Congratulations, old friend—well-deserved. [THN]
After the Panthers’ special night, they announced that they signed Carter Verhaeghe to an eight-year extension. [Sportsnet]
The big news from yesterday before the games was that Igor Shesterkin rejected an eight-year, $88 million ($11 million AAV) contract extension offer. Atta boy, Igor. Get that bag. You’re worth at least $12 million if not $13 million! Hell, go for $14 million! [Sportsnet] They’re working on it, and he might prefer a shorter term so that he can cash in again, but pleeeeeeeeeeease let this drag out all year pleeeeeeeeease I beg of you, drag it out and bilk them for everything they’ve got, Igor! [Insider Trading]
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