Pokecheque wrote:
Chris18 wrote:
Fast Islanders: Barzal, Engvall, Pageau, crickets. Although supposedly Anders Lee hit 23.1 MPH during a loose puck race in Game 4. He's looked a lot quicker than he did the year prior. But he was never fast and I wonder about the accuracy of the receiver saying he'd hit 23.1.
Oh, and the Isles have Julien "but he's really fast and was a 1st round pick!" Gauthier in the minors. They tried to give him a shot. It worked out the same here as elsewhere. He showed he's a speedy 4th liner who doesn't really like to hit. Maybe stick him on the 4th line with MacLean and see what happens. He's cheap.
Iskhakov has some speed and skill but at 5'7" or whatever, he'd better be able to dodge trucks like a winning round of Frogger.
Horvat's got some good wheels too. I'm kinda surprised the Isles didn't find a way to chip some pucks up ice and get him behind the vaunted Carolina defense, which doesn't look like a particularly fast blueline to me. Bowie took full advantage of the slow-ass defense (probably slowed a bit by Covid at the time) of the Blues in the Bubble playoffs. He had quite a few breakaways in that series.
And it's not really just about skating either, it's the ability to play with pace, which Roy to his credit got the Isles to do a bit. IMO a LOT of a team's ability to create high-tempo offense is from the blueline. You have to have some dynamic puckmovers, Winnipeg (and even though they're still alive, Toronto) proved you can only go so far with one offensive defensemen. So, Dobson is a good start, Pulock has some offensive ability, but beyond that I don't think they got much.
They have Barzal and Cizikas (above average speed but not "fast") on that line for the potential breakaways, but Horvat is used for his defense. Barzal isn't a great defender.
Mike Reilly is a good puck mover and better than I thought in the d-zone. Pelech is okay in the o-zone and used to be great in the d-zone. Romanov is good in the d-zone and okay in the o-zone. I hope they bring Reilly back and let go of Bortuzzo, who isn't good in any zone (maybe Auto Zone?).
This just in- Lou confirms in press conference that he's staying on as GM, and Roy staying on as HC. Glad about Roy. Not at all happy about Lou. People freaking out on Isles boards, saying they're not renewing season tickets for the same bullshit. Fun day!