Are Islanders Fortunes About to Change?
After looking like they had finally reached a break through, last season was nothing short of a disaster for the New York Islanders franchise. Mid season it looked as if GM Garth Snow had lost his mind after surprisingly trading star winger Matt Moulson to Buffalo in exchange for Thomas Vanek. Soon after Vanek became disgruntled and was then traded to Montreal! After limping across the finish line in 8th place in the Metropolitan Division, Islanders fans had only a move to the Barclays Centre to look forward to!
But in the off season, a couple of moves have seen this team being pushed back into spotlight. Problem last season was that the Islanders were not a rounded team and aside from the star power of captain John Tavares and Kyle Okposo, the lower lines were not stocked with quality. In this off season alone they have in an amazing move acquired Boston D-Man Johnny Boychuk and Chicago Centre Nick Leddy who will aid both their scoring ability and will assist in adding quality to lower lines.
Nikolai Kulemin has joined from the Maple Leaf which gives the Islanders more strength on the left wing which is badly needed after losing both Moulson and Vanek last year. Mikhail Grabovski after an indifferent season at Washington also adds fire power after signing a four year deal from free agency. More importantly they have acquired goalie Jaroslav Halak which automatically boosts their quality in net which is badly needed after shipping 267 goals against last season! The problem was never scoring goals, the Islanders in fact had a better scoring season than their run to playoffs in 2012-13 and Halak has proven to be reliable in net, despite playing for three different teams last season!
Snow along with head coach Jack Capuano coped a lot of negative press last season but it appears that there could in fact be some method in the madness and the Islanders may at least be finishing a few places higher than last season.
But in the off season, a couple of moves have seen this team being pushed back into spotlight. Problem last season was that the Islanders were not a rounded team and aside from the star power of captain John Tavares and Kyle Okposo, the lower lines were not stocked with quality. In this off season alone they have in an amazing move acquired Boston D-Man Johnny Boychuk and Chicago Centre Nick Leddy who will aid both their scoring ability and will assist in adding quality to lower lines.
Nikolai Kulemin has joined from the Maple Leaf which gives the Islanders more strength on the left wing which is badly needed after losing both Moulson and Vanek last year. Mikhail Grabovski after an indifferent season at Washington also adds fire power after signing a four year deal from free agency. More importantly they have acquired goalie Jaroslav Halak which automatically boosts their quality in net which is badly needed after shipping 267 goals against last season! The problem was never scoring goals, the Islanders in fact had a better scoring season than their run to playoffs in 2012-13 and Halak has proven to be reliable in net, despite playing for three different teams last season!
Snow along with head coach Jack Capuano coped a lot of negative press last season but it appears that there could in fact be some method in the madness and the Islanders may at least be finishing a few places higher than last season.
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