2021-2022 Around the League thread

[titans04]

I think it's fair to say the game has passed him by a long long time ago.  

[mfitz804]

1 hour ago, titans04 said:

I think it's fair to say the game has passed him by a long long time ago.  

I don't think this is an example of that, but there's dozens of other ones lol.

[mfitz804]

1 hour ago, MB3 said:

Lou doesn't score goals or make saves. 

Exactly, that guy fvcking sucks at being an NHL player at 79 years old. 

[titans04]

10 minutes ago, mfitz804 said:

I don't think this is an example of that, but there's dozens of other ones lol.

yeah, I was going with stating the obvious I'm deeply embedded in summer hibernation mode. Hockey coma from not having anything meaningful on the ice in well almost forever.

But in an effort to keep the train crawling along here, it can be looked at as another example if this is all he's done thinking he's made them better after he essentially tied his own hands behind his back because of mismanaging the cap. So his answer again is run it back and expect significantly better results with an older roster.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

2 hours ago, MB3 said:

This is SD levels of borderline slander. 

Lou inherited a team that missed the playoffs 8 of the previous 10 seasons (and twice in a row). That "good amount of talent" he inherited included his future Hockey Hall of Fame captain and 1st line center ditching the Islanders for his hometown team. The Islanders clinched playoff spots by March in 3-consecutive seasons, they hadn't previously clinched spots that early since the late 1980s. He went out and pitched the team to a franchise-changing coach in Trotz, added a number 1 goalie in Lehner, and were one GOAL away from very likely winning the Stanley Cup had they not run into the juggernaut Lightning in 2020-2021. If you listen to the players on the team, Lou instituted a culture shift that changed how every single player treated their job. Anders Lee on Spittin Chiclets said it's no coincidence that 10+ guys all of a sudden had career years -- those kind of changes are top-down. More was expected of the players, and they were forced to give more or to leave.

Lou doesn't score goals or make saves. But it's impossible to deny that he has a massive thumbprint on the team that everyone thought was fvcked beyond belief when Tavares left and he turned out 3 of their most successful playoff runs in 40 years from it. 

 

Like you quoted, I pointed out that Lou did a fine job immediately signing Trotz to be his head coach...especially since that particular coach can at least implement a solid system that can get more out of what he has to work with.  I think signing Trotz was 100% his best move since coming to the Islanders...not so sure the Isles have their run without him...right guy right place right time.  Again, I give Lou plenty of credit for jumping right on that.  

Lehner was a perfect one-year move...if anything, I give Lou serious kudos for NOT committing to him beyond that.  But take a look at the 2017-18 team, and the 2018-19 team...lots of solid young players were already there when Lou took the reins.  It's not like Lou came into an empty house...this one was pretty well-furnished...it needed a coach and better goaltending...Lou did provide that, but several of his other moves have been kinda meh.  

Let's not pretend that those previous Islander teams were dreadful...one of those "twice in a row" teams missed the playoffs despite accumulating 94 points.  They made the playoffs in 3 out of the previous 6 seasons before Lou came aboard...the two seasons prior to that one, they accumulated 101 and 100 points...yes, they had Tavares, but it's not like they had this long run of dismal seasons...only the season prior to Lou's arrival was the one that was truly dreadful.  And part of that was due to the volatility of goaltending these days...Griess put up a .892 save% in 2017-18, and then .927 in 2018-19.  

We know Lou rolls and his presence very likely had an influence on the players, but I'd say Trotz had as much to do with it, if not more...Lou canning him was a risky move, and that's the one that I think could really come back to haunt him.  

Like I said, I think this is a big year for Lou.  

 

And to add, not really fair to just isolate one part of my post...I did say Lou will leave behind an all-time legacy.  I've defended him many times, especially the balance of his Devils career...when SD takes his occasional shots at Lou and reminds us all again how stubborn he was, I don't even engage anymore.  But I simply don't look at Lou's body of work as the Isles' GM and think he's done this amazing job.  And I think he absolutely did some amazing things as the Devils GM.  

Edited August 22, 2022 by Colorado Rockies 1976

[Lateralous]

Oddly enough I think the team that could have benefitted the most from Lou in recent years was Toronto.  They let him go too soon.   He would have kept the tight structure that organization so desperately needs.  I doubt he bites on the Tavares thing at the expense of depth, he couldn't have done any worse on the contracts and in general I always thought he was pretty good at rounding out a line-up when he wasn't in cap-hell.      

[titans04]

One thing is for sure the fellas all still look good, clean shaven and hair not touching the collars (priorities have remained constant throughout).

[mfitz804]

 

[MadDog2020]

https://thehockeynews.com/news/arizona-coyotes-to-play-at-newly-named-mullet-arena?fbclid=IwAR1OPZeHuB5pS3Eb2zwDngBPMlIRy4lr6xWHsCqZ6PmUllKxyerLbrlfayU

[mfitz804]

7 minutes ago, MadDog2020 said:

https://thehockeynews.com/news/arizona-coyotes-to-play-at-newly-named-mullet-arena?fbclid=IwAR1OPZeHuB5pS3Eb2zwDngBPMlIRy4lr6xWHsCqZ6PmUllKxyerLbrlfayU

Something tells me I would be very disappointed by a picture of Donald and Barbara Mullet. 

[Satans Hockey]

Palm trees, shorts and sneakers is an interesting choice lol... 

 

[mfitz804]

Trevor is lucky that his balls didn't fall out of his short shorts. 

[Satans Hockey]

1 minute ago, mfitz804 said:

Trevor is lucky that his balls didn't fall out of his short shorts. 

Missed opportunity to have two beach balls in front of him? 

[mfitz804]

Also, Zegras over Makar is a questionable choice. 

[MadDog2020]

2 hours ago, mfitz804 said:

Also, Zegras over Makar is a questionable choice. 

It’s primarily because of the sick goal below. Zegras is an awesome player, but this is what got him the notoriety: 

 

[mfitz804]

25 minutes ago, MadDog2020 said:

It’s primarily because of the sick goal below. Zegras is an awesome player, but this is what got him the notoriety: 

 

The flashy, long messy hair California duuude look probably didn’t hurt. 

He grew up in Westchester and was probably a Rangers fan so I don’t like him. 

[Devil Dan 56]

3 hours ago, Satans Hockey said:

Palm trees, shorts and sneakers is an interesting choice lol... 

 

I like it, it’s something different. I’m guessing the outdoor visuals will match this theme. 

[NJDevils1214]

I'm less concerned with the cover and more concerned that the games have sucked and have had little to no innovation for almost a decade.

[SterioDesign]

On 8/22/2022 at 3:15 PM, MB3 said:

This is SD levels of borderline slander. 

Lou inherited a team that missed the playoffs 8 of the previous 10 seasons (and twice in a row). That "good amount of talent" he inherited included his future Hockey Hall of Fame captain and 1st line center ditching the Islanders for his hometown team. The Islanders clinched playoff spots by March in 3-consecutive seasons, they hadn't previously clinched spots that early since the late 1980s. He went out and pitched the team to a franchise-changing coach in Trotz, added a number 1 goalie in Lehner, and were one GOAL away from very likely winning the Stanley Cup had they not run into the juggernaut Lightning in 2020-2021. If you listen to the players on the team, Lou instituted a culture shift that changed how every single player treated their job. Anders Lee on Spittin Chiclets said it's no coincidence that 10+ guys all of a sudden had career years -- those kind of changes are top-down. More was expected of the players, and they were forced to give more or to leave.

Lou doesn't score goals or make saves. But it's impossible to deny that he has a massive thumbprint on the team that everyone thought was fvcked beyond belief when Tavares left and he turned out 3 of their most successful playoff runs in 40 years from it. 

This is framing things in a ridiculous way and ignoring context. CR1976 is right.

Lou's best move was hiring Trotz. And it was really a no brainer. He was looking for a job and there was 1 open spot. And then he undid his best move by firing him for not getting the job while.. while he kept giving him a worse and worse roster to play with.

I mean... Dobson and Wahlstrom were good draft pick. But they basically went around where they were projected, nothing crazy there.

Pageau was a decent trade too but not sure when its all said it done that it would have been worth what they paid.

Now look at the team once Lou took over. Every year (that they did well) what do you see at the top? yeah... almost ALL players that were on the team or in the system before Lou came in. 

Anyone saying that the success the Islanders had were all because of Lou are hilarious. Cause they want to give him ALL the credits for them SUDDENLY making the playoffs... but now that they are trending down and missed the playoffs, and so far he did NOTHING to make the team better... That's not Lou's fault though. That's some serious blinders.

 

 

Edited August 25, 2022 by SterioDesign

[Nicomo]

Ah sh!t he busted out the charts. 

[mfitz804]

3 hours ago, Nicomo said:

Ah sh!t he busted out the charts. 

You know I love me some hockey charts. 

[SterioDesign]

53 minutes ago, MB3 said:

More than a handful of islanders have said the change was a culture change that started top down. Guys who coasted stopped coasting. They all said it started with Lou. 

He won GM of the year two years in a row. I’m not framing anything nor am I ignoring any context. I’m just not playing the “well… ACKSHUALLY” game with you.

Oh so what happened last year? They forgot about the culture or something? And winning the GM of the years doesn't mean sh!t and anyone following these awards knows that. Litterally 97% of his roster was already there when he got there. GM of the year should go to someone like Dorion this year who completely revamped his roster. Literally no moves Lou made on Long Island were GM of the year worthy. None. 

missing the playoffs in X amount of years before and now suddenly making it is just ignoring context. Yes it is. Just like fans here claiming that Shero only made the playoffs once in X amount of years. Completely ignoring he was given possibly the worst roster and prospect pool in NHL history.

You think if Lou stayed in NJ that we would have made the playoffs more often than under shero and fitz? You think his magical culture would have saved us? Hell no. Our roster was sh!t. 

 

Edited August 25, 2022 by SterioDesign

[Devil Dan 56]

= If (AND (poster= “SD”, subject = “Lou”, ”Subban”, “2015”) “ignore”)

[Nicomo]

[Puckbuster]

13 hours ago, SterioDesign said:

Oh so what happened last year? They forgot about the culture or something? And winning the GM of the years doesn't mean sh!t and anyone following these awards knows that. Litterally 97% of his roster was already there when he got there. GM of the year should go to someone like Dorion this year who completely revamped his roster. Literally no moves Lou made on Long Island were GM of the year worthy. None. 

missing the playoffs in X amount of years before and now suddenly making it is just ignoring context. Yes it is. Just like fans here claiming that Shero only made the playoffs once in X amount of years. Completely ignoring he was given possibly the worst roster and prospect pool in NHL history.

You think if Lou stayed in NJ that we would have made the playoffs more often than under shero and fitz? You think his magical culture would have saved us? Hell no. Our roster was sh!t. 

 

I think he would have rebuilt the team sooner.  I think the reason why he left was because the ownership wanted to take the team another direction.