Sure, it may not last the rest of the season, but you can’t tell me anyone, anyone, saw the Islanders being in first place in mid-January. I certainly didn’t, and I wasn’t as down on the team as almost all of the media hockey “experts” were to start the season.
So, let me just say this to all those hockey media folks. If you don’t have Barry Trotz at the very top of your Jack Adams trophy list, shame on you. He has somehow turned the worst defensive team in the NHL last year, into pretty much the best this year, with almost the same defensive cast. Yes, they seem to have hit the jackpot in Robin Lehner in goal, but somehow they have also turned Thomas Greiss into a solid 1A goaltender after what was a disaster last season.
In fact, I seem to recall a whole lot of tweets, even from fans admittedly, that the Isles went into the season with the worst goalie tandem in the league, mocking the Lehner signing.
Who’s mocking who now? Maybe, just maybe, Lou and Barry know a thing or two about hockey.
Like I said, they may not finish the season in first, but the Islanders giving us a playoff chase, and a good shot at some playoff hockey, was not something we expected. I’ll take it, and I’ll take my GM and coach thank you very much.
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