Alrighty! We're a week into the season and two games are under our belt Islander Country! All in all, things are still trying to click for the team, but we're 1-1-0. It could be worse. A win is a win is a win. So, with that in mind, let's go at the Bolts tonight hard and get another win.
Before we get into everything else though, I'd like to tell you guys that if you didn't get a chance to check it out on MSG+ before opening night, try to find the episode of MSG Vault that played that night. It was called the birth of the Islanders and was really a cool watch. They talked to Bobby Nystrom, Bill Torrey, Al Arbour, Clark Gillies, Dennis Potvin, and Ed Westfall about the franchise's start. They also had film they had unearthed of the very first playoff appearance of the New York Islanders in 1975 against the Rangers. Apparently this was essentially the birth of the rivalry between the two hockey clubs. Like I said, a great watch, find it if you can.
On to more modern business, though. Al Montoya seems to be getting all the chances in the world to show himself as a #1 goalie and apparently his timing couldn't be better due to two words.
Rick DiPietro.
This poor guy cannot catch a break. If it's not one body part breaking, straining, tweaking, or getting surgically repaired, it's another. This year it didn't even take one game for it to happen. I really do feel for the guy since he does appear to want to try as hard as he can to make it back to the form he once had. He legitimately wants to be on the team.
However (and you had to know that was coming) at this point, as much as it might hurt the guy's pride to say, he will have to sooner or later know when to say enough is enough. This has been going on now for several years. It's safe to say that regardless of what part of his body it might be, it cannot handle the strain of being a goaltender anymore. Hell, he got hurt in practice.
Look, I don't wish ill on the guy, and I think it's sad to see this as the potential end for him, but sometimes you really do have to feel like his injuries sidelining him might be what's in the best interest of the team. He may very well not be up to form and yet again he has to be re-evaluated. Not to mention we've got several young guys waiting in the wings as well as Montoya and Nabokov ready to go on the NHL level.
I think at this point, even Rick might be beginning to see that and be willing to accept it. When this all comes to a head, who knows, but hopefully it happen gracefully and with class. Thank him publicly for his time, his service, and his loyalty to the club, and in the next breath announce that he has been asked to fill a role in the front office or in the play by play booth. Given the guy's personality, he would probably make for an interesting third man in the booth with Howie and Butch.
As always, however, only time will tell.
In the meantime, let's tackle a much more trivial issue. The third jersey. Realistically, the Islanders have not had a very good track record from about 1993 onward when it comes to jerseys. We had the fishsticks jersey that was probably more hated due to the on ice ability of the team at the time. Admit it, they weren't that bad, but they looked a hell of alot better with our team's logo on the front. Then there were the navy jerseys that weren't bad. They really were quite nice actually. Then Reebok came around and suggested everyone change their jerseys, from what I can tell. And out came the pajama pants jerseys were just WAY too busy.
Somehow, though, they got something right and released a vintage royal blue jersey as our third. They saw how fans clamored over it and made it our home jersey, followed by a white counterpart as our away jersey.
That brings us to where we are now. Apparently the powers that be either at Reebok or the front office decided the Isles needed a third jersey again so soon after getting it right again. One would assume that whoever is in charge of this stuff would learn from these past experiences and come out with something that the fans would finally like and give their stamp of approval to, no?
No.
If you're reading this you've probably already seen what the third jersey reportedly looks like. It's a black base, with block style lettering on the front saying Islanders. The only place the team logo appears is on the shoulder patch in the midst of a 40th anniversary season.
Truth be told it looks like a 1999 Mets Jersey.
Did anybody do any market research on this? I mean come on. I liked the black Mets jersey at one time but that was ten years ago. The whole black jersey thing is done and over with. Even the Mets are reportedly dropping the black jerseys next year in favor of a royal blue one with orange lettering.
Truth be told there are alot of fan designed jerseys out there that look alot better than what was designed to be the actual jersey.
If you want my advice, folks, don't buy the jersey. Frankly, just like the goal song, I don't care much so long as they win, but if you don't buy the jersey, they'll change it.
And when they do, try to push the idea of having a fan designed contest. Let them see the possibilities and then go from there.
Anyway, that's it for now. There's a hockey game on tonight. ALCS? NLCS? Pffft. Baseball season's over. It's hockey season.
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