Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

Devils, Islanders Or Rangers?

03/12/2023 at 9:07am EDT

from Larry Brooks of the New York Post,

Is it possible, and I am just throwing this out there, that the Rangers at this very moment are the third-best team in the Metro area in this season, in which all of our teams are in position to qualify for the playoffs for just the fourth time in the 40 seasons since New Jersey joined the fray.

Disclaimer: No one is handing out the Cup today.

The Devils have been among the NHL’s elite since the third week of the season, elevated by the acquisition of Timo Meier from San Jose in return for a package that no one in New Jersey will notice is missing.

They continue to impress even with Jack Hughes somewhat diminished since returning from a four-game absence on Feb. 18, No. 86 with nine points (1-8) in 10 games prior to Saturday in Montreal after having posted 28 points (17-11) in the 15 games before sustaining an upper-body injury. New Jersey is 7-2-1 in these contests.

The Islanders have re-established themselves as mentally as tough a team as there is in the NHL. They have survived the teeth of the winter in which they seemed tired, beaten down and done in this league dominated by high-end talent. They survived that — Bo Horvat might have had something to do with that — and are now thriving by getting to this small portion of the season in which everyone is trying to adapt to more of a playoff brand of hockey.

continued, plus more topics like this...

Finally, I don’t get it.

In his life away from hockey, P.K. Subban seems to have charity for all. Yet as a studio analyst for ESPN, he displays the same disrespect for his peers as he did while playing with reckless disregard for at least the final season of his career. Eye-rolling apparently is the (much less harmful) version of the slew-foot.

KaszyckiandhisKrew

This is Larry trying to throw shade on his favorite team - Les Ragitants.  This could be a very interesting year locally.  I can't think of the last time all three metro area teams made the playoffs in the same year.   I am too lazy to look it up - but I think it has been over 30 years since NJD and NYI have been in a playoff series.  Isles/Rag$ was 1994.  But I can see where Larry is going with the article.  

NJ is going to be a powerhouse.  They just are.  And the second Hughes brother is not even on the  team yet.  The Isles are on their way down, due to an aging roster that is being retooled on the fly (See Horvat, Bo)   They are a lousy regular season team and a very good playoff team.  (i.e. - every team changes the way they play in the playoffs - the Isles play that way all year round.  To their detriment at times - because of the physical toll and guys not getting younger (Lee, Clutter, Bailey, Martin, etc)  But they have played meaningful games over the past 5 years (last year was a fluke) and you just don't want to play them.   TOUGH OUT.  But they are not as good as the Devils talent wise except in net where it is a major win for Isles.   Rag$ have the Broadway names - but this year - they won't likely play against the third stringers in nets for their opponents like last year.   Igor has pedestrian goaltending numbers this year - yet the NY Media touts him like the next coming of Gumper or Glenn Hall...and Vanacek and Sorokin have better numbers.  If Igor is pedestrian - they lose.  I think he is awesome though.  # 88 on Tampa is having an "ok" season statistically - but I would not bet against him vs. Toronto.  

I hope NJ and NYR play each other.  Is it me - or do some of the first round matchups have more intriguing storylines than the Finals this year?   TOR -TB???  MIN-COL would be a doozy as well if # 97 is healthy on MIN.

The buzz in the stands last night at UBS - when a bunch of us were discussing playoffs - a few fans feel that the Rag$ are indeed slipping.  One suggestion was that NYI would catch NYR in standings.  Not after last night's loss and Rag$ have 3 games in hand - see - what's so cool about this year Eastern Conference is that you are on easy street on Monday and in the dumps again on Tuesday and climbing up the hill on THU.   just stay tuned.  Its' a fun ride  - I enjoy watching all the teams play when I can.  Been a good year to watch hockey!

Chet

The Isles are a likely first round out unless they somehow get out of the wild card and into a divisional position, and even then, its tough. Maybe Sorokin goes .985 though, stranger things have happened. 

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Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

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