Sansided
Eyes On Isles
Home/Editorials

New York Islanders NHL Playoff Guide: Dont Cheer These Teams

May 8, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Islanders goalie Thomas Greiss (1) and defenseman Calvin de Haan (44) talk against the Tampa Bay Lightning in game five of the second round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
May 8, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Islanders goalie Thomas Greiss (1) and defenseman Calvin de Haan (44) talk against the Tampa Bay Lightning in game five of the second round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 9
Next
Apr 16, 2017; New York, NY, USA; New York Rangers left wing Rick Nash (61) watches as a shot goes wide of Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price (31) during the first period in game three of the first round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 16, 2017; New York, NY, USA; New York Rangers left wing Rick Nash (61) watches as a shot goes wide of Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price (31) during the first period in game three of the first round of the 2017 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports /

New York Rangers

There’s a saying in Isles-Verse that we root for the Islanders and whoever plays the Rangers. There is nary a circumstance when an Isles fan roots for the Rangers. Unless, of course, it will benefit the team in some way, like playoff standings. Even then, we’re left feeling dirty and repentant for such treachery.

There is a constant nastiness between Islanders and Rangers fans that escalates this time of year. When the Isles are on a down year (when aren’t they, really), the Rangers and their fans become even more insufferable.

So we can’t actually say we don’t want the Rangers to win. No, it’s much deeper than that. We want the Rangers to lose and lose as badly as we consistently feel with our dysfunctional franchise.

Montréal Canadiens

It makes sense since the Canadiens are playing the Rangers that Isles fans would root for them. Within the framework of this series, that holds true, but when it comes to actually winning it all, we’ve still got a big no way.

Our reasoning lies in history when the Habs perpetrated a heist of the highest magnitude. Think back to April, 1995. Isles fans were still reeling from that Wales Conference final just two years prior. We were still reeling from the new alien irrelevance of 1940.

So after a disgraceful 22-win season, the New York Islanders decided it was a great idea to begin a rebuild(?) by trading its star, Pierre Turgeon, to Montreal. Montreal, wily, venerated and slick organization that it is, made Kirk Muller, grizzled veteran on his way down, the centerpiece to this deal.

There are a dozen different defining moments in the destruction of the Isles franchise and this robbery is one of them.

facebooktwitterreddit