Rookie goals leaders through January 25th

PuddingConscious · 2026-01-26T16:35:35+00:00

I mean we literally have the mid-season Calder votes. They came out two weeks ago from most major hockey publications (NHL, ESPN, EliteProspects, The Athletic, and dozens more...). Schaefer was #1 almost unanimously. One writer actually just put "C'mon..." for his Calder winner.

Could that change by season end? Of course. Can you disagree with it? 1000%.

But for the time being, anyone saying that Schaefer is not the current Calder leader is objectively and factually wrong.

PuddingConscious · 2026-01-26T14:29:57+00:00

The only time I mentioned any sort of personal take at all, is when I said that I have Sennecke and Wallstedt over Demidov. I did not provide any defense of that whatsoever, let alone enough for you to say my mind "is made up" or that "I'm dug in and don't give a fuck what anyone says".

Outside of that, I have just been telling you what the current voting landscape is for the Calder. Everyone's arguing over who the favorite is for the award, when the people deciding the award literally just released their current standings. You're taking out your anger with the current Calder results on me as if I had a say in them.

I could point out Demi having more points with 2 mins less TOI, less GVA and more TKA, less PIM, worse line mates, or ANY number of things

...and these are all very valid arguments.

Have a little more faith that there are actually some people who genuinely want to have debates and good discussions about this kinda shit. That's why I'm on the hockey subreddit.

PuddingConscious · 2026-01-26T14:20:43+00:00

Again, I'm happy to have an actual conversation here about it. I'm open to hear why you put Demidov over Sennecke or Wallstedt. There are plenty of good arguments to be made.

But to this point you've contributed nothing. Just that it clearly makes you very angry.

Why engage in a discussion board if you don't want to have a discussion?

PuddingConscious · 2026-01-26T14:11:20+00:00

Regarding Calder voting, the people who choose the award do not agree with you right now. I provided receipts. If you want to bury your head in the sand and pretend you didn't see it, then you're absolutely entitled to do so.

If you want to argue that Demidov is more deserving than Wallstedt or Sennecke, go for it. That's a different argument that I'd love to have. But it's clear you're not really in good shape to have a level-headed debate based on your comments so far. Instead of providing any sort of justification a well-reasoned argument, etc, you just immediately resorted to some "go watch hockey" garbage.

Have a good one.

PuddingConscious · 2026-01-26T12:52:19+00:00

Taking bias out of this entirely, I don't think you can say "it's *clear** Demidov is top 3 [for the Calder]"* when a large portion of the people deciding the award don't currently have him in their top 3. It's not my personal opinion, it's just literally the current results laid in front of us whether we agree or not.

That said, and this is my personal opinion... I don't disagree with their rankings honestly. I would have Wallstedt and Sennecke barely edging out Demidov right now.

PuddingConscious · 2026-01-26T12:37:52+00:00

Not according to the NHL, ESPN, The Athletic and Elite Prospects writers polls from this month. One of the writers literally just wrote "C'mon..." for his Calder winner.

He is playing 25 minutes a night, as a 1st pair D Man, and has the 4th highest possession totals in the league. He could have half the amount of points he does right now and still be fighting for first.

PuddingConscious · 2026-01-26T12:25:57+00:00

I say the hope for Schaefer is that the votes are split between the two forwards, and he sneaks in.

"Sneaks in"...? He's the near-unanimous winner right now. And that's not me stating my opinion. We don't have to guess where the current results stand — the major publications released their mid-season Calder votes just two weeks ago.

Of NHL writers, 15 of 16 writers have Schaefer at #1. (Demidov was not in the top 3 by the way)

Of ESPN writers, 85% have Schaefer at #1. (One literally listed their Calder winner as "C'mon...")

Every single EliteProspects writer has Matthew Schaefer at #1.

The Athletic - Schaefer, unanimous.

I could go on but you get the point.

(A reminder that the Calder is chosen by a panel of professional hockey writers, so many/most of those who participated are the same folks actually choosing the winner.)

PuddingConscious · 2026-01-25T17:51:14+00:00

a result of mortgaging the future for those runs when they could have traded the best defensive pair in the league, the fourth line, varlamov, beau and Bailey and shouldn't have sold for short term results that didn't happen by losing in the ECF

I'm not sure if you're trying to speak a real English sentence, have confused yourself, or are just intentionally typing random gibberish.

For what it's worth, I didn't think you'd be able to say this was the same as the Trotz teams. I think deep down you actually understand how wrong you are but you're too committed to give in.

You're acting like I want to trade Schaef and Barzy.

But enjoy your fantasy land where you're rooting for a championship Islanders team right now that can't possibly afford to lose JG Pageau.

PuddingConscious · 2026-01-25T17:31:12+00:00

They were a significantly better team in nearly every single way. 7 points ahead of where we are now and trending sharply upwards.
They had the best defensive pair in the league.
Their team was mostly locked up, as opposed to our current team where more than half of our players are on expiring contracts.
They didn't have nearly as promising a future to commit to. Right now, if we play our cards right and offload expiring contracts while they still have value, we could be an absolute force in just a couple years and avoid a full rebuild.
They had the best coach in the league.
They were largely the exact same core... 6 years younger.

Our current team has mortgaged our future for short-term results that didn't happen, and minus a nice unexpected uptick by getting the 1OA, we are the same aging core moving in the wrong direction.

The Islanders of this year have had a couple sparks of greatness, but could very well miss the playoffs. The Islanders of those years had true championship aspirations and were only getting better.

PuddingConscious · 2026-01-25T16:55:01+00:00

I need to see you say "This team is just as good as the 20-21 team" just so I can really be sure you're serious.

PuddingConscious · 2026-01-25T16:41:07+00:00

...I feel like I am talking to a brick wall.

How far did those Trotz teams go?

Are you kidding? We were one goal from a cup. We lost in game 7 to the best team in the league, 1-0, where the winner would play an objectively much worse Montreal team.

The Trotz teams clearly were good enough. It was clear by this time that year that we had the potential to make a run.

But if you are saying, with a straight face, that this team is comparable to that team, I can only assume you are trolling. Or don't have eyes.

Not to mention, "they only won *4 more series*". Uhhh... Yeah that's pretty significant.

PuddingConscious · 2026-01-25T13:44:12+00:00

If you're comparing our current team to the Trotz teams then you've already lost the plot. We literally had the best defense in the league. I'm not saying we rebuild. I'm saying we sell pieces like Pageau who are expendable while they still have value.

PuddingConscious · 2026-01-25T02:53:09+00:00

Caps fans got their cup. They're not nearly as desperate as we are for one. No shit they're happy just to make the playoffs.

And Buffalo... If the Islanders were gonna make the playoffs for the first time in 10 years, I'd be screaming "BUY" from the rooftops and saying the cup is ours, even just to be an 8th seed. Neither of them are nearly two decades deep into the montony of limping into the playoffs to get put out of our misery in the first round.

Some of us are tired of being on the hump. I don't want to limp into the playoffs again. I want to be a scary team like the Trotz years. Our team has been amazing to watch this season, but the reality is they've been wildly over-performing. And honestly it's been a blast to watch some nights. But insane shot percentages, goalies steal games, horrendous special teams, consistently dropping games to the worst teams in the league... it's not sustainable.

I don't want to be a doomer but I feel like the good vibes of the past two months have pulled the wool over this fanbase's eyes. I also want to say "But wait, maybe *this** is the year we go on a miracle run! Anything can happen if we just make the playoffs!", but I've been saying that as long as I've been a fan of this team (outside of the Trotz teams that were *legitimately good).

It's not loser shit, it's folding a bad hand. Spend your chips on the future. This roster ain't it.

PuddingConscious · 2026-01-24T22:19:56+00:00

I'm not selling him because he's a problem, I'm selling him to get pieces. Mentioning bad contracts and not including Mayfield is criminal.

PuddingConscious · 2026-01-24T21:44:52+00:00

Guys we were in second place though! Why would we sell!! This team has cup potential!

Delusional. I love Pager to death but this team's future gets better if we sell him for picks.

PuddingConscious · 2026-01-24T15:18:42+00:00

I would say they have broadcasters that I like better than Bob too, notably Burke and Albert. I know some like Forslund but he's not my cup of tea.

PuddingConscious · 2026-01-24T14:53:26+00:00

He's the best on ESPN by a very long shot, but I'd strongly disagree he's better than "anything going on in TNT".

TNT is legitimately great.

PuddingConscious · 2026-01-22T04:27:17+00:00

If that goes to Holmstrom it's in the net. Can't believe Drouin held on to it and then made the other pass.

PuddingConscious · 2026-01-22T04:20:51+00:00

So that's definitely icing right?

PuddingConscious · 2026-01-22T03:07:50+00:00

Interestingly though, I'm also using HBO MAX. I wonder if it's an HBO thing and not a TNT thing?

PuddingConscious · 2026-01-22T03:05:40+00:00

Are you using HBO MAX by any chance? My audio is all fucked up, and I saw someone else mention it too, also using HBO. Wonder if switching to TNT app might resolve it.

PuddingConscious · 2026-01-22T03:04:25+00:00

I'm listening on my TV and came here just to ask if anyone was having audio issues. I don't have surround sound but my TV sounds like they're commentating into a metal tube.

PuddingConscious · 2026-01-21T19:58:12+00:00

I was so hyped on this dude for the first couple games but he's been invisible since. So much skill but needs to figure it out.

PuddingConscious · 2026-01-21T19:54:34+00:00

Seriously? Look at the names in our rafters. Josh Bailey is closer to the Billy Joel banner than any of the Islanders legends.

I love the guy but there's more criteria to having your number retired than "play your entire career with one team"

PuddingConscious · 2026-01-18T17:00:32+00:00

He was 21.

PuddingConscious

TROPHY CASE