Lubomir Visnovsky

[dyzfunctioned]

Oilers fan here and long time Lubo fan. Just wondering what the deal with him has been this season as I haven't had much chance to watch him on Long Island.

He's been averaging about 23 minutes per game and 3+ minutes on the PP and as far as I can tell he's been playing top PP. However, he started the season wtih 6 points in 11 games and since has only posted 4 points in 18 games. His +/- has been good lately and he has been shooting the puck a lot but only has 1 point in the past 10 games.

Breaking down his season in ~10 game chunks is pretty interesting to look at:

First 10: 0 goals, 5 assists, +1, 6 Hits, 10 Blocks, 4 PPP, 17 SOG, 0.5 points per game

Next 10: 3 goals, 1 assist, -1, 9 Hits, 15 Blocks, 2 PPP, 22 SOG, 0.4 points per game

Last 9: 0 goals, 1 assist, +6, 3 Hits, 16 Blocks, 1 PPP, 21 SOG, 0.11 points per game*

*Worth noting that the Islanders outscored their opponents 26-16 during this span, averaging 2.88 goals per game, yet it's by far Lubo's worst stretch.

Just wondering why his production has dropped off so much, just a little slump? What do Isles fans see from him next year?

Thanks for the input.

 

[PWJunior]

Visnovsky has been excellent for us. While his numbers may be down, he's been more effective in his defensive play. The Isles were a run and gun team earlier in the season, they're not playing like that anymore. It's been a team effort with different players stepping up seemingly every game.

The guy is as smooth as a baby's butt. He's teamed with Hickey to give us an excellent pairing that has taken pressure off of the Hamonic-AMac pairing. Visnovsky's addition has changed the defense corps in a very positive manner. It's not always about the numbers.

 

[dyzfunctioned]

Visnovsky has been excellent for us. While his numbers may be down, he's been more effective in his defensive play. The Isles were a run and gun team earlier in the season, they're not playing like that anymore. It's been a team effort with different players stepping up seemingly every game.

The guy is as smooth as a baby's butt. He's teamed with Hickey to give us an excellent pairing that has taken pressure off of the Hamonic-AMac pairing. Visnovsky's addition has changed the defense corps in a very positive manner. It's not always about the numbers.

Thanks for the info. Always been a fan since his days with the Kings and hated when the Oilers traded him. Was secretly hoping he wouldn't be signed and would somehow end up on the Oil again

 

[niccolo19]

last 4 games we averaged 1 PP per game. Game before that we had 1.5 PP, Moulson took a penalty 1 min into PP. Last game before that was against devils we had 2 PP. So 7.5 power play opportunities in 6 games is prob a big reason.

 

[PWJunior]

last 4 games we averaged 1 PP per game. Game before that we had 1.5 PP, Moulson took a penalty 1 min into PP. Last game before that was against devils we had 2 PP. So 7.5 power play opportunities in 6 games is prob a big reason.

Excellent point. We're lucky if we've been getting a PP per game lately. Visnovsky has been very good at ES with Hickey.

 

[Levi Walking Bear]

Excellent point. We're lucky if we've been getting a PP per game lately. Visnovsky has been very good at ES with Hickey.

At least the other team isn't really getting any either, so the Islanders are suddenly playing well at even strength , something that was missing earlier.

Glad you have a great time cheering the boys on last night.

 

[Nolanitis]

We have returned to the clutch and grab era over the past 10 games. I bet everybody in the league's production is down a bit with a few exceptions

 

[niccolo19]

We have returned to the clutch and grab era over the past 10 games. I bet everybody in the league's production is down a bit with a few exceptions

Yea i heard that. Last night Boychuk hitting JT and grabbing pushing him down on ice behind the net. Streit getting clipped with Seguins follow through, nothing called AND it drew blood.

 

[Felix Unger]

Last 9: 0 goals, 1 assist, +6, 3 Hits, 16 Blocks, 1 PPP, 21 SOG, 0.11 points per game*

*Worth noting that the Islanders outscored their opponents 26-16 during this span, averaging 2.88 goals per game, yet it's by far Lubo's worst stretch.

Yet, if you watch the games, it is his best stretch.

Lubo gets the puck out of the defensive zone better than anyone the Islanders have or have played lately. His only problem has been a reluctance to shoot the damn puck.

 

[dyzfunctioned]

Yet, if you watch the games, it is his best stretch.

Lubo gets the puck out of the defensive zone better than anyone the Islanders have or have played lately. His only problem has been a reluctance to shoot the damn puck.

Isles games aren't televised here sadly.

Interesting you say that as he actually averaged more shots per game during that stretch than any other at 2.33 shots per game. He's averaged 2.07 shots per game so far this season and assuming he played all 41 games that would put him near top 10 in shots by d-men this season. Even as is, he's 55th in d-men total shots despite playing only 29 games.

 

[cjdv16]

Agree with all. #'s are down the last month or so. It's been playoff officiating at its best.

They're really let the teams play. For a while, I struggled with it, but now, I'm okay with it.

Anyway, Lubo's been pretty good. Some gaffs here and there, but it happens to everyone. He's taken far less chances of late and I think that's part of it. They're getting scoring from up front so I think that factors in.

He's playing real defense and moving the puck which has been enough.

I'm a fan.

 

[19 in a row]

Loved the play Lubo made in OT to save a goal..the whole not reporting thing and our reactions seems like ages ago now..I took a look at the stats and following up on what some have mentioned in the past couldn't help but notice that Lubo is first in +/- on our team at +12 while Streit is dead last at -15... I know there are other factors and actually hope we do resign streit as a bottom pair/pp specialist if it is reasonable but this is as telling as anything to me when distinguishing between the two d-men and confirming for me that if we are going to sign only one of them we signed the right one...

http://islanders.nhl.com/club/stats.htm?gameType=2&season=20122013&srt=pm

 

[A Pointed Stick]

He has been one of the top four players on the team and easily the best defenseman overall from the group. If he wasn't here the playoffs would not be in discussions. I had originally called his addition a significant plus to the PP and that it might be what gets us in the playoffs in the end, but he has meant more to the club than that. Even for a small guy he has been good defensively 5 on 5 and one of the main reasons that part of the team's record has improved over the past 15 games.

And this is no insult to Hamonic who has really lifted his game up as well.

Signing him to a 2 year deal is also a significant kudo to Snow.

 

[PK Cronin]

He's been fantastic, so glad he's here. I think he's helped with the maturation of a lot of our dmen.

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

He has been one of the top four players on the team and easily the best defenseman overall from the group. If he wasn't here the playoffs would not be in discussions. I had originally called his addition a significant plus to the PP and that it might be what gets us in the playoffs in the end, but he has meant more to the club than that. Even for a small guy he has been good defensively 5 on 5 and one of the main reasons that part of the team's record has improved over the past 15 games.

And this is no insult to Hamonic who has really lifted his game up as well.

Signing him to a 2 year deal is also a significant kudo to Snow.

I think the addition of Visnovsky is definitely the key difference in the Isles making the playoffs, as opposed to last year missing out. Last year's team, it was painfully obvious that the Isles needed at least one more puck moving top four defenseman. Visnovsky provided that this year, and the results are speaking for themselves.

That's not to take anything away from the performance of Nabokov in net, or the play of JT, or the emergence of the Bailey/Nielsen/Okposo line. But I think of all those things, the Visnovsky addition is the biggest reason why the Isles are (more than likely) going to the playoff dance, instead of watching on the sidelines.

 

[Jester9881]

He's been great, and I think it's no coincidence that Hickey's play has steadily improved ever since Vis got here and they were paired together. I just wish Cappy would switch him with Streit as the trigger man on the PP.

 

[RMimagery]

From today's Islander's Point Blank...

"Visnovsky has been part of an upgraded defense this year; he’s a +12 with 14 points in 33 games since returning from Slovakia. He’s also got the best on-ice corsi on the team, 26th in the entire NHL, at +14.32."

Impressive. And I didn't realize just how amazing his save and clear in OT was.

http://islanderspointblank.com/ top story as of now.

He'd be an all star over a full season.