I get what you are saying. Just curious with that lineup. Who is Bailey replacing? Wally - NO, Parise/Bellows - Maybe that's about it.
LOL. come on really? So many people here are brainwashed think Bailey is a bad player, he is not. He has flaws but so does every single forward on our roster. It is more like who of any of those would displace Bailey. who has been a part of our core for years. With the exception of Lee and Garland unless you want to make a case for Wally and Beau for their potential not for their achievements, I could make a strong argument that none of those other wingers (not talking about the centers) would displace Bailey.
You do realize Bailey
- HIs lack of shooting has been duly noted he is not a goal scorer but has averaged .6995 PPG over the last 6 seasons ( people use .56 ppg career but that does not reflect the full picture since he was rushed then played in the bottom 6 with the Marty reasoners of the world which doesn't help when your forte is setting up a goal scorer).
- Last season was the first in last 6 years he was not in our top 3 in points and fell below .6 points (barely at .5946 PPG) after a horrible start and covid but he had 11 goals and 24 points in his last 30 games (.8 PPG, 30 goal per 82 so a strong finish) he is far from done.
- He was given an "A" by this team. That needs to be earned. We have heard numerous coaches and players single Bailey out for his contributions to the team on and off the ice. Enough that it is not lip service.
- Other players such as the 4th line showed noticeable decline. Bailey's style which is frustrating since not physical may actually allow him a longer career.
- Other than Nelson and Cizikas, I would argue he is our best defensive forward.
- I would have to pull up the stat that I had asked Eric Hornick look up and he tweeted, but over his career our record is materially better when he is in the lineup then when he is out (that point was not to say he is the driving force for us winning but rather that we are not better off when he is out. )
- He is also a .70 PPG player in the playoffs including 3 GWG.
- He has played all over the lines, jerked around by our fan base, yet you have never heard a negative thing about his character or from his mouth. He is a class act.
- yes he is an accumulator but he is 4th all time on Isles in assists and 8th in points.
He is not our worst forward, I hope guys like Wally /Bellows and Beau (still) make the big leap and Palmieri returns to prior form but until they do Bailey's job is not in jeopardy.
Side note and this is true. I was at Bandon Dunes this week about 2.5 hours south of Eugene Oregon. Some of the golfers here would be familiar with it, it is phenomenal golf. My caddy (you have to walk and use a caddy, I am not a country club guy )was asking me which NY teams I root for. When I said the Islander he immediately responded that he did not grow up a hockey fan and had to be told they were NHL players but had met Josh Bailey and John Tavares when Tavares was going into free agency. Said Bailey was one of the nicest people he had ever met, so now he follows the Islanders.
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Yes but the point is players like him should eventually be bumped down to the bottom 6 or even out of the lineup entirely. Yet here we are where Parise is out playing Beauvillier, Bailey is a main-stay in our top 6, and Bellows/Wahlly can barely crack the lineup.
Bottom 6 yes (Bailey spent a lot of time last year with JGP and Palmieri which would be 3rd line) but there are guys like Palmieri and Parise and Martin/Johnston that may very well get bumped even before Bailey. Lee/Nelson/Bailey are not that different in age, so the stories of his demise are premature. Bailey still has a few years left before he hits that cliff (Lee's style may mean he hits that well before Bailey does, his contract is the only one we have which scares me long term).
