So, Felix Potvin is one of the elite goalies in this league, eh? Sure hasn't
looked like it.
When Potvin was acquired by the Isles in the ill-advised deal for Bryan Berard
last month, Isles GM Mike Milbury said that he would have a deal for Tommy
Salo done within three days, and that Potvin was one of the top five goalies
in the league.
It's a month later, and Salo is still an Islander, and if Potvin is one of the
top five goalies in the league, then I'm Obi Wan Kenobi in The Phantom Menace.
After allowing seven goals in two periods against Ottawa last week, Potvin
told the media he was refusing to dwell on his performance and the fact that
started 0-5 as an Islander and had a 4.47 GAA. He's been easier to score on
than (insert your own intern joke here).
"No doubt that was one of the worst games I've played," said Potvin, who
recalled a junior game in which he gave up 11 goals.
"I just have to get back at it the next game I play," he said. "This is not
the five games I wished I would have played, but you always have to look
forward. . . . I'm frustrated, yes. When you come to a new team, you want to
do well. I know I can get out of it, get some wins. It'd probably be good to
get a win, as well."
Meanwhile, Tommy Salo has reemerged as a solid netminder despite his hurt
feelings, and has muddied the waters quite a bit about who should be dealt.
The Islanders, for their part, are spin-doctoring like nobody's business about
Potvin's horrid start. Coach Bill Stewart said that his new goalie needs
adjusting after his self-imposed one-month layoff from the Toronto Maple Leafs
and the subsequent trade.
Potvin finally got his first win in Boston, overcoming a 2-0 first period
deficit en route to a 5-4 win. It was the first night Potvin had his new
orange and blue pads.
"I should have got them switched a long time ago," said Potvin, who'd endured
his slump wearing Leafs'-coloured equipment. "It's a big win."
Potvin walked out of the locker room with a smile that night, sporting a slick
brown suit and a cell phone. But before he talked in hushed tones about his
desire to be the top goalie on the Isles. "I hope there's a reason why they
bring me here. "
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Although most of the Islander players are struggling in this miserable season,
the most notable slumper has been the Captain, Trevor Linden. When he was
brought in a year ago, the talk around the Isles was that his veteran
leadership would not allow the team to go on long losing streaks. So much for
that.
After a decent start with the Isles, Linden has been in a prolonged slump. The
28-year-old right winger has scored once in the last 19 games. For the season,
he has 12 goals in 53 games.
"I started out well and when the team struggled I kind of followed that," he
said. "Finding the net has been difficult. It's been a tough year and we've
done too much losing."
Despite his struggles, the classy Linden refused to comment Sunday on the
recent firing of Mike Keenan, the former Vancouver Canuck coach who humiliated
him and then ran him out of Vancouver last season.
"No comment, I just have nothing to say," Linden said when asked if there was
any satisfaction in seeing Keenan get the boot, especially in that fashion. "I
think it's an easy conclusion to make."
