A Plus/Minus Plus: The Nielsen Ratings

by Brenna Solop

Every year there seems to be an Islander who flies under the radar, which is quite impressive considering this is a pretty stealth team as a whole. Amongst these gritty blue collar players and learn-as-you-go rookies, Frans Nielsen has emerged as an impressive two-way player. The quiet, unheralded Nielsen has built one of the best plus/minus ratings (and the best of the season regulars) on a team that gives away goals like they were those reusable go-green shopping bags. The plus/minus rating is always a debatable stat; many fans see it as deceiving or worthless. That may be the case on a team with half a dozen all-stars, but on a struggling team, it’s something that speaks loudly. And don’t forget that for a large part of the season Nielsen was a few points ahead of the next guy. Things have leveled out a bit more in the last few weeks, but the guy deserves credit; he was doing something right.

And “something right” has been a rarity for the Islanders this year, so Nielsen has been a pleasant surprise. The Great Dane (who probably weighs less than an actual Great Dane) plays bigger than his dancer-build body and shows flashes of brilliance even in games where he doesn’t register a point. He knows how to use his feet rather than just his hands and stick; I’ve seen him trap some pucks and travel with them all while keeping his head up and eventually completing a beautiful pass. He redirects the puck with inventiveness, helping to create scoring chances. He’s put up some decent numbers this season, and all signs point to him progressing nicely. Will he ever be a major star? Would be nice, but I’m guessing no. He’ll be a solid player who’s creative thinking will make everyone around him better. Kind of a combination of Trent Hunter infused with extra inspiration, the foresight of Streit, and the flair of Richard Park – well, maybe Richard Park of seasons past (what happened to one of my faves?).

All the talk surrounding the team will soon turn to the draft, where we somehow moved up a few spots in like, the last six minutes. I was sooooo ready for a top three pick, and okay with a top five. But nooooo, let’s kick some ass now that the season is ending! Yay! Great idea! Woo-hoo! Brilliant! Hey Sean Bergenheim, I missed you!!! What? You were here the whole time? Whoops, nevermind. HOO-RAY!!!!!!

Ahh. I needed that.

Back to the draft…it should be an interesting one. Let’s hope that Snow, Jankowski and team really do their homework and lock into a few diamonds in the rough. There are always Nielsen-type players in the later rounds; they may not be flashy, but they are play-making tinkerers with a lot of potential. Stop looking only at height and weight – start looking at brain and tenacity.

Size matters, but so does attitude.

****UPDATE****

Brrrrr…does anyone else feel a draft in here? Someone up in the heavens must’ve heard my whining, because the Isles are extremely likely to get that top 5 pick I was hoping for. I may have failed pre-calc in high school (sorry Mrs. Spiegel) but even I know that if the Isles drop their last two against the Devils and Pens, they will probably land in the 4 or 5 hole. That’s because the Panthers and Lightning, who are behind the Isles now, are playing each other in their last two games. One of them, if not both (let them split OT games – please!!!) would then leapfrog the Isles. Placement also depends on what Columbus does against Detroit.

P.S. The fact that I bring this up virtually guarantees Bergenheim will score a hat trick in both of the remaining games.

You’re welcome, Sean.