In an unusual turn of events, a rumor is circulating that the New York Islanders have sent in several appeals for player rating reductions that potentially could affect the results of the 2023-24 season. The annual uprate exercise seemed inappropriate for a team filled with also-rans, has-beens and never-wuzes.

The first and most obvious is reportedly for Alex Galchenyuk, who was recently arrested during a traffic stop in Scottsdale Arizona. The former early first round pick is said to have threatened to kill officers and their families while screaming racial slurs.  Does he really have Russian mob ties?

Jenna Ortiz of the Arizona Republic provided more details from the report:

"He allegedly showed signs of impairment and had a heavily slurred speech. When he was in the patrol car, he threatened to 'chop' the officers and reached under his seat before being handcuffed. He also made threats to call his connections in Moscow and have the officer's wife and daughter's kidneys cut out. Two hours after he made the threats, Galchenyuk told the officer he was making the call and then laughed and said he was 'joking.'"

Now you may think this behavior calls for an uprate in DF or IT, but the Islanders front office, while publicly known for excessive inebriation, historically frowns on criminal activity, whether in Moscow or Arizona (especially Arizona). Galchenyuk’s current DF is 68 and his DI is 75. Clearly, after this activity, Galchenyuk’s DI is much higher than is actually justified. The Islanders have reportedly submitted a request for the maximum DI reduction.

Stay tuned for additional Islander appeal information.