Last night was a crazy night. Last season in the press box at Keyspan, the Isles news that game my way usually wasn’t good, as I remember finding out that Snow was the new GM and I thought it was a joke by the Rangers fans there. Aside from that, there really wasn’t too much hockey news emanating out of there. But this year, or at least the past two days for that matter, the hockey fans have been going crazy considering all of the deals going down. Right after I posted the Guerin update last night, the game at Keyspan started and soon enough the Isles signed Comrie. I wish I could have posted again my friends, but I was too busy writing the recap for the Cyclones game.

Anyway, for the time being, my question is answered. Comrie will pass to Guerin and while some people have pegged Comrie as an under achiever, I think the guy has been stricken with Eddie Mathews syndrome throughout his career. I mean c’mon, the guy has been in the shadow of so many solid NHL players wherever he’s gone and has still managed to put up pretty good numbers, what else do you want from him? Now on the Isles, make no mistakes about it, he will be the first line center on the team and will score 65 points or more.

Bold prediction? Maybe so, but I’ve seen the little dude score some nasty goals over the past few years and he’s got the hands and overall makeup of a point a game center. I know some of you guys are thinking I’m out of my mind right now, but with this hearty helping of Whopper Jr’s yesterday [read my last post for more on this silly analogy] I’m starting to feel much better about this team.

Sure Fedotenko and Guerin have been inconsistent in the past and Comrie has yet to live up to his potential but that’s where I think the Isles X-factor comes in, Ted Nolan. This guy worked wonders with so many of the players last season and if not for injuries, the Isles could have changed their destiny entirely. What you have right here is a coach that is so solid that he brings the absolute best out in his players and gets them to rise above adversity. Not many coaches in the NHL can do that. That’s the main reason why I have faith that these guys will have good years on the Island.

On another note however, I still think the team need one more two-way center to man the third line before I’m completely comfy with the offense. Right now I have Shawn Bates penciled in as the third line center and in all honesty, while I think the guy can still be a serviceable NHLer, it’s not going to be centering the third line. It’s going to be either playing wing on the fourth and killing penalties or doing that somewhere else. Simply put, the younger guys like Tambellini, Nokalainen and Bergenheim need a chance to show what they have now and Bates either needs to cement his role or get out of the way.

As far as that two-way center goes, I’d go with either Scatchard or Peca. I think both of them can be had rather inexpensively and would both be well suited for the Isles gritty and two-dimensional game; hopefully more on that in my next post.

Posted under Isles Thoughts 2007