It would be a huge understatement to say the Islanders have had things rough this season.

Nevertheless, I really like the attitude Islanders head coach Scott Gordon has had with the team this season.

We’ve all seen the frustration on his face mounting after every goal against, every injury and every miscue, but in spite of all of it, I truly believe the youngsters on this team are getting better and that Gordon’s system and coaching style has a lot to do with it.

“We could have easily deflated after our losing streak in December,” Gordon told the Associated Press a few days ago. “The one thing I stress to our players is we’re trying to build something here for next year, and I’m not going to stop coaching and trying to get our team to be better and I expect the same from all our players, but particularly the ones who are going to be here next year.”

If you’re a fan of this team, regardless of everything that has happened over the past two years, that should make you feel a little comfortable. Well, as comfortable as you can feel right now.

With the trading deadline on the way as well, the Islanders will have an opportunity to build the team more in Gordon’s image as well, which should, barring another crazy amount of injuries next season, make the Islanders much more competitive and much more fun to watch.

“What we want are players who will work through this adversity,” Gordon told the AP. “The circumstances we’ve had to go through with injuries… we’ve had some hurdles, and it’s how we’re going to handle adversity. One of the key areas is our character and not breaking away from what we want our team identity to be.”

I think that over the next 21 games, that identity will begin to be forged. One based on grit, speed and hard work, with guys like Mark Streit, Trent Hunter and Kyle Okposo leading the way and players the likes of Frans Neilsen, Sean Bergenheim and Josh Bailey not too far behind. Add in a good draft and the Islanders will be on the way to righting this ship and making sure they can build a consistent winner and not one that has to be destroyed every four years.

Having Rick DiPietro healthy for a change wouldn’t be so bad either.

Posted under 2008-2009, Isles Thoughts 2009

Definitely a fun one to watch if you ask me.

However, it didn’t have to be that way. I understand that the Islanders season is a lost one, but the way Yann Danis has been playing, you have to keep him in between the pipes. Nothing against Joey MacDonald, but he hasn’t been as good as Danis lately. Last night, he gave up a few softies, especially early on that played a huge part in the game. Had he made those saves [I'm talking about the Nikolai Kulemin and Dominic Moore goals especially], the Isles would have been in a much better situation to take two points.

After the first period, I think the Islanders were definitely the better team. Sean Bergenheim and Kyle Okposo played their hearts out all night, even though I’d like to see them both finish a bit more. Mark Streit continues to hold down the fort and what can I say about Jon Sim. What crawled up his uniform and told him to score lately? Anyone who knows anything about the NHL knows that when he uses it, Sim has one of the nastiest wrist shots in the business. It’s just a matter of him using it. Well, Vesa Toskala found that out first hand last night.

I’m not sure how many people know this, but Sim still has a year left on his contract and considering the fact that the Isles are stuck with him [they sent him through waivers early in the season and no one picked him up], it’s good that he’s been producing lately. Nothing wrong with three goals in four games if you ask me.

It was also pretty cool to see Dean McAmmond pot one as well. Over the next 21 games, McAmmond will have an opportunity to prove to the rest of the league that he can still play in this league. Like I said before on the site, I’d have no problem with him anchoring the fourth line, where he should be able to score a dozen goals and add 15 or so assists if he’s healthy and doesn’t revert to the type of play that led to his exodus from Ottawa. Plus, he’s been around the league enough to be a good mentor to some of the young guys. With Mike Sillinger’s Islanders career most likely over, it makes sense if they keep him.

Despite the loss, it was good to see all those positives for a change. Let’s hope they can cut down on some of the mistakes they made [I thought the defense was a bit too lax as well, especially after how well they played against the Pens the other night] and give us some more offense. If that happens, the last 21 games should at least be entertaining to watch.

Posted under 2008-2009, Post Game Rants

Yann Danis is a golden god. I’m not just saying that because I’m dead sick with the flu and have watched “Almost Famous” three times in the past two days.

He’s been that good this season and last night, he was great.

However, a Petr Sykora goal late in the third was enough to ruin an otherwise spectacular night from the Isles goaltender in a 1-0 loss to the Pens.

The first period was a weird one, as neither team did much to establish a forecheck or any type of advantage. Danis did a solid job, especially of handling his rebounds, but Pittsburgh made his job way too easy. I don’t know what the book is on Danis, but the Penguins were taking shots from extremely high in the offensive zone and to no avail. It was almost like they got a tip that the guy can’t stop the shot from the point. I don’t know where they got their information and it obviously didn’t pay off for them, as both teams skated in their respective locker rooms with the game still scoreless.

The Islanders were far too timid in the first, but started to get going over the last few minutes in the first, getting several good scoring opportunities. Sean Bergenheim and Radek Martinek had great chances in the second, which was played with much more vigor, but couldn’t convert. The Islanders powerplay failed to even amount a shot on goal in the period, keeping the game scoreless. The team’s second powerplay wasn’t much better, as the Isles couldn’t get a decent shot off. As a matter of fact, they could barely stay in Pittsburgh’s zone.

Overall, while I thought the Penguins were the better team in the first, the Islanders skated much harder in the second period, making the third period an interesting one to watch. Remember, the Penguins needed this win big time, while the Islanders youngsters are doing everything they can to prove themselves. There was a lot at stake here. However, the element of desperation just wasn’t really there going into the the third period.

The beginning of the third was a bit different though, as the Islanders came out with some jam and it was there where Marc-Andre Fleury earned his paycheck for the night, making several high-quality saves. The Isles got another powerplay opportunity after a few minutes, but that was wasted once Brendan Witt was thrown on the ice as a screen in front of the net. I don’t know guys, why would Isles head coach Scott Gordon put Witt, a guy with 23 career goals on the powerplay in a 0-0 game? I know it’s not the first time he’s done it this season, but it makes as much sense as openly admitting that you enjoy listening to George Michael. Not a way to produce offense if you ask me.

Evgeni Malkin nailed a post around the midway point of the third and even had a powerplay opportunity afterwards, but they too couldn’t light the lamp, mostly due to Danis’ play rather than anything the Penguins were doing.

Things started to change soon afterwards, as the Penguins were beginning to fly on the ice. Sykora then made the Isles pay and that was enough to spoil an amazing effort by Danis.

Not fair, but that’s the way the cookie crumbles sometimes.

Posted under 2008-2009, Post Game Rants

For years, Islanders owner Charles Wang has been trying to get the Islanders a new building. Even when the Islanders were making the playoffs a few years ago and their play on the ice was more than respectable, every other fan in the league, every journalist, every other team, still had the Nassau Coliseum on the Islanders.

You’ve heard all the nicknames over the years. It’s time they stop. What the Isles are going through is no different from anything any other team is dealing with, but the fact that the Isles need a new place to play just exacerbates the problem. While he doesn’t want to move the team anywhere, Wang knows that time may be running out and that something needs to get done soon.

“I’m not contemplating it; I’m not negotiating with anyone, but I continue to keep my options open – and they should be open all the time,” Wang told Newsday on Tuesday. “Ultimately, if you don’t want to go to a (Islanders) game because the arena is a dump, I lose, the county loses, everybody loses. I want this thing to proceed. We can talk and talk, but we’ve got to get off our butts. Let’s get it done.”
Isles-Penguins Pregame Thoughts- The last time these two teams faced off, it was pretty entertaining to say the very least. Take Sydney Crosby out of the equation, who is battling a sore groin and the Islanders may have the edge here. The Penguins are trying to stay in the playoff hunt, as they are four points behind the Sabres and the Islanders have nothing to lose. Because of that, I expect this game to have the intensity of a playoff game.
I’d also like to see players the likes of Sean Bergenheim, Josh Bailey and most importantly Kyle Okposo to continue producing. With Mike Comrie gone, one of these guys is going to have to be the secondary scorer this team needs in the future. Considering the fact that the Isles will most likely not go out and look for another young veteran to fill Comrie’s shoes next season, one of these guys is going to have to be more than what they are right now. Promise can get you to the National Hockey League, but consistency is the only thing that can keep you there. It’s time for these guys to start to show that they truly belong here.

Posted under 2008-2009, Isles Thoughts 2009, Pregame Musings

Well, the way this season has gone, the bright moments have been far and few between. In this post, I break down three things I’d like to see transpire by the the time the Islanders pack it up.

Kyle Okposo scoring 20 goals- It may not mean very much to the rest of the league, but considering how poorly he started the season, the fact that he hasn’t had a consistent linemate for most of the year, the time he spent on the shelf in November and December and how bad the team has played this year, scoring 20 goals would be a huge achievement for him. While it still wouldn’t be enough for him to nab the Calder trophy, it would be enough to help get fans thinking a bit more positive about the direction this team is moving in. It may also give some free agents the courage to sign and help get the Islanders out of the cellar next season.

Josh Bailey and Frans Neilsen getting to 35 points- Again, it’s something that may not mean everything to the rest of the league, but if Josh Bailey and Frans Neilsen can find a way to score 35 points, which would mean they would both have to average close to a point a game over the last 23 games of the season, it would be huge. Is it asking for too much, especially on a team as offensively challenged as the Islanders? Perhaps, but again, much like Kyle Okposo, the improved play of Neilsen and Bailey would go an incredibly long way in helping to solidify the team’s youth movement. For Neilsen, it would prove that he can be more than a solid defensive forward that can win faceoffs. For Bailey, it would go a long way in proving that the Islanders made the right move when they traded down in an incredibly deep draft to get him.

Mark Streit getting to 60 points- If Mark Streit can get to 60 points, it would prove that he is the real deal. That he can put up similar numbers on a much different team and be a leader on the ice. It will also show the rest of the league that free agents can come to the Island and enjoy some kind of success. But for Streit, it’ll prove that he’s much more than a gimmick player and one that any other team in the league will be glad to have. If he can find a way to get to 60 points, he’ll have the type of confidence needed to continue to produce at a level of a top-flight offensive defenseman.

Posted under 2008-2009, Isles Thoughts 2009

Despite the fact that the pick the Islanders got from the Senators will most likely be one of the final picks in the first round, Islanders General Manager Garth Snow is hopefully the pick will help the team in he long run.

“Bottom line, we’re getting a first-round draft pick and that falls into the plan we’ve set out all along,” Snow told the Associated Press before Saturday’s 4-0 win over New Jersey. “Now it’s up to us to draft a good player with that pick. … We have a significant amount of draft picks, especially in the first and second round. We’re going to build this the right way.”

While it probably would have been better to have a pick like this in last year’s draft, especially considering how deep it was, the Islanders will have an opportunity to bolster their team in the long run. Now I know what some of you are thinking, that the Islanders basically traded Chris Campoli, a player entering the best years of their career, for a player that will most likely been in juniors next season, but it was the only thing they could do.

“Yes, I asked for the trade,” Campoli, who had a career-worst minus-20 rating, told Newsday. “I was frustrated with my year and the way things had gone. I felt like a change was needed for me. From my perspective, I don’t think I fit in with what Scott (Gordon) was trying to do.”

So, knowing this, the Islanders, for a change, did the best they could and actually got something that could end up playing a bigger part in the team than Campoli can. With Mark Streit on board, Campoli was never going to get the ice-time he needed to truly develop into a potent offensive defenseman. So again, at least the Islanders got something for him. Now they just have to make the pick count.

Thoughts on McAmmond- Overall, I thought he was solid, even though you could tell he was trying to do a bit too much as far as some of the passes he was making were concerned. Nevertheless, I like his speed and if he sticks around next season, I could see him on a line with Richard Park and a gritty youngster, rounding out the last of the forward lines. As for right now though, he’s not going to make the team any worse and if he can get a few goals under his belt in the next few weeks, the Islanders could even move him. If not, the guy will at least have an opportunity to show the rest of the league he can still play.

Something to definitely keep an eye on over the next few games.

Posted under 2008-2009, Isles Thoughts 2009

Once the dust has settled on this win, the rest of the NHL will consider it a fluke. They’ll say that the Devils didn’t stick to their system and came out flat. Then they’ll say the Islanders, who despite having a depleted lineup after trading away two of their better players the night before, were just plain lucky.

However, we know the truth.

These youngsters on the Islanders, when they finish, are talented players, that can in fact, play with a solid team like the New Jersey Devils. The Islanders defense, when on their game, can protect whoever is in net and whoever that is, Joey MacDonald or Yann Danis, can make the big saves when they have it. The Islanders veterans too have some gas left in their tanks and last night, even Jon Sim made the most of a very small opportunity and got on the scoresheet.

It was that kind of a night.

For the entire season however, it’s been just a matter of waiting for the stars to align and these guys to find the level of consistency for 60 minutes to show the rest of the league this. Chances are the Islanders will play like this another two or three times this season, on their way to one of the worst seasons in franchise history. Nevertheless, I feel the flashes of brilliance have been there to see, you just have to look extremely close. Hopefully, next season, they won’t be so hard to see.

One thing that was rightfully apparent last night though regardless of where you stand on the poll of opinion in this league was the play of Danis. Was he something special or what? 40 saves, from a ton of different angles and in traffic. You can’t ask for more than that and luckily, the Islanders didn’t have to. I think it’s safe to say this kid has proven that he can be a more than solid backup in this league and isn’t scared to be the main guy if he has to. Any goaltender that can keep a 5-8 record, 2.63 GAA and a .922 save percentage on a team as bad as the Islanders should be given the keys to Nassau Coliseum. It’s going to make things extremely interesting next season. I mean seriously, who would you want to back up Rick DiPietro next season. I’m sure if you poll the majority of Islander fans right now, it would be right now the middle.

Like I said, things will be interesting again this offseason.

Only with this team.

Posted under 2008-2009, Post Game Rants

It’s funny how I wrote yesterday that Mike Comrie was perhaps the only Islander without a contract for next season that could be moved at the deadline.

To be able to get a first round pick though, now that definitely wasn’t expected. Sure, you lose Chris Campoli in the process, but he didn’t want to be here. What where the Islanders supposed to do there?

Campoli apparently didn’t want to stay and the Islanders were done waiting for Comrie to be anything more than a spare part. Take away his first 10 games with this team and I think it’s fair to say that his tenure was an undeniable disaster. Even if the Islanders basically got a washed up Dean McAmmond for Comrie, it’s better than nothing. He’s was pretty much going to be gone at the end of the season anyway. As far as McAmmond goes, he’ll have an opportunity to prove if he can still play in this league or not. Who knows, maybe he may prove the critics wrong. My personal opinion on the matter is that he’s washed up and Ottawa was simply throwing him away, but I have been wrong before.

As far as the first round pick for Campoli goes, I think the Islanders got a great deal. I’ve always held the kid in high regard, but aside from his rookie season, was never able to put it together for a whole year. Now he’ll go somewhere else and score 50 points, but unlike the countless other youngsters the Islanders have given up over the years and got relatively nothing, the Isles now have something to show for it. Now it’s up to them to make the pick count.

I also think that the Isles have enough talent at the blueline in the minors that over the long-term, the loss of Campoli won’t be a huge one. However, we’ll have to wait and see on that one.

Despite the fact that it’s going to be a late first round pick, the Islanders now have options at the entry draft. For all the drama the Isles stirred last season when they traded down for Josh Bailey, I think it’s fair to say that the entire fan base has accepted him and wants to see what he develops into. If they can get two more quality youngsters and throw them into the mix, this will be a huge step forward in the rebuilding process.

Posted under 2008-2009, Isles Thoughts 2009

With Richard Park now out for up to four weeks with busted ribs, the Islanders will have to replace his grit and heart and fast. Luckily for them, Trent Hunter is healthy and ready to rejoin the team.

Going over a month without scoring a goal, no one knows when Park broke his ribs, but spending a few weeks on the shelf may be the best thing for him right now. You hate to see a guy like Park hurting physically and especially when the team is playing as poorly as they have been. A guy like Park would a key role player on any first place team, but on the Islanders, his worth is perhaps even more. He’s the heart and soul of this team. However, he’s better off the ice if he’s injured and if Hunter back, the Isles may be able to score a bit more.

Speaking of Hunter, I’d really like him to get going offensively again. In order for the youth movement to continue to progress, the young veterans like Hunter and even Mike Comrie and Andy Hilbert [if they stick around next season]have to get hot. Having Mark Streit and Bill Guerin score 50 points this season is not going to be sufficient enough to help get these kids to understand what it takes to perform at this level.

That’s why Doug Weight’s exodus from the lineup is so huge. When he was averaging close to a point a game, players like Josh Bailey and Kyle Okposo had something to shoot for and could watch it being done right before their very eyes. Now, these kids have to bear down and do it all by themselves. Having some of the other guys get hot could possibly give them more space on the ice and give them an opportunity to produce a bit more.

With most of the team not producing offensively, it’ll make it really interesting to see who gets traded. Weight is absolutely off the list, Mike Sillinger is done for the season and Guerin has a no trade clause, leaving possibly only Comrie as the only Islander without a contract next season with any real value to the rest of the league. So with the team being where they are, do they trade Comrie for a prospector a draft pick? Or do they part ways with someone like Brendan Witt or Radek Martinek, who many teams would love to have, especially due to his inexpensive salary?

I don’t know, but it is something interesting to think about.

Posted under 2008-2009, Isles Thoughts 2009

Well, just when you thought the Islanders may have gotten that win to keep the good times rolling a bit longer, they fall flat against the Rangers. It’s not that they played particularly bad, they just couldn’t finish offensively and couldn’t convert on the powerplay either. The Rangers were having problems of their own as well, but executed just a bit better and put the puck in the net more times than the Islanders did. In the end, that’s why they won.

The game was a also pretty physical, as both teams were taking the body. Aaron Voros was on his game tonight in that department and was itching to draw penalties all night. Colton Orr too was hungry for some fisticuffs, but Tim Jackman and his teammates weren’t that frisky. Of all players on the Isles, Sean Bergenheim [who continues to play his heart out lately] was the one who ended up dropping his gloves with another unlikely combatant, one Petr Prucha in what ended up being an entertaining scrap.

Overall, it was a gritty, nail-bitting game to watch that would have been even better had both teams scored a bit more. Both goaltenders were solid, but got a ton of help from their respective goalposts. All in all, I think it’s just fair to say that both of these teams are lacking in the offensive department. It’s the reason why the Isles have been as bad as they’ve been this season and the reason why the Rangers won’t make the playoffs this season. Yes, I said it. They won’t. Anyone that does is someone that thinks Herb Brooks is country singer, you know, the guy that sings with that Dunn dude, right? Exactly.

If they do manage to squeak into the playoffs, it’ll be in eighth spot, where the Bruins will then proceed to pull a Nelson Munz on them and throw the Rangers in a trash can down the street. And it’ll be done in four games.

On a side note, something happened for the second consecutive game that is beginning to piss me off. During the Isles’ last game, Evgeni Malkin threw repeated punches with his gloves on at a few players on the Islanders and last night, Nik Zherdev too was throwing punches at Bill Guerin. My message to these two: If you’re not going to drop the gloves, boys, don’t do that. It’s disgusting to watch as a fan and it’ll continue to spread the already existing rumors that both of you have no spines.

It drives me crazy that just because these guys are superstars that referees let them get away with it. They also never pick a fight with someone that can really defend themselves. I’d love one day for Malkin to do that to someone like Dave Clarkson or Arron Asham, two guys that an skate and fight. I guarantee it would never happen again.

Posted under 2008-2009, Post Game Rants