Nevertheless, it is still a facet of the team that needs to be addressed.

In order for Scott Gordon’s “Overspeed” system to work, the Islanders defenseman have to take care of business. That means making the first pass out of the zone, clearing the front of the net, and pinching in along the boards. The way the team has played this season, it’s obvious that the Islanders forward lines haven’t yet caught on to the system. In the games they’ve won, the puck pursuit has been there and they’ve had their legs, which has created scoring opportunities and a plethora of second chances. In the games they’ve lost, they’ve had a huge problem establishing a forecheck and setting up in the offensive end.

I know what you’re thinking now: “I’ve read this on other Islander blogs already.” Well, I think I have a different take on this that has nothing to do with the lack of depth on the forward lines or the amount of youth present.

Here it goes.

I think the main reason why the Isles have had problems maintaining the level of offensive consistency and passion is because the defense, just like the offense, hasn’t yet bought into the system fully either. The two wins the Islanders have this season were due in part to the fact that the defense, alongside the offensive, were physical, swarming the puck and skating.

This generates scoring opportunities, something this team always seems to be short on.

However, in the games the Islanders have lost, where have the D-men been on the offensive end?

Mark Streit, Jack Hillen, Bruno Gervais Thomas Pock and Freddy Meyer are all defensemen that have above average skating skills and should have no problem joining the rush and helping out pinching on the boards. Streit especially, who came here to help the team on the powerplay and be a force on offense, needs to be a bit more proactive. In Montreal, he had no problems joining the play and applying pressure to opposing defenses. In order for this team to stay above water this season, Streit needs to be a factor

In the games this team have been outscored though, that hasn’t happened from Streit or any other member of the defense. They’ve been too preoccupied keeping the opposition out of the zone to be a force.

So in order for “Overspeed” to really work, two things need to take place at the same time. One being that the Islanders forwards have to skate their tails off. Secondly, the defense has to take chances on offense and take shots.

As we’ve already seen so far this season, if that doesn’t happen, they don’t win.

I don’t think anyone will ever think that way ever again after this piece.

In the piece in question [you can read it here http://www.newsday.com/sports/hockey/islanders/ny-sphow055870698oct05,0,5909873.column], Howard writes a overly-scathing column about how bad things are on the Island right now, using the type of language I’d expect in a conversation between two hockey fans and not a seasoned writer.

For example:

The Isles’ new young coach, Scott Gordon, was a winner with Providence of the AHL and is actually installing an aggressive system his players have been raving about. And that could be fun to watch. Gordon could be a bright up-and-comer, same as Peter Laviolette was here once upon a time.

Was that you screaming as if a toaster just fell in the bathtub, or am I hearing things?

The last line there is simply overkill. Even in a column. It sounds like a Ranger fan who finally got an opportunity to write a column about how much she hates the Islanders. Not what I expected to read on a Newspaper’s website.

I could deal with that though, mainly because it is a column and everyone does things their own way when they have creative car blanche. However, Howard seems to enjoy taking her readers to the limit and continues to bash the team even more as she goes on. As the piece goes on however, she begins to lose her luster and it really hurts her credibility.

Check these out:

Rooting for the Isles now puts you in the same company as those hardy Pittsburgh Pirates fans, who will be back to pull for their club next season as the Pirates go for a big league-record 17 straight losing seasons, or those long-suffering Cubbie diehards who were back on the ledge after just one game – one game! – of their Division Series against the Dodgers.

Wow, this is way too an over-exaggeration here. For the record, in their history, the Islanders have had 15 losing seasons and no more than seven in a row. This is extremely bad reporting here and way too sensational to be taken even remotely seriously. I know that most columnists like to annoy readers where they write pieces like this, but they do it with a knowledge and a tact that their readers can and will never have. Reading this part of the piece makes it obvious that Howard lacks these abilities as well.

Strike one.

The Isles’ best young player, Kyle Okposo, projects as a serviceable player but not a huge star.

Anyone that would say that Kyle Okposo only projects to be a serviceable player in this league is out of their mind and should not be allowed to write hockey. Guys like Richard Park, Blair Betts and Mike Rupp are serviceable players. Okposo is going to be a bona fide 20-goal scorer int his league and with some help, can be even better. Will he be a star? Probably not, but serviceable is way too low an estimation for someone this talented. Anyone that has spoken to people who have seen him play [check out the scouting report I wrote a few months back with Ross Bernstein] or with a knowledge of the sport should know better than this.

Strike two.

To players and agents, the Islanders have become an NHL stop of the last resort. The sharpest proof lately was how Ryan Smyth, a character player the Isles gave up a gaggle of players for and hoped to build around, couldn’t get out fast enough after coming here for an 18-game cameo during the season.

OK, I can deal with the last resort comment, but Howard again fails to make a strong point and instead tries to piss the reader off with snare. First off, Smyth left the Islanders because he wanted to play with Joe Sakic. Any knowledgeable fan knows this, so why does Howard fail to mention this? Because she’s either not in the know, or she chooses to avoid the truth for the purpose of getting her point across. As the Sports Editor of a bi-weekly, I can tell you that this paragraph is a disaster. Even a column has to be fact-checked or tightened and this piece is living proof. On another note, what in the hell is a gaggle? Why not just say Robert Nilsson and Ryan O’Marra? It makes me wonder if Howard even knows who these players are.

Also, why not mention that Nilsson is going to be the serviceable player O’Marra is coming off the worst season of his career? Hmmm, maybe because Howard has no idea what she’s talking about and is instead regurgitating every thing she’s read on Yahoo Sports on the team over the past year.

Strike three.

Newsday, what were you thinking? This is something that I could have read on BleacherReport.com or something. You guys are so much better than this. Katie Strang and Greg Logan do a great job of covering the Islanders. Keep them busy instead of forcing your readers to this kind of nonsense.

The only question is how effective can he be?

Having only seen a few scarce videos of him and read what the scouts have said, I may not be the best person to answer that question, but I think it’s fair to say that Bailey is someone that does much more than numbers can indicate. He’s a skilled two-way winger at the junior level and while he’s still a youngin’ in hockey years, sticking around this long in camp has to mean something, doesn’t it? If he does in fact make the team out of camp, I’m not going to get my hopes up on him, as he’ll most definitely play eight or nine games before being sent back to his junior tam in Windsor, but I will pay close attention to what he does on the ice so I can see what his future can be with the Isles.

While the Bailey signing was big news, having Rick DiPietro back on the ice is probably the best news all training camp. Like I’ve said a bunch of times on the site already, DP is the team’s best player and if he isn’t on the ice, it’s going to be extremely difficult for this team to thrive.

From the looks of it, Rico is happy to be back as well.

“It’s been a long time,” said DiPietro, on the team’s official site. “This is the longest I’ve gone without playing an organized hockey game. It was really exciting today. Sitting in the stall it was good to get the adrenaline going again. I went out there and felt like I was at the Coliseum in front of 17,000 fans. I was just that excited to be out there.”

On another note, I’d just like to tell everyone about my new site, AcesOverBrooklyn.com. In June, Aviator Sports announced that an Eastern Pro Hockey League franchise was coming to Brooklyn and like many people, I was thrilled. Being an Islander fan in Brooklyn is not an easy task and sometimes I wonder what would have happened to be growing up if I wasn’t built like Brett Lindros. At any rate, while I love writing my thoughts on the Islanders and while I will continue to do so, I will also be covering the Brooklyn Aces this season. You see, while being a pundit is fun, it’s not nearly as rewarding as being a full-fledged journalist. Being the Sports Editor at Bay Currents newspaper in Brooklyn as well affords me the opportunity to do so much more than share my thoughts; it allows me to be a provocateur of truth. And that’s exactly what I plan to do over there this season. If you guys have the chance, come check it out.

Who’s Hurt:

Chris Campoli
Andy Sutton
Mike Sillinger
Rick DiPietro

Who’s Nursing Injuries:

Bill Guerin
Richard Park
Sean Bergenheim
Doug Weight

This simply is not good.

However, as far as the defensive situation goes, the Islanders are lucky that they have players like Bruno Gervais, Freddy Meyer, Jack Hillen and now even Thomas Pock [who has some pretty solid seasons in the AHL under his belt and may be even be able to help out on the powerplay if given an opportunity] who can fill in until they’re healthy. With Hillen in the wings as well, Sutton’s injury may be a blessing in disguise. On the other hand, the Islanders, who are already far from the toughest team in the league, need a tough guy who can clear the crease like Sutton can.

The forward situation isn’t quite the same though.

Sillinger’s absence creates a huge hole at center [which I've already discussed at length in older posts] and if Weight and Guerin are forced to play all season injured, the Islanders are going to have a very tough time scoring goals. With no real first line as it is, this has the potential of really making this season an eyesore. The only way the Isles make it out of this okay is if these injuries are minor ones [as per Islanders policy, no one really knows how bad the injuries really are] or if guys like Jeff Tambellini [who is also recovering from a lower body injury] and Kyle Okposo can play consistent offensively in their first full seasons in the league.

That’s not asking a lot is it?

For those who can’t tell, I’m being sarcastic.

Bergenheim and Park’s injuries have the potential to be devastating as well, considering the fact that they are the heart and soul of the bottom two lines and are great penalty killers. They provide such a jolt of energy and can even pot a few here and there, making them huge commodities on any team, nevertheless a team fighting to form an identity. These two I’m not as worried about as Guerin and Weight though.

Let’s face it, they’re not the youngest guys in the league anymore and the Isles desperately need offense. They both have something to prove, as Guerin cooled off in the second half last season and Weight had the worst season of his pro career in 08. If they come back and can contribute, they’ll provide a lift in the locker room and on the ice.

If not, this is going to be a very long season.

Nevertheless, it’s great to see guys like Frans Nielsen and Trent Hunter scoring goals. With a lack of a huge offensive presence again this year, this team is going to need a good dozen to 15 players scoring 25-35 points, who can play their part on both offense and defense if they are going to be competitive. That kind of balanced attack is going to be the only thing that’s going to be able to support DiPietro in net.

With that being said, I really feel Scott Gordon’s philosophy can turn some of the third and fourth liners into better players and give the Islanders that kind of balance because good things happen to teams that skate hard every night. Looking at the team’s bottom six forwards, players such as Richard Park, Sean Bergenheim, Neilsen, Andy Hilbert and it’s easy to see that they have the speed to play within the system and eventually thrive.

Now, that I’ve gotten the meat of my post out of the way, I feel the need to vent:

As I said before, it seems like the Islanders are catching on with Gordon’s coaching philosophy, but most Islander fans aren’t able to see it unless they want to shell out dough to watch them in person. Rarely do I ever attempt to sound like an agitated fan, but enough is enough. Why aren’t the Isles’ preseason games on television? Every single Rangers preseason game is on MSG, so why can’t the Isles get at least half of theirs on the tube? You read books like Alan Hahn’s “Fishsticks” and there’s all this talk in there about how lucrative the Islanders TV deal is. Well, if it really was, then why can’t I find a game on television?

The rebuilding plan aside, there is no reason why this team should not be on TV during the preseason. I swear, the fans of this team have had to put up with so much over the past 15 years that the organization should go out of it’s way to make sure that the little things, like preseason games, get put on TV.

OK, I’m done.

From the look of it so far, it looks like the team is diggin’ it.

“The essence of the style is to be constantly moving and getting the puck up the ice quickly. It’s all about high speed with and without the puck and putting pressure on the opposition. “It was a long night for the wingers when we played against Providence in the past,” said Tambellini on the team’s official website on Sunday. “The defensemen sat right up on the wingers when we tried to get the puck out. It’s a very fluid system that Gordon implements. It keeps the opposition from having too much time with the puck. We’re all going to have to be skating at top speed.”

Sounds to me that every player on this team is going to have pest-like characteristics then. With a lack of a true first-line center and a first line in general, this may work out well. Again however, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about guys like Hunter, Guerin and Weight getting comfortable. Over the years, I’ve seen guys [take Markus Naslund for instance] get their style cramped when a new coach came in with a new style, so I really don’t want to see guys games get hurt to their point where they are ineffective.

On the other hand, you’d have to think that after the relatively mediocre offensive production this team had last season, that a guy like Hunter or Guerin that have the talent to score 25 to 30 goals in this league if they get hot, are willing to try anything.

With that being said, I think this system to tailor-made for getting the most out of players like Richard Park, Sean Bergenheim, Frans Neilsen, Andy Hilbert and Jon Sim. I even feel that Mike Comrie and Kyle Okposo can benefit from it as well. Let’s face it, teams that skate hard and keep moving every night usually win hockey games. If not, they’re fun to watch. Look at the Sabres team that beat the Islanders in the playoffs a few seasons ago as an example. Many of those players work their tails off in both ends and keep the puck moving, which makes them hard to defend against. I don’t know if it’ll work with the Islanders this season, but it should be fun to watch.

Check these out:

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[youtube RUlLJOgKTko]

After watching those and a few other choice battles, I really think this guy should get a shot on the fourth line. If someone like Derek Boogaard can get a spot at the end of the bench, I don’t see any reason why he can’t either. The downside is that a youngster is going to lose a roster spot, but that’s the way the cookie crumbles sometimes.

In some of these fights, you really see how intimidating this guy is. It looks like some of these guys are playing him extremely cautious and don’t want to get hit. That’s what the Isles need at this point. If they can play a quick game like new coach Scott Gordon wants them to and they have someone who can protect the Kyle Okposo’s, Mike Comrie’s and Blake Comeau’s on the team, this bunch of misfits is going to be a ton of fun to watch this season.

Strang mentions in her article that Sugden has knockout power from both hands as well and from the look of these videos, it’s almost as if he was a boxer on skates. Watching hundreds of fight videos over the years, he reminds me a lot of someone like Bob Probert and that is something that I don’t throw around very often. Unfortunately, he has a lot of the same off the ice problems Probie used to have as well. According to the Newsday article though, he’s been clean for quite some time, which could be both good for him and the Isles.

Despite that, you have to wonder hat he is capable of bringing to the team besides just the fisticuffs. From the look of his stats, he doesn’t seem to offer too much else, but on paper, so did a guy like Steve Webb, who could change the entire game with one big hit and get the crowd and his team back into it.

If Sugden is one of those players, I say bring him in right now.

Watching guys like Comrie fight last season was just embarrassing as a fan of this sport and a journalist. In order for the Isles to be taken seriously, stuff like that has to stop and stop RIGHT NOW.

On another note, he’s just a great story and someone that could put people in seats. The fact that he’s trying to make the NHL to make his father proud just does something to me as a person. It makes me want to root for him.

After over a dozen years in the minors and over 2,000 minutes in penalties, he may just get his shot.

With that being said, I figure I’d talk about some of the players that I think will be some of Gordon’s early favorites, and who may end up in the chateau de bow bow.

Early Favorites-

Richard Park- Want speed and grit? He’s got plenty of it. Add in the fact that he can kill penalties and is coming off his best offensive season, I see Park racking up plenty of minutes early in the season.

Sean Bergenheim- Just like Park, Bergenheim has a ton of speed and grit. However, his upside is much better and if he can learn to finish, he’ll be a more than solid second liner.

Jon Sim- Hustle personified. A solid physical game, mixed in with good work in the corners make Sim someone Gordon can depend on this season. Add in the fact that he’s been itching to get back on the ice for the past six months and I think Sim is going to be a great pest.

Dog House Candidates-

Andy Sutton- If he’s up to his usual tricks of blocking shots, starting fights and clearing the crease, Sutton should be just fine. However, due to his questionable speed [even though he's not a bad skater for a guy his size] and inconsistency, he may be fighting for ice time.

Mike Comrie- While Ted Nolan put up with his less than mediocre play in the defensive zone and constant toe dragging last season, I highly doubt Gordon will. In order to get the most out of him this season, Gordon will have to keep him motivated and make sure he gets him the necessary time on the powerplay. However, in order for that to happen, he’s going to have to play smart in both ends. Who knows if that actually happens.

Bruno Gervais- While his speed and superior skating ability should fit Gordon’s new system, his lack of a physical game and inconsistent passing ability may get him in trouble. With the Islanders most likely having problems scoring goals again this season, his lack of offensive prowess won’t help him much either.

He’s an indispensable commodity.

However, according to Newsday and a plethora of other hockey sites, Sillinger may miss opening night due to microscopic hip surgery. As of right now, it’s not known when he’ll be back and even Sillinger himself wasn’t sure when he’d be back. In his absence, the Islanders already anemic offense will not only have to find someone to play with Trent Hunter and Jon Sim, they’ll have to get offensive production from them as well.

That’s where the bigger problem lies: can the Isles fill Sillinger’s spot in house? Is either Fran Nielsen or Richard Park capable of centering a checking line and pinching in on the offensive end? What about Ben Walter or Andy Hilbert? Can they finally turn promise at the AHL level into decent NHL numbers?

Probably not. At this point, Hilbert and Walter seem like spare parts and don’t figure to be more than fourth liners. Of the four, I believe Park can thrive in that spot, but only if he begins to finish a bit more. If he can score few goals early this season and a guy like Nielsen can step up and play solid at both ends of the ice on the fourth line, the Islanders should be able to get by until ole Silly comes back. Much like last season, the offense isn’t going to be spectacular and Rick DiPietro will need to be close to perfect, but what else is new?

But what about Josh Bailey? Rumor is he’s bought a house on Long Island and could be NHL ready much faster than most people think. Given his noted two-way ability, could he make an impact in Sillinger’s absence? At the very least, it could be very fun to watch Bailey, along with the likes of Kyle Okposo, Jeff Tambellini, Blake Comeau and Chris Campoli develop.

If that does happen and Bailey does establish himself, what do the Islanders do with Sillinger then? Given his market value, do the Islanders trade away their assistant captain for picks and youth? At any rate, it should be an interesting situation.

Since I discussed what I wanted to see from the team this season in my last post, I thought I’d discuss the things that could ruin my hockey experience in 2009.

1- A change in philosophy if the team is close to a playoff spot at the trading deadline-

If this team is within striking distance and they decide to take a chance on another Ryan Smyth clone, I will personally fart in every seat in Nassau Coliseum. If it fails, not only would it ruin any chance this team has at getting any respect in this league, it will also reduce Garth Snow’s credibility as a General Manager and make it even harder in the future for the team to bring in key veterans to support the youngsters.

2- Radek Martinek or Brendan Witt going down for any prolonged period of time-

When these guys are healthy, I believe they are one of the top defensive units in the NHL. They inspire this team to play with their marbles hanging out and they support Rick DiPietro in a way that brings out his best. Having them out would also force youngsters into the lineup that may not be ready and could cause a chain reaction of inconsistency to occur, similar to that of what happened last season down the stretch.

3- An uber inefficient powerplay…again-

If last year’s team could have potted a few more goals on the powerplay, things could have been very different. As for why this found it’s way on this list, watching an inferior powerplay irks the crap out of me the same way as watching a football team that can’t stop the run does. It’s embarrassing to watch and says wonders about the depth and overall polish of a team. Let’s hope it doesn’t happen again this season.

4- Rushing Josh Bailey-

I know the kid just bought a house on Long Island, but I really don’t want to see another Tim Connolly or Taylor Pyatt situation where the guy goes somewhere else and starts to play well after earning his bumps and bruises here. Let him develop for another season or two and then bring him up.

5- Mike Sillinger misses most of the season again-

Greg Logan reported the other day that Silly most likely won’t be ready for the season opener. Hate me for saying this if you want, but I think he could have been the best center on this team last year if he was completely healthy. That third line of him with Trent Hunter and Jon Sim can be gangbusters too if they get a chance. If he misses a bunch of time this season, Ben Walter and Jeremy Colliton will most likely get time there, and while I like both of them, the Isles need as much offense as possible and Silly can provide it.

Five Things I want to see:

1- Kyle Okposo’s continued development-

During the offseason, I chatted with hockey writer Ross Bernstein and the best damn play-by-play guy in NHL history, Jiggs McDonald about KO and they both seemed sure he’d come into camp ready to thrive. I too believe he’ll be a bit bigger and should be ready light the lamp a good 25 times. If he hits 30, that alone would make me happy regardless of where they finish this season.

2- Jeff Tambellini solidifying a role on the team-

That doesn’t mean fourth line pest of healthy scratch either. Two years ago, there was a stretch of about 12 games when he finally got the ice time he needed to thrive. If he gets it again and can pot a few easy ones early in the season, he may have the confidence needed to finally ditch the “prospect” label that has been stamped on his back the past three seasons.

3- Bill Guerin and Doug Weight having solid seasons-

If both of these guys can get 50 points this season, I would be absolutely thrilled. Guerin was close last season while playing with an inconsistent Mike Comrie and if Weight can forget about being reduced to a depth player last season with the Ducks, they both may have one last hoorah in them. Not only would that take some of the pressure off the rookies, it would increase their values as free agents at the end of the season and give the Islanders a continued opportunity to build through the draft…if they felt obligated.

4- Chris Campoli and Mark Streit both become factors on the powerplay-

We all know Streit is going to be asked to net anywhere from six to ten powerplay markers this season, but Campoli, who had 11 of his 18 points with the man advantage before injuring his shoulder last season, will be asked to step his game up as well. If he’s completely healthy, I’d love to see him either with Streit or anchoring the second unit and proving the 34 points he scored his rookie season was just the beginning of what will be a solid NHL career.

5- Rick DiPietro stays healthy all season-

No knee injuries, no problems with his hip, just straight-shootin’, cocky and convinced all-season long. If he watches the way he plays the puck and plays smart, he can single-handedly guide this team to an unsuspected playoff birth. Don’t think so? Guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

With the season starting in about a month, I figured I’d discuss a player that despite his work ethic and passion for the game, may find himself a healthy scratch for most of the season.

That man is Andy Hilbert.

So rather than just end the post right here, I’m going to be fair and present five reasons why Hilbert should be on the Islanders opening night lineup and why he should start the season in Bridgeport.

In the end, you make the decision:

Why should Hilbert stick around?

1- He’s solid on both ends of the ice-

Unlike some of the other youngsters on the Islanders this season that play questionable defense, Hilbert is a solid defender that is willing to sacrifice his body and is adept at making the smart play in his own zone.

2- He’s a great penalty killer-

I can smell the tomatoes coming from every direction right now, but I think Hilbert is a great penalty killer that can make a living in this league for another eight or nine years just because of his play on the PK.

3- He fits the Islanders system-

He’s got a lot to prove and has the speed and potential to be a third liner with some moxie. Considering the fact that he has ties to the Bruins organization and has the skating ability needed to thrive in Scott Gordon’s new system, he may see time on the fourth line this season.

4- He has chemistry with a few players on the team-

Everyone knows that Hilbert plays well with Mike Sillinger and Trent Hunter, but he’s also shown plenty of promise with guys like Richard Park and Sean Bergenheim. If the Islanders offense falters at some point this season, Hilbert may be brought in to shake things up a little bit.

5- The Islanders know what he’s capable of-

Unlike the bevy of Islanders rookies this season who will be going into the year with virtually no experience in key situations, the Isles know that Hilbert can play well enough on the third and fourth line that he won’t be a detriment on either end of the ice. His play may be mediocre, but it also may be better than coddling a bunch of rookies all season.

Why should Hilbert start the season in Bridgeport?

1- He’s proven himself at the AHL level time and time again-

He’s had several solid seasons in the league and can help several of the youngsters.

2- He can’t finish in the NHL-

Take a look at his career shooting percentage in the AHL compared to the NHL. Scary stuff.

3- The youngsters need more playing time-

Jeff Tambellini on the bench in favor of Hilbert for the third season in a row? Not anymore.

4- He’s nowhere near as dynamic a player as the rookies currently on the Isles roster-

Hilbert has the heart of a lion, but isn’t even close to being the player a Kyle Okposo, Jeff Tambellini or a Blake Comeau can turn into.

5- The Islanders know what he’s capable of-

The choice is simple; wait for rookies to produce or get stuck with Hilbert on a second or third line again this season. Waiting will definitely produce more than that seven or eight goals and 25 points Hilbert will come up with this season. Suddenly, waiting doesn’t seem like a bad option anymore.

Considering the fact that the Isles didn’t make the playoffs last season, it’s safe to say most of those players missed great opportunities to prove themselves. However, Guerin proved last season that he can still be an offensive threat, but it’s obvious he needs a real playmaker by his side to get back to being a 30-goal scorer. With Doug Weight’s mediocre season last year behind him, the former Olympian may provide a spark in both of their games that helps the Islanders stay in the mix a little bit longer than expected. Nonetheless, there are holes all over this team’s forward lines that beg to be addressed. Better yet, they beg for someone with some grit, character and heart to step up and cement their spot on this team. Otherwise, it’s going to be a very long season at the Coliseum.

Chances are that Kyle Okposo, Jeff Tambellini, Blake Comeau and Sim will find themselves on different lines this season and these are the players that will have to be the spark plugs. While I’ve already said in previous posts what I think the youngsters are capable of, Sim is a guy that has scored 17 goals with no ice-time in Atlanta a few years ago and can really provide the depth needed to win hockey games. Because of that and guys like Hunter and Mike Sillinger, who he will most likely be paired with, I don’t think a 20-goal season is out of the question for him. Add in his tenacity and heart to a line with already plenty of moxie and I think it’s easily the Islanders most multi-faceted trio if given a chance to gel.

With the four aforementioned players can step up and add something different to the table, I see no reason why guys like Hunter, Richard Park and Bergenheim, noted for their grit and offensive upside as well, can’t follow suit and add respectable numbers themselves. Again, I’ve already discussed what I think Hunter is capable of and I think if Bergenheim finishes more, he can be a 20-goal scorer in this league as well. Park, I think is a lock for a dozen goals and some damn good defensive play.

Then it comes down to how bad a guy like Mike Comrie wants to win. Much like Isles goaltender Rick DiPietro, he has two sides to his game, a focused one where he has a deadly accurate shot and plays decent enough defense in his own zone to not be a liability and another side that knows only a mediocre toe-drag and loves to commit neutral zone turnovers. If the Isles have any chance at success this season, Comrie has to be on his game on both ends of the ice.

In the end though, it’s all about people stepping up and making themselves viable options. The days of having bona fide superstars on this team may be over for the time being, but there is no reason why this team can’t roll four lines that can play quality hockey on both sides of the ice. If they do eventually do that, I think they’ll be a lot of fun to watch and will surprise a bunch of people down the stretch.

Here we go:

Defense Combo 1

Brendan Witt and Radek Martinek- Absolute no-brainer here. These guys in my mind are one of the top defensive pairings in the league when it comes to shutting down top lines. They play smart hockey and get the absolute most out of their ability. They had a bit of trouble against some of the faster teams in the league that I played, but with Martinek’s puck moving ability and Witt’s toughness, they were a blast to play with and guys that I know will be solid this season. I wish Martinek was more of an offensive threat, especially on the powerplay, but beggars can’t be choosers right? Overall, these guys were on the ice for 28-30 minutes a game for me and I don’t see any reason why they won’t get that type of ice time this season.

Defense Combo 2

Mark Streit and Chris Campoli- I know I may catch a little bit of flack for this, but I love this combination. Both have offensive ability and Campoli’s toughness and growing ability as a well-rounded defenseman in this league make this work for me. Campoli is ready for more responsibility and I think covering up for Streit on defense will allow him to grow as a player. Streit also benefits by having Campoli around because defenses will also have to watch Campo at the blue line, which gives him more room to skate and create. They were also very solid on the powerplay and it was fun to see them both take shots from the point.

Defense Combo 3

Bruno Gervais and Andy Sutton- Well-rounded and steady. That’s what comes to mind when I think of these guys. Both of these guys have more grit and offensive ability than they get credit for and in the video game world, or in a perfect world ha-ha, this completely shows. They block shots, take the body and can make the first pass out of the zone. They can also kill penalties pretty well too. However, inconsistency isn’t prevalent in the make-believe world of NHL 08 and while I think these guys can and will be solid, they will have to both be on top of their games this season or they’ll be in smaller roles.

Photo by Gamespot.com

Okay here we go:

Line 1

LW- Sean Bergenheim, C- Mike Comrie, RW- Kyle Okposo- This line was a lot of fun to play with just because of Bergenheim’s toughness and the flashiness of Okposo. I think that Weight may be a better fit here, especially because Bergenheim and Okposo could benefit a little bit more from having a better playmaker with them, but with Comrie’s shooting ability, Bergenheim and Okposo did get solid second chances in the crease, creating several easy goals.

Line 2

LW- Jeff Tambellini, C- Doug Weight, RW-Bill Guerin- The speed of Tambellini really saved this line from being a plodding mess. Guerin’s presence in front of the net did give Weight more room to skate though, which gave Tambellini several chances of f nice passes around the circles. In real life, Islanders head coach Scott Gordon may eventually go to a line like this with one speedy guy to try and get more out of the other players.

Line 3

LW- Trent Hunter, C- Mike Sillinger, RW- Jon Sim- The face off ability of Sillinger and the overall checking ability of Hunter and Sim make this a fantastic energy line. In the defensive end, they were smart and tough and in the offensive zone they worked hard in the corners and while they had problems finishing, they were good enough to pose an offensive threat. This is a line the Isles formed last season that looked great and hopefully they bring them back this season. Here, they easily were the Isles best line in both ends.

Line 4

LW- Richard Park, C-Frans Nielsen, RW- Blake Comeau- Another good energy line, but for different reasons. Park and Nielsen’s speed combined with Comeau’s grit made them solid in their own zone and surprisingly solid in the offensive zone. Again, much like the third line, they had problems finishing and lacked the raw ability to get past defenders, but they proved they could hold their own against top lines. There was a problem however with the line’s overall toughness, as they were pushed aside by bigger teams and taken advantage of in corners.

Now that you’ve sit idly by and read this all, I have a question for you: Why aren’t you outside? It’s beautiful out!

Photo by Gamespot.com

Nothing against those guys, but Witt is arguably one of the best stay at home defensemen in the league and can lift a team’s spirit with a blocked shot or a big hit. No ask yourself, how many players in the league can do that?

Recently signing a new contract, Witt be will the Bert Marshall of what will hopefully be a young Islanders team that matures over the next few seasons.

Hopefully, his new contract will also put an end to the endless debate on the message boards and on all the “rumor” sites that Witt would be traded. I know he has plenty of worth out in the open market, as do guys like Bill Guerin, Mike Comrie and Mike Sillinger, but enough is enough. I said it a few months ago when I was writing about Witt’s performance last season and I’ll say it again- he is the heart and soul of the New York Islanders. Add in the fact that the team doesn’t have a legitimate enforcer this season and Witt’s value just went up even more.

So not only will he be asked to piss off guys like Sydney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin day in and day out, he’ll also have to drop the gloves with David Clarkson, Riley Cote and Chris Neil too.

Sounds like a fun job right?

Now take into consideration the “all guts, no glory” position that both a shut down defender and enforcer have on the ice. Having a guy that can do both and provide leadership on the ice and in the locker room make him an indispensable commodity in my mind.

As a matter of fact, this guy is such a solid defender that I think he could score 35-40 points [which would never happen, but let my imagination run it's course here] he would be a Norris finalist every year. But like I said before, since the focus in the NHL now is on less hitting and more scoring, the true value of a guy like Witt will only be apparent to someone who either truly understands the game or has the opportunity to watch him day in and day out.

Luckily, I fall into both of of those categories [or at least I think I do, let my imagination run it's course again guys] and know that the only reasons why the Islanders were in the playoff hunt for as long as they were was the shutdown defense of Brendan Witt and the goaltending of Rick DiPietro and Wade Dubielewicz [it figures that as soon as I can spell his last name by heart, the dude goes to Russia].

If the Isles are to make another attempt at a playoff spot this season, Witt is going to have to be on his game once again.

Photo by NHL Media

At times, Comrie can be a potent finisher, capable of being a leader on a team and despite his size, is willing to drop the gloves if he has to. For those reasons, he’s a guy that many teams would like to have in a second or third line role. However, considering the combination of the Islanders rebuilding plan and a lack of solid free agents wanting to go there, Comrie was slotted as the team’s number one center.

While starting off 2008 like he was ready to score 70-80 points and proving he was more than a depth player, Comrie faded down the stretch. When the Islanders resigned him for 2009, I was originally happy because his numbers weren’t that bad, with 47 points in 55 games. Over his next 11 games though, Comrie only had two points and soon after got the flu and missed the rest of the season. Because of the way the Islanders handle injuries with the media, it’s hard to really know if Comrie was indeed sick or if he had other injuries plaguing his performance on the ice.

If he wasn’t hurt, his overuse of the toe-drag had to have played an influential part in his slide towards the end of the season. After the first 10 games of the season, the entire league had him scouted and was ready for his little move, making him look silly numerous times. The only teams that it wound up working against later in the season were the Western Conference teams that didn’t see much of him. In order for Comrie to effectively take his game to the next level, he’s going to have to add a few more moves to his arsenal. Otherwise, he’ll continue to be a solid secondary player and will never be a true superstar.

Another way Comrie could improve his play this season is by redefining his defensive game. How many times last season did Comrie cough the puck in his own end? Way too many times for many fans likings and my own. If he steps up his play in the defensive end, he’ll get more ice-time and will be able to get more of an opportunity to produce. He’ll also make himself more attractive to other teams in the league, which could nab the Isles a few prospects or a high draft pick if they decide to trade him at some point in the season.

The other variable with Comrie is where he fits in with the team’s offense. For my money, I’d like to see Doug Weight play with youngsters Jeff Tambellini and Kyle Okposo. The coaching staff however, may want to reunite Bill Guerin and Weight. That leaves Comrie kind of up in the air. Not having steady linemates may prove to be beneficial for him, considering how his play dipped on the same line with Ruslan Fedotenko and Guerin for most of the season.

However, it may limit his production and leave him on a line he’s not comfortable on.

The waiting game begins…

Photo by NHL Media

Well, as Meat Loaf once sang, “Two out of Three Ain’t Bad.”

Despite not scoring the amount of goals many people think he is capable of, Hunter has consistently been in the top ten in hits every season and is quietly becoming a leader on the Islanders. As a matter of fact, when Bill Guerin retires or signs somewhere else, I see either Brendan Witt or him becoming the next captain of this team.

Not the best skater in the world or the most flashy, Hunter is exactly what the Islanders claim to be in ads online and in the posters all over the Nassau Coliseum. Every night, he personifies, grit, character and heart. However, like most of the players on the team last season, Hunter had problems putting the puck in the net and despite playing hard all season and setting a new career-high in assists, many were disappointed in his overall play.

Others however feel that Hunter falls into the category of players like Richard Park, who work so hard on the ice that their offensive production is simply a benefit and that they should not be counted on for points. I however feel that the day Hunter is put into the same category as Park, it’s a sad one for Trent Hunter.

Nothing against Park, who had a great season last year, but he doesn’t have the size and potential of Hunter. With his strength and nose for the net, he should be scoring 20-25 goals a season. Park is a guy that kills penalties, buzzes around the ice all night long and takes advantage of mistakes by the opposition, He also takes a lot of shots for a fourth liner, hence his amount of goals last season.

Hunter, on the other hand, has the ability of taking his game to the next level if he continues to take the body and more importantly, finishes offensively. His shooting percentage was a deplorable 5.4 percent last season, meaning if he shot 10.8, which could still be considered average, he would have scored 24 goals. His rookie season, he shot 13.4 percent, which induced a 25-goal season. If he would have got that last season, he would have been around the 30-goal mark.

Also, he’s shown some kind of pattern in his game that every other year, his shooting percentage gets cut in half and he can’t get to 20 goals, where he belongs. In order for him to take his game to the next level, Hunter is also going to have to try and find a level of consistency. Otherwise, he like the Islanders, will be forced to revel in mediocrity.

Photo by NHL Media

Freddy Meyer- He may look like Bill Pullman, but he was no nonsense last year when he finally got an opportunity to play. After his first season in the NHL, many thought he could be a decent option on the powerplay, but after two seasons with the Islanders, it looks like he’s more of a puck-moving defenseman, who can play physically or against a top or second line when needed.

However, those attributes are those that are pretty much taken care of on the Islanders front with guys like Andy Sutton, Brendan Witt and Radek Martinek being able to play the shutdown defense the team needs and with the exception of Martinek, take the body. With that being said, it looks like either Gervais or Meyer is going to be the sixth defenseman on this team and it’s too early to tell who. For my money, I see Myer as a seventh defenseman, not for a lack of ability, but because of a lack of versatility. If he can get his game going offensively and be even more physical, he’ll be a top six d-man in this league.

Jack Hillen- I think he falls into the same category as Meyer because he does a lot of things that players on the Isles can do. However, given his track record in college, I think he’ll get a very long look in training camp as well. If Gervais and Meyer come into camp with an attitude or out of shape, I fully expect Hillen to be able to jump in and provide the type of play that will get him noticed as a top six-D man.

Overall, while not as good a skater as Gervais and not as physical as Meyer, Hillen has the best offensive game of the three and plays very solid defense. That type of versatility is something neither Gervais or Meyer have and it could go a long way in deciding his fate this season.

Dustin Kohn- I’ve been hearing this kid’s name for years on message boards and on the team’s official site and while I don’t know much about his game, it appears like he too could be a candidate for the final spot if he comes into camp with the right mindset. A second round pick in 2005, Kohn isn’t 18 anymore and this may be the camp when he starts to really open up some eyes.

Photo by NHL Media

I tried to really stay away from this topic because I felt it was something everyone was talking about and from day one, I’ve tried to make this site different from all the other Islander blogs out there. Nonetheless, I am happy to see Gordon behind the bench. It was either him or Paul Maurice that could have cut the mustard for me and for two reasons.

I never was a big fan of Marc Crawford, just for the simple fact that I think he was put in good situations and was a by-product of the players he had, especially in Colorado, where anyone could have coached that team to a playoff birth. Then when things looked tough in Los Angeles, he wasn’t nearly as successful, which then sold me on his ability, or in this case, lack there of.

Bob Hartley is very similar in the case that he got a very good Atlanta team to give up on him and the Isles need someone with some marbles, who is going to get them in gear. Someone like Scott Gordon, who will rustle feathers, but with positive intentions and someone who doesn’t put his needs ahead of the team. Someone dedicated to a cause and not a stop before going somewhere else. Gordon already has a good coaching resume, but will cement it on Long Island and will either make or break himself over the next few seasons. That’s something Hartley wasn’t capable of here. If you ask me, he’s already broken.

Plus, he looks way too much like Mike Bossy. It’s kind of scary actually. If you’re ever bored, take a look at the two of them side by side. Twins.

I liked Maurice for the job because of his experience of taking a team with mixed talent and age to the finals a few years ago. He showed a lot of moxie that year with Carolina and I thought he would have been a good fit with the Isles.

However, Gordon got the job and like I said, I don’t think it’s a bad choice at all. Greg Logan also made a great point of acknowledging the fact that, Gordon, Snow and Rick DiPietro are all goaltenders from the same part of the country, which should make the communication factor one that should be very different from last season. Because of that, I don’t expect to see many “eye brow-raising situations” this season.

It’ll be about the development of these kids, rather than on the problems between the coach and GM.

The way it should always be.

Photo by the AHL

Andy Hilbert- I will never question his desire and passion on the ice. I will however question his ability to be more than a third or fourth liner. He doesn’t finish enough on offense either and with the Islanders getting Jon Sim back and giving some of the youngsters contracts, Hilbert looks to be playing with Bridgeport this season.

Tim Jackman- I think if the Islanders have an injury on the fourth line, Jackman should be the first guy called up. His toughness and poise are silent attributes and at the same time are ones that never hurt the team he’s on. A proven scorer in the AHL Jackman could nab a permanent spot if he proved the critics wrong and scored a few more goals. However, as of right now, I see him as a leader in Bridgeport.

Ben Walter- A guy that needs to start to cement his presence on the ice if he wants to stay on the Island. Two solid seasons in a row at the AHL level in two organizations, Walter hasn’t been able to bring the same dynamic play to the NHL. If Scott Gordon becomes the Isles next coach, he may get a longer look, but as of right now, like Hilbert and Jackman, Walter may find himself in a reserve role with the Isles.

Parrish Back on the Island?

According to HockeyBuzz.com, Mark Parrish is rumored to be headed back to Long Island, after being bought out of his contract by the Minnesota Wild. When Parrish was first traded to the LA Kings, I like many Islander fans and several reporters, thought it was a joke. The guy was a perennial 25-30 goal scorer and according to some, wanted to stay on Long Island, but couldn’t reach a deal with then-Islanders GM Mike Milbury, so he was dealt. In his two and a half years away from the Isles, he has scored 40 goals and 76 points, numbers that are far from amazing, but contributions that would have been welcome on a team starving for offense. And who is to say that Parrish’s career would have deteriorated the way it has if he would have stayed on the Island?

It’s a conundrum that is only exacerbated by more thinking.

However, right now, Parrish is not a player that should be given a shot on this team. Sure, he’ll add 15-20 goals, but he’ll be taking ice-time away from a youngster. With Weight and Streit added this offseason, the Islanders offense will have it’s work cut out for them and Parrish won’t make enough of a difference to warrant sticking a guy like Frans Nielsen or Jeff Tambellini back in Bridgeport.

Photo by NHL Media

Nevertheless, he did prove he was still a solid player who could contribute. I don’t anyone would have argued if Guerin put up the same numbers, 23 goals and 21 assists on the second or third line of a team like the Penguins, Red Wings or Sharks. But this is the New York Islanders we’re talking about and Guerin’s 44 points were a bit of a disappointment to many of the fans here, despite what he did in the locker room and in the community.

Before he played his first game with the Islanders, I predicted he’d score 30 goals in 08. 23 isn’t so far off that prediction, but when you add in how cold Mike Comrie was at times and that the team had no one around him that could give him some space, 23 goals is pretty damn good if you ask me. I don’t know if this year is going to be different, but I think if guys like Trent Hunter and Comrie come into this season looking to take their games to the next level, Guerin could be a huge benefactor of their success.

Let’s face it, the Islanders don’t have a legitimate first line. Rather, they have two above average second lines, a great third line and a young energy line on the bottom. It doesn’t matter who defenses put up against these lines because none of them feature game-changing players. They feature hard-working players that will make you pay for your mistakes, guys like Hunter, Richard Park, Sean Bergenheim, etc. If a few of these players can have solid seasons, somewhere along the lines of 20-25 goals and 30 helpers [I don't expect Park to do that considering everything else he does for this team, but I see no reason why Hunter or Bergenheim can't, I mean Hunter did it his rookie reason], defenses will have to plan against the Isles differently.

As of right now, they know to keep Guerin away from the front of the net and slot and to watch out for Comrie’s toe drag. Mark Streit’s presence on the blue line and a healthy Chris Campoli should help the offense as well, but back to Guerin.

Aside from the 99 Oilers and 2004 Stars, Guerin has never been the go to guy on offense for any team he’s played for. He’s been a great secondary scorer and a guy that can provide leadership though and if the Islanders can either develop or get someone who can be that legitimate go-to guy, I think they’ll see a more productive Guerin.

Photo by NHL Media

Bruno Gervais

Predicted Stats- three goals, 15 assists, 22 :00 ATOI.

Last season, Gervais averaged 20 minutes a game of ice time and while it looked like he was in the good graces of Ted Nolan most of the time, he never really got a chance to break out of his shell offensively or play big time minutes in close games. Preferring to go with the likes of Brendan Witt and Radek Martinek on defense most of the time in tight contests, I believe Gervais was limited to mop up duty and only got a chance on the powerplay when there were little or no options left. A solid offensive D-man in juniors, I think Gervais can produce a little more than he has been over the past few seasons if given a real opportunity. At times, Gervais has led the rush on offense and seemingly, doesn’t look out of place at all. With a little more work, he can be a solid number four or five D-man that can contribute on both sides of the puck.

Chris Campoli

Predicted Stats- 12 goals, 22 assists.

Another player with a lot of room to grow, Campoli looked like he had it all figured out before a nasty shoulder injury ruined his season in 08. Combining the physical play he’s been getting a reputation for, while developing already good offensive skills, I see Campoli as someone who would look great with Mark Streit on the powerplay at some point in the season. It’s just a matter of staying healthy and in the good graces of the whoever coaches this team in 09, something the youngster has had a few problems with over the past few seasons.

Frans Nielsen

Predicted Stats- 10 goals, 20 assists.

Before Doug Weight was signed, I may have considered bumping his stats up just a little bit. However, on a fourth line with guys like Blake Comeau and Richard Park, I see Nielson playing a crucial role as a sparkplug and someone who can help on the powerplay and the penalty kill. Some may be turned off by his lack of size, but I believe his ability in the face-off circle, combined with his speed and quick release will make him a solid fourth liner and someone Isles fans will love by the end of the season.

Photo by Pete Borriello

With guys like Mark Streit and Doug Weight in the fold and the youngsters getting more of an opportunity, the Islanders offense this season is going to be hit or miss. However, unlike those same writers, bloggers and pundits who don’t give the Islanders a chance in hell in making the playoffs this season, I believe they do have a chance.

And that one small, almost minuscule chance this team has in making the playoffs doesn’t depend on any new player or any youngster.

It depends on Rick DiPietro.

It’s funny to me how a team with such a rich history like the Isles could have fans with such horrendous short term memory. They remember the bad trades and the years playing golf [I especially remember them] in May, but they don’t remember the small things. Before this team collapsed down the stretch last season, they were right in the thick of things. The reason why wasn’t because of an amazing offense or shut down defense. It was because of their goaltending. DP was an All-Star. And better yet, he deserved to be there; he had the numbers. They were actually better than a few Vezina finalists, one named Henrik Lundqvist.

However, after getting injured, the Isles went in a downward spiral and DP’s own unwillingness to take time off wound up hurting the team even more. If Wade Dubielewicz could have gotten in more games for an injured DP, who knows what could have happened. This season though, the Isles don’t have that kind of insurance and DP will be asked to not do the little things he’s done over the past few seasons that have hurt his team and his career. This season, DP will be asked to not be so aggressive with the puck and to take a day off every five games or so. Regardless of what the gregarious and confident goaltender may think, 65 games is more than enough for any starting NHL goaltender and by not playing 75, he won’t break down like he has over the past two seasons.

In the end, if he can stay healthy and on top of his game all season, this team will challenge for the final playoff spot. Once the playoffs begin, it’s a whole other ballgame.

But if DP is more preoccupied with chasing pucks away from fourth liners at the blue line in Montreal or playing past injuries in All-Star competitions than keeping this team on his back, the Islanders’ season will be over before it gets started.

Notes-

Don’t think I forgot about the second part of “These Kids Will be Alright.” Expect it on either Monday or Tuesday. I just felt the need to talk about our good ole buddy Rick DiPietro.

Photo courtesy of NHL Media

With that being said, I figured now would be as great a time as ever to talk about what I expect from the youngsters on the Islanders this season, tackling Kyle Okposo, Jeff Tambellini and Blake Comeau first and then getting to the rest in later posts.

Enjoy.

Kyle Okposo

Predicted Stats- 25 goals, 30 assists, 55 points

Not only do I expect Okposo to lead the Islanders in scoring this season, I expect him to play in all game situations and grow into a player that will eventually be able to help take this team into the playoffs on a consistent basis. Some people may think that 55 points isn’t a lot to smile about, but I think this season will be crucial in determining what Okposo is capable of at the NHL level. Talking to author and Minnesota sports writer Ross Bernstein a few months ago about Okposo’s style, I’m really excited at the possibilities here. While some people believe he won’t be a superstar at this level, I believe he’ll be extremely close to a point a game player and someone who opposing defenses don’t want to play against.

Jeff Tambellini

Predicted Stats- 18 goals, 25 assists, 43 points

Proven at the AHL level, Tambo will finally get the playing time he’s been craving. Just like Okposo, I see him playing in various game situations and proving why he was drafted in the first round in 2003 by the Kings. Not having the size or tenacity Okposo does, I see Tambellini starting off slow until he finds his niche. A good passer with an accurate shot, it’ll take about 25 games until Tambs [wow, two nicknames in one paragraph] understands he’s not in the AHL more. After settling in, I believe Tambellini will develop into a competent and high-ceiling third liner that will develop into a 50-60 point scorer before his career is over.

Blake Comeau

Predicted Stats- 15 goals, 18 assists, 33 points

Unlike Okposo and Tambellini, I see Comeau developing into a gritty, passionate role player that every team in the NHL would love to have on their roster. However, a few variables will have to go his way before he can develop into a true NHL lunch pailer. For one, Comeau is going to have to let his tough play in the corners and in front of the net develop to the point where he gets a little more fiery when intimidated. I know I’ve mentioned this a few times last season, but in order for Comeau to reach the next level, he has to get more space on the ice. The only way that happens is if he proves to the league that a price will be paid if he’s messed with. With his release and instincts, he can be a force on the ice against teams with size up front, he just has to play with more of an edge. His heart and passion is there and so is the skill, he just needs a little more spice.

Photo by Patrick Hickey Jr.

Despite rejecting a qualifying offer a few weeks ago, the 23-year-old is back on the Island. Signing a three-year, one-way deal worth a modest $2.225 million, Gervais is now another youngster signed for relatively nothing.

However, Gervais has the task of proving himself this season. Fighting injuries for most of his time on the Island, Gervais is going to have to get in the best shape of his carer and really cement his spot on not only the Islanders, but in the NHL.

With only 26 points in 139 career NHL games, Gervais has a long way to go before becoming the solid offensive defenseman the team thought they were getting when they drafted him in the sixth round of the 2003 draft. Nevertheless, with his skating ability, desire and character, he already has the beginnings of a more than capable stay at home defenseman.

He just has to prove it now.

“Bruno is a homegrown talent and has been developing in our system for a few years,” said Islanders General Manager Garth Snow on the team’s official website. “He’s a high character player and person and is someone who is great in the Long Island community. We’re very excited to have him on board for the next three years.”

Add in the fact that he’s a great team guy and loves to help out in the community, he could be a very big piece to the Islanders puzzle in a few years, alongside guys like Kyle Okposo, Rick DiPietro, Chris Campoli and Jeff Tambellini, who too have some work ahead of them this season. Together with those players and a few veteran additions, the Islanders can begin to build something that lasts on Long Island.

Will it be quite like Pittsburgh or Chicago? I don’t think so, but this team, if it matures and develops the way it should, can be a good team with a host of grit and passion that teams in the NHL won’t want to play.

Gervais can be a big part of that as well.

Let’s face it, he’ll never be a gritty guy like Brendan Witt, but he could develop into someone along the lines of a Kenny Jonsson without the offensive ability. Again, considering the Islanders signed him for three years, Gervais should have every opportunity to prove himself as a capable and dependable NHLer. He’ll get an opportunity to play in all game situations and will have an opportunity to become a leader. If he doesn’t, both he and the team can move on.

While I’m happy Nielsen is going to stick around, the length of the contract kind of puzzles me. Bergenheim and Tambellini obviously took to year deals because they feel confident enough in their ability that they’ll be different players by then and ready to make some more dough, either with the Isles or somewhere else. With that being said, what is Nielsen’s reason for wanting a four-year deal? Maybe it’s security, I don’t know, but even though the team is in the midst of a rebuilding process, signing an unproven player to a four-year deal, even as cheaply as Nielsen’s is, is a risk.

Nevertheless, if Nielsen can be a dependable fourth liner and contribute on both sides of the puck, he should be well worth the money the Islanders are paying him.

“We’re excited to have Frans locked up for the next four years,” said Islanders General Manager Garth Snow on the team’s official website. “We know he is going to come to training camp in great shape and ready to compete for his spot on the team.”

From the look of things, it looks like Nielsen is going to play with Richard Park and a combination of Bergenheim and Blake Comeau, forming a highly energetic and well-rounded fourth line. Playing with these guys, I think Nielsen can score about 10-15 goals and add about 20-25 assists, especially if he gets some time on the powerplay.

Good on face-offs and a solid passer, Nielsen should get an opportunity to kill penalties and work on the powerplay if guys like Comrie and Weight can’t handle the load. Considering that he played most of last season with Kyle Okposo, I think it would be natural to pair them together with the man advantage at some point in the season. He’ll also get a chance to play more than seven minutes a game with a new coach.

Flashy at times, I am personally looking forward to seeing Nielsen in the shootout, which is where he has had the most success over the course of his young NHL career.

If he and the Isles have their way though, this Dane will be known for a lot more than some quick dekes and a nice release.

Well, if the recent signings are any indication, at least two youngsters will have a big opportunity to make a name for themselves in this upcoming season.

I wrote about Sean Bergenheim a week ago and stressed that he not only needed a real opportunity, unlike the one that had him playing ten minutes a game for the majority of the season last year, and of course, a long-term contract. Giving him a one-way, two-year contract to prove himself is definitely a step in the right direction for this club and I predict that if he gets a few more minutes a game, you’ll stat to see the development of a legitimate NHL pest, minus the Jack Nicholson-esque stare, a-la “The Shining” of Darcy Tucker [thank you Howie Rose] and metrosexuality of Sean Avery.

With more playing time and some consistency, the guy will also blossom into a 20-goal scorer.

I bet my Starbury’s on it.

Islanders GM Garth Snow seems pretty happy they locked him up as well.

“We’re very happy to have Sean locked up for two years,” said Islanders General Manager Garth Snow on the team’s official website. “He’s another young player who we’re excited to see at training camp and competing.”

At 1.75 million over two seasons, Bergenheim is also extremely cost-effective. Overall, it’s a great deal for both Bergie and the Islanders.

If you thought Bergenheim’s deal was cost-effective, getting Jeff Tambellini for only 1.125 million over two-years is a steal. However unlike Bergenheim who proved himself a valued commodity last season, Tambellini has everything to prove. A first round pick in 2003, time is running out for the 24-year-old, who has consistently proven himself at the AHL level, but only has four goals and 17 points in 79 NHL games.

In other news, Jeremy Colliton and Ben Walter also signed two-way contracts and should be the first forwards called up if an injury arises. Walter had 66 points in 68 games for Bridgeport, but wasn’t the same player on Long Island, mainly because of a lack of ice-time. Colliton on the other hand, proved that he could be an effective fourth line center in limited duty and may be fighting for a job in training camp.

Despite signing four of their brightest prospects, the Islanders may lose the services of both Frans Nielsen and Bruno Gervais, who both rejected qualifying offers.

Nielsen showed some promise in his two stints with the Islanders over the past two seasons, but like a host of other youngsters, was never really given an opportunity. Gervais on the other hand, despite solid skating ability and solid defensive ability, has yet to develop into the solid two-way defenseman the Islanders expected him to be.

However despite all of this, these are two youngsters the Islanders should sign. Working with Kyle Okposo in Bridgeport, Nielsen can be a dependable third line center at his point in his career and Gervais, at 23, still has time to develop. As good a skater as he is, it’s a fair assumption to make that he still has yet to stop developing.

However, during that time, Ted Nolan’s hard-working attitude and approach was always prevalent. Regardless of who was on the team, Alexei Yashin, Ryan Smyth,Mike Comrie, he made sure his players worked for their minutes. When they didn’t, they were benched. That included players like Miroslav Satan and Rick DiPietro. For being that dedicated to the success of his team and not caring about the consequences, I applaud him.

But in the end, that’s why he lost his job.

There seems to be a logic-famine of sorts on Long Island for the past few months, as Rick DiPietro has more of a say in when he gets to play than his coach and even though we all know now that DP was hurt and Wade Dubielewicz was the better goalie at the time, Isles GM Garth Snow decided to stick by his franchise player, rather than his coach. You can’t blame Nolan for trying to assert himself though, he took the team to the playoffs the year before and had quickly become a fan-favorite and made the team semi-respected again.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to gain the confidence of the organization.

And why would it be? This is the Islanders we’re talking about. A team that let another great coach, Peter Laviolette, go a few years ago because they felt he wasn’t a strong enough presence in the locker room and the inmates were running the asylum.

Sadly, it took almost a half-decade later for the organization to get the real problems out of the locker room out and the organization, Alexei Yashin and Mike Milbury.

I guess golfing partners are really hard to find on the Island nowadays, huh Mr. Wang?

So while Nolan had every right to do the things he did, he clashed with Snow and that was enough to get the ball rolling. Soon after Snow was questioning Nolan’s actions in front of the media and it was becoming obvious. He wanted Nolan out.

In spite of all of that though, I can’t shake off the feeling that if he would have just been a “yes” man, he’d still have a job.

But Nolan just isn’t that kind of guy.

However, his inability to communicate with Snow wasn’t the only reason why he was forced out. Even though he has a good enough track record coaching youngsters, considering his coaching time in juniors, the Isles used this past season as a way of saying he was unable to help the team with their youth movement.

While I myself was skeptical of how he would have handled the youngsters, let me just say this: there is a huge difference between being forced to play youngsters due to injuries and depending on them to produce through an entire season. While I’ll admit I don’t know how well he would have done this season, I will also admit this: he deserved a shot.

Some will now say that guys like Andy Hilbert and Freddy Meyer, who were Nolan favorites, will have to work harder for their spots on this team, because who ever takes over this team will be more likely to give guys like Bruno Gervais, Jack Hillen and Jeff Tambellini more of a shot. While that may have happened this season with Nolan at the helm, there is no question about it now, this team is looking for a lapdog to carry out the plan Charles Wang and Snow have for the organization.

So again, the Islanders find another way to reduce their eve-sinking credibility in the NHL.

The only question is, who steps in?

Don’t pull a Tommy Salo on this one.

For those new to the team or those who need a quick refresher on Islanders lore, Tommy Salo was a goalie for the team that made the mistake of going to salary arbitration with former team GM Mike Milbury.

The legend has it that Milbury ripped into the All-Star so badly that he reduced him to tears. Not very long after that, Salo was gone.

So I say this to the Islanders, don’t do it.

Sean Bergenheim can be a legitimate 20-goal scorer in this league and a pest the likes of the team hasn’t seen since Jason Blake. Add in the fact that he’s a happy go lucky kid and is a better skater than both Darcy Tucker and Sean Avery, this Sean can be an impact player on a young Islanders team hungry for exuberance. Screwing with him in arbitration and creating a situation where he won’t want to stay here after his contract is over would not be conducive to keeping players of his talent and youth in an Islanders uniform either.

With problems bringing in big name free agents already bogging down the franchise, I think it’s in Islanders GM Garth Snow’s best interest to refrain any comments that could raise an “eye brow or two.” Over the past two seasons, despite making a few solid trades and helping the team change it’s descending reputation in the league, he’s shown some signs of having some of Milbury’s “eat my crap” attitude, which has included pissing off both his coach and a huge portion of the college hockey community.

Sign the kid to a three-year deal and give him an opportunity to do more than provide energy and kill penalties. Sure, his game is still rough around the edges, but he has the potential to be much more than a guy on a third line.

With Ted Nolan looking like he’s going to give the youth movement the good old college try, Snow too owes it to himself to not take advantage of the talented youth on this team. While Kyle Okposo leading the charge and guys like Jeff Tambellini, Blake Comeau and Bergenheim waiting for an opportunity to prove themselves, Snow can slowly begin to change the motif on the Island, establishing young players and brining in veterans that want to be a part of something special, rather than earn a quick buck before they hang up their skates.

It all starts with treating players like Bergenheim the right way.

Enter Mathieu Schneider?

According to hockeybuzz.com, the Islanders are in the running for the defenseman. I personally think that while he could help the team on the powerplay, losing a youngster like Bruno Gervais, Chris Campoli or even a veteran like Radek Martinek, players who want to be here, for a mercenary that could care less about what the team is trying to build, is not worth it to me. Streit is in this for the long haul and Weight knows he’s in a leadership role, similar to that of Crash Davis in “Bull Durham.” Are they superstars? No, but they may play a hand in shaping the youngsters on this team so they can develop into some.

While on the topic of recent pickups and players coming to the Islanders, who’s the enforcer?

[Before I get into this more, I want to thank my old buddy and hardcore Isles fan Anthony Natoli for bringing this topic up to me last week]

For those who don’t know, according to TSN.com, Brendan Witt has been extended [no length or financial figures are known at this time] and while he has been known to drop the gloves, he’s too damn solid on defense to be picking fights all the time. Easily the MVP of the Isles last season, the guy needs to be on the ice as much as possible. I think the same thing can be said for Andy Sutton, who before a slew of injures ended his season, made significant strides in his own end and needs to be on the ice, taking the body and blocking shots, rather than in the sin-bin.

The Isles have other physical players, guys like Jon Sim and Sean Bergenheim, but they all are more agitators than anything else. Trent Hunter isn’t a fighter, as his embarrassing tussle with Darian Hatcher last season proved and Blake Comeau is the type of playing who won’t drop the gloves, even if sphered in the gonads. Kyle Okposo is supposed to have a bit of a physical game as well, but by no means will he be asked to fight this season.

So what are the Isles to do?

At this point, an enforcer on this team may be a luxury the Islanders can’t afford. I mean seriously why take a roster spot away from a youngster who may be able to give you so much more than Chris Simon, Luke Richardson, Darren McCarty, Andre Roy or the endless list of available fighters out there could. Last season the Isles played most of the season with an enforcer and while they didn’t make the playoffs, most of the time, they weren’t being pushed around much. If guys like Bill Guerin and Mike Comrie drop the gloves a few more times this season and other players play gritty hockey and stand up for themselves, the Isles may not even need one.

Guess we’ll just have to wait and see with that one.

Lastly, I just want to say that for the past few weeks, Chris Botta’s blog has been an absolute blast to read and it was an absolute shame that it had to all come to an end. At the same time though, I understand that he obviously wants to move on with his life and start a new project, away from the Ilanders. Nevertheless, I’d like to thank Mr. Botta for opening up his mind and heart to the thousands of fans out there that desperately want to know everything that is going on in Islander country.

Thank You.

Mark Streit may never score 62 points again in his NHL career, but he should be a lock for at least 40 over the next five years, giving the Islanders the offensive defenseman they desperately need. Considering how bad the powerplay was last last season, Streit will be a breath of fresh air on offense and should take plenty of pressure off of Chris Campoli, who many were expecting to get significant time with the man advantage next season.

I’ve heard the scouting report that his defensive skills could need some polishing, but I’m sure it’s nothing like what Islander fans had to deal with when Marc-Andre Bergeron was around. A better skater and a bit bigger, Streit, while not much of a physical player, won’t get pushed around as much as MAB did and will be able to develop his defensive game, rather than be a detriment to his team. As of right now, it looks like he’s going to be paired with Andy Sutton, so that should mean that he can take a few chances on offense, while his behemoth defensive partner blocks a few shots and takes care of the people that get in his way.

However, the best part of this team was the money. With the Rangers and Sharks grossly over-paying for the likes of Wade Redden and Brian Campbell, the Isles got a better offensive player, who’s younger and getting paid similar to Michal Rozsival, a player he had 25 more points than.

Sounds okay so far right? Not anything to jump for joy about, but then again, when was the last time fans of this club had anything to really get excited about?

Streit is obviously looking to make sure he’s not a fluke and considering how desperate the Isles were to land a powerplay quarterback, it was a win-win situation. I personally thought Ron Hainsey, who’s a little younger and bigger would have been a better fit [and just signed with the Thrashers], but we’ll see how Streit works out. At the price the Isles got him at and his eagerness for a long-term deal, it’s hard to have a problem with the signing.

As far as the Weight signing goes, I think it’s about getting a great leader for a great price. Let’s face it, Weight is not going to notch another 45 assist season in 09, but he can give guys like Jeff Tambellini and Kyle Okposo some room on the ice and put them in a good situation to score. If he’s healthy all season, I definitely see him scoring a dozen goals and adding 30 helpers, while setting a great on-ice example for the youngsters.

At the very least, the Islanders have added more offense after cutting ties with Josef Vasicek, Miroslav Satan and Ruslan Fedotenko. If guys like Sean Bergenheim, Tambellini, Okposo and Blake Comeau can continue to develop offensively, the Isles may have a better group of forwards than last year. Let’s not forget that Jon Sim will be around next season as well and should be able to add about 15 goals and 40 points.

With Mike Sillinger having hip surgery this offseason as well, it may take a while until he’s back up to speed. Until that time, Weight can help take the burden off the Isles assistant captain, while Streit will upgrade the Isles powerplay. I think having Weight around can also bolster the Isles chances with the man advantage because let’s face it, even at 37, the Isles haven’t had a playmaker of his caliber in a while. All in all, the team got a few extra parts to support the youngsters that will hopefully be able to lead this team in a few years. Is it an end-all solution? Of course not. But it will make things interesting this season.

With Streit and Weight signing however, guys like Andy Hilbert, Jeremy Colliton and Frans Nielsen may be fighting for a spot on the team next year. Kind of the opposite approach the team has been proposing all off-season, but with cap room to spend and the price the Isles got these players at, they had to make these deals.

Lastly, with Weight, Sillinger, Mike Comrie, Bill Guerin and Brendan Witt all on the last years of their contracts, the Isles can get young players, prospects and draft picks in return if the team decides to go on a slide come trading deadline.

That puts this team in a situation to further the youth movement if this combination of youth and experience can’t get the job done.

For the time being, I doubt any more moves will be made, but I’ve been wrong before.

It should be fun waiting and finding out though, right?

A small part of me is hoping I’m wrong again too.

As a matter of fact, I wouldn’t go making bets on a Sean Avery signing either.

If the Islanders have their way, Guerin and Comrie, along with guys like Andy Sutton, Richard Park, Mike Sillinger and Brendan Witt will be the only established veterans on this team. With the added money the Isles will need to spend, I totally expect them to lock up guys like Sean Bergenheim, Bruno Gervais, Frans Nielsen, Jeremy Colliton, Ben Walter and Jeff Tambellini for a few years. However, that still means they’ll have some dough to throw around.

However, by no means necessary do I see this team willing to fork over the type of cash Tampa Bay, in their infinite, or shall I say, finite, wisdom, did to pay for a 20 goal scorer by the name of Ryan Malone. Eight Million for the first three years? Never going to happen on Long Island again. That is unless they get a new home and start winning with unproven players. And we all know what the chances of that are right now. Nonetheless, the Isles will be able to treat their youngsters accordingly and will be in a situation to reward them for hard work. That will put them in a better place to rebuild this team.

And that my friends is what this team really needs.

Over the next few years, I think you’re going to see this team start to take a “Money Ball” approach to hockey. Considering that most of the players they drafted fit the type of mold they are trying to promote in the organization, in the next few years, fans of this team will start to see a philosophy change that can result in a renewed vigor in the fan base and a reputation change in the league.

It worked for teams like Pittsburgh, Chicago and Philadelphia and it can work for the Islanders, even though they have a much steeper slope to fight against than any of the aforementioned teams did. With players like Kyle Okposo, Trent Hunter, Richard Park and Witt in the lineup every night for this team next year, a lover of the sport like myself will watch them and enjoy every second. Nonetheless, the competitive side of me wants to see them competitive and successful.

We’ll have to wait and see though when I can have my cake and eat it too.

Anyone that has been to this site over the past year and change knows that I am a huge believer in Bergenheim and Nielsen. I’ve said it before, but I really believe Bergenheim can develop into a 20 goal scorer and be an adequate pest. He just has so many things going for him in his game. All he has to do is be more consistent. If he does, I think he can be someone every team in the NHL would love to have in their organization.

While I haven’t seen as much of Nielsen, I think he’s a quality playmaker with good puck-handling skills. With that being said, I see him this season as someone who can score 15 goals and add 25-30 assists. I know it’s a big task, considering the Isles leading scorer had 49 points last season, but I have a lot of faith in his ability. I also think with regular ice-time, Colliton and Walter can be solid players. Colliton I see as a penalty-killer type in the mold of Richard Park with a little bit more of a physical game, while Walter is a guy I see scoring 35-40 points on a third line.

In my mind, I think these are six players that have established themselves at the AHL level and are ready to prove themselves.

Only time will tell if they can deliver.

Also, the Isles are supposedly going to announce a buyout on Shawn Bates’ contract soon. What does that mean for the team? Not much, considering the former “Lucky 7’s” line member hasn’t played in 80 games combined over the past two seasons. However, it does say that the Islanders are serious about establishing a youth movement. That, I believe is a step in the right direction. Again, many Islander fans are sick of waiting for this team to develop into a Cup contender, but this is the only way it can happen. Let’s face it, the Islanders don’t have the money of the New York Rangers and by developing quality players from within, they’ll finally be able to attract talented free agents, rather than second and third-tier players who want to try and revitalize their careers.

We’ll have to wait a while to see how that turns out too.

You simply don’t try to rebuild your prospect base in a draft this deep. It’s common sense. If the Islanders had decided to do something like that last season, I wouldn’t have been angry, considering they didn’t have a first round pick, but with the amount of impact players that were available in this draft, I can’t help but feel disappointed.

While I don’t have anything particular against Joshua Bailey, I get the feeling that something else was going on at the draft that made them trade down. Sure, he had 96 points this season in the OHL, but he I have the feeling he is not the young impact player this team needs right now.

I hope the Islanders seriously have inside information here and are really as high on Bailey as they say they are and aren’t drunk on incompetence. Forgive me if I’m out of line here, but it’s really hard to have faith in a team that’s drafted busts like Ryan O’Marra, Robert Nilsson and Petteri Nokalainen over the past few years. The only legitimate player to be drafted by this team over the past four years was Kyle Okposo, but that was Neil Smith’s doing, not Milbury or Snow.

From the scouting reports I’ve read, Bailey is more the Mike Peca type, a player that can play in all situations and chip in some offense. While Peca was one of my favorite Islanders when he was here and someone in that mold can help, there’s no telling when this kid is going to be ready and like most fans of this team, I’m simply sick of waiting.

I know the youth movement will take some time and I know I will have to wait, but I’m not exactly thrilled about it. Seeing guys like Bailey, Okposo, Jack Hillen and Sean Bergenheim develop into solid NHL players will hopefully worth it.

I hope.

For my money, I’d like to see them pick up Nikita Filatov. Sure, he has the body of Jerry Mathers circa 1960 and might not be able to be as dynamic as teams want him to be his first few years in the league, but he is a sniper who I believe can develop into a point a game player in a few years. That’s what this team needs right now.

Imagine if you will, Kyle Okposo playing with someone that didn’t score 49 points and is scheduled to make four million dollars this year. Imagine two blue chip prospects earning their stripes and developing into the types of players a perennial playoff team can depend on.

Sounds fun, right? Sounds like something you’d like to watch, doesn’t it? Sounds better than expecting Ruslan Fedotenko and Josef Vasicek to defy the hockey gods and reality and score 25 goals, right?

That’s what I thought.

The Isles defense, on the other hand, is one of the only things I’m not too worried about, with guys like Chris Campoli, Bruno Gervais, Dustin Kohn, Andrew MacDonald and Mark Katic all ready to contribute or in the wings. I‘m not saying by any means that I wouldn’t love to have Peterborough’s Zach Bogosian, Guelph’s Drew Doughty, Kelowna teammates Tyler Myers and Luke Schenn or Niagara’s Alex Pietrangelo, as these guys could prove to be the next big time defensemen in the NHL, but beggars can’t be choosers.

Simply put, the Islanders are begging for more offense.

I wouldn’t be surprised either if the Islanders traded away a veteran or two today from the blueline either, which could necessitate the need to pick up one of the aforementioned defensemen. Stuff like that happens on draft day all the time, especially with this team. Labeled the “can’t miss draft” by many hockey insiders this year, the only way the Islanders could totally screw this up is if they trade their first pick entirely.

Simply put, this team needs to get younger and more dynamic as soon as possible.

Grit, character and heart are great attributes to have and to preach, but last year they were substituted for over-paid veterans, unused youth and inescapable injuries. If this team truly wants to turn the corner, they fully adopt the youth movement and get this ship moving in the right direction… today.

Draft Filatov and pick up a solid offensive D-man this offseason, Islanders. Or better yet, keep the search for a powerplay quarterback in house. Give Chris Campoli a real opportunity to see what he can do playing 25 minutes a game in all game situations. The end result may not only surprise the Islanders, but the NHL as well.

The youngsters must develop.

In his brief call-up last season, Kyle Okposo proved that he could play in the NHL. After what will probably be the most important off-season of his life, Okposo will no doubt come into camp bigger and stronger than he was last season. But what does that mean in terms of his production? Far from the likes of players like Sydney Crosby or Alexander Ovechkin who seem to have magnets on their sticks, Okposo is a blue-collar power forward who has to fight in the corners and in the slot to get chances. That doesn’t mean he won’t surprise many with his skating, stick handling ability and release though. Nevertheless, he’s not going to be the type of player who leads the league in scoring.

Because of this, defenses around the league will not plan around him and in order for him to score the 25-30 goals I think he is capable of, he’s going to have to work on every single shift. The same thing goes for a guy like Sean Bergenheim, who has all the talent in the world, but no consistency to put it all together. Guys like Chris Campoli, Blake Comeau and Frans Nielsen will also have an opportunity to show Ted Nolan that they can contribute on a permanent basis.

For Campoli, who was in Nolan’s doghouse two seasons ago, before earning the respect of his coach, he will be asked to possibly quarterback the powerplay and continue to develop his physical game. Now entering his fourth season in the NHL, I believe Campoli will be able to make due on the promise of his rookie season and score anywhere from 10-15 goals and add 35-45 points, giving the Islanders the well-rounded defenseman they lacked for most of last season.

Comeau too will be another player the Isles will need to play in all game situations. While his offensive game needs a bit more luster, I think Comeau will be another solid depth player on the team next season, scoring anywhere from 10-15 goals too, while adding the same amount of assists. Killing penalties and getting in front of the net on the powerplay, Comeau will be another fun youngster to watch next season. My only real problem with his game is that he didn’t stick up for himself nearly as much as he should have, which could hurt him in the long run, especially if players believe they can get away with taking liberties with him.

Aside from these promising youngsters however, the Isles have two more that I believe will be forced to make an impression this season, or else their careers in the blue and orange will be over. Jeff Tambellini has more talent than most of the players on the team, but can’t find a way to crack the lineup. Next season, with guys like Miroslav Satan, Ruslan Fedotenko and Josef Vasicek all likely gone, Tambo will finally have the opportunity he needs. A proven scorer in the AHL, Tambellini could prove to be a sleeper if he can live up to promise.

The same thing goes for Bruno Gervais, who seems to get injured every time he’s ready to prove himself. With youngsters in the organization ripening on defense and veterans with one-way contracts sandwiched between him, Gervais needs to establish himself asap. Otherwise, he’ll find himself as trade bait if the Isles go looking for another goal scorer to help out Mike Comrie and Bill Guerin.