This is starting to get tiring. Three games in a row this team has failed to generate consistent offense.

Sure, they started out pretty strong, but after the botched offside call, they were done for. Even Tim Jackman’s fight at the end of the game was pretty pathetic.

Is there another line on this team besides the one with Matt Moulson, John Tavares and Kyle Okposo that can get some shots on the net? Those guys are working their arses off and if they could get one more line with some chemistry, things might change a tad.

Maybe they’ll score two goals a game.

Josh Bailey has got to shoot more. Six shots on goal in six games is pathetic. Same thing goes for Sean Bergenheim, who has been a non-factor as well. I’d like to see Blake Comeau grow a pair too and start getting a little more aggressive in front of the net and shooting more.

Here’s the million dollar question: how are you supposed to have a youth movement when the kids aren’t ready to even be supporting characters?

Doug Weight needs to aim a bit lower too.

Jon Sim needs to play the way he did before the team sent him to Bridgeport… or else threaten him with it. All jokes aside, he hasn’t been all that bad, I’m just pissy right now.

Without guys like Trent Hunter and Frans Nielsen in the lineup, I think this team is missing two big catalysts.

On top of that, this team needs to play more physical. I don’t care what the hit stat says, this team needs someone to go out there and just take the body every time they get on the ice.

Joel Rechlicz had virtually no ice time on Saturday on top of everything else as well, so this team was flat on the boards, in front of the night and with their fists.

Marty Biron was decent, but the defense was far from spectacular and let the Sharks skate wherever they wanted.

Overall, it just wasn’t a fun game to watch.

Posted under 2009-10

Over the past 10 days, the New York Islanders have added depth to both their team and Bridgeport, signing Nate Thompson, Jack Hillen, Joel Rechlicz and Blake Comeau. I’ve already spoken at length about Thompson that I believe he’s better suited to play at Bridgeport and come up in case of emergency, but “The Wrecker” is a different story. If he can improve his skating ability even more, remember too, this was a dude who was in the ECHL for a spell last season, he’ll be a Steve Webb clone with better hands. If he can follow the puck, play tough in the corners and fight when he has to, the Isles will have a solid fourth line with him and Tim Jackman and whoever they decide to have center them.

As far as Comeau goes, lets hope he learned his lesson from last season and comes into camp in shape, scores 15-20 goals and plays good physical, two-way hockey. If he does, he could be one of the best third liners in the league and develop into a Kris Draper-Jay Pandolfo-type player. Won’t hold my breath though.

In other news, the Islanders have been stepping up their support of the lighthouse project on the site as of late, but there’s an even better way to get this thing moving. Sign another scorer.

Here’s a list of some players available right now.

Robert Lang
Viktor Kozlov
Maxim Afinogenov
Todd Bertuzzi
Petr Sykora
Alex Tanguay
Taylor Pyatt

Some of these guys are in need of a second chance, and some are even old, but Pyatt or Bertuzzi would be great on the third line and in front of the net on the powerplay. Sykora, Kozlov and Tanguay can all come in and score at least 20 goals and give the team some more name recognition.

That may be what the team needs more. Get fans excited to see that the team is taking steps to put a quality team on the ice. Then they’ll spend their money going there and give the government officials enough of a reason to support it as well.

Photo by Patrick Hickey Jr.

Posted under Offseason 2009

If one thing was painfully obvious this season, it was that Doug Weight doesn’t like losing.

Unlike some of the other players that seemed content with their play during the season, Weight was always seen yammering on the bench and trying whatever he could in order to get his team going.

Now with the team ready to draft the number one pick in the draft in a few weeks, Weight sees the possibilities.

And boy is he excited.

“Getting the first pick in the draft certainly excites me from an organization standpoint,” Weight said. “We had 61 points this year and we had a lot of injuries and it was a tough year for us this way. I think we are going in the right direction, but nothing speeds it up like getting a great hockey player. We have some good young players that have taken some strides this year, but to get somebody like this in your organization in September or October will give us a boost and maybe it will give us some confidence. If you team that up with everyone getting healthy next year, who knows what position we are going to be in.”

You have to admit, Weight has a point. While the rest of the NHL is focused on what the Islanders did this year, no one is thinking about how much better they can be next season. Guys like Josh Bailey, Frans Neilsen, Kyle Okposo and Blake Comeau should be ready to perform at a higher level and if they can keep veterans like Trent Hunter, Brendan Witt and Radek Martinek healthy, who knows what the team will be capable of.

Well, I think even if that is the case, the team will struggle to find itself in the postseason, but they will be better than this season.

At the very least, it’s a start.

While garnering the first pick has lifted the spirits of Weight, it’s been great for business as well.

“There is a lot of excitement surrounding this year’s NHL Entry Draft for the Islanders organization and its fans,” New York Islanders President Chris Dey told the team’s official website. “That enthusiasm is being felt through the increased interest in our various ticket packages.”

Teams like the Blackhawks and Penguins have proven how much a first overall pick can change play on the ice and business; hopefully this is just the beginning of something special for the Isles.

Photo by Patrick Hickey Jr.

Posted under Offseason 2009

Andy Hilbert- Unless the Islanders don’t have the confidence in some of the youngsters that are due a push, guys like Blake Comeau and Jeff Tambellini, there is no reason why Hilbert should stick around. Considering the miserable season Miro Satan had for the Penguins this past seasonand Hilbert’s success there a few years ago, it makes sense that he could end up there again. However, if the Islanders fail to sign or draft a top tier forward, Hilbert, because of his grit and comfort in Scott Gordon’s system, may be one of the first players resigned to round out the depth chart.

Mike Sillinger- Two years ago, one could make the argument that Sillinger was one of the best players on the team. He scored 59 points, killed penalties and won faceoffs, seemingly at will. However, last season, Silly was injured and limited to less than 60 games. This alone played a huge part in why the team missed the playoffs. This season, Sillinger was out of the lineup for 75 games, dealing with even more injuries.

Now a UFA, Sillinger, if healthy and ready to return, could garner interest from other teams in the league. However, the question remains as to if the Islanders should take a chance on him, if that is the case. It’s hard to argue that many of the Islanders problems on the ice this season stemmed with problems with puck possession and Sillinger’s ability in the faceoff circle could have helped that, but at 37, soon to 38, the larger question is can he still be productive? If I was a betting man, I’d throw a hundred dollar bill on him hanging up his skates next season anyway, so even if the Isles decide to bring him back, it’ll be in the short term and considering the fact the team is in the middle of a youth movement, that decision doesn’t make much sense.

But this is the Isles we’re talking about.

Dean McAmmond- He showed some ability that many thought has eluded him lately in his short tenure with the Islanders, but I feel his arrival on Long Island this season had more to do with politics than the Isles wanting his services. With Richard Park and Tim Jackman signed and a host of youngsters that can be plugged into that fourth line with them, the chances of McAmmond sticking around for next season are slim to none.

Photo by Patrick Hickey Jr.

Posted under Offseason 2009

Jason Pitton- I saw him play at Islanders prospect camp in 2005 and didn’t get much of an impression from him. Four years later, I guess you can say the same thing. Pitton’s numbers are less than mediocre as he’s battled inconsistency and injury. With guys like Tim Jackman and Joel Rechlicz either on the big club or in the AHL, the 6′2, 215-pound Pitton may not have the versatility the team needs right now. However, with Mitch Fritz likely gone this offseason, the team may keep him around in case they need another tough guy.

Blake Comeau- I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again; this kid has the makings of a great role player, but he has to take his destiny into his own hands. While I have little doubt that the Islanders will re-sign him this offseason, he has to come into next season’s camp in the best shape of his career and has to force Islanders head coach Scott Gordon to keep him with the big club. If he does that and can shoot the puck some more, there’s no reason why he can’t find himself in the 15-20 goal and 40 point range. I don’t know how you guys feel about this, but as far as a non-top six forward goes, those are damn good numbers.

Jeremy Colliton- Every time he’s been up with the big club, I’ve enjoyed watching him and I think he’s got a lot more offensive ability than people give him credit for. However, much like Ben Walter, I think he’s been lost in the organizational shuffle. Because of that, he’s better off trying to go somewhere else in order to accomplish his dreams of being a NHL regular.

Sergei Ogorodnikov- Don’t know much about him aside from the fact that he had a decent year in the ECHL a few years ago and he’s got some international experience until his belt. At 23 however, the questions remains as to how effective he can be at the NHL level and when he’ll get there.

Jamie Fraser- I think he’s another no-brainer. He’s got the same great hair as his relative Kerry, who is one of the best officials in the league and is a good leader. On the ice, he’s got a big heart and that’s one of the reasons why he’s a fan favorite in Bridgeport. A good player on both sides of the puck, Fraser, in my mind, should be one of the first players called up if the Isles get hot by the injury bug again.

Photo by Patrick Hickey Jr.

Posted under Offseason 2009

It may be a long time before next season, especially with the playoffs just beginning a few days ago, but here in Islander country, we can start contemplating possible line combinations for next season.

Here’s my take, considering the Isles pick up John Tavares.

Forward Lines:

Sean Bergenheim Doug Weight Kyle Okposo
Blake Comeau John Tavares Jesse Joensuu
Jeff Tambellini Josh Bailey Trent Hunter
Richard Park Frans Nielsen Tim Jackman

Spare forwards who will see time during the season:

Jon Sim, Trevor Smith, Joel Rechlicz

Defense

Mark Streit Bruno Gervais
Brendan Witt Radek Martinek
Andy Sutton Freddy Meyer

Spare defensemen who will see time during the season:

Jack Hillen, Dustin Kohn, Andrew MacDonald

Goaltending

Rick DiPietro
?

Not too shabby, eh?

These combinations are also based on the fact that Dean McAmmond, Andy Hilbert, Mike Sillinger, Kurtis McLean, Mitch Fritz, Yann Danis and Joey MacDonald are all UFAs. Chances are that either Danis or Joey Mac could be resigned, but due to Rick DiPietro’s inability to stay healthy, I expect the Islanders to give another goaltender with some experience a chance to backup DP, maybe someone like Kevin Weekes or Antero Niittymaki if the Islanders were extremely lucky. Nothing against either Danis or Mac, who showed signs of brilliance at times, but for long stretches of time they weren’t sharp and this team needs a backup that can be consistent, someone like what Stephen Valiquette does for the Rangers, well aside from that 10-goal debacle against the Stars in February.

The Islanders also have a hearty helping of RFAs in Smith, Comeau, Nate Thompson, Jeremy Colliton that will be signed soon to provide depth at Bridgeport and in Comeau’s case, to give him his first real contract.

All in all, it’s obvious the Islanders will be much younger at the start of next season and with a majority of the growing pains out of the way, the team will be much more competent on the ice.

Photo by Patrick Hickey Jr.

Posted under Offseason 2009

For a few seconds there, Islander fans were probably thinking they were going to get the number five pick, especially considering how bad the team’s luck has been this season.

Sure, it hasn’t been completely horrible, as guys like Blake Comeau, Josh Bailey, Sean Bergenheim and Kyle Okposo have all shown signs of becoming players the team can depend on in the future. For the most part though, it been the same old song, as the team has failed to make the playoffs with aging veterans, nagging injuries to key players and youngsters that aren’t quite ripe yet.

Make no mistake about it though; not getting that first pick in this draft would have been an unforgettable end to one of the worst seasons in team history.

However, lady luck [Sorry, not the hot blonde chick with glasses in the new New York State lottery commercial] smiled upon the team yesterday as the team managed to nab the first pick in this year’s entry draft.

Can you dig it?

I know I can.

Nonetheless, despite the original excitement, I think I’m going to take things slow until something gets done.

No need to go crazy until the Islanders do something, right?

“We’re extremely pleased to have the first overall selection in this year’s draft,” said Islanders General Manager Garth Snow on the team’s official website. “This is an exciting time for the franchise and we are truly looking forward to the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.”

Thanks for the cliché-speak Garth; that’s exactly what we want to hear right now.

There are simply a ton of possibilities here. The Isles can take whoever they want, or they can hold the pick up for the highest bidder, which could possibly help them in the future even more than one player the likes of Tavares or Hedman could.

I personally would love to see Tavares on a line with Okposo; that alone for me would make me a happy camper next year. Having a 6′6 blue-liner with the skating ability of Hedman has possibilities as well, but I like to think that the Islanders defense is probably their strongest asset right now.

Snow has already stated that heknows what he wants to do with the pick, he’ll keep that information to himself for the time being.

“Yeah I do, but I’m not going to share it,” he said in reference to the Isles plans with the pick. “We’re going to get a great player for this team.”

Historically, the Islanders have luck on their side, as through the three other times they’ve drafted first overall, they’ve snatched up Billy Harris, Denis Potvin and Rick DiPietro.

Nonetheless, I still have this feeling in my stomach that something isn’t right.

Maybe I’m looking too much into this, but both Tavares and Hedman looked absolutely miserable after the news, like someone just told them their puppies died. It shouldn’t be too much of a concern however, because if either of them pull an Eric Lindros and decide not to play for the Isles, they may be in better shape than they could have been with just one of them.

Either way, the Islanders and their fans will have something to talk about despite missing the playoffs for the second season in a row.

For now, that’s something.

Photo by Patrick Hickey Jr.

Posted under 2008-2009, Isles Thoughts 2009, Offseason 2009

The only thing worse than watching the Islanders lose 6-2 is watching the Islanders lose 6-2 in person.

In the end, I felt horrible for my g/f, who had her first NHL spoiled by the exploits of Phil Kessel and the Bruins, who dominated the living crap out of an Islanders team that was sluggish in both ends of the ice.

Despite that however, you could see that Islander fans and the organization feel better about this team than their record indicates, especially Islanders head coach Scott Gordon.

“We have some elements of team identity to carry over into next season,” Gordon told the Associated Press after the game. “The second half of the season flew by with the attitude and commitment we had.”

After a dismal first half, the Isles were a different team in the second, as many of the youngsters carried them. Up until April, the Islanders were playing close to .500 hockey in the second half, no small feat for a team missing players like Rick DiPietro, Trent Hunter, Andy Sutton and Mike Sillinger. During that span, Kyle Okposo, Frans Nielsen, Blake Comeau and Sean Bergenheim proved that could be everyday NHLers, while Josh Bailey and Jeff Tambellini showed that they may be able to contribute a bit more than they did earlier in the season as well [keep your fingers crossed.] Even the super youngin’s like Jesse Joensuu, Mike Iggulden, Trevor Smith and Joe Rechlicz have shown some potential and will be fighting for a job in training camp next year.

Doug Weight came back for the last few games of the season and showed his support for the team by signing a one-year extension, while Yann Danis fizzled out after a three-week stretch of excellent hockey in February and March.

Sounds like a Soap Opera doesn’t it? Now imagine writing something about a team like this every day for a year and watching half the other dudes and dudettes give up halfway through.

Seeing the Blog Box occupied only by the uber dependable Gary Harding for the last game of the season yesterday was pretty disappointing. Those guys have a privilege and to just give up because the team is losing says way more than any of their writing ever could.

That’s one of the reasons why I’d rather write at home [aside from the fact that I cover minor league hockey, live in Brooklyn, run three other sites and teach college English and journalism] anyway. What I’m trying to say here is that the Islanders should pay attention to these things very closely. When your most dedicated super fans can’t show up to watch the game from one of the best seats in the house and do something hundreds of young journalism students would die for, you know you have a problem.

Simply put, this team needs more offense, needs to stay healthy and needs a new building. Once that happens, all the fans that gave up will have a reason to believe again and this team can gain it’s respectability back.

Nothing short of John Tavares, the lighthouse project and Rick DiPietro back in net can fix that.

Site News: Now that the season is over, I will update less often, probably once or twice a week, in order to give myself a much needed break. Thank you to everyone that helped support me this season. Hopefully next season we’ll be able to talk Islanders hockey a bit longer.

Photo by Patrick Hickey Jr.

Posted under 2008-2009, Post Game Rants

What a disaster that game that game was.

Between the penalties and the decrepit pace, I was practically sound asleep by the beginning of the third period.

The Minnesota Wild, as a team, have has much energy as a 90-year-old obese man and show as much emotion on the ice as a blind man watching a Charlie Chaplin film.

This team plays the system that Jacques Lemaire wants them to and in the end, may be held back from realizing their true potential. Guys like Marc-Andre Bergeron, Marian Gaborik and a handful of others could be producing much more if they were given more room and weren’t forced to play a system that slows the game down and doesn’t allow for creativity.

It’s like forcing a human to be a cylon and asking them to truly feel love.

OK; I promise that that will be the only Battlestar Galactica reference that I will make in this post.

Worst game of the season by far.

I wish I could end this post right now, but you guys deserve better than that.

Simply put, the Islanders fell victim to Minnesota’s system and weren’t able to use their speed. They were angry and frustrated, especially Kyle Okposo, who was talking more and showed more emotion than I’ve seen him show all season. I definitely see a leader growing here. In a few years I wouldn’t be surprised if he got an A or even a C. We all know he’s got the skill on the ice, but overall, I think he can be a very sound leader if he continues to stick up for his teammates.

The same thing goes for Blake Comeau, who is reminding me more and more of a guy like Patrick Flatley every day. Not an amazing skater, but a hard worker with an excellent shot, Comeau is quickly developing into a leader as well. Not what any of us would have thought at the beginning of the season when he was exiled to Bridgeport, right? Kind of crazy how a few months, combined with injuries, losses and trades can change things.

Bruno Gervais too has begun to show some more offensive ability, something that Islanders commentator Howie Rose attributed to him playing with Mark Streit. If he can continue to produce, who knows, the label of being just a solid defender could morph into “talented two-way defenseman.”

We’ll have to wait and see a bit more on that one though.

So again, while the Islanders effort last night had a heck of a lot to be desired, these kids aren’t finished showing the rest of th league what they are capable of. As a matter of fact, I really feel like they are just beginning to gel and become the cohesive unit that will eventually get back into the playoffs someday.

Posted under 2008-2009, Post Game Rants

First road point since Jan. 28.

Despite the loss, I’m sure the Islanders will take it.

Sean Bergenheim’s injury and a few defensive lapses aside [right now he's waiting to be further evaluated. Hopefully there is an update on his status soon. I personally think it's a pulled groin], this was a productive game for the Islanders.

Toronto is far from an amazing team and they’re currently going through plenty of their own struggles, but the Islanders didn’t flinch and played hockey for 60 plus minutes.

With a team this young, that’s all you can ask for. I’m sure I’m not the only fan of this team that has seen a marketed improvement in the Isles’ play over the past few weeks and considering that, things like this, losing games they should have won, are still bound to happen. On the whole, this team still has plenty of bumps and bruises left to earn.

That was the case tonight.

Nevertheless, there were plenty of positives.

The second period alone, when they drew five penalties because they were skating their tails off [Kyle Okposo especially] in all three zones put a smile on my face because things like that are what Scott Gordon has been preaching all season. Sure, the powerplay was flaccid and was unable to generate quality scoring opportunities, but that’s to be expected. This is a young team after all and I’d rather see little steps in the right direction than no steps at all.

For the most part, Joey MacDonald did his job in net, but his rebound control wasn’t as solid and played a huge part in the Mikhail Grabovski goal in overtime. Nevertheless, aside from that, he didn’t let anyone down and gave his team a chance to win.

Speaking of players that gave the Islanders a chance to win, Blake Comeau and Okposo have been exceptional lately. Sometimes I think what the Islanders season could have been if KO didn’t start the season the way he did and Comeau came into camp in shape. However, rather than continue the dream fest, I will say that these guys are proving themselves more and more every day.

Another guy proving himself is Bruno Gervais [kudos on the scrap], who has been playing much better hockey in his own end and has been showing the skating ability that almost got him a spot here as an 18-year-old. Is he going to be the 30-35 point a season defenseman the team thought they were getting when they drafted him? Probably not, but I do think he can still be a good two-way defenseman.

All that aside, the Islanders, despite the loss should have some momentum when they face the Canadiens on Thursday.

Posted under 2008-2009, Post Game Rants