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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Simply put, if this can keep up the rest of the season, the Islanders will be in much better shape to challenge for a playoff spot than they are right now. Well, OK, maybe I’m dreaming a bit here, as this team is still in need of a legitimate sniper and a healthy Rick DiPietro before they can even attempt to make the playoffs, but it’s fun to dream right?

At any rate, with the experience the Islanders youngsters have gotten this season, I really believe some of these kids have what it takes to be huge building blocks in the team’s future.

Like I said yesterday, I really feel that Kyle Okposo has what it takes to be a perennial 30-goal scorer in this league. If he continues to take the body, skate hard and shoot the puck, I think he can be a very similar player or give the Islanders the same jolt that Zach Parise gives the New Jersey Devils. His rookie season, Parise put up very similar numbers that Okposo is putting up now. It wasn’t until his second season that he truly began to show signs of what he is now. I feel the same thing will be the case for Okposo.

While he’s a bit older than some of the other youngsters, I see Blake Comeau eventually developing into a guy that score a dozen goals a season in a checking line role and provide the bench with leadership, charisma and hustle. With six goals this season and I believe 14 in about 100 games of NHL experience, his offensive game still needs more refining, but many of his problems early in the season had to do with conditioning, rather than his own individual skill level.

The case with Josh Bailey and Frans Nielsen I believe are different ones that Comeau, as I feel they are beginning to show that they have the ability to be more than effective centermen. I think they both have to shoot the puck more, but I do love their playmaking ability and of course, “The Great Dane’s” ability in the face-off circle. Of the two, I think Nielsen has more polish, but overall, I do believe Bailey will be the better overall player in the years to come. Nielsen I see developing into a 10-15 goal, 35-40 assist guy, but I think Bailey can be a consistent 40-assist man in this league. Even attempting to predict his goal totals is a tough task, but I do think that if he takes the initiative and shoots more, he could score anywhere from 15-20 goals next season.

However, in order for all this to happen, these kids will have to continue to work hard this season and prove that they belong.

If not, they’ll find themselves back in Bridgeport.

I don’t see that happening though.

Over the past few weeks, Islander fans have seen the transformation of Sean Bergenheim from gritty third liner to possibly a top six forward that can play in any game situation. It’s been a process that many may still be in shock over, but like I’ve said countless times on this site, there is no reason why this kid can’t be a 20-goal scorer in this league. He’s got so much energy and has a much better shot and even better hands than most people give him credit for. It’s only a matter of time until everyone in the league begins to see it.

It also makes his life much easier when the players around him are playing well. Yesterday, that was exactly the case as Josh Bailey and Jeff Tambellini played their best games in quite some time, while Andy Hilbert, Kyle Okposo and Blake Comeau were no bums either. Add in a strong defensive performance [Anyone see Zach Parise on the ice yesterday afternoon?] and a great first game with the Isles by Mike Iggulden [an old friend of mine and a die-hard Islander fan Anthony Natoli is extremely high on him and has been waiting all season for him to be called up. Just figured I'd throw that out there] and because of that, the Isles had a winning formula.

The first period in my estimation was perhaps the best 20 minutes the team has played all season. The forecheck was amazing, Joey MacDonald made all the saves he had to and the Islanders defense was rock solid. It was like someone finally turned a light on in this team’s collective head and they played the way they were supposed to.

When the score was 5-2, I decided to go out and watch the rest of the game later. About 45 minutes later, I get a ring from Islanders Blog Box member and a damn good friend of mine Gary Harding, who tells me Trent Hunter is out for the season. Just when things start looking good for this team, they lose an emotional leader and a key player in Hunter. Well, it could have been worse; the Islanders could have been battling for a playoff spot and this happened. However, with nothing to lose, the best thing that could happen is for Hunter to heal up this offseason and come back healthy and lead this team next season.

For now, I’m just wondering if this means Jon Sim comes back or another youngster gets a shot.

Guess we’ll just have to wait until 3 P.M., when the Isles take on the Coyotes at the Coliseum.

I don’t know how you guys feel, but seeing Blake Comeau finally put some fertilizer on his grapefruits and not only nail Avery near the Islanders bench in the first period, but then later blow him a kiss like he had a new man-servant, made my day.

It didn’t matter that the Rangers had the lead after the first 20 minutes, the Islanders skated hard against a much better team on paper and carried the play in the physicality and speed department. That’s what I want to see from this team the rest of the season.

The fact that the Islanders showed Avery his rear more times than my hands can count erase the bad penalties the Isles took, the mistakes they made in the neutral zone and the bad goal they gave up in the third.

Let’s face it, not many people expected the Islanders to stand much of a chance against a revamped and stacked Rangers team. Nevertheless, they kept it close for most of the game. Take away their mistakes, like running into each other and deflecting shots past their own goaltender [no sarcasm there, I swear] and I think they were the better team.

However, on special teams, it’s obvious the Islanders miss Doug Weight and have serious work to do with the man advantage next season if they are going to be a better team. Decent teams do what it takes on the powerplay and can get those extra tallies when they have to. 0 for their last 18 with the man advantage, it’s obvious the Islanders must change their approach if they are going to be a better team next season.

On a side note, I am quickly becoming a fan of both Dean McAmmond and Jesse Joensuu. Both of these guys were working their tails off last night. Aside from the play of Comeau, I think these two guys were the Islanders best players. Could McAmmond be earning himself a spot on this team for next season? Is Joensuu doing the same thing? Only time will tell with that, but overall, I think the Islanders showed tonight that they could hold the ice with a playoff team.

That in itself means a lot.

However at the same time, they are still a far way off from making themselves a team that can reach the post season in the not too distant future.

Still plenty of work to get done.

However, one guy that has to seize the opportunity that has been given to him to Jon Sim, who was expected to be so much more than what he’s turned out to be since signing with the team two years ago. With six goals and two assists in 40 games, Sim was once on pace for about a dozen goals, which is where you’d expect him to be, but the physical play the team expected him to bring, alongside the notion of being a top-notch pest, have been no where to be found.

As a matter of fact, I think Sean Bergenheim has done a much better job at being an antagonizer than Sim has. Obviously, Scott Gordon has seen this as well and that’s why Sim has been riding the pine the past few weeks. Nevertheless, like I said before, this is an opportunity for Sim to show the rest of the league that he can be a factor out on the ice.

If all goes well, maybe someone will want to pick him up at the trading deadline.

Pregame Thoughts- When I look at the Philadelphia Flyers, I automatically think of the where the Islanders can be in a few years. Combining home-grown talent with some effective trades and key player signings, the Flyers are an example of how to build a team properly. If the Isles have their way over the next few seasons, I’m sure they’ll be built in an extremely similar way.

This afternoon however, the Islanders won’t be busy idolizing the Flyers. Instead, they’ll be trying to keep guys like Jeff Carter, who is having his best season in the NHL this year, with 34 goals already and Simon Gagne and Mike Richards off the scoresheet. If the Isles can find a way to shutdown the Flyers’ top two lines, they’ll put themselves in a solid situation today.

With both Yann Danis and Joey MacDonald both playing excellent hockey as well, this is going to be a great way to spend an afternoon.

I think everyone in the NHL is as well.

4-4-2 over their past ten games, the New York Islanders are playing good hockey, but it’s the youngsters that are carrying them this time around.

With six goals in his past nine games, rookie winger Kyle Okposo is starting to establish himself as the guy this team can depend on to score. No longer scared to do what it takes in the corners or high traffic areas in order to put himself in a situation to produce, Okposo has been almost a completely different player since returning from an injury in the middle of December.

“It’s starting to get to the point where Kyle isn’t surprising us anymore,” coach Scott Gordon told the Associated Press. “He’s showing us that he has that element of skill that goes with that power-forward type of play.”

That added tenacity isn’t something that KO began to do by himself however. Even teenage center Josh Bailey has begun to finish his checks more, creating turnovers galore and opportunities for himself and his teammates. While Blake Comeau too has been doing much of the same on a line with these two guys, the added physical play of Bailey and KO is starting to pay dividends for the Isles.

“One thing the young guys, especially, have been trying to do is really play physical and finish all of our hits,” Okposo told Newsday. “I think that it’s given our team a little bit of a boost. We feed well off each other. We’ve been playing pretty well together, and we seem to know where each other’s going to be most of the time. We’re able to find each other and hold onto the puck a little longer and then make the right play instead of being a bit jittery like early in the season and trying to force something.”
With the only thing left to gain this season for the Islanders being the bumps and bruises to win back some respect next season, the youngsters are ensuring it by making sure they don’t get pushed around and show that they can thrive in the NHL.
Soon enough, they’ll be asked to lead this team and to carry this team on their backs when the going gets tough. The way things have been over the past handful of games, it looks like these youngsters may in fact be able to handle that burden.

Nevertheless, in spite of the vigor and jam he adds when on the ice, I have a feeling time is running out for him. Not as far as his spot on the team is concerned, but as his status as a talented youngster goes.

With youngsters the likes of Frans Neilsen, Blake Comeau, Kyle Okposo and Josh Bailey stepping up, I feel Bergenheim has to start doing much of the same. Sure, he’s got another year left on his contract and is a restricted free agent at the start of the 2010 season, but for the Islanders to truly start to get this youth movement in full swing, I feel Bergie has to be one of the guys that steps up. Otherwise, he’ll have that niche of being a role player labeled on him and no one will ever give him a chance to be the top six forward I believe he can be,

Much like Andy Hilbert, I see Bergenheim as a jack of all trades on the ice, but a master of none. He’s a good skater, with good speed and a huge heart. However, much like Hilbert, he doesn’t produce enough offensively. On pace for a 20-goal season at one time before injuries and the flu began to creep their way into his game, Bergenheim needs to step up.

Now on a line with Richard Park and Tim Jackman, I think the Isles will possess one of the best energy lines in the league. Park has slowed down offensively after a white hot start and needs someone to get him going. That’s exactly where I think Bergenheim comes in. For way too long have I thought this guy deserves to be a top six forward and watched him get stuck in a role like this, but until he proves he can be consistent in both ends and start producing more, much like a Jason Blake, he’ll stay there.

Speaking of Blake, who proved in his time on the Island that he needed the puck as often as possible to be effective, I think Bergenheim is a much better shooter and can take advantage more than Blake did. For instance, Blake will end up taking over 300 shots again this season and will end up with about 25-30 goals. I think Bergenheim could score 20 eventually one day while taking under 200. It’s just a matter of him staying healthy and getting the type of ice time where he can accumulate those numbers.

When he actually got that ice time last season, I think he surprised a lot of Islander fans and even the organization with just how talented offensively he can be in the this league, in addition to all the other stuff he does. All in all, there’s no reason why he can’t be a dependable 20-20 guy and be a solid pest, even at this point in his career.

Again, it’s just a matter of getting him on the ice.

The two newbies weren’t the reason why the Islanders fell last night however. As a matter of fact, I’d rather see Hillen on the ice than Thomas Pock, but having Callahan in there instead of Streit hurts the Isles big time. Sure, Chris Campoli gets more ice time as a result and can rack up some points, much like he did last night, but having the both of them out there is what the Isles need.

With Callahan and Hillen logging just under 25 minutes combined, the rest of the Islanders D was put on the spot and didn’t have the same jump they’ve had over the past few games. They also didn’t have any surface to air missiles to stop Richard Zednik from jumping over Witt and potting one past MacDonald.

Where they horrible last night? No. They managed to hold their own with a playoff bound team. Even in loss, it’s a huge step in the right direction for this team.

However, the biggest step in the right direction last night was the continued progression of Josh Bailey. Shooting more and finding the open man, no one is questioning Garth Snow’s decision now to trade down two spots in the entry draft. I know 15 points in 37 games is far from incredible, but over the past half dozen games, he’s starting to make a believer out of me. The same thing goes for Blake Comeau, Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen, who are all playing well with the added responsibility they’ve been given over the past few weeks.

Keep it up the rest of the season boys. It may not be pretty the rest of the way, but if these youngsters can continue to improve little by little, by next season, this team will start to take shape a bit more.

That is all I’m asking for and all the thousands of broken-hearted fans of this team are asking for. Much like the Chicago Blackhawks and Washington Capitals, this is a three or four year process and despite the team’s record, if these youngsters can continue to pick it up, this will prove to be a productive year one.

That was a night as well where the Isles’ youngsters stepped up again and played well enough to help induce an Islanders win.

If Danis and the Isles’ babies can step up again, the Islanders can and will hold their own with the Panthers.

Seeing Kyle Okposo, Josh Bailey, Frans Nielsen and Blake Comeau play the way they have been as of late has almost given me a renewed sense of vigor. For a while there, watching this team play was like driving a screwdriver through my head. Now, it’s become fun again. Once Sean Bergenheim gets back in the lineup and Scott Gordon finds a place where he fits, the team should be even more energetic and fun to watch.

The way the veterans have stepped up as well has made this season an interesting one. What this team decides to do at the trading deadline should provide plenty of things to talk about too.

That alone should be enough to get me through the season.

Goalie Controversy?- Only with this team, I swear. Who would have that thought that Danis could hold down the fort the way he has over the past five games. No one in the NHL, that’s who. Like I’ve said before, nothing against Joey MacDonald, but Danis has been the better goaltender and the Islanders defense has supported him much better than they have Joey Mac. Because of that, you’ve got to give Danis every opportunity to make the most of his chance.

What happens in the end of this all however, is completely up in the air.

“We both want to play and I think we’re both capable,” Danis told the Associated Press the other night. “You know, I’m not worried about it. I’m feeling really good. I’m feeling big out there. This is a huge opportunity that I’ve waited a long time for. I was hoping to get in a few games and show what I can do. I wasn’t expecting what’s happening right now.”

When you also consider the fact that his team is playing for their pride at this point and MacDonald has already had 36 starts to prove himself to the team and the rest of the league, it’s only fair that Danis gets a similar shot as well, right? I mean seriously, what’s the worst thing that could happen? The team is already in last place.

What did you think?

I personally loved the “New Kids on the Block” line of Josh Bailey, Kyle Okposo and Blake Comeau. They definitely had the “right stuff” out there. Wow, did I just say that? Okay… moving on.

I was also a fan of the “Money for Nothing” line of Mike Comrie, Bill Guerin and Doug Weight line. Alright, so maybe that’s not exactly fair, considering that Comrie has been injured for a big portion of the season and Guerin will score 25 goals this season and Weight has been mucho excellente. But I’m on a roll here, play along.

At any rate, the combinations seemed to get the Islanders offense going the other night and while we know the playoffs are completely out of the question,unless this team wants to win 30 of their last 34 and get help from every other team in the league, these new combos will make the games a little more interesting.

“I think the whole second half here, we’re probably going to experiment with some things—obviously, with our younger players—to see if they can develop some chemistry over the second half of the season,” Gordon told the AP the other night. Whether what we go with remains the same down the stretch or we change from game to game will be decided by the success they have as lines. Given the younger players we have, if we can develop some chemistry over the second half of the season, maybe there’s something we can build on going into next year.”

Exactly, Flash. Put these kids in a situation to show what they have and earn their bumps and bruises. Let Bailey create and let Okposo shoot. Give Comeau an opportunity to get in front of the net and work in the corners. It’s exactly what the fans of this team want to see. Nothing against Guerin, Comrie and Weight, but the fans of this team know that while they are important to helping these kids develop, they won’t be around to see what this team hopefully will become. Young veterans like Chris Campoli, Bruno Gervais and Trent Hunter will.

So if these kind of combinations have to continue the rest of the season, I say keep ‘em coming. If Bailey continues to pass like Craig Janney and Okposo keeps firing those one timers, this offseason could become an interesting one and one that can continue the movement of building a consistent winner on Long Island. If not, it’ll just be plain old good for these youngsters, which isn’t a bad thing either.

Grade C+

Blake Comeau- After coming into camp in terrible shape and being forced to earn his stripes again in Bridgeport, Comeau has been solid over the past half dozen games. Extremely solid in his first handful of games, Comeau’s play was sporadic before he turned it up again. Much like Bergenheim, his spunk and potential are one thing, but his lack of consistency and in Comeau’s case, conditioning, may keep him from being the 20-goal scorer he should be.

Grade- C-

Josh Bailey- Great passer. However, in spite of his playmaking ability, he still has a lot to learn in the defensive end. He also has to take advantage of his shot more and gain confidence. With Okposo, Bailey will be asked to lead this team offensively as soon as next season. He has to earn those bumps and bruises now.

Grade- C

Kyle Okposo- Much like Comeau, Okposo has been a different player over the past half dozen games. However, over the first 20 odd games he played, there was a tentativeness and unwillingness in his game that scared a lot of NHL scouts and fans. However, since being paired with Mike Comrie, KO has begun to show the organization that he has to tools to be a more than solid NHL player. Is he a superstar? The jury is still out on that one.

Grade C+

Jeff Tambellini- A disaster. Everyone expected him to score 15-20 goals this season and prove that he belongs in this league. That hasn’t happened, even though he has begun to shoot the puck with more confidence. As of right now, this season has been a failure for him, but much like Bergenheim last season, a few solid games can turn things very quickly.

Grade- F

Nate Thompson- A true grinder, Thompson is the kind of guy that is great to fill out the bottom of a depth chart. However, it would be great if he could score a bit more. Block shots are hits are things that don’t show in box scores and for Thompson to truly have a spot on this team, he’s got to hit the net a bit more. Otherwise, he’ll be on the path of a mid-season call up the rest of his career, rather than true NHLer.

Grade- D+

Frans Nielsen- Much like Bailey, I think Nielsen is a great passer. However, with his skill in the faceoff circle and defensive ability, I think “The Great Dane” has he ability to be a more than solid third line center. It’s just a matter of him staying healthy and getting playing time.

Grade B-

Seeing the way these guys have played as of late is one of the only reasons why I haven’t put my foot through the TV. The same thing goes for Kyle Okposo, Blake Comeau and Mike Comrie, who have played their tails off over the past week.

In spite of the happiness these guys have been giving me lately however, I find myself watching this team score more goals than everyone thought they were capable of, but making crucial mistakes on defense that cost them games. Defense was supposed to be one of the team’s strong points this season, but I think the Isles are really missing Andy Sutton and Radek Martinek right now. That combined with a less than mediocre game from Rick DiPietro and the Islanders were sunk in the water.

So, as a result, the hard work of five or six players every night goes down the toilet…again.

But why?

I’ve said it before this season and I’ll say it again; right now, it just feels like the Islanders have to play as close a perfect game as possible to come out on top. One mistake, one defensive zone breakdown, one bad goal and this team has trouble coming back. It doesn’t help matters either that they are too concerned with playing dump and chase than establishing a forecheck and playing puck possession hockey. Sure, they play with a sense of urgency over the last two minutes and lately have shown enough spunk and jam to clean up a few messes, but in the end, it isn’t enough. This team is missing two many pieces and that, combined with DP’s problems, will make this team a big time contender in the John Tavares sweepstakes this summer.

I hate saying it, but as of right now, this team is a good two or three seasons from getting to where they were they need to be.

Weight gets 1,000 and 1,001- Seeing Weight’s kids run around with the banner trying to get the numbers right was one of the most adorable things I’ve seen in quite some time. It was about time he got that monkey off his back and even though it would have been great to see him get the point in front of the fans at home, the PA announcer in Phoenix did a stand-up thing and let Weight have his moment. Hopefully, now that he’s healthy again, he gives us a few more before the season’s over.

Bailey’s first- See what happens when this kid shoots? I know he’s a great passer, but he needs to stop being Adam Oates or Brendan Morrison and turn into someone like Doug Gilmour. With his stick-handling, skating and passing ability, I don’t see any reason why Bailey can’t eventually be a 20-goal, 65-point guy in this league. He’s just got to shoot more and be willing to make mistakes. Right now, he’s trying to be too perfect and much like his teammates, is failing at it.

Last season, Comrie started off hot because he wasn’t scared to take shots on net. No toe-drags, no fancy stick-handling moves, just plain old shooting at the net. Over the past four games, he’s done the same thing and has looked great on the puck. Simply put, he’s buzzing and has both Comeau and Okposo doing the same thing. The end result is one damn good line that played a key role in the Isles victory yesterday.

Speaking of key roles, Joey MacDonald was on his game in the first period and after a shoddy no-goal call, things could have fell apart, but they didn’t. After Brett McLean’s marker, Joey Mac was rock solid and the Islanders defense rose to the occasion, blocking shots and establishing themselves through solid passing in their own zone. When you do that, you make the goaltender’s work a whole lot easier. Thankfully, that was the case yesterday afternoon.

Add in another quality game from Mark Streit and what I consider a turning point game for Sean Bergenheim and you get enough to ensure an Isles victory.

Smith’s debut- With Trent Hunter and Mike Sillinger out of the lineup, Trevor Smith made his NHL debut and truth be told, I really like the kid. Forget about the fact that he’s wearing my favorite number on the back of his jersey, he’s got a lot of spunk and has a nose for the net. I got a feeling he may be someone that Islander fans may get to know a bit better over the next few weeks.

On another note, I just want to say that while I love the work of Howie Rose on Islanders telecasts, I loved hearing Jiggs McDonald yesterday. I know I say it every time he’s back with the Isles, but that’s only because it’s true. With everything that’s gone on with his life over the past few weeks, it’s great to see him in on TV doing what I feel he’s one of the best in the world at.

I want to see passion. I want to see intensity. I want to see jam.

That third period, well the last minute and a half at least, the Islanders had me confused. They went from playing well-intentioned, but too unfocused to win hockey, to being the owners, founders and major shareholders of Smuckers. Yes, my friends, they were making jam.

The line of Blake Comeau, Mike Comrie and Kyle Okposo had all the flavors for you if you wanted as well. They were skating their tails off, carrying the puck into the zone, rather than play dump and chase and were taking shots. It also seems that in the process of scoring his 400th goal the other night, Bill Guerin now feels the need to become the passer he never was. Dishing the puck well all night, Guerin may take Doug Weight’s spot on the team as their top playmaker once he comes back if he continues playing the way he is.

Add in some good offensive play by Chris Campoli, Freddy Meyer and yes, Brendan Witt [who also blocked several key shots late in the game] and the Isles had more than enough of a team effort to skate out of Dodge with a point. Above all though, when Jeff Tambellini works as hard as he did last night, scoring his first goal in more than half a season, you know you have to get something out of it,

The expression on Lindy Ruff’s face said it all. Giving up two goals like that at the end of the game should have changed his game plan a bit, but it didn’t. Opting not to put his leading scorer on the ice in Thomas Vanek during the overtime period, he continued to role the dice an luckily for him, he came out on top in the skills competition portion of the game and got the extra point. That’s not the point here though.

The point is that regardless of what their record is right now and regardless of if the Islanders are saying DP tweaked his groin again [I personally think he's fine and they just want him to take things extra slow this time around so he's ready to play the Rangers], this team is playing harder and smarter than they have in a month.

That my friends, is good enough for me.

“I can at least hold my head up high the last five games and say the guys have resembled a team that is competing for 60 minutes,” coach Scott Gordon told the AP after the game.

Ditto.

Where is the passion? Where is the intensity?

In the end, it was a better effort than what they put forth against the Penguins, but it’s not anywhere where it should be.

The game started off extremely slow, with both teams feeling each other out, making me wonder when either team was going to “show up.” Rick Nash scored a goal early on that got disallowed and Tim Jackman had a golden opportunity of his own as well, but Columbus goaltender Steve Mason had his number, making that listless feeling I had in my gut stick around a bit longer.

The second period felt similar until the Blue Jackets got on the board and the Islanders started to show their true colors. Only 11 shots through the midway point of the game, Mason wasn’t exactly busy. It’s not like they didn’t have chances though. Simply put, the Islanders powerplay just wasn’t getting it done and whenever they had an angle on a shot, they were shooting the puck right into Mason’s chest, rather than make him work.

The line of Doug Weight, Trent Hunter and Blake Comeau was buzzing at times, but they weren’t able to finish. Mark Streit too had a few opportunities, but was unsuccessful. After Jason Chimera skated past everyone on the ice and scored the Blue Jackets second goal of the night, everything looked like it was about to fall apart.

The look on Scott Gordon’s face was the same exact look on my face after Nate Thompson took a penalty less than a minute after the goal. Unfortunately, I was at my girlfriend’s house, so I couldn’t assault her animals or scream. So instead, I was forced to grind my teeth.

Then, out of nowhere, Richard “I never stop hustling” Park potted a short-handed goal that got the Islanders back in the game.

My girlfriend’s animals were without a doubt safe now, as were my teeth.

After the period was over and C.J. Papa interviewed Park and I listened to him speak candidly about the team’s attitude right now, I felt that maybe, just maybe, things could turn around in the third.

The way Joey MacDonald was playing early in the period nearly cemented that notion, but the Isles couldn’t get one past the goal line. The lines were mixed up for the period as well and Tim Jackman and Comeau [who has to sharpen his skates or get some new ones!] as well as Weight and Bill Guerin had a few chances. But again, things just couldn’t go their way.

Another Blue Jacket goal with just about nine minutes to go cemented another Islanders loss, making this writer consider wishing upon a star, to Santa Claus, or anyone one else with the ability to change this team’s luck, hoping for something to change soon.

But what can be done?

They got back in the game a few times, following nice goals by Bill Guerin and Mike Sillinger, but not once did it feel like they were headed in the right direction.

The reason for the most part I believe was the defense left Joey MacDonald out to dry… again. Every goal the Maple Leafs scored was due to a miscue on the Islanders defense. By the time Jeremy Williams scored his first NHL goal, it was painfully obvious that the Isles defense needed to get back to basics and simply watch for the back door pass and eliminate they space they offered the Leafs.

On offense, I wasn’t a huge fan of some of the changes in the forward lines Islanders head coach Scott Gordon made before the game. I know Sillinger has had chemistry with Trent Hunter and Andy Hilbert, but there was “real” chemistry starting to develop between he and Josh Bailey. I know the team is pressed for offense over the past few games, but that was a combination I wouldn’t have played around with.

All night, I just felt like there was too much of a feeling out process going on between most of the new lines, which was just one of the reasons why there was a huge gap in third period where the Islanders couldn’t complete a pass.

That combined with the sloppy defense really put the Isles in a situation where they couldn’t muster enough energy to get the W.

On a positive note, I really liked the way Richard Park and Blake Comeau played last night. Regardless of the score, they were making smart plays in both ends. The same thing goes for Tim Jackman who continues to make something out of nothing every night. He’s kind of like a slinky that you never think will be able to make it down the stairs, but surprises you every time.

Unfortunately, as a team recently, the Isles haven’t shown the passion or intensity to make it down a pair of steps, nevertheless a flight of them.

Something has to change soon.

On another note, what is going on with Ian White and Ryan Hollweg? They look like a combination of the Super Mario Bros and legendary porn star Ron Jeremy with those mustaches. Scary stuff if you ask me. However, even more scarier were a few questionable hits by Hollweg in the game, one that caused a scrap between he and Nate Thompson, who ironically left the game with the flu shortly thereafter [maybe it had to do with seeing that wad of facial hair up-close]. Simply put, this guy has had a history of hitting from behind and one day, he’ll be just as vilified as Chris Simon, the guy that went over the line on him a few years ago.

Mark my words.

57 games in the AHL last season= 38 goals.

Simply put, something is wrong here. The Islanders know it. That’s why they sent him to Bridgeport on Saturday.

Now, the rest of the NHL knows it too.

But more importantly, Tambellini knows it.

Over the course of the season, unlike the rest of the youngsters on the Isles, who have shown some type of progression, Tamby has been a wreck. Obviously suffering from a lack of confidence, Tambellini hasn’t been a factor at all.

“If you start playing mind games with yourself, you’re only hurting yourself,” Tambellini told Newsday. “It is what it is. I don’t know what to tell you. I go day-by-day and I just play each game as a new game. I can’t worry too much about the past. It is what it is. I can’t really dwell on it.”

Well Jeff, you kind of have to start worrying about it. You’re a former first round pick that has performed great at every level, except the NHL. You’re not exactly 21 any more either. In order for you to stay at this level and be more than a fourth liner, you have to change your game. Because obviously, what you’ve been doing this season hasn’t been working.

The way Blake Comeau played on Saturday, with passion, intensity and desperation, is exactly the way Tambellini should be playing. It’s easy to see that he’s never going to be a power forward or a role player. He’s a sniper through and through. With his skill set, he has to score or else he’s going to be stuck in the AHL forever. Right now, he lacks the desire to get himself to the places on the ice where he can score and takes garbage shots from all weird angles, hoping to catch a break.

So far this season, it hasn’t happened.

It hasn’t been because the team hasn’t given him an opportunity either. It would have been the case last season, but not now.

So what can the Islanders do about this?

Maybe a reality check in the AHL will wake him up, maybe it won’t.

I personally think he needs to have an epiphany of some sorts and soon. Otherwise, Comeau will finish this season here and Tambellini will be lost in the shuffle, either playing out his days as a depth player with the Isles or hopping from team to team that is willing to give him a chance to live up to his promise.

“We all want him to score,” coach Scott Gordon told the Associated Press. “There’s definitely a lack of confidence that probably has built up, which is natural. I’m sure he’s frustrated.”

That was the worst combined effort I’ve seen between two teams on a hockey rink in quite some time.

And that’s coming from a minor league hockey writer mind you.

In the end, there’s a reason why these teams are were they are in the standings. The Islanders, despite playing with a ton of energy at times and showing flashes of being a decent team, cannot put it together for 60 minutes. The Thrashers on the other hand, are just missing pieces. I mean seriously, if someone told me that Marty Reasoner and Chris Thorburn would be on the same line as Ilya Kovalchuk, I would have laughed a certain part of my body [the most attractive part, aside from my luscious green eyes] off.

Nevertheless, unlike the Isles, Atlanta made the most of the opportunities they had.

It didn’t matter that they were outplayed, outshot and outhit either.

That’s just way the cookie crumbles sometimes in this league though, especially when you’re not the Boston Bruins and you have to play as close to perfect hockey every night to even come close to winning.

Funny moment of the night: When Islanders sideline reporter C.J. Papa asked Islanders Assistant Coach [and a damned good passer in his day] John Chabot why things weren’t going the team’s way after two periods and Chabot responded with something along the lines of “I think we were watching two different games,” I almost lost it. Nothing against Papa, but damn to I miss Deb Kaufman this season. Any decent hockey fan knew that at that point in the game, the Islanders were the victims of good goaltending by Moose Hedberg of a some sloppiness on defense.

Sometimes Mr. Papa, the score of a game isn’t the only indication of the direction a game is going.

In other news, aside from the Isles inability to finish last night, there was one positive to take out of the game:

Blake Comeau.

Goddamn, was it just me or was this guy buzzing out there? Not only was he finishing his checks, he was playing very well in the offensive end and was just a few inches away from his first goal of the season. Because of the way he played, you gotta think that if he can keep it up, something is going to be done about Jeff Tambellini. Originally falling out of Scott Gordon’s favor in the preseason and learning the Islanders system in Bridgeport, Comeau has the ability, spunk and now, the smarts to be an effective player at this level.

Okay, maybe I’m getting a bit too far ahead of myself. Nevertheless, it should interesting to see how Comeau plays against the Maple Leafs on Monday.

Sure, Mike Comrie is still nursing a hip problem and Kyle Okposo will be out for at least a week with arm problems of his own, but as I’ve said before, this team’s defense is much more important than the offense. The way Comrie and Okposo have played this season as well makes their absence from the lineup not as big a deal as it could have been if they were producing.

As long as the defense supports Joey MacDonald and he can see the puck, the Islanders should be in decent shape. The way some of the role players have responded the past few games, guys like Frans Neilsen, Jon Sim and Tim Jackman especially, it feels like this team will find a way to produce enough offense to win. That’s not something I would have gone out of my way to say a few weeks ago, but if this team continues to skate and draw penalties, I feel that players will score for this team.

Kind of funny how a few hard-earned wins will change someone’s mind eh?

With KO out, Newsday beat reporter Greg Logan believes the Isles will have an emergency callup from Bridgeport will be made, but didn’t give any ideas as to whom it might be. My money is either on Blake Comeau, who many feel should have made the team out of camp this season and has 11 points in 13 games this season, or Mike Iggulden who has 20 points in 18 games. That doesn’t mean the Isles won’t take the safer route though and go with a guy like Kurtis McLean, who also has 20 points, but is a bit older than both Comeau and Iggulden.

Regardless of who joins the team, I think that players like Trent Hunter and Doug Weight will have to continue to lead the team offensively, while Radek Martinek and Witt will have to jump right into the thick of things. These guys don’t have the luxury of waiting a few games to find themselves. The team’s top defensive duo, they will have to be on top of their game against New Jersey on Friday. Winning three in a row, the Isles have to maintain this type of play until they get healthy again.

Then after that, we’ll see what this team can really do.

Unfortunately, his effort wasn’t enough, as the Isles offense and forecheck looked flaccid in a 2-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils.

The first period wasn’t so bad, but the next 40 minutes saw the Islanders chasing the puck and failing to get anything going in the offensive zone. Richard Park was perhaps the only Islander to have multiple opportunities, but two crossbars nullified any hopes of him getting on the scoresheet.

The powerplay started off well enough as well, as Doug Weight cashed in after his slap shot hit off a Devils defenseman’s skate and found it’s way to the back of the net. But much like the forecheck and offensive attack, the powerplay tried to get too fancy and spent more time making passes than taking shots. The stellar penalty killing of John Madden also played a role, as he was all over the ice and was clogging up passing lanes.

Overall, the “Over Speed” system set up by new Islanders coach Scott Gordon wasn’t really a factor, simply because the Isles weren’t playing solid hockey. They were too busy watching the Devils play their game that they couldn’t play their own. We’ll see how things go over the new few weeks before I really share my thoughts on whether or not this team can play an up-tempo style.

On another note, despite the fact that he drew two penalties on the night, I don’t know if any hockey pundit could rationalize how Andy Hilbert managed to squeak his way into the lineup in favor of Blake Comeau. Is he hurt or am I missing something here? Aside from setting up Jon Sim for a decent opportunity in the second, Hilbert shanked a wide open opportunity of his own in the second, proving once again that he is not a finisher in this league.

Speaking of guys that have had trouble finishing for the Islanders, when will Mike Comrie stop using the toe drag? I counted three times tonight that he tried the move and all three times, he got his pocket picked. In order for this team to make the playoffs this season, Comrie, alongside guys like Doug Weight, Bill Guerin, Trent Hunter and Mark Streit, will all have to contribute on offense.

That didn’t exactly happen last night and that’s one of the reasons why the Islanders went home without a win.

Photo by NHL Media.

http://islanders.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=385315

Well, now that that’s out of the way, here are my thoughts:

Anyone that doesn’t like that first round pick Josh Bailey ended up making the team is out of their minds. Sure, the Islanders have a host of veterans on the team this season, but with Bailey’s cup of coffee this season, combined with getting to see Kyle Okposo, Jeff Tambellini, Sean Bergenheim, Blake Comeau and possibly even Jack Hillen develop, this team has the potential of being very fun to watch.

Are they going to make the playoffs? Who knows. If these young kids can play well enough and guys like Bill Guerin, Mark Streit and Doug Weight can pull their “weight,” then this team may have a shot to surprise a few people. Again, much like the last few seasons, the team won’t be expected to do much, but like I said, if they can stay healthy and get contributions from everybody, these misfits will challenge for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Much like the team two seasons ago, the Islanders will need to get offense from all four lines in order to be successful. Can it happen? Asking Andy Hilbert to be consistent every night on offense will be bad enough, but players like Frans Nielsen and Richard Park will have to be steady and score about a dozen goals as well. Can that happen? Stranger things have happened before.

Getting Rick DiPietro back the other day is also a sign of good news, even though his play in the team’s final exhibition game was far from solid. The team’s vocal leader and general on the ice, DP will be counted on again to lead the charge. With Radek Martinek and Brendan Witt around though, DP will have one of the best defensive tandems in the league on the ice for 25 minutes a game. Despite that, no one really knows who will fill in for Chris Campoli and Andy Sutton through the first handful of games, making the Islanders last pair of defensemen a toss up. For my money, Jack Hillen and Freddy Meyer may be the best way to go, considering Hillen’s upside on offense and Meyer’s physical ability and knack for playing smart in both ends. Bruno Gervais may be the best skater of the remaining defensemen and Thomas Pock may have the most offensive ability, but Hillen and Meyer have the poise in my mind to keep the team above water until Campo and Sutton are ready to come back.

At any rate, we’ll see what Scott Gordon decides to do tomorrow in the season opener.

Check these out:

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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.

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.

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

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 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.