Stay or go?- Stay. The guy produced last season in Bridgeport and if Jeff Tambellini or the host of other youngsters drops the ball, a balanced player like McLean may be able to step in.

Mitchell Fritz- Not much use for a guy like this in the NHL anymore. Sure, he’s tough as nails, but he doesn’t offer much of anything else. Good for games against the Rangers and Flyers, but little else.

Stay or go?- Go. The Islanders have a player in Joel Rechlicz that should be able to do a solid job of scrapping and he’s much younger and a better skater.

Mike Iggulden- Love this kid’s passing ability and instinct. A shame that he never got a shot with San Jose. Deserves a good 40 games to see what he’s capable of, but the jury is still out if the Islanders will give it to him.

Stay or go- Stay. As of right now, I’d much rather have him in the lineup than Tambellini. At least he doesn’t have a “passion switch” that no one knows how it gets turned on or off. At the very least, he’ll be another Hilbert or Tambellini or Jeff Hamilton, but in a great situation, he could be a good third liner with special teams capabilities.

Chris Lee- He’s put up solid offensive numbers at every level hes been at, but at 28, he needs a shot and soon. At Bridgeport, he may be a good teacher to the young players, but he needs an opportunity to show the Islanders brass what he is capable of. The only way that looks like it’s going to happen is if someone gets injured. And even with that considered, with all the injuries the defense had last season, he didn’t get a smidgen of NHL ice-time.

Stay or go- I’d keep him just for the fact that he can produce at the AHL level and you want to have someone there who can help guide the kids. However, if you have no intention of calling him up, which it seems the Isles do not, why waste your time?

Photo by Patrick Hickey Jr.

Trevor Smith- At this point in his career, I think Smith is a better player than Jeff Tambellini and deserves a chance to prove what he’s got. Overall, he’s got a good nose for the net and has great instincts. With the right linemates and a full-time spot, I think he can be a guy that can score 15 goals next season in the NHL. So as far as resigning him goes, I think it’s a no-brainer. At 23, he’s got enough experience at the college level and in the AHL and ECHL to get the job done in the NHL. It’s time the Islanders give him a real opportunity. Otherwise, he’ll get it somewhere else.

Nate Thompson- As I’ve discussed in older posts, Thompson would be a good depth signing, as he’s capable of being a leader in the AHL and is a good defensive player and middleweight in the NHL, but the question remains as to how much he can help the Islanders.

Peter Mannino- While he wasn’t nearly as strong as Nathan Lawson, who put up some stellar numbers in Bridgeport this season, I think Mannino, with a bit more seasoning, has the ability to be a decent backup goaltender one day. At the very least, he deserves one more year in the AHL to prove himself, especially considering the fact that he spent time in the ECHL this season.

Ben Walter- This poor kid has consistently put up quality numbers at Bridgeport and Providence, but for some reason, has been unable to crack the lineup. Sometimes I feel the Islanders have held on to him simply because he’s proven himself in the AHL and because they gave up a former first round pick in Petteri Nokelainen for him. At this point in his career, the Islanders don’t have much else to gain from their relationship.

Jack Hillen- Much like Smith, Hillen has an impressive college resume and should be given an opportunity this season if the Islanders don’t go out and make a big signing on the blue line. After that, he’ll have to fight it out with Freddy Meyer for the sixth defenseman spot. Not as aggressive as Meyer, Hillen is a good skater with a good shot that simply needs to take more chances on offense, while working on his defensive game. If he can do that, he’ll be a good addition to the blueline. If not, then he’ll be another wasted signing. However, in order for the Islanders to find out what the case really is, he’s going to need one full season under his belt. If he shows the initiative in training camp, I say give it to him.

Photo by Patrick Hickey Jr.

Unlike DiPietro, who, I believe to this day still has no idea just how talented he really is and repeatedly goes out of his way to make the superstar play, rather than the smart one, Hilbert is smartness personified. As a matter of fact, I think he knows his game perhaps better than anyone else in the league. He knows that he’ll never be the 30 goal, point per game player he was in the AHL and has modified his game in order to stay in the league. As far as I see it, he’s one of the hardest working players in the league today as well.

As a fan, he irritates me because he can’t finish and he always seems to be around the puck. If someone like Jon Sim had as much moxy and awareness on the ice, he wouldn’t be in Bridgeport and would have ended the season with more goals than he’s ever had in a season.

As a journalist, I love the transition he’s made in order to stay in the league and love his heart. He’s the kind of player that won’t hurt you by being on the ice and like I said, works his tail off. However, at the same time, those attributes don’t always translate into numbers and that’s why I’ve often complained about his play.

Simply put, if the Islanders feel that either Trevor Smith or Jesse Joensuu is ready to play in the NHL full-time next season, Hilbert, despite his responsible play, should fall victim to the Islanders youth movement. However, considering the fact that like Nate Thompson, he has proven he can play in Islanders head coach Scott Gordon’s system makes him an intriguing option. An unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, the most I can see the Islanders giving Hilbert is a one-year contract, hoping he stays healthy and continues to thrive with Gordon, while the youngsters continue to develop in Bridgeport.

At 28 years old, Hilbert can play it safe and earn a decent contract that could keep him somewhere for a few years in hopes of finding a linemate that can help him take his career to the next level, preparing him to sign one bigger contract before he hangs up his skates. He can also sign a one-year contract somewhere and go for the gusto and prove to the rest of the league that he’s more than an immensely talented and hard working third liner.

Stay or Go- If the Islanders don’t have confidence in players like Joensuu just yet, I’d sign Hilbert to a one-year contract and if he’s playing well enough at the trading deadline, I’d ship him off for a pick. If Joensuu and Smith come to camp ready to earn a job, Hilbert’s hard work alone would secure him a spot.

Photo by Patrick Hickey Jr.

Pretty hard to do considering the fact that as a child, I’d watch Faces of Death while eating ice cream.

Nothing like cookies and cream and monkeys getting their brains bashed in if you ask me.

Last night’s game however, proved to be much more than disgusting; it was pitiful.

After Bill Guerin scored and looked down, it was obvious- even after being traded away a few weeks ago, for a paltry fifth round pick, he felt bad for his former team.

Six unanswered goals is hard to stomach and especially considering how hard the team came out in the first period.

What is even tougher to understand is how bad the Islanders powerplay was. Spoiling two separate five on three opportunities, the Islanders powerplay needs some serious work. However, with all the injuries the Islanders have dealt with as of late, what did you expect.

Even Islanders coach Scott Gordon knows his team will going to have a rough time competing the rest of the season.

“Right now, in our lineup, we don’t have a lot of firepower,” Gordon told the AP after the game. “I think we hit four posts during the course of the game. It’s not going to come as a surprise that the puck is not going to go in as easy as it would for some teams.”

In other news, the Islanders signed 2007 third-round pick Mark Katic and 2008 sixth round pick Justin DiBenedetto to three-year, entry-level contracts.

Katic is coming off his best season in juniors producing more than solid numbers of 13 goals, 41 assists and 54 points in 63 games. With Chris Campoli gone to Ottawa, Katic will first have to prove himself in Bridgeport, but will eventually at some point in the future have an opportunity to be the slick skating offensive defenseman the Islanders will need in the future to compliment Mark Streit.

Scoring 45 goals and 48 assists in 62 games with Sarnia this season, DiBenedetto proved he could still put up big numbers without Steven Stamkos around and with the team in need of young and talented forwards, DiBenedetto not only makes the organization deeper at the position, but he could challenge for significant time in Bridgeport next season.

If the injury bug takes over again next season, who knows, we may see both of these kids.

For time being however, they have both been assigned to Bridgeport.

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.

Very strange. Very strange indeed.

“I really like what they’re doing,” Gretzky told the Associated Press before Phoenix’s 3-2 loss Sunday on Long Island. “You have to go through tough times to get back on top. You can’t be impatient. You have to do your homework in scouting, and if you get lucky and get a (Sidney) Crosby or an (Alex) Ovechkin, that helps too.”

Which basically means the Islanders have to do the opposite of the Coyotes have been doing the past few years, developing solid talent and then making them play a small role when they trade for Olli “I stunk on Long Island worse than anything that’s come out of the back pocket of Paris Hilton after a night she’d care not to remember” Jokinen.

While I’m sure the Islanders will take the compliment, I don’t know how the Islanders would deal with a Sydney Crosby type player at this stage of their franchise. While it’s obviously pivotal that they get better players and since they’ve been having problems signing elite free agents, the draft is the only way to go, but with the Lighthouse Project hitting snag after snag, would a top flight prospect really feel comfortable here? Just something to ponder. Instead, maybe the Islanders would be better off adding character players and forming a nucleus of six to eight guys that can do a little bit of everything, rather than one or two superstars. Again, just thinking here.

On another note, I really like that the Islanders will be sending Kyle Okposo and a few other youngsters to Bridgeport to help with the playoff push. Despite the fact that many of these guys have been in the NHL all season, they have yet to experience professional playoff hockey. That I think will be great for them and prepare them for next season.

“I’m going to play hard wherever I go,” Okposo told the Associated Press a few days ago.. “If I go back to Bridgeport for the playoffs, I’m going to give our team everything I’ve got. … The chance to maybe take on more of a leadership role, plus get the experience of the playoffs, is exciting to me. If I’m fortunate to get that opportunity, I’d be foolish not to embrace it.”

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-

There are guys and gals out there like B.D. Gallof, Gary Harding, Michael Schuerlein, Dee Karl, Andy Facini and Roger Farina that do a great of sharing their thoughts on this team and I want to thank them too for posting as much as they do. Without them, I’d have no one to steal ideas from. In all seriousness however, the competition between the writers, journalists and bloggers is pretty competitive in Islander Country and I think that the work we all produce is going to get even better as time goes on.

Rather than continue this love fest, let me end by saying thank you to everyone who voted for me. Thank you for making me feel that the last thing I do before I head to sleep every night is worthwhile for you and either puts a smile on your face or pisses you off so badly you want to come to Brooklyn to find me.

In the end, that’s the exact reason why I do this everyday.

Okay, down to business.

As many of you guys know, I cover the Brooklyn Aces of the EPHL on one of my other sites, AcesOverBrooklyn.com and a few days ago, the team’s and league’s leading scorer, James Brannigan, was signed by the Utah Grizzlies of the ECHL, an Islanders affiliate. You know, the same team Trevor Smith was sent to last season before he came back to Bridgeport and played well enough to get a call up to the Island this season. Well, I may be a bit presumptuous here, but I really feel this guy [he's 24, he's not a kid anymore as far as hockey players go] has the talent to get to Bridgeport and maybe even the NHL one day.

He scored eight points in 24 games between Augusta and Columbia last season in the ECHL, but in just 17 games with Brooklyn this season, he lit the lamp 22 times and had 35 points. Now, sure, the EPHL is an A-League, but Brannigan was head and shoulders above every one else offensively. His skating is solid, he plays with a chip on his shoulders and isn’t scared to shoot the puck. As a matter of fact, I actually compared him to Mike Comrie in an article I wrote about him a month and a half ago. At any rate, he’s a guy to keep an eye on. Just remember where you heard his name first.

Photo of Brannigan by Patrick Hickey Jr.

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.”

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

That man is Andy Hilbert.

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

In the end, you make the decision:

Why should Hilbert stick around?

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

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

2- He’s a great penalty killer-

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

3- He fits the Islanders system-

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

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

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

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

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

Why should Hilbert start the season in Bridgeport?

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

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

2- He can’t finish in the NHL-

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

3- The youngsters need more playing time-

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Parrish Back on the Island?

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

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

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

Photo by NHL Media

Hopefully, just maybe, looking back a few months from now, we can say that this was when the Islanders season really began.

Pure domination, that’s the best way to put it. Every line had their thing going. Asham, Park and Bates were flying all over the ice and the defense was joining the play and not having any problems getting back and stifling the Hurricanes offense.

While the offense of the Hurricanes was held in check last night, the Isles were all over the puck and again, Alexei Yashin and Jason Blake were on fire. Billy Jaffe made a great point by saying that they are both being unselfish with the puck and it’s paying well for them. Also, despite taking a few penalties [one of them was a complete joke as York was getting his stick held by a Hurricane and the back referee made the call for hooking when it was obvious he was getting his stick held], York played a solid game and provided some energy with Kozlov and Hunter.

We were so dominant last night that even Andy Hilbert managed to stick out, managing a season-high six shots on goal.

Simply put, when someone who has no points plays his best game of the year, you have to win. Luckily for the Isles, DP stayed on top of his game despite facing a minimum amount of shots and the rest of the team stuck together and played their best game of the season. Maybe now, the rest of the league will start to take the Isles a little bit more seriously.

BRUNO!

Maybe it was just me, but I’m starting to become a fan of Bruno Gervais. He plays such a solid game on both ends of the ice and it goes almost completely unnoticed. A few times he joined the rush last night and you could see that this kid has some speed. With Campoli in Bridgeport now, it looks like Bruno is here to stay. Originally wanting to see Campoli back in the lineup, I was hesitant of Bruno’s ability, but over the past few games, he’s made me a believer.

POOR MIRO!

I would have never thought that Satan would get himself into a slump like this, even though he’s a streaky scorer. Nevertheless, it’s great that he’s finding ways to score and he really played a great game last night, if anyone deserved that open-netter, it was Miro. If he continues to play this way, I have no doubt that the goals will come.

NEXT GAME…
 
Malkin and the Penguins come to the coliseum on Friday. Crosby missed the last game due to a groin injury, so he’s not likely to be 100% if he plays. This might be exactly what the Islanders need, considering a win against the Pens will put the Isles in sole possession of the last playoff spot in the conference. I know it may be a bit too early to think about the playoffs, but these games against division rivals will end up meaning a lot by the end of the season.

They were frustrated; mainly because DP played well enough for them to win despite giving up one goal because he was out of position and they couldn’t put it together. He made the saves the Isles needed to stay in the game and they just couldn’t get anything past Raycroft. It happens sometimes. This time the Islanders came out on the losing end.
However, there were a few positives in that game too.

One positive I can take from that game was that the relationship between Blake and Yashin seems to be getting stronger every game. It seems sometimes that they can find each other with a pass, regardless of where they are on the ice. Sillinger looked good with them last night and I like the fact that he can play center as well as he can. This gives Yashin more of a chance to think offensively, rather than having to focus on face-offs.

Aside from the play of that line, Simon’s goal makes you think that he can still score when he has to. He’s been physical this year, but hasn’t gotten in many fights this season, telling me that he’s trying to be more productive on the ice, which is always a good think. I loved Eric Godard when he was here, but I don’t think he would have been able to score that goal last night and don’t think he would have fit in with this team.

Other than that, the Islanders just need to be more consistent. DP is playing his best hockey right now and they need to win these types of games, because he’s not going to be on like that every night. Good teams find ways to win, regardless of who’s injured or not playing well.

Also, congrats to my favorite little sniper at Bridgeport, Robert Nilsson for winning playing of the week honors. Who knows, if Hilbert continues to stink up the joint, we may see him or Tambellini up here very shortly.

Now after a long road trip, the Islanders go home to play the Carolina Hurricanes and their insanely potent offense. I predict a high scoring game from both sides, not only because Carolina has a habit of putting up points, I also feel that the Islanders are due to break out offensively.

More on that tomorrow though.