Of course, then they took a forward with their first-round selection for the ninth time in the last 10 years, adding OHL center Ryan Strome to an offensive core that includes recent No.1 picks John Tavares, Kyle Okposo, Nino Niederreiter and others.

"He's a very offensively gifted player that fits into our young core and what we're trying to build here," GM Garth Snow said. "Fans are going to get the chance to see how offensively dynamic he is at minicamp in July."

"In many ways, he's a lot like (Tavares) in the way he approaches the game and views his potential.

Now, while Islanders general manager Garth Snow has kept mum on his intentions, I offer a few thoughts as to what the team should do with their picks.

Option One- Draft John Tavares and a talented blue liner. Many believe Tavares could be the player to build around, but he’ll just be one piece to the puzzle that will get the Isles back into the playoffs. A guy like Calvin De Haan, who scored 63 points in 68 games with the Oshawa Generals this past season, may be a great choice. With Campoli gone, the Islanders could use more depth on the powerplay and De Haan has the talent to be that man. I don’t know how you guys feel, but I miss the days when the Islanders had a bunch of talented defensemen who could score. Considering that, De Haan has the potential to help the Islanders offense quite a bit.

Swedish D-man David Rundblad is a little bit older and while he doesn’t have the same offensive ability, he may be the better skater of the two and has more size, making him the Andy Sutton with a better shot of the future. However, he may be spending more time abroad before jumping to the NHL, making him a tougher guy to consider drafting.

Option Two- Draft John Tavares and a goaltender. Of course, now it’s obvious what I think the Islanders should do with the first pick, but with the 29th, they may consider getting a young goaltender, just in case Rick DiPietro injures another hip. Wait, he’s already injured both of them over the past two seasons.

If Edward Pasquale is available when the Islanders go for their second pick, they should consider picking him up. Winning 32 games in the OHL this season with a solid .911 save percentage this season, Pasquale could be ready to thrive in a few seasons just in case DP doesn’t come close to finishing him record-breaking contract.

Oliver Roy is another quality goaltender the Islanders could look at. Winning 35 games in the QMJHL this season, Roy is a guy that may be able to play 40 games a season and take some of the pressure off DiPietro.

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.

Today, those thoughts have not changed.

Despite missing 29 games with injuries this season, the wily veteran still has 35 points and when healthy, has been a difference maker.

Signing for only two million bucks as well, Weight is a low-risk and high reward signing. If he stays on the ice and off injured reserve, he’ll score his 50 points or so and will help youngsters like Kyle Okposo and Josh Bailey get better.

It doesn’t get much better than that.

“I wish everything could have been a little better this year; I wish I could have stayed healthier, I wish a lot of guys on our team could have stayed healthier,” Weight told Newsday. “But I really have been impressed with everything over the course of the last three or four months, and I’ve said before we like the area. I’m excited to be coming back and excited for what’s coming for this team, hopefully sooner than later.

“We’re going to be champing at the bit to get back in September, and I’m happy to be part of it.”
The fact that Weight is still hungry and is a testament to what Scott Gordon’s system can produce may also entice other veterans to come and fill holes on this young Islanders team. Islanders General Manager Garth Snow has sad that next year’s roster will be a very similar one to this season’s, but if he can get someone at a price similar to Weight that can come in and produce, you can bet your bottom dollar that he’ll do so. Because of that, keeping Weight around can turn out to be a smart move for the Isles.
Remember this anyone?

It feels like 10 years ago, doesn’t it? To the rest of the hockey world, it seems impossible that the Islanders could have players the likes of Ryan Smyth, Alexei Yashin, Jason Blake and Viktor Kozlov on their roster, but just two seasons ago, they did.

However, if this team is to ever make the playoffs while playing in Long Island again, a new batch of players, much younger and far less accomplished, will have to find the same amount of intensity those guys did just two short seasons ago.

Will it ever happen?

Josh Bailey is having the best month of his professional hockey career with seven points, including four goals, in 13 games.

Frans Nielsen has 10 points in his last 13 games.

Before going down with an injury, Sean Bergenheim has seven goals and 11 points in his last 16 games.

Even Bruno Gervais is stepping up his offensive game as of late, scoring three goals and seven points in his last 16.

While these numbers are far from amazing, they are without a doubt better than what these kids were producing earlier in the season when Mark Streit, Richard Park, Bill Guerin Doug Weight and Trent Hunter were leading the team in both ends of the ice.

Now, it feels like this group of youngsters may in fact have what it takes to get the job done next season.

As far as Islanders general manager Garth Snow is concerned, this was what was supposed to happen all along.

“We came up with a plan to build through the draft, and we’re sticking to it. This season has been painful, but we think we’ll be better for it,” Snow told the New York Post. “This is an important time for our organization to take the next step, and I take that very seriously.”

With the draft coming up, the Islanders have a chance to bring in another youngster that can grow alongside the group the Islanders have put together.

That according to Snow, that is exactly what the fans want.

“Whenever (fans) come up to me, whether it’s on the concourse during games or at practice, they say, ‘Stick to the plan,’” Snow told Yahoo Sports. “The team we have next year will be very similar to the one we have now. I expect a lot of players to develop.”

Hmm. Is that another way of saying that the Islanders won’t waste money on washed up players or guys that haven’t produced every where else? As far as I’m concerned, aside from the signings of Weight, Mark Streit and Richard Park, I’ve been pretty unimpressed with the free agents this team has brought in over the past three seasons.

Hopefully that trend will stop and the Isles will truly start the youth movement next season.

When thinking of players that fit into this category, Tim Jackman is one of the first players that comes to mind.

Signing a one-year contract extension with the Islanders yesterday, Jackman was rewarded for his hard work, making his return to the team next season an imminent one.

While Jackman coming back may not be a huge signing, it does assure the team of some fourth line grit and toughness.

You can never have enough of that, can you?

“Tim earned this extension by showing his willingness to do whatever is necessary to help the Islanders succeed,” New York general manager Garth Snow told the Associated Press. “We know Tim is excited about being an Islander next season, and we’re just as excited to have him back.”

The thing I like the most about Jackman is that he can fit adequately into a variety of roles. If someone is picking on Kyle Okposo or one of the other youngsters, Jackman has no problem dropping the gloves with them. If the Islanders need someone to go out there and change the momentum of a game and provide some energy, he can do that too. If someone on the top lines is slacking and needs a reality check, Jackman can play with the top line and get himself in front of the net and at least be an option. He’s even shown an ability an ability this season to kill penalties and block shots if he has to.

Because of that, he’s proven himself at this level and absolutely deserves an opportunity to strut his stuff in the NHL for at least one more season.

Simply put, Jackman doesn’t hurt the team when he’s on the ice. He’s a decent skater with good enough speed to be productive in pretty much any role the team needs him to be in. I actually think that he has better hands than most scouts give him credit for. Like Andy Hilbert in the fact that he’s produced more offensively in the AHL than the NHL, I think if Jackman plays 80 games and gets his 12 minutes a night, he could net 10 goals and add as many helpers.

For the time being though, I, like many Isles fans, are just happy to have him back.

From Bruno Gervais and Frans Nielsen fighting for the puck and to Kyle Okposo finishing the play and jumping into the arms of his teammates, this is what I want to see for the next few years.

If that wasn’t enough, I think the Islanders have struck gold with Mike Iggulden. Talk about net prescence. In every game he’s played this season, he’s gotten himself in a place to cause damage. Tonight was no different as he got himself right in the slot and took advantage of the fact that Josh Bailey, another kid who is playing good hockey over the past few games, was in front of the net, looking for a rebound as well. If Iggy can continue to play this way, I can see him on this team next season.

What do you guys think about that?

Personally, I could see him on a line with just about any of the youngsters. He doesn’t hurt any of them and is a good puck distributor in addition to possessing a good shot. I like his defensive game as well.

Right now, this team feels like they are beginning to form their identity. Void of real veterans besides Radek Martinek and Brendan Witt, the youngsters have taken control and are holding their own and the young veterans like Tim Jackman and Mark Streit are playing more than solid hockey as well.

Slowly, but surely, every signing by Mike Milbury or Garth Snow during the Ted Nolan era is either adjusting themselves to Scott Gordon’s system or is leaving via trade or free agency. As this trend continues, this team will get better and more exciting to watch.

It’s happening right now, can you see it?

Over the past few weeks, I’ve loved the fact that they can come out and play well against teams like New Jersey and Montreal that are trying to cement playoff spots. Because of that, the next few games against Boston and Chicago will be even more enjoyable to tune into. Now who said playing spoiler wasn’t fun? Sure, many fans of this team have given up on them this season, but the real fans will come back next season when they see all these kids come back meaner, faster and stronger.

It’s only a matter of time. Add in a few key signings and this team will be right where it needs to be. I can smell it. It’s just going to take some time. This band can play.

Tonight, simply put, was 60 minutes of fun hockey. Plenty of penalties due to hard work, a few fights and a plethora of great saves, especially the Carey Price stop on Jeff Tambellini late in the third made this one of my favorite games of the year.

That was the word that I uttered when I found out the Islanders received a fifth round pick from the Pittsburgh Penguins for Bill Guerin yesterday.

Wow.

Simply put, I think Islanders GM Garth Snow panicked.

Why you ask? The guy got a third round pick for Marc-Andre Bergeron last season, a third round pick, [yes, I didn't stutter ]. He even got a sixth round pick for Chris Simon, a player no one in the NHL wanted last season and now, he gets a conditional fifth round pick for Bill Guerin, one of the most prolific American born goal scorers of our era.

Someone dropped the ball.

And to make matters worse, now Islander fans everywhere will have to root for the Pens and hope they get into the playoffs and past the first round so that fifth round pick can magically, deliciously transform into a third round pick.

Not going to happen.

So the Islanders will have an extra pick, but at what cost? I know Guerin was going to be gone at the end of the season anyway, but you simply cannot give away a player with his resume for a pick that low. If it was a third or second round pick, I would have been OK with it, but this is like a slap in the face.

Ray Shero is probably playing “Celebration” by Kool and the Gang as we speak.

Not cool.

With Guerin gone now, the Islanders will have to put the C on someone’s jersey and as of right now, I think it’ll either be Brendan Witt or Trent Hunter. While I have always had a soft spot in my heart for Witt, despite his struggles this season, I do think Hunter is the better choice. He’s going to be around another four years and is a young veteran and someone the Islanders can build around. More than anything right now, I feel this team needs to find some sort of stability right now, some kind of immovable object that fans know that regardless of how bad things get, that person will be there.

Trent Hunter can be that player.

After that, I’d give A’s to Richard Park and Witt. This way the Islanders have guys there that command a decent amount of respect around the league for their hustle and drive, which is exactly what Scott Gordon and the rest of the organization want to preach anyway.

But who knows what the Islanders will do. I remember when Bryan McCabe was named Islanders captain and I nearly crapped by teenage pants in disgusts.

What I do know however is that because of all of this, the last dozen or so games should be very interesting.

Stay Tuned.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

It feels weird comparing franchise goaltender Rick DiPietro to a loyal dog, but with him done for the rest of the season, the chord has been officially been pulled. Now, the mutants, or NHL pundits can have their field day ripping the team every chance they get.

This isn’t going to be fun to read, watch or listen to for the next few months if you’re a fan of this team.

“After extensive consultation we feel this decision is in the best interest for Rick and the team,” Islanders general manager Garth Snow said in a statement Tuesday. “This will allow Rick ample time to make a full recovery for next year.”

Next year. I heard that last year from this organization right? Well, lets be fair here. In both situations, the Islanders were forced to deal with an uncanny amount of injuries. Any team in the NHL that has had as many injuries as the Islanders this season would have problems drawing crowds and winning games. However, for all of that to happen to a team already in a bad situation like the Islanders just makes things that the more frustrating for the organization, it’s fans and it’s players.

“This has been one of the most frustrating situations I have ever had to deal with, but this is the right decision for me and the team,” DiPietro said in a statement. “I am confident this will allow me to make a complete recovery, be ready in plenty of time for next season and compete to my highest ability for many years to come.”

I surely hope so because if this deal makes the Islanders look silly, it may be only of the last long-term deals they end up signing… on Long Island. With four surgeries in the past seven months, the jury is out on how dependable DP can be in the future.

You can’t help but feel bad for the kid, especially considering what he’s done for the team over the few seasons. Sure, some would say that the Islanders never put any real faith in him when they signed Joey MacDonald to a two-year contract, with the second being of the one-way variety, but I believe the fans of this team never gave up on him.

When word passed that he had been brought aboard, it gave Islanders fans a reason to smile.

Those moments alone have been few are far between this season.

This time it was the Columbus Blue Jackets that were taking a crap in the Isles’ cereal. Playing far more than the role of spoiler this season, the BJ’s did what they had to do to give themselves a chance to make the playoffs and for that you can’t blame them, but for what they did to the Islanders fans in general, don’t expect many cheers the next time they play at the coliseum.

Guerin’s quote the other night- “It’s disheartening to see where we are right now,” Guerin told New York Post. “What could have been, who knows? But you never come to grips with losing, I don’t care what the situation is. Never. It’s miserable. But I feel like we’ve held up our end of the bargain. We’ve produced on our end, and it’s disappointing to be where we’re at. I think we’ve both done our parts.”

Sounds pretty miserable if you ask me.

I like the fact that he hasn’t gotten used to losing, but as far as keeping up his part of the bargain- I’m not too sure of that one. Sure, he’s on pace for a 26-goal season, three more than he was this season, but take into consideration that he only has three goals in his last 18 games, in which the the team has gone 3-15 in and it’s easy to see that Guerin’s play hasn’t helped the Islanders fortunes.

Is he to blame? Absolutely not. Only an idiot could blame one player for the crap storm this team has had to deal with this season, but as captain Guerin has got to step it up and get these youngsters going.

Why you ask? They claimed Wade Dubielewicz off waivers in a depth move, while the Islanders, dealing with injuries to both Joey MacDonald and Rick DiPietro are forced to keep Yann Danis and Peter Mannino in between the pipes. Don’t be surprised either if Columbus assigned him to their AHL team either after a week or so.

All in all, just a low-class move by the Jackets, who already have two stud goaltenders in the injured Pascual LeClaire and white-hot rookie Steve Mason. They even have a competent third-stringer in Fredrik Norrena. They also have another goalie in Dan LaCosta who isn’t too bad either, going 12-11 with a stead .912 save percentage in the AHL. So why sign Dubielewicz? I wish I could get inside the Blue Jackets heads on this one. I know goaltending is extremely important in today’s game and depth is always important, but this is like kicking a cancer patient. The signing of Dubielewicz would have been a blast to watch over the second half of the season.

[Edit- It has come to my understanding that Norrena went to Russia, leaving LaCosta as the team's backup, hence the reason why the BJ's wanted to go and get a veteran backup, problem solved]

Now, the Islanders fans will be the one to pay the price, making the last 40 or so games as fun as listening to the extended version “In a gadda da vida,” with a migraine.

Snow staying mum on possible move to KC- After lighting up hockey message boards and websites over the past few days after announcing a preseason game against the Los Angeles Kings next season, the Islanders and their general manager Garth Snow aren’t giving away any more details.

“I’m not worried about (the perception). It’s a preseason game,” general manager Garth Snow told the Associated Press before Thursday’s 2-1 loss to Boston. “The last few years, and even before I became GM, we always played preseason games in different markets. This is just another opportunity for us to bring this organization and our team to a different market.”

Yes, everything Snow just said here is true, but Kansas City is extremely desperate for a hockey team. From the quotes I had on the site yesterday, it’s obvious that they would take this team and be thrilled. The way the economy is right now, many people are wondering if the Tri-State area can support three teams. Simply put, this is the time for every single Islander fan to either put their heart and soul back into supporting this team or go to Modell’s and buy a Rangers or Devils jersey. It’s that easy my friends.

You alone have the power to decide if this team stays on Long Island. Go to games, start a blog, anything to support them. If not, they may not be around in a few seasons and in the end, you’ll have no one to blame but yourself.

Aside from Doug Weight [who if healthy, may have edged out Streit and appeared in the game himself] Streit has been the only consistent offensive threat this team has. Among defensemen, he’s in the top ten in every offensive category and even leads the league with 32 points.

If this guy was on any other team, he’d have the league and it’s fans drooling. In Montreal last season, he had the rest of the league in awe on the powerplay, but overall, he was looked at as a niche player. However, to put up the points he did while playing mainly on special teams was an extremely impressive feat.

Nonetheless, despite the fact that he could have led a handful of NHL teams in scoring last season, the Islanders, a team considered by many not to have the ability to sign big name free agents, nabbed him in the offseason and signed him to a long-term contract.

Ever since then, it’s been a match made in heaven.

Not only has his offense been stellar, his defense has been more than solid and he’s only gotten better as the season has gone on.

The Canadiens organization, who after leading the league in powerplay efficiency over the past two seasons are now ranked towards the bottom of the league. They may not want to admit, hell, they may never admit it, but they miss the guy’s talents with the man advantage.

Luckily for the Islanders, they saw something special in the kid and gave him an opportunity.

However, rather than catch any praise for picking him up, Islander general manager Garth Snow, much like Streit himself, has received no positive mention from the press. While it’s fair to say that both have a lot to do with how poorly the team is playing this season, the fact of the matter is that despite the fact that there is something definitely wrong with this team, the problem has never been Streit or Snow’s willingness to spend millions of dollars on him over the next half decade.

If things continue the way they have been over the next few seasons, it’s fair to say that Streit will never be the reason why this team can’t play at least .500 hockey or bring in quality players.

Simply put, with all the injuries this team has had, you wouldn’t blame the guy if he did.

Not having Rick DiPietro in the lineup for virtually the entire season alone gives him a get out of jail free card, but even in spite of that, Gordon hasn’t made any excuses.

“Certainly, not having your No. 1 guy for the whole year has been a unique situation,” Gordon told the AP. “It would be a unique situation for any team, but certainly, as a first-time head coach in the NHL, to not have your No. 1 guy and to have to rely so much on a guy that’s done a great job at trying to make a name for himself as a proven NHL goaltender, it certainly has been a hurdle.”

Aside from the play of Mark Streit, Joey MacDonald and Doug Weight, things like this make the season a little bit easier to deal with. Anyone who reads Chris Botta’s rock-solid Point-Blank blog, knows that Islanders GM Garth Snow is sticking with Gordon for the long-term and regardless of what any of his players say about the team’s new system, the Islanders are going to give Gordon every opportunity to make things work.

Botta also did a great job on his blog recently talking about the strides the Washington Capitals have made over the years to become the team that they have. Much like Botta, I feel the Isles may have to tank the next few seasons and bring in the right people little by little if they have any chance at turning this team into a legitimate and consistent playoff contender.

The only problem is asking Islander fans to wait isn’t exactly an easy thing to do.

Being a fan of this team over the past 15 years has been like going to OTB and betting on a bad horse simply because you feel it’s got what it takes and then seeing it break every bone in it’s body and miraculously get up and do it over again the next race. Sure, there have been some moments where this horse finished, but after last season especially, it was obvious that the horse needed to be taken out to pasture. So now, while not having a completely new pony, the Islanders have a genetic misfit that hopefully can transform itself into something dependable and entertaining over the next few seasons.

If it doesn’t, then Gordon won’t need to make excuses, because he and Snow will be out of them.

Logan calls it a lesson learned. I, on the other hand, call it the Islanders organization finally using common sense.

In this world and especially in the world of sports, there are people in this world that regardless of how talented they are, don’t listen. They don’t listen when you tell them they can’t do things a certain way. It may be arrogance, it may be vision, but regardless, they fail to acknowledge that other people besides themselves may have the answers to the questions that are plaguing them. Some of them end up prevailing and become trend setters in the process. The others, however, take things too far and never make the most of their potential and become a footnote in history; the topic of late-night discussion in shady bars amongst the legions of sour fans whose hearts they broke.

After consecutive 30-win seasons, it looked like DP was headed down the first path I mentioned, but after a slew of surgeries and injuries over the past two seasons, it seems like he may be on another.

This recent decision of his however, may have him stuck in the middle.

The fact that Scott Gordon and Garth Snow are taking the initiative here and are letting him practice a bit before he comes back, while keeping Yann Denis on the bench, is proof that Islanders management has learned their lesson as well. For too long have they allowed DP to take matters into his own hands, on and off the ice. Still only 27 years old, the past two years won’t mean a thing if DP can come back healthy this season and help this team get rid of the water in the basement.

“The expectation is that he’ll be practicing with us by the weekend,” coach Scott Gordon told Newsday yesterday. “He’ll skate [Friday in St. Paul and Saturday in Nashville]. We’ll get into that routine. Until we see where he’s at, I would expect at least a week of practices.”

That’s exactly what I want to hear right now. Things are bad enough with this team and the last thing the organization and fans need is to see DP ruin his career before he hits his prime. He is supposed to be a pivotal piece in the puzzle and he deserves an opportunity to prove that he can help this team get their respect back. As I told you before, once a few of the other guys get back and DP gets back in the swing of things, that’s when the season begins for me.

I’m sure DiPietro feels the same way.

Nevertheless, like I said yesterday, in order for this team to continue it’s winning ways, people are going to have to contribute more.

I guess it was just Hilbert’s night.

Speaking of nights, Joey MacDonald wasn’t too shabby either, huh? With an 8-7-2 record, MacDonald has gotten better with every game under his belt and should create a juicy situation once Rick DiPietro gets back. For the time being though, Joey Mac is proving just how smart Islanders GM Garth Snow was when he let Wade Dubielewicz go to Russia.

On top of Hilbert and MacDonald being on top of their games last night, I really like how Brendan Witt performed as well. One of those guys that doesn’t get much attention when he’s on top of his game, but gets crucified when he’s off it, Witt’s presence in front of the net and in the corners last night was solid. Because of that, MacDonald had more support, which of course helps the Islanders offense and helped them pound out a victory.

Sure, it would have been nice if they could have capitalized on a few of those early powerplay opportunities, but the most important thing is that the Isles came out victorious. Winners of four of their past five games, the Islanders may just be starting to find the gritty and hard working persona they’ve been looking for all season.

8-10-2 may not be exactly where this team wants to be right now, but it’s a lot better than where most people thought they’d be, right? Three points out of the final playoff spot with 62 games left isn’t so bad if you ask me.

In other news, I apologize for not writing more on Saturday as I was stuck covering the Aces game in Brooklyn and watched the Islanders game at 2 A.M. Now fully aware of my surroundings, I feel it necessary to say that the NHL is crazier than Ty Cobb to suspend Mike Mottau for only two games, while Thomas Pock got five for an elbow shiver. Frans Neilsen will be out eight to 12 weeks now from the blatant to the head crosscheck that Mottau delivered and two games is not enough. The whole argument that Neilsen wasn’t hit in the face on that play is complete garbage and anyone with two working eyes can see that. Much like what Bill Guerin said the other day, the league has to deliver stiffer penalties and suspensions or else things like this will continue to happen for years to come.

It just seemed like every time you thought the Islanders had learned their lesson on defense and got the offense going, the Devils came back and put an end to their party. That’s usually he case when a team like he Islanders that is slowly starting to find their identity plays a team that already has one like the Devils.

Nevertheless, the Islanders feel they are just starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

“Our season didn’t start the way we wanted it to, but if you take the positives out of some of those games where we blew a three-goal lead or a two-goal lead in the third period, in some cases, it was 40 or 50 minutes of good hockey,” GM Garth Snow said in an expansive interview Friday with Newsday. “I think we’re headed in the right direction, and we’re just going to get better as the season goes on and as players gain confidence in this system. I think we’re on the right track.”

With a game against Buffalo today, the Islanders need to quickly forget about last night and concentrate on doing the the things that broke them out of that ugly skid they were in early this season, which was establishing a forecheck, playing well in front of Joey MacDonald and getting offense from a wide variety of sources. If they do that, they’ll be able to hold the ice with any team in the NHL.

We’ll see what happens tonight.

Also, in other news, I just wanted to let you guys know about another site I have, AcesOverBrooklyn.com, where I cover the Brooklyn Aces of the EPHL. Simply put, this site is what I wish I could do with this one, as it is filled with journalism, rather than just be shooting off my opinion every day. It’s also filled with pictures, video, podcasts, polls and everything else you’d expect from someone covering a team with every free ounce of their time.

Check it out today!

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

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

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

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

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

3- An uber inefficient powerplay…again-

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

4- Rushing Josh Bailey-

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

5- Mike Sillinger misses most of the season again-

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

Not because it was Sunday, a day usually dedicated to my relaxation, or even because the Jets managed to win, but because upon visiting NHL.com like I usually do every morning, I saw something I don’t think I’ve seen many times in my life; the Islanders in first place in the Atlantic Division. 
However, what separated this instance from the other times I was fortunate enough to see the Isles in first place was that before, I knew it wouldn’t last long. This time, I think the Islanders are capable of playing even better than their playing right now. Considering the fact that there are a few players on the Islanders that aren’t playing their best hockey at the present time and the entire team has been inconsistent at times, I definitely think this team can stay in first place if they continue doing what they’ve been doing. 

Two weeks ago, I wrote an article for the Kingsman, one of the two college newspapers in Brooklyn College, where I compared all three local teams. It was there where I said that while the Islanders don’t have the offensive attack of the Rangers or the consistent goaltending of the Devils, they have the grit and depth that the other two teams lack. However, the Islanders have had problems with consistency of the past few years and that has kept them from achieving the success many fans have hoped for. 

In spite of the consistency problems, Ted Nolan, over the past few weeks has had this team playing their hearts out every night and has reinvigorated a team that many didn’t expect to make the playoffs. Before the season started, many counted out the Isles due to the emergence of Garth Snow as general manager and the fifteen-year contract that was given to Rick DiPietro. Do you guys hear anyone talking now? I didn’t think so. 

TOMORROW’s GAME… 

The Islanders are a team that has momentum on their side. Aside from the great play of Yashin & Blake, it seems that every night someone else is coming through for them. Tomorrow night, against the Penguins, they’ll need for that trend to continue. I’m figuring now that Miro and Trent have broken out of their slumps that Andy Hilbert will finally get going. 

Everyone else that hasn’t been scoring that much this season at least has a goal and have been hustling consistently [Shawn Bates and Arron Asham come to mind]; I know Andy has a ton of shots on goal his past few games and I admire the guys ability, but enough is enough, this is New York and we want results! You had a decent season last year playing for two horrible teams, it’s time to prove to the rest of the NHL that you’re the real deal Andy, don’t let us down. With Sidney Crosby most likely to be back in the lineup after missing a few with a groin problem, the Isles are going to have to be on top of their collective games. I expect to see a lot of hitting tomorrow as well for the simple fact that the Pens seemed pretty pissed [Noah Welch and Chris Thorburn especially] towards the end of the game a few days back and with Crosby back in the lineup, they’re going to be out for blood. 
Either way, this game looks to be an interesting one. 

Let’s go Islanders.

Given that, this is a game that the Islanders can and must win. They have the offensive firepower to hold their own with the Leafs and without Sundin in the lineup, the defense can focus on some of the other players that can hurt them. That will give players like Asham and Hunter the opportunity to lay hits on people like Darcy Tucker.

Getting points in their last five road games, the Isles have been a changed team since they were taken to school by the Lightning a week and a half ago, combining both fantastic goaltending by Dipietro and Dunham with the consistent dominance of Alexei Yashin and Jason Blake has effectively formed the key ingredients of a team that has been simply amazing as of late.

Ted Nolan has got these guys going in the right direction and has them motivated all season. Despite a few hiccups along the way, the Islanders have been one of the sleeper teams in the conference. I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but Stan Fischler so far has nailed it right on the head. Usually the biggest Islanders basher in the tri-state area, “The Maven” said in an article on MSG that the Isles were going to sneak up on teams the same way the Rangers did and like I’ve said already, so far so he’s been totally right and I hope it stays the way all season.

That also goes to tell you that despite the fact that he was practically ripped apart by the media during the off-season, Garth Snow [and Neil Smith] did a pretty decent job of putting a solid team on the ice and Ted Nolan has taken care of the rest.

BACK TO THE GAME…

Hating the Maple Leafs as much as I do, I really want to see the Islanders take the body tonight. Nolan has been rolling four lines consistently and because of that, we should be flying tonight and should put forward a team effort. Look for guys like Witt, Hunter and Asham to insert themselves into the game and fuel a hard fought Islanders victory. If guys like Hilbert and Satan get going offensively, we might even see a blow out.

But let’s see what happens.

Let’s Go Islanders.