Aside from a solid first season with the team, the last two years of his contract were a jumbled inconsistent mess, where he showed the energy of an overweight puppy. Sure, he’s an asset and can still score 15-20 goals and can perform in the shootout. But are the Islanders in a situation to take a chance on this guy?

I say, if they really want to take a chance on someone, go with Mark Parrish; at least then the guy has more potential and can anchor a third line. He’s a bit more aggressive as well and has a soul. Plus, he’s only 31 and is in a desperate need of a change of scenery. Satan is like a Cylon and not the hot and sexy ones on the recently completed incarnation of Battlestar Galactica- I’m talking about the 1978 version here. He’s on the supreme downswing and there’s nothing anyone can do about it.

Unless they can get him dirt cheap, like just above NHL minimum and he gets powerplay time where he isn’t on the point [what a disaster that was a few years ago], then maybe it could work, but when you’re looking to add veteran character, this isn’t a guy I’d run to.

Here it is.

Despite the fact that many scouts have said he doesn’t play great defense and is a bit selfish with the puck, those same scouts still see him projecting into a 40-goal scorer. That reason alone, I feel the Islanders need him in the lineup. Simply put, who gives a crap if he doesn’t play defense now. That should change over time and if he’s scoring 40 goals, I could live with bad defense, even if it’s on the Mike Comrie level.

What many people are failing to realize here is that the New York Islanders are desperate and far more than anyone thinks. They need someone on the ice they can believe in and someone they feel can be a guy that can help them get out of this funk they’ve been in since the early 90s. Since that time, they’ve brought in so many people that have failed miserably at the task and it’s time now to set this ship right before it’s totally unrecoverable. So far, Kyle Okposo looks to be a guy the team can build around, but he is not going to be the offensive leader this team needs in order to make the playoffs, nevertheless win a championship. Josh Bailey, too, while he made significant strides in spite of tremendous growing pains this past season, looks more like a 50-60 point guy with character.

John Tavares however is a star right now and the Islanders don’t have any.

The last thing you want to do is go playing around with trades and hurt your chances at giving the fans what they want. While this is a sport and of course, the main goal is to win, sometimes making fans happy is the smart thing to do. As of right now, Tavares is the clear fan favorite, despite Victor Hedman having a group of fans that think he’d be the right guy as well. As far as Matt Duchene goes, the fans don’t know much about him.

What the Islanders need to do now is to protect themselves by putting as much information about these three players on their site and show them meeting the Islanders brass. I’d even go as far as quoting them about how’d they feel if the Islanders drafted them, even throw some video on the site of these guys in action, so they can make their own decision and be forced to go off of what the media tells them. Make the fans aware of what is going on and put them in a situation where on draft day, they are educated and don’t flip out because they have no idea who the team drafted.

Remember, this is a business and the Islanders have to make their customers happy. If they aren’t going to do what everyone thinks they should do and draft Tavares, they should start preparing now in order to deflect that obvious backlash that may ensue.

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.

Considering the fact that there seems to be a rift between several of the older players and Isles head coach Scott Gordon, many of the team’s veterans could be on the move.

I’m also wondering if Trent Hunter’s supposed lower body injury has more to do with his relationship with Gordon [I have no idea what it is, but if it's rocky, we may have seen the last of him] than anything with his lower body.

As of right now, it just feels like the team has had enough of many of the veterans on the team.

Jon Sim, for example, goes and plays his best game as an Islander and is put on waivers the very next day. The guy has been playing great hockey as of late after a whole season of under-performing and as soon as he gets going, you attempt to give him away? I don’t know if I agree with the logic there. He’s signed for an agreeable one million dollars next season and if he continues to produce, he’ll have a dozen goals in about 60 games. That’s not too shabby for a guy that scored 17 a few years ago with a plethora of ice time. Why they wouldn’t want to just ride him out until he stops scoring is beyond me.

What they are doing right now is slapping him in the face. Putting him on waivers once and not having anyone pick up was bad enough, now putting him back there while he’s playing his best hockey is the ultimate disrespect. Now if no one picks him up, what’s the next step? Throw a player you’ve already proven to have no faith in and that you’ve shown has no value to the 29 other teams in the rest of the league back in the lineup? Like I said, he’s still got another year on his contract and you’ve already made him miserable this season, so what exactly is this guys incentive to play hard for you? That’s the big problem here. Now he has none.

Simply put, doing things like this will inhibit free agents from coming over in the future. Add in the fact that the Islanders obviously already have problems signing players that they need to and this is not good news.

Not good business dealings if you ask me.

To be able to get a first round pick though, now that definitely wasn’t expected. Sure, you lose Chris Campoli in the process, but he didn’t want to be here. What where the Islanders supposed to do there?

Campoli apparently didn’t want to stay and the Islanders were done waiting for Comrie to be anything more than a spare part. Take away his first 10 games with this team and I think it’s fair to say that his tenure was an undeniable disaster. Even if the Islanders basically got a washed up Dean McAmmond for Comrie, it’s better than nothing. He’s was pretty much going to be gone at the end of the season anyway. As far as McAmmond goes, he’ll have an opportunity to prove if he can still play in this league or not. Who knows, maybe he may prove the critics wrong. My personal opinion on the matter is that he’s washed up and Ottawa was simply throwing him away, but I have been wrong before.

As far as the first round pick for Campoli goes, I think the Islanders got a great deal. I’ve always held the kid in high regard, but aside from his rookie season, was never able to put it together for a whole year. Now he’ll go somewhere else and score 50 points, but unlike the countless other youngsters the Islanders have given up over the years and got relatively nothing, the Isles now have something to show for it. Now it’s up to them to make the pick count.

I also think that the Isles have enough talent at the blueline in the minors that over the long-term, the loss of Campoli won’t be a huge one. However, we’ll have to wait and see on that one.

Despite the fact that it’s going to be a late first round pick, the Islanders now have options at the entry draft. For all the drama the Isles stirred last season when they traded down for Josh Bailey, I think it’s fair to say that the entire fan base has accepted him and wants to see what he develops into. If they can get two more quality youngsters and throw them into the mix, this will be a huge step forward in the rebuilding process.

Going over a month without scoring a goal, no one knows when Park broke his ribs, but spending a few weeks on the shelf may be the best thing for him right now. You hate to see a guy like Park hurting physically and especially when the team is playing as poorly as they have been. A guy like Park would a key role player on any first place team, but on the Islanders, his worth is perhaps even more. He’s the heart and soul of this team. However, he’s better off the ice if he’s injured and if Hunter back, the Isles may be able to score a bit more.

Speaking of Hunter, I’d really like him to get going offensively again. In order for the youth movement to continue to progress, the young veterans like Hunter and even Mike Comrie and Andy Hilbert [if they stick around next season]have to get hot. Having Mark Streit and Bill Guerin score 50 points this season is not going to be sufficient enough to help get these kids to understand what it takes to perform at this level.

That’s why Doug Weight’s exodus from the lineup is so huge. When he was averaging close to a point a game, players like Josh Bailey and Kyle Okposo had something to shoot for and could watch it being done right before their very eyes. Now, these kids have to bear down and do it all by themselves. Having some of the other guys get hot could possibly give them more space on the ice and give them an opportunity to produce a bit more.

With most of the team not producing offensively, it’ll make it really interesting to see who gets traded. Weight is absolutely off the list, Mike Sillinger is done for the season and Guerin has a no trade clause, leaving possibly only Comrie as the only Islander without a contract next season with any real value to the rest of the league. So with the team being where they are, do they trade Comrie for a prospector a draft pick? Or do they part ways with someone like Brendan Witt or Radek Martinek, who many teams would love to have, especially due to his inexpensive salary?

I don’t know, but it is something interesting to think about.

It’s funny though thinking that a team could score four goals in such bursts like that and totally change the dynamic of the game.

In the end, good teams find a way to recover from bad bounces and the Islanders have not all season. You can say it has something to do with injuries. You could say it has something to do with the system the team is playing. But when it’s all said and done, the Flyers, who have been battling consistency problems all season, proved that they are in fact a team that deserves to be where they are in the standings.

Giving up three goals in just 1:13 and committing several costly penalties after putting themselves in a hole, the Isles did the same as well.

On another note, while Yann Danis wasn’t horrible, as one goal was tipped off the shaft of a stick, another two off his teammates, his defense fell asleep at times. The combination of Brendan Witt and Radek Martinek have been better as of late, but lack the polish that once had them as one of the best shutdown defensive pairs in the league.

Marty Biron wasn’t spectacular on the other side of the ice, but he made the saves he needed to. He limited his rebound opportunities and the Flyers defense forced the Isles to take low percentage shots. Anytime you can do that and do it against a team as offensively challenged as the Isles, you’ll be in great shape.

A positive to take out of this game was that Joe Callahan played his best game as an Islander, as he was taking the body and clearing the crease. Jack Hillen was also solid, making several nice passes out of his own zone that started Islander breakouts. Sean Bergenheim was also skating hard, but like most of the season, had problems finishing. Like I’ve said before, if he can’t finish, he’s never going to shake the naysayers that see him as more of a niche player.

One guy that shouldn’t have even been in the lineup was Mitch Fritz. I understand that the team wanted some toughness in there, but why not give a youngster a shot instead? What good is it having an enforcer out there when your team is in last place? I understand the youngsters need protecting, but Fritz is a liability on the ice and he proved it, going a -1 in just 5:29 o playing time.

Nevertheless, Fritz isn’t the only player to blame. The way the entire team played yesterday, a slew of players have some explaining to do.

Damn skippy.

I could not believe how this this team played in the first period. Sure, they missed a few golden opportunities, but to come out with a 2-0 lead against a team like the Ducks was no simple task. Seeing Kyle Okposo light the lamp from the circle on a one-timer like that is something that I want to see more of in the future. If he can continue to make the most of opportunities like that, he may find himself around the 20-goal mark.

Speaking of players that look like they’re headed down the right bath, Kurtis “Don’t call me Kirk or Brett” McLean has looked good in both ends in his two games as an Islander. Being 28, he’s got far more polish than some of the other youngsters on the team and from the looks of it, can get a good chunk of ice-time the rest of the season. That process will become an even easier one if he continues to put the puck in the back of the net as well.

Frans Nielsen is another player who I feel had some spunk last night and even though he couldn’t cash in during the first on a golden opportunity, the pass he made to McLean on his goal was exactly what I want to see from him the rest of the season.

After those goals however, I feel like the Ducks were the better team. They were getting shots on Yann Danis and if not for him and some good penalty killing by Tim Jackman in the third and good defensive composure, they may have lost the lead. Danis rebound control still needs some serious work as well, but I don’t think it held him back enough to be a huge factor. Simply put, if the defense is skating hard and clearing the crease, those opportunities aren’t an extreme factor.

Sure the Isles were out shot 38-14 up until the last two minutes of the game, but the fact that they could hold on for dear life against a team the likes of the Ducks with Trent Hunter and Doug Weight both out of the lineup shows that this team still has some heart. While the playoffs are obviously out of the question, the fact that this team isn’t looking for a hole in the woods to crawl in just yet is good for the legion of fans that still care about this team.

A few years ago, a good Western swing was the kind of thing that got fans in Islander country excited. The message boards would chat it up about who the team could get down the stretch to help during the playoff run and who should get traded. Even though many of us knew the team didn’t have much of a shot to get past the first round, it was always fun to see how the team stacked up against the good teams in the West, just in case the Islanders pulled off something magical later in the season.

Make no mistake about it though, this season’s Western road trip has proven this team has no shot at doing much more than causing the team and it’s fans a whole lot of aggravation.

Every night this season, Joey MacDonald leaves his soul out on the ice and the Islanders make mistake after mistake in their own end. If any goaltender in the NHL had it bad, MacDonald could laugh right in their face. If this keeps up, MacDonald may go down in the history books for having one of the worst records in NHL history. However, it’ll have nothing to do with his play as he’s been just as good as any goaltender in this league.

He just doesn’t have the support on the ice that the rest of the netminders in the league do.

By the end of the season, that may be the biggest travesty this team commits.

Tambellini stepping up?- You don’t beat goaltenders like Mikka Kiprusoff by accident, so make no mistake about it, Jeff Tambellini’s wrister last night was the real deal. Rather than skate in and try to deke his way to a goal like he’s been trying to do all season, he just shot the puck with a decent angle and rolled the dice. Guys with shots like Tambellini do that in this league and they score. If he can continue to skate hard and take those types of shots, maybe he’ll save this season for himself.

Trevor Smith’s first goal- I said it after his first few games and I’ll say it again; this kid has a nose for the net. It’s something you can’t teach. He’s not incredibly quick and doesn’t have a super duper shot, but he’s always in the right place at the right time and is tough enough to earn the bumps and bruises needed to continue scoring. My kind of player.

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.

I should have known something wasn’t right when I woke up and felt like watching “Deliverance” at nine in the morning for some crazy reason. In the end, after that game, I would have much rather been stuck up a creek with a pair of drunken hillbillies “squealing like a pig,” than watch the Isles play like that again. It was the second or third time this season that I wanted to shut the television off in disgust because of a third period meltdown [how many have they had this season now?].

The second time in as many games as a matter of fact.

To make another really bad “Deliverance” reference in regards to the way this team has played this season, they’re like Jon Voight with a bow and arrow in his hands. They get the prey in their sights and they just lose control and can’t finish them off. It makes for a thought-provoking movie, but as far as hockey goes, it’s something good teams try to avoid making a consistent occurrence.

So far this season, that obviously hasn’t happened.

Like I said in my pregame thoughts, Boston has a host of players that are not to be underestimated. For the first 40 minutes, things didn’t look too bad, but in what has quickly become typical Islander fashion this season, the opposition found a way to strike and did so repeatedly. As a hockey fan, that is the worst thing to see in the team you root for every night. As a reporter, it’s got to be tough for those guys asking Scott Gordon the same questions every time this team loses. Because of this, right now is one of the few times I’m extremely happy beat reporting minor league hockey [most of the time, I'm just kind of happy about it] this season.

As far as I’m concerned, the only thing this team can do now is get back in gear tomorrow and hope and pray “real good” [last “Deliverance” reference I swear. Alright, maybe one more.] that they can get back on the right page against a team that they’ve had some success against this season, the Ottawa Senators.

Hopefully, the Isles can get their own version of Burt Reynolds to show up and save another disaster. Let’s hope who ever decides to show up though doesn’t break his leg shortly afterwards.

Cam Ward was damn good.

The Islanders offense, despite registering all of those shots, wasn’t up to finishing the job. Kyle Okposo had a golden opportunity to get the Islanders on the board in the first, but came up empty. As I’ve said before on the site, this is a guy that has to start finishing and soon. The same thing goes for Jeff Tambellini and Mike Comrie.

However, despite the fact that this team is having problems finishing, there were several positives to take from this game.

The physicality was there. Doug Weight and Nate Thompson were taking the body. I think overall, Thompson played his best game of the season. He had much better shot selection and was a force physically. As far as the responsibilities of a fourth line center go, he’s was on top of all them last night. With Mike Sillinger and Mark Parrish in the wings, Thompson is going to have continue to play that way or else he’ll find himself in Bridgeport.

Another Islander who was strong last night was Bill Guerin. On the whole, the line of Sean Bergenheim, who is quickly becoming a force, Guerin and Weight have been solid. All they need is a huge game to get the confidence going. Once that happens, hopefully the rest of the team can pick up the slack.

Speaking of someone who needs to pick up the slack, Rick DiPietro was not on top of his game. I’ve made several mentions over the past three seasons at how DP, while being a great puck-handling goaltender, needs to watch himself at times. When he tries to do too much, he usually ends up hurting the Islanders. Last night was no different. If this team has any shot at turning this season around, it all starts with Rico. He has to be on top of his game.

With the team’s next game against the Rangers on Monday, there’s no time like the present. Games against the Rangers usually bring out the best or worst of both teams as well, making this an even more important game for both teams, with the Isles struggling to find out where they belong in the league and Rangers trying to keep their lead in the conference.

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

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

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

Here it goes.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here we go:

Defense Combo 1

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

Defense Combo 2

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

Defense Combo 3

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

Photo by Gamespot.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The way it should always be.

Photo by the AHL

After a week of reading message board posts about various Islander rumors and hearsay, I think my head’s about to explode. Dissecting all of them now would be crazy, so for the time being, I’m just going to pick two of the more recent ones and give my take on them.

The first one I heard was that Ryan Smyth is headed to Calgary, but that’s only if the Flames don’t nab Devils center Scott Gomez first. I don’t know how you guys feel about this, but I think that stats aside, Gomez and Smyth are completely different types of players and there’s no way that Calgary is planning to pick up one in case they can’t get another. I’d like to believe it’s only one they have their eyes on.

Gomez is a pure offensive talent, while Smyth does a little bit of everything and is a great presence in the locker room; picking up either one of these guys would signal a huge change for that organization, so I think that the Flames are going to think this through heavily before they make a move.

The fact that this rumor [or at least Smyth being a part of it] was squashed the other day when Smyth’s agent told Newsday that he hadn’t received any offers from anyone else yet and that Smyth reportedly said was going to take his time before he made a commitment with anybody, makes me think that the Flames are after Gomez. At any rate, I’m hoping, like all of you guys that Smyth stays in Long Island. Unfortunately, the only thing that we can really do about it is wait and see what happens.

From what I’ve been told by a few of the writers I work with, Smyth isn’t really a big fan of Alexei “I don’t deserve the C” Yashin and that the general consensus is that if Yashin stays, Smyth is gone. With that being said, if this is true, the chances of the Isles keeping Smyth seem to range from slim to none. Hopefully, Snow can work some magic and get these guys on the same page. Otherwise, the trade that got Smyth here may come back and bite the Islanders in the arse.

The second rumor I heard was that Randy Robitaille has decided to play next season in Russia. This makes absolutely no sense to me.

Why would Robitaille go to Russia after stringing together three decent seasons in the NHL with three different teams? I might sound a bit crazy, but I think Robitaille would make a decent third line center on just about any team in the NHL. Add in the fact that he’s a left handed shot and I think he could be a valuable commodity for any team looking to improve their last two lines and powerplay as well. Sure, he is a bit inconsistent at times and I’ve seen Cloris Leachman take the body more than he does, he could still find a home on another team in the NHL.

Why he would decide to go to Russia now of all times [it would have made sense after his first stint with the Isles] is beyond me, but I guess where going to see what happens with that one as well.

What do you guys think of all of this?

Like I said yesterday, the Islanders need to get back to the gritty, blue-collared and physical game that got them into the playoffs and have to stop trying to beat the Sabres at their own game. That means that guys like Sean Hill, Brendan Witt, Trent Hunter, Arron Asham and Chris Campoli need to start throwing their bodies around more.

I still don’t understand why this team looked so pensive against Buffalo, were they scared to make huge mistakes and get down early?

Were they intimated by the Sabres skating ability?

Was Buffalo just that damn good on Thursday?

Why I disagree with the later, I do think that the Islanders didn’t want to put themselves in the same situation with the Sabres that they were in on March 30, when they lost 6-4 and found themselves down early. As well, the Sabres are one of the best skating teams in the league and it’s easy to just stand there and watch when a team can do the things on offense that they can do. If the Islanders are going to have any chance at making it to the next round, they have to find a way of stopping the flashy Sabres from finding open ice.
One way of doing that is to start taking the body.

Another way for the Isles to stifle Buffalo’s offensive attack is to have every Islander skate hard, in an effort to outwork the Sabres. How many times this season have we seen guys like Alexei Yashin, Viktor Kozlov and Ryan Smyth draw penalties in the corners because they kept their heads down and kept fighting for the puck? If the Islanders can keep skating, they’ll draw penalties and keep the play in the Buffalo zone, which would give whoever’s playing goal for the Isles a break.

I’ve said it a thousand times this season and I find myself forced to say it again, the Islanders defense needs to try and limit how many shots the opposition takes. I still can’t believe they managed to get this far facing easily over 30 shots a game and if there going to make it further, they have to start playing more aggressively on defense and need to clear the front of the net and not botch any assignments.

If they don’t do that, it doesn’t matter who’s in net.

This P.O.D song, while being extremely corny even when it was originally released, is still somewhat catchy to this day and is a perfect description of what Ted Nolan brings to the Islanders.

From the first day of training camp, Nolan told reporters that the Isles would be a changed team on the ice, exemplifying what he called “Controlled Chaos.” Despite the fact that the chaos has been far from controlled at times, the Islanders managed to make the playoffs, in spite of the dozens of predictions that had them ranked somewhere near the cellar in the Eastern Conference.

So what; obviously the thought that just came into half of the minds of the people reading this right now. I bet you’re also saying that Peter Laviolette and Steve Sterling, the last two Islander coaches to take the team to the playoffs, also did so in their first year. Despite that, I think this year has been something different. Marked with extreme highs and unfathomable lows, this year’s Islanders was almost like an experiment by a bi-polar mad scientist. I don’t know about you guys, but at times, I felt like this team was going to crash down the stretch just like last years team and at others, I thought that they were a legitimate cup contender.

Now with the team in the playoffs, I can still say that my truest thoughts on this team are still right in the middle. Still missing a few pieces on offense and a little depth on defense, this year’s Islanders team has made the most out of what they had and made the playoffs as a result. Regardless, no one in the NHL can say that Nolan hasn’t done an amazing job in his first year with the Islanders and that’s only the half of it. He’s also changed the entire motif in Islander Country in the process. Taking this team to the playoffs and getting them to come together this way at the end of the season at the very least has gotten them the most fan support in years.

Did anyone else hear the Islander fans at Continental Airlines Arena the other night?
I did.

Did anyone help hear Deb Kauffman screaming at the top of her lungs during the pre-game show to drown out the crazed Isles fans?

I did, again.

When was the last time the Islanders had the fan base this content?

In the fifteen years I’ve been watching this team, I think there’s only been one other time when the fan base has had this much energy and that was after the team smoked the Penguins in the 93 playoffs.

Yes, it’s been that long.

While comparing this season to that magical one in ’93 may be a bit of a stretch, in my heart of hearts, it’s the only thing that even comes close to having the emotion and drama that this one has had. With all of the emotions and craziness surrounding the team of late, can you really blame me for being this upbeat?

In the end, maybe I’m just a man who’s just in the middle of something that he doesn’t really understand [thank you Paul McCartney]. I mean, I could be wrong. As an Islanders fan, I’m not really used to seeing this team in the playoffs with positive momentum. I’m not used to seeing things being like this, well except for in video games [My Isles always win the cup on the Playstation 2.]

However, despite my inability to really fathom the fact that this team managed to make the playoffs, I do know that Ted Nolan is one of the biggest reasons that they’re there and his presence behind the Islanders bench shouldn’t be overlooked. Without Nolan’s 11-minute speech a week and a half ago, who knows where this team would be right now.
While I think the Sabres are coached extremely well, I think that with the talent that the Sabres have, just about anyone short of Rick Bowness could get that team into the playoffs. The Islanders however, need someone at the top to keep them on the right path, despite having guys like Ryan Smyth, Sean Hill and Brendan Witt around.

Thankfully for them, they have Ted Nolan.

If Ted can keep these guys working hard and on the same page during this series, who knows what could happen.

This time, it’s the last New York Islander to win the Calder Trophy, yes you named it, and it’s not Captain Hook on steroids [even though his vision is 20/400 in one eye and he’s been banned from international play due to steroid use], it’s Bryan Berard. One of the few really talented players on a bunch of bad teams, Berard was one of the reasons why I watched Islanders hockey in the late 1990’s.

Not nearly as solid defensively as he is now [and that’s still not saying much] Berard was basically like a fourth forward on the ice. I vividly remember one occasion where BB was a -3 or 4 one game and on every goal, he was caught pinching. This was during the “Mad Mike” era, so basically as bad as you think the Isles were, you’re probably wrong; they were twice as worse, but anyway, back to my story. As punishment for his tendency to not get back and play defense, Berard was forced to play forward. Let’s just say it wasn’t pretty. Berard could skate, but you could tell he was miserable out there.

Despite that penchant for jumping up and joining the play, Berard’s defense, throughout the year, got to the point where it wasn’t as much of a factor and with 40 assists, he managed to beat out Jarome Ignila for the Calder Trophy. However, like most good things on the Island, they didn’t last long and a year and a half later, Felix “The Cat” Potvin was here in place of Berard. Even though I thought the Isles desperately needed goaltending at that point in time with Tommy Salo not being a good fit [I’ll never forget the time Dan Cloutier beat the crap out of him] and no one to really back him up, it broke my heart to see us give up on someone who had so much potential.

It hurt even more to see BB get hurt the way he did in Toronto, but in spite of everything, he’s had a pretty successful career. He may not have lived up to the hype that goes with being a number one draft pick, but having Masterton and Calder Trophies on your mantle means something at the end of the day, doesn’t it?

While I was too young to remember Brent Sutter and Denis Potvin as Islander captains, I do remember Patrick Flatley’s tenure quite vividly. While not the physical type of player future Islander captains would be [Bryan McCabe and Michael Peca immediately come to mind], Flats was the type of player [when healthy] that every team in the NHL would want on their team because he worked harder than everyone else and led by example. 

I can’t tell you how many times during the 93 and 94 seasons that I saw Flatley fight off of checks in the corners and manage to get the puck free to players and turn a useless dump in into a scoring opportunity. Sometimes it was amazing how “The Chairman of the Boards” could squeeze his way through two or three opposing players and use his feet to kick the puck to a teammate or how well he saw the ice and could make such accurate blind passes in the corners. 

It was this type of hustle and grit that made up for the fact that Flatley never blossomed into the scoring machine that the Islanders thought he and Pat Lafontaine would become. However, when the Islanders decided to change the entire makeup of their team, trading away fan favorites like Brent Sutter, Randy Wood and Lafontaine in a matter of weeks, they kept Flatley and made him the new captain. In keeping Flatley on the team, the Islanders showed their fans that they still cared about the legacy the team had and felt Flats was one of the players the new team could look to for leadership. 

And what a solid leader he was, as the Islanders managed to make the playoffs during both seasons Flatley managed to play more than 60 games in, proving just how valuable he was to the team. As a matter of fact, I think Flatley’s presence on the ice alone played a huge part in the eventual development of players like Marty McInnis, Todd Bertuzzi, Travis Green and Zigmund Palffy because he got accustomed to the NHL playing alongside the Islander greats that no one will ever forget and showed those players what it took to be consistent. That alone makes up for the fact that he never scored more than 20 goals in any season during his career with the Isles. 

The only dark spot in Flatley’s career I believe was that one year he played for the Rangers and wasn’t used the way a player with his ability could have been used. Nevertheless, he did manage to score 10 goals and a dozen helpers playing on a fourth line. The only positive was that Flats got the opportunity to play in the playoffs again. 

Regardless, one year with the Broadway Blue shirts could never tarnish a solid career with the Isles. Not to mention the entertainment value of the “Heals and Flats” show, Flats will always be remembered as one of the most underrated team captains in Islanders history.

RICHARD PARK…

One of the most unnoticed pick ups in the NHL over the summer, Richard Park has been amazing all season for the Isles, doing everything from killing penalties to forming a great fourth line with Arron Asham and Shawn Bates. Tonight, aside from blocking a few shots with no stick, was flying all over the ice and easily played his best game since joining the team.

MIROSLAV SATAN…

Maybe it had something to do with the fact that his wife was at the game, or maybe a little bit more that he was being pestered by Noah Welch all game, but Miro was on fire! The goal and the assist was one thing, but seeing Miro come back and nail Welch after he manhandled him through the entire second period was great. The problem with players in slumps is they lose their passion for the game and focus on producing, instead of playing their game. Tonight we saw Miro exhibit the passion that I think was missing from his game the past few weeks.

BRENDAN WITT…

Easily the best game of the year for Witt. The hit on Malkin in the third period was enough to satisfy his most ardent critics, but a few blocked shots and other great hits put him over the top. I love the fact that whenever a smaller player or a scorer gets hit, Witt is right there. When Satan got punched by Welch, Witt was right there and had his back the whole way. That’s what great teammates do and those are the types of players every team needs when they want to win.

BACK TO THE GAME…

Maybe Evgeni Malkin doesn’t know it, but last time I checked it was ILLEGAL TO THROW THE PUCK INTO THE NET WITH YOUR HANDS! Considering the fact that the Phillies are in desperate need of pitching, I think Malkin would fit right in. 

The same thing goes for Noah Welch. Dude, WEARING A VISOR MEANS YOU’RE NOT SUPPOSED TO FIGHT! The overall clumsiness and lack of poise of the Penguins exhibited tonight was so apparent that I don’t even think Sydney Cosby could have fixed.

 Simply put, tonight, the Islanders showed the rest of the NHL that they are in fact the real deal. Critics will say that they beat a team without their best player, but that’s only half the story. One player doesn’t make a team. It takes 20 players working their asses off every night to create a winning team; the Islanders are starting to make that known to the rest of the league. 

TOMORROW AGAINST THE CAPS…

 After Bob Bourne gets inducted in the Isles Hall of Fame, the Isles will take on the hated Washington Capitals. Hopefully, playing three games in four nights won’t be a factor. Let’s see what happens.