I’ve been saying for the past few weeks that the Isles needed to sign a more than competent veteran backup goaltender, one that can pick up the slack if Rick DiPietro is unable to play as much as he would like to this season.

Dwayne Roloson can definitely be that guy.

He’s got playoff experience and has proven he can be more than dependable, especially when on a team lacking offense. This plays a huge role when you consider the fact that even with John Tavares on board, the Islanders offense will be questionable and will be struggling to find its identity this season.

While I would have liked the Isles to have taken a shot with Marty Biron, the question remains if he would have came to the Island. To get a guy that has a solid resume and a hefty amount of playoff experience is a plus that could come in handy this season. Signing a two-year contract, I have no doubt that if healthy, D-Ro will be a damn good backup goaltender and far better than the other big name backups the Isles have had over the past 10 years that have failed to fill the bill for this team.

However, the team still has work to do this offseason.

If the Isles can now somehow find a way to sign another goal scorer, someone who can deposit about 25 tallies a year, I may start feeling much better about this team next season.

Posted under Offseason 2009

While it’s great the Islanders have the number one pick in the draft, it won’t mean a thing without a healthy Rick DiPietro and a competent backup behind him.

With both Joey MacDonald and Yann Danis UFA’s this offseason and a plethora of quality goaltenders available, the Islanders will have no excuses this summer and have an opportunity to get someone that will be able to get the job done just in case DP’s surgically-repaired hips don’t hold up…again.

I’ve mentioned a few of them over the past few weeks, guys like Antero Niittymaki and Craig Anderson, who could easily step in for 25-30 games and spell DP when he needs it.

Nothing against DP, but with the injuries he’s had over the past few seasons, playing in 65-70 games a season may not be the best thing for him. Lets just say hypothetically the Isles manage to squeak into the playoffs, what shape will he be in then?

That’s why addressing the backup situation is so important.

“To me, the most important thing is going to be Ricky,” Gordon told Newsday. “No matter who we draft, it’s going to come down to what we do in net. No matter how good you are, you’re going to break down. You can’t underestimate the value of the guy in net.

“You saw Ricky’s value the previous year when he played so well the first half of the season. When he got hurt, they went from being a playoff contender to struggling. You have to have a guy who is able to run with the ball. No matter who we draft, it gets overshadowed by who’s in net.”

If DP is indeed healthy and if the player the Islanders draft is able to make a significant contribution, the Islanders may be in decent shape, especially when you consider how well guys like Frans Nielsen, Kyle Okposo and Bruno Gervais were playing through the final leg of the season when they were playing spoiler.

The next few weeks should be interesting as the draft is one important piece to the puzzle and the upcoming free agent sweepstakes that will follow will be equally as important. Mark my words, if the Islanders don’t address this concern and sign both a goaltender with experience to play in the AHL and one to backup DP, they’ll be in the same situation they were this past season if he goes down.

Photo by Patrick Hickey Jr.

Posted under Offseason 2009

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

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

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

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

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

Photo by Patrick Hickey Jr.

Posted under Offseason 2009

Both Joey MacDonald and Yann Danis showed flashes of brilliance this season with the New York Islanders and played admirably behind an often battered and beaten defense. Make no mistake about it, in today’s NHL, where injuries are happenstance, it certainly means something. However, the the question remains as to how much it will mean to the Islanders this offseason.

Simply put, Danis and MacDonald still aren’t proven commodities in this league and with Rick DiPietro’s injury problems the past couple of seasons, the Islanders need not only to sign a seasoned backup, but someone who can also play at Bridgeport that is capable of backing up as well. As far as I’m concerned, Peter Mannino still needs to earn his bumps and bruises, making the Islanders forced to go shopping in the free agent pool or at the draft to solve these problems.

In my last post, I named a few goaltenders the Isles could go after in the draft, but I failed to address the message that could potentially send to DiPietro. Even if they are a few years away, it may agitate DP and make him even more of a loose cannon on the ice, giving the Islanders another disaster of a contract to deal with while they are still paying off the salaries of Alexei Yashin and Shawn Bates. Nevertheless, drafting a young goaltender who in a few years could play 30-40 games would be the best thing for the organization and something that the Islanders enigmatic goaltender will have to deal with.

In addition to signing a young goaltender, the Islanders would be smart to take a look at the Toronto Maple Leafs, who have Curtis Joseph, Olaf Kolzig and Martin Gerber entering Unrestricted Free Agency this offseason. Of the three, Gerber may be the best option. Making $1.8 million this season and coming off a less than mediocre campaign in ‘09, Gerber, who won 38 games three years ago, can be the guy to the team if DP’s hips aren’t up for the long haul and can be acquired for a reasonable price. His apparent friendship with Mark Streit should only help facilitate the process as well.

Who knows, many the Islanders can hit the Swiss jackpot two years in a row.

So I’m sure you’re all wondering, what does this have to do with Danis and MacDonald?

Well, I personally think Danis would be the better choice to play at Bridgeport considering the fact that he was the better goaltender of the two last season, with a drafted youngster earning his stripes in Utah and Bridgeport before the Islanders decide where he’s going to go next, leaving Gerber and DP with the big club.

With that being said, I believe that leaves MacDonald without a gig.

But that’s just in my bizarre world.

Photo by Patrick Hickey Jr.

Posted under Isles Thoughts 2009

Before the Islanders last home game this season, I decided to hit the Starbucks across the street from Nassau Coliseum with my girlfriend. While we were drinking our white chocolate mochas and complaining about the season, Islanders center Nate Thompson strolled in. Garbed in my Islanders jersey and a huge kool-aide smile, I said “Wassap Nate,” as he waited for his coffee.

In return, I got a nice wave back and a smile.

True story.

Nevertheless, in spite of that kind gesture, it may be the rest of Islanders country that waves goodbye to Thompson this offseason. Well, at least from a regular spot in the lineup, that is. Tough on the boards and good in his own zone, Thompson proved his value as a fourth liner this season, but his offensive game still needs some polishing before he can truly earn his spot on the team in the future.

If the Islanders do indeed draft John Tavares and the Islanders do decide to sign Thompson as a restricted free agent, he’ll most likely be rounding out the depth chart at Bridgeport. Also considering the fact that he’s arbitration eligible this offseason, the Islanders could part ways with him before he becomes slightly more expensive.

Like I said, if the Islanders do draft John Tavares, Thompson is almost guaranteed to be in Bridgeport, despite Islanders head coach Scott Gordon’s affinity for him. If the Islanders draft Victor Hedman or pull of some type of shenanigans, they’ll still be looking for a center that can contribute more offensively than “Nice Nate.”

Even if the Islanders are looking to add depth at Bridgeport, they may even be able to do better than keeping Thompson around, as they can resign Mike Iggulden and give Justin DiBenedetto. Nevertheless, the guy has several solid seasons in the AHL under his belt, can play Gordon’s system and at the very least can fill in for a few games if someone is injured. If he wins his case in arbitration, Thompson probably won’t be due for too much of a raise either, still making him an affordable depth player.

Stay or Go?

Despite the variable in his favor, I think it’s in Thompson’s best interest to look for a gig somewhere else next season. With the youth movement in full swing and the Islanders already having a player that can do many of the things Thompson can do in Tim Jackman, his chances at establishing himself anywhere but in Bridgeport are very small.

Photo by Patrick Hickey Jr.

Posted under Offseason 2009

When the Islanders signed Doug Weight this past offseason, not much was expected from him, especially considering he had the worst season of his professional career last season.

I even set the bar pretty low for him in July, writing:

“If he’s healthy all season, I definitely see him scoring a dozen goals and adding 30 helpers, while setting a great on-ice example for the youngsters.”

And who wouldn’t have set the bar low for the guy after what happened to him the year before? As a matter of fact, many insiders thought the guy was finished after last season.

“I felt like I had a lot of hockey left in me and that I was not put in a good situation to play,” Weight said of his experience on 2007-08 on the team’s official website a few days ago. “But those things happen and it’s how you respond to those things. Fortunately, the Islanders wanted to give me a chance and I had a coach that had a lot of respect for my game and the way I play. I felt like I responded pretty well.”

Damn skippy you did.

In just 53 games, Weight scored 10 goals and added 28 assists, good for third on the team. Scoring 21 of his points on the powerplay as well, Weight did everything the Islanders could have asked from and more. Before the Islanders began their collapse and Joey MacDonald was doing just more than holding down the fort, Weight was also scoring a point a game and was screaming his head off on the bench, proving he was every bit the leader the Islanders expected him to be.

Considering what most of us expected from him, it’s almost impossible to argue with that.

“I wish I could’ve stayed healthy because I think I could have had a pretty good season and helped our team even more,” Weight said on the team’s official site. “But having said that, I am going to work hard during the offseason and come back and hopefully have a great year.”

If he is healthy, I expect Weight to score 15 goals and add 40 assists that should put him near Mark Streit and Kyle Okposo for the team’s scoring lead. That alone means the Islanders offense will still have its fair share of growing pains next season, but that won’t be because of Weight.

Simply put, the guy just fits into the Islanders system and is still a capable playmaker.

If the Islanders pick up John Tavares and perhaps a free agent signing and there is less pressure on Weight to produce, I expect him to have an even better season. At this point in his career, he can’t be asked to score 70 points, but if some of the youngsters can pick it up, Weight can and will continue to be a productive player for the New York Islanders.

Photo by Patrick Hickey Jr.

Posted under Offseason 2009

Despite the fact that the Islanders are headed for their worst season in quite some time, this offseason will be an extremely important one.

Both Islanders head coach Scott Gordon and rising star Kyle Okposo will be exposed to the IIHF World Championships later this month for the first time.

There, both of them will get the additional training, Gordon from Ron Wilson, an NHL coach with over 1,200 games coached and experience in the Olympics and international leagues as a player. Okposo will have plenty of players of a high skill level to play with and will be in the locker room, getting pointers on anything he needs help with.

As long as he doesn’t suffer any type of serious injury, this is a great opportunity for KO.

As far as Gordon is concerned, this is completely win-win. Perhaps, Gordon will be able to take some of the things that have worked for him this season and be able to help Wilson and his country kick some tail. Before this season, I thought Wilson was one of the better coaches in the league. This season still hasn’t changed that thought, but it’s fair to say that Wilson is going through the same pains Gordon is going through this season.

Maybe they can grow through these things together.

“I don’t think you ever get tired of getting that opportunity to represent your country,” Gordon, who was a goalie on the 1992 U.S. Olympic team, told the Associated Press. “My two experiences with the national team as a player and as a player in the Olympics were great experiences. It’s something that, when I got into coaching, I hoped that one day I’d get an opportunity to be a part of it. There’s no passion like playing for your country.

“I don’t know what the long-term is, I’m just happy about this short-term opportunity, and I’m looking forward to working with Ron Wilson. He’s certainly had a lot of experiences at different levels in international competition and in the NHL. I’ll be a sponge, I’ll listen to every word he’s got to say.”

On another note, I just came across this nifty little video of Wilson getting in an argument with Toronto reporter Howard Berger. Good stuff.

Posted under 2008-2009, Isles Thoughts 2009

Talk about a see-saw-esque battle, eh?

It’s simply amazing to me that the Islanders continue to fight despite their place in the standings and their situation with injuries right now.

With Mark Streit out of the lineup last night as well, the rest of the NHL probably saw this game as an afterthought.

However, the Islanders came out hard and outworked the Capitals on several occasions, as the trio of Josh Bailey, Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen continue to get better every game. As I’ve mentioned before, Bailey has become a much more complete player, while Okposo isn’t scared to shoot anymore. Nielsen has developed into an excellent little playmaker, complimenting his already excellent ability in the face-off circle and in his own end.

During the telecast, Howie Rose and Billy Jaffe made mention of Bailey’s willingness to get in front of net and that when he’s on the ice an in front of the goalie and a goal is scored, it means just as much to him as a goal itself. To hear a 19-year-old talk that unselfishly about his game is great news for this team.

Nonetheless, Mike Green was aided by some sloppy play in their own end and spotty goaltending by Joey MacDonald, inducing an Isles loss that ended up much worse than it really was.

Overall, I think the fact that the Islanders were able to stick this out and keep the game tight was a testament to how far they’ve come this season, despite the fact that some may think that Washington just took the team lightly through the first 40 minutes.

Regardless, I feel like we are seeing a significant progression in the talent level of this team right now.

However, it goes to show just how much work this team still has ahead of them this offseason. It also proves just how important Streit is to this team, as several of the mistakes made by the young defensemen, mistakes, Streit, at +9 for the year, probably wouldn’t have made.

OMG moment of the night- Oh man, did you guys see when Okposo got stretched out in the third? Scary stuff. No word as of yet what the case is, but you hope the guy can play out the rest of the season and continue to show the rest of the league that he’s capable of leading a team on offense. I know he came back and played the rest of the game, but who knows what the case is at this point.

Posted under 2008-2009, Post Game Rants

Just to see a group of young kids like this, mixed with a few misfit veterans hold the ice with the best team in hockey yesterday meant a lot to determining what this team is going to be capable of in the future.

I think it’s going to be more than anyone could have asked for a few months ago.

Seeing Mark Streit dipsy-doodle his way around a few defenders after receiving a pass from Kyle Okposo is definitely something I’d like to see some more of.

Damn, is it me, or have I been saying that a lot lately?

I think the reason why I feel this way is because it’s the truth. This has been a different team over the past 10-15 games. Sure, they lack the pure offensive firepower to hold the ice with a team like Boston, but do they work hard and skate in all three zones or what? Once these kids get some more polish and get themselves in better shape over the offseason, I really think this team is a big signing and a few draft picks away from being a playoff contender. I really mean that.

Islanders coach Scott Gordon too sees the silver lining.

“We’re not an easy two points anymore,” Gordon told the Associated Press after yesterday’s loss to the Boston Bruins. “We were at the beginning of the year, but now our guys are playing at a pace that it really hasn’t mattered who the opposition has been.”

Gordon too attributes some of the success the team has had as of late to the exodus of a few “bad apples.”

“You know, we had a couple bad apples, too, that we got rid of,” Gordon told Newsday. “As a result of that, the chemistry in the locker room is what you would expect from a team that pulls together. They are pulling for each other, and they’re working with a purpose.”

Considering the way the team has played as of late, can you really blame him? Did anyone really think this team was going to be better off without Jon Sim, Bill Guerin, Mike Comrie and Chris Campoli? I surely didn’t. However, in their absence, people have stepped up with the added ice time they’ve been able to receive as a result and all of a sudden, this team is fun to watch again. It kind of makes you wonder where this team would be if these things could have been taken care of sooner.

However, much like the number of licks it takes to get to the center of a tootsie pop, the world may never know what the Islanders were truly capable of this season.

Posted under 2008-2009, Isles Thoughts 2009, Post Game Rants

I’ve told you guys countless times in the three seasons that I’ve been writing this column that the New York Islanders are unlike any team in the NHL.

Regardless of if they are winning, losing or middling, there is always news, always things to think about and write about.

Despite being in last place, this team will have a serious goaltender controversy to think about this offseason. Everyone knows Rick DiPietro will be the number one, but coming off another injury-ravaged season, it’s highly doubtful that he’ll play the 70 games he wants to play.

My best guess is that DP will play about 50-55 next season and if all goes as well, then and only then will he be used in the Tim “Every Day” Cheveldae-esque role that he insists on playing.

However, will it be Danis or Joey MacDonald that is on the bench? Would one of them be willing to sign a two-way contract next season to provide support just in case DP gets injured again? Highly doubtful. Especially after both of them have proved they can be a solid backup if given a chance.

So what happens here? Who knows, but from what I’ve seen from Danis over the past few weeks and how much the coaching staff has embraced him, I think it makes this decision in the future an even tougher one.

“He’s played like a No. 1 over the short term,” coach Scott Gordon told the AP. “That’s ultimately going to be a decision to be made after the season is over. Ricky’s status will factor into it. All I can say is Yann has clearly shown his performance has been at a higher level than anything we’ve had all year. I’m happy for him.”

Wow. Big words, but that’s what comes with putting up the numbers that Danis has this season.

And who would have thought after his first two miserable outings? Not me, that’s for sure.

But then again, this is what the New York Islanders are all about. A few months ago, everyone, including myself, weren’t thrilled when Wade Dubielewicz got picked up by the Blue Jackets, because we didn’t like what we saw from this Danis-guy with the French-accent. We all wanted our Yoda back, so he could swing his light saber. Instead, we got d’Artagnan, with his saber and funny looking mustache.

But hey, he’s been great and it’s given this writer something to of course, write about.

What more could you ask for?

A playoff appearance?

One day fellas, one day.

Posted under 2008-2009, Isles Thoughts 2009