AT: Well, this is going to make training camp a whole lot of fun. We have re-signed Al Montoya who was incredibly impressive down the final stretch last year and put up very impressive numbers behind a subpar defense, an oft-injured Rick DiPietro who seems to be trying once again to put up a full season, and the once great Evgeni Nabokov who is a proven NHL goalie, albeit his stats in the KHL last year were abysmal. All 3 goalies will clearly play it out in camp, and I doubt the Isles run with a 3 man rotation in goal. I would think that depending on who outperforms who in training camp and wins one of the two slots, the lesser man gets traded in a package deal for a defenseman. This is either going to be Montoya or Nabokov, as we know unless a retirement or buyout occurs, DiPietro is going nowhere. While I originally didn't even want Nabokov near the team due to his Kirk Muller-esque attitude towards the Isles, I think if he can show he's returned to form and can put up a 50+ game season, he is the goalie the Isles should roll with.
I really do believe that if Nabokov can return to prior form and Montoya (and possibly Comeau) is shipped off in a package deal for a legitimate top 4 D-man, the Isles will compete for the 5th or 6th spot in the standings all year long, and really do some damage in the playoffs. I have high hopes for this team this year. Let's hope this is the start of everyone else feeling the same way too. Of course, we have to see how Nabby performs, but this is already getting me excited for the season. Drop the puck already!
Nabokov, in another indication of his dedication to the team, actually ordered his own personalized Islanders helmet. I for one think it looks pretty awesome, and is much better than him going with a generic blue or white mask like you would expect from someone without any true dedication to the team.
CH: Awesome. A good day of news all around for the Isles, to be honest. Nabokov will come right in and compete for the starting spot - and probably should win it. He is by far the best and most experienced goalie on the roster, and the team should respond in front of him. A tandem of Nabokov and Montoya should be the ideal situation as of now, even if DiPietro puts a solid camp together. Either way, I'm happy the team is giving Nabokov a clean slate. Who cares what happened last year? It's about this year now, and if the team has true playoff aspirations, Nabokov should be the guy barring a complete bomb of a camp. Regardless, this is the most interesting storyline in camp, and it's certainly worth keeping an eye on.
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