If you rewind back a week ago, the Islanders had just come off an emotional win against the Buffalo Sabres. They were still very much towards the bottom of the Eastern Conference, but signs were promising. With a tough week ahead including games against Nashville, Philadelphia, and Washington, the Isles were destined to either stay afloat or sink to the bottom.
Things did not start off well as the team gave up three goals in the first period of Kevin Poulin's second start of the season against Nashville in Monday's matinee. Things turned completely around, however, against Washington and Philadelphia, as the Isles allowed just one goal in the two games. In what would normally be a letdown game at home, the Isles came out and did just enough to beat the Hurricanes in overtime.
This 3-1-0 week puts the Isles in 12th place, just 9 points back of the 8th spot with over 30 games to play. While it's certainly improbable the Isles make a run to the playoffs, the conversation is legitimate to have. Even the most pessimistic fans are looking positively at this run - most notably due to the star John Tavares is developing into.
After four years of stagnancy, now would be a good time for Garth Snow and Charles Wang to show they are serious about winning. Or rather, serious about their "commitment" to the players (and the fans, too). The Islanders needs largely consist of a true second line center, a top-4 defenseman, and a third line wing. The truth is that Frans Nielsen is not cutting it as the second line pivot, but with Josh Bailey continuing to struggle offensively, there is nowhere else to put him. The Isles would actually be a very strong team down the middle with Nielsen and Bailey on the third and fourth lines, respectively.
Of course, the Brian Rolston experiment has completely failed to the point where he is becoming a detriment to the team when he is on the ice. Even if the Islanders don't make a single move, he should be on the fourth line with an improved Nino Niederreiter next to Bailey and Matt Martin. Finally, the Islanders have not found a viable partner for Mark Streit - Milan Jurcina and Steve Staios have not worked there. This is probably the team's biggest need going forward, as the defensive game needs to be tightened as the games get more intense and become of higher importance.
As the standings are right now, there is also zero reason for Snow to trade any assets. Many see Evgeni Nabokov as the number one choice to be moved off Long Island. This would send the absolute wrong message and would be another example of how the Islanders number one priority is not to win. Unrestricted free agents to be Frans Nielsen and P.A. Parenteau will also garner some interest, but both should be re-signed (along with Al Montoya and Nabokov, if he wants to).
Things are certainly looking up for the Islanders as we stand today, but there is a lot of time to go in the season. With two big games coming up against Toronto on Monday and Tuesday, the Islanders have an opportunity to truly get back in the playoff race. With a chance to be a .500 hockey team as the All-Star break approaches, all 20 players need to leave it all on the ice to ensure at least 3 points.
All of that considered, the Islanders are not a complete team by any stretch. The real question will lie in what comes of the trading deadline. The Isles have been cutting costs for years, and maybe there was a reason for that. There is no reason to do anything but add long-term assets at this deadline, especially with teams like Buffalo and Columbus on the brink of blowing their teams up. The Islanders have a great prospect pool - now would be a good time to use it. Garth Snow and Charles Wang are on the clock, will they improve the team or do what they always do, hope for the best.
-CH
No comments:
Post a Comment