Speculation: Islanders Targeting A Defenseman?

Bloggers Note: Alex is having issues with his cable and Internet after Hurricane Irene, but will be back as soon as it is rectified. On behalf of him, we hope everyone got through the weekend safely and securely. Thanks.

Recently, we have heard four instances of speculation that the Islanders may be involved in targeting a defenseman this week. The team continues to look for a player that can solidify the top-4 and can play while guys like Calvin de Haan and Matt Donovan continue to develop in Bridgeport. The team currently has seven defensemen signed: Mark Streit, Andrew MacDonald, Travis Hamonic, Mark Eaton, Milan Jurcina, Ty Wishart, and Mike Mottau.

The first wave of speculation came from Chris Botta's Islanders Point Blank last week, where he claimed that an unnamed veteran defenseman declined an invite to training camp from the team...for now. It's widely believed this defenseman is former Islander captain Bryan McCabe. McCabe, 36, spent last season with the Florida Panthers and New York Rangers, playing 67 games and accumulating 28 points with a +2 rating.

McCabe, who has always been an offensive defenseman, is nowhere near an ideal option. In fact, if the rumor is true, it's because the Islanders want McCabe to earn a spot on the team by outplaying Ty Wishart and Mike Mottau as opposed to just giving him one. Regardless, he is not the improvement the team needs, but is still valuable enough NHL depth that the team can manage. Unfortunately, a McCabe/Streit powerplay combination does not work as both players shoot left-handed, so you would really be acquiring him to play with Travis Hamonic on the second unit. On the whole, McCabe really would fit in through his leadership. He is a long time veteran of the league, has respect for the Islanders organization, and could help refine the offensive games of Andrew MacDonald and Travis Hamonic. But is that enough to give him a shot to earn a spot? Sure, if you acquire a true top-4 defenseman. But on his own, it would be a marginal improvement at best.

Another name that has recently come up is former Islander Adrian Aucoin. While he has not come up in any legitimate rumor, there has been message board speculation regarding his trade availability. Aucoin is now 38 years old. While he has played 157 games over the past two season with Phoenix, it's important to remember that he is aging. He would be a fine stopgap for the Isles, but not at the expense of anything with value. The names we have been hearing as trade bait - Josh Bailey, Blake Comeau - are not worth Aucoin at this point. But for a mid-round pick or mid-level prospect, should the Islanders pull the trigger on a player like him? He has the same experience level and respect for the Islanders as McCabe. So in a situation like that, absolutely.

On Saturday, an article in the Edmonton Journal came out where the agent of Steve Staios, Pat Morris, mentions the Islanders as a potential suitor for the 38-year old defenseman. Like Aucoin, Staios can still play and could be a decent option for the Isles, even though he does not have the ties that Aucoin does. The main issue with Staios is his durability - he's only played 97 games over the past two seasons with the Oilers and the Flames. Which begs the question: if the Islanders wanted an oft-injured aging defenseman, why not keep Radek Martinek? Staios is a decent option, but his inability to stay healthy at this point in his career is a major negative.

Finally, a rumor has come out through the Ottawa Citizen that the Senators may try to unload 34-year old Filip Kuba, due $3.7 next season, on the Islanders. Kuba, who had 16 points in 64 games but finished with a deplorable -26 rating, is well past his prime. With the aforementioned options, the Islanders should not be desperate enough to have to take a flyer on Kuba at this point. At this point, he is a bottom pairing defenseman and would most likely be less of an improvement than McCabe.

It will certainly be interesting if Garth Snow decides to pull the trigger on a deal or signing for a defenseman, regardless of if it is one of the above guys or not. Quite frankly, it is imperative for the Isles to solidify their defense corps, even if it is a bottom pairing guy. The last thing the team needs is to play Mark Katic and Dylan Reese for an extended period of time. So far this off-season, the Islanders have let go of Jack Hillen and Radek Martinek without getting anything in return. With two weeks until training camp, time is running short to complete a deal. But one has to be on the way, or else the Isles' defense heads into the season with a lot of question marks.

Speculation: Third Jersey Concepts Revealed

Icethetics has revealed the presumed concept of the new third jerseys for the Islanders, and it's not pretty.

The jersey is black with the name "Islanders" across the middle in Mets-type coloring. There is gray shoulder piping with the Islanders regular logo on the shoulders. Down the sides are blue, orange, and gray vertical stripes, with a blue sleeve starting around the forearm. There's no word on what the lettering and the back will look like (but if it's anything like the prototype, it's going to be worse).

CH: I'm not even going to focus on the jersey here. We all know it is horrendous (save me with the "it's not that bad." Trust me, it is). It's debatable if it is worse than the infamous Fisherman jerseys, but I actually consider those to be better - at least they were trying. What we have here seems like a clear attempt to do everything you possibly can on a jersey, which becomes overload.

But that's besides the point. I'm angry because this jersey shows the Islanders clear inattentiveness to the fans. No more than a month ago, the Islanders on their Twitter and Facebook asked fans what they wanted in a third jersey. An overwhelming amount of responses clearly suggested "NO BLACK." So what do they do? They make the jersey black, supposedly. And yes, I realize this is still technically a concept, but the point is the Islanders should not have even tried black when it was so blatantly obvious the fanbase wanted nothing to do with it.

I don't want to complain about this. So instead, I want to offer up a potential solution to this problem. The first, and most obvious, is that if this is the actual third jersey - scrap it, and scrap it now. Secondly, it's clear the Islanders need help in the "fan relations" department. Ever since Chris Dey left, the Islanders marketing and public relations on a non-hockey basis has been miserable. Maybe it stems from the owner, maybe not. But everyone needs to be held accountable. What the Islanders need to do is add a position in their marketing department that talks directly to ticket holders, game attendees, event attendees, and anyone who supports the Islanders organization. They need a liaison to be there when things get bad to avoid answers of complaints such as the infamous "well, the future is bright!" That may be so, but that has nothing to do with the topic.

This situation still can be avoided. Nothing is official yet, and for all we know the Islanders may scrap this horrendous idea after seeing the outcry from members of the media like Pro Hockey Talk and Puck Daddy. They can make it right. But my point stands. The Islanders need to start listening to the fans for off-ice issues. They need to stop alienating the fans by giving them something that is the complete opposite of what they want. And they need to stop ignoring the fans thinking they don't need anything from them, when in reality the fans are what drives the Islanders organization. Without the fans, the Coliseum would be empty, and there would be nothing but tumbleweed rolling through the asphalt parking lot on Hempstead Turnpike. Time for the Islanders to wake up and listen to their customers.

AT: I disagree with Carey that the Islanders need a new PR person, on the basis that I have hope for humanity. What does that mean? It means I don't believe anyone working on any level for the Islanders could not see the relentless backlash that was shown for a black jersey already. There is no way somebody could be that oblivious to the feedback so far. The Islanders even posted a Facebook status asking for opinions and almost every other comment basically said "JUST NO BLACK". So, what does Terry Goldstein and crew do? Make a black jersey. That's not incompetence. To me, that screams that the organization did this purposely even though they knew nobody wanted it. But why? For what purpose? This is a fanbase that is basically hanging on by a thread after 4 losing seasons, a failed arena referendum and basically being the joke of the league for the past 5 years or so. Why would you want to do ANYTHING that would possibly set off the fanbase?

We were already a sinking ship. Now, for a few Saturdays in the season, we're gonna be an ugly one.

Speculation: Re-Visiting Alexei Yashin and the Implications of Signing Him

Well, here we are again. We posted a piece on Yashin a few days back when it first came out that Alexei was talking with a few teams: some KHL, one NHL. Obviously, it was easy to put the pieces together. The former Islanders captain still has a relationship with owner Charles Wang, he has a history on Long Island with a team that doesn't get much interest to begin with, and he's a free agent. The worst kept secret in hockey the other day was that the Islanders were the team Yashin was negotiating with.

Fast forward to today, and Katie Strang confirms all of this (and more) on her blog on Newsday (complete with quotes from Snow and Yashin's agent Marc Gandler). Islandermania and Islanders Point Blank go up in a frenzy, so where does this leave us?

As I posted today on Twitter, this is a Charles Wang executive decision. While Garth Snow is going to get the scrutiny here, he is just doing what he is told. If you want to criticize Snow for that, go ahead. But let's focus on the real problem here. By even announcing that they are negotiating with the biggest fan pariah outside Kirk Muller in Islander history, they are showing they are more concerned about friendships than accountability. Yes, Charles Wang is a very loyal man - we've seen it on a few occasions - trying to make it work in Nassau County, the Rick DiPietro contract, and now this. A line needs to be drawn, however, and they are crossing that line.

There is a point of ridiculousness where the Islanders will be paying a player to play - the same player who they are currently paying NOT to play for them. You can call a buyout what you want, but it's essentially a firing with the severance package being the sum of money the player gets over the course of the term. The Islanders are actually contemplating bringing back a 37-year old Alexei Yashin after "firing" a 32-year old Alexei Yashin five years ago.

Of course, there are some pretty important cap implications when you take a closer look at it. The Islanders will be somewhere in the ballpark of $5 million under the floor after Blake Comeau's arbitration case. Yashin is 37 years old, which means he is eligible for 35+ bonuses, or the Doug Weight clause, if you will. The Isles can give him as many unattainable bonuses as they like, all of which will count on his cap hit. If they want to give him $500K for each playoff round won, they can do that. That's an extra $2 million right there. They may not even have to make a move for the defenseman everyone wants if they do this,

But before we get ahead of ourselves, this is still a hockey blog and not a PR blog. In this case, the two things certainly mix. From a hockey perspective, Yashin can help. He will not be brought in to be anything more than a support player, and one that could produce approximately 45 points and could fill in on a one-year term if a guy like Comeau is traded. That's not the point. You have to look at the whole package. Yashin, who is one of the nicest players in the business, carries too much "Islander baggage" for this thought to be at all tolerable. Yashin's problem has always been his killer instinct - he is not lazy and he does care about winning. He just won't go the extra mile to do so, and that is what has always kept him from being elite.

Obviously, there is no question this report comes at the worst possible time for the New York Islanders. With just ten days before the referendum vote, the Islanders need every fan's unconditional support. The problem is, bringing back Alexei Yashin was one of those conditions that will turn away a lot of people. The buzz from the fans just melted, and whether they sign him or not, the damage is essentially already done. It is clueless and without thought to the customers that have helped this franchise so much over the past few years. There really is just no other way to put it.

That said, anyone who is going to Vote NO because of this needs their head checked. We can argue forever about Yashin, but Charles Wang will not be here forever. It is up to us to make sure the Islanders are here for the foreseeable future. If that means a year of Alexei Yashin and more of Charles Wang's meddling ways, that's the trade-off. Do not sacrifice NHL hockey, jobs, an arena, Nassau County's future because the Islanders are thinking of doing the unthinkable. You will just be as shortsighted, if not more, than those who are voting no for the sake of voting no. It looks terrible, but hockey operations are different than the arena campaign. This needs to be a time when things are separated.

We will see how things play out over the next few days, but it's clear that a Yashin return is possible, if not even probable at this point.

-CH

Speculation: What's Next?:The Trade Route

As the July 4th holiday has now passed and the Islanders roster remains the same, here are some possibilities the Islanders may explore to add the top-4 defenseman they sorely need this coming season.

1. Keith Yandle - Phoenix Coyotes - Contract: 5 yrs/26 million
While Yandle did sign an extension yesterday, he is not eligible for a NTC so if the Isles severely overpay, they may have a chance at enticing Phoenix to make a move. After the signed extension, however, it doesn't seem likely.

2. Zach Bogosian - Winnipeg Jets - Contract: RFA
The Jets have stated there are no plans to trade Bogosian, but they are also far apart on contract talks. It would make no sense to publicly put Bogosian on the block, but even if there is no shot of trading him, Snow should inquire anyway.

3. Mike Green - Washngton Capitals - Contract: 1 yr/5.25 million
Green has his faults for sure, but the chance to add someone as dynamic as Green does not come every day. The Caps are very close to the cap, and you almost get the sense they are not as enamored with Green as they once were. If they are looking, to shed salary, the Isles could come calling.

4. Jeff Schultz - Washington Capitals - Contract: 3 yrs/2.75 million
Like Green, if the Capitals want or need to shed salary, Schultz could be had and with a lower price than Green, who is an RFA after the year. Schultz is a very solid defenseman at a very affordable price.

5. Keith Ballard - Vancouver Canucks - Contract: 4 yrs/4.2 million
Ballard's play really suffered in his first year with the Canucks, in which he fell out of favor with coach Alain Vigneault over the course of the year. GM Mike Gillis said Ballard will get a fresh start with Vancouver this year, but I'm sure the team would love to shed his salary.

6. Jordan Leopold - Buffalo Sabres - Contract: 2 yrs/3 million
The Sabres are literally at the cap and may need to make a decision on who to keep and who to get rid of. Garth Snow and Darcy Regier just made a deal for the rights to Christian Ehrhoff so maybe they get together and strike a deal for this solid defenseman.

7. Andrej Sekera - Buffalo Sabres - Contract: RFA
Sekera is headed to arbitration, which means he could be a cap casualty of the Sabres. If they do decide to let him go, expect Snow to be on the call. Sekera is an extremely underrated defenseman.

8. Cory Sarich - Calgary Flames - Contract: 1 yr/3.6 million
Sarich is declining, but he still is solid and fits the need of the Isles perfectly. If other options run try, maybe Snow turns to Jay Feaster and checks on the availability of Sarich.

9. Jay Bouwmeester - Calgary Flames - Contract: 3 yrs/6.68 million
Bouwmeester hasn't panned out the Flames have liked him to, and I'm sure Feaster would love to unload his contract. It's hefty, but Bouwmeester is a definite top-4 guy. The only question would be if he could find his game on Long Island.

10. Rob Scuderi - Los Angeles Kings - Contract: 2 yrs/3.4 million
It's very possible this Long Island boy could be on his way home if the Kings exceed their budget as they try and re-sign Drew Doughty. Definitely capable of top-4 minutes, he is exactly what the Isles are looking for.

11. Pavel Kubina - Tampa Bay Lightning - Contract: 1 yr/3.85 million
Not quite sure if the Lightning want to give him up, but if they need the money while they try and sign Steven Stamkos, he could be the guy to go. Another player that fits the Isles needs perfectly.

Speculation: The FA Route - Where Should Snow Go?

As the July 4 weekend winds down, the Islanders are left in the same situation in which they entered it. They've filled one of the three holes that we targeted for them (fourth line center), but their work has not been completed yet. Chris Botta recently tweeted that Islanders GM Garth Snow is still talking to agents about adding one forward and one defenseman (however, that's more likely to be done through trade). So, with that said, here are 12 free agents (some obvious, some not) still out there that the Islanders may consider adding.

1. Tomas Kaberle - D - Boston Bruins
Kaberle showed signs of breaking down during the playoffs, but he still could be considered a top 4 defenseman, and if the Islanders show him the money, could make his way to Long Island. A Mark Streit/Tomas Kaberle first PP unit would be lethal.

2. Sergei Samsonov - F - Florida Panthers
The Panthers loaded up on FA during the off-season, but have opted not to keep the skilled Samsonov. After having a great end of the season, possibly playing with John Tavares could continue his revival.

3. Antti Miettenen - F - Minnesota Wild
More likely the Isles sign him and look to trade a guy like Blake Comeau for a top-4 defenseman. Miettenen is still a very useful player, but is probably best suited for third line (and spot second line) duty.

4. Jason Arnott - F - Washington Capitals
The aging Arnott would provide leadership and stability to the Isles C core along with John Tavares, Frans Nielsen, and Marty Reasoner. Could be a great mentor for Nino Niederreiter as he will most likely start his NHL career this season.

5. Bryan McCabe - D - New York Rangers
As we mentioned before, McCabe loves Long Island and would take an offer from the Isles in a heartbeat. Maybe the Isles go this route if they trade a defenseman like Eaton or Mottau as a salary dump (much like the Lebda deal with Toronto). Otherwise, those guys have no value and McCabe should have no value to the Islanders.

6. Vinny Prospal - F - New York Rangers
Prospal is versatile and can play anywhere in the top-6. As of now, with the Rangers signing Brad Richards, it doesn't seem like they will be retaining Prospal. After in injury-ridden season, will the Isles take a chance on him?

7. J.P. Dumont - F - Nashville Predators
The wheels really fell off for Dumont after many productive NHL seasons. With only 19 points last season, does he have enough left in the tank to be productive? The former Islander #1 pick could head home on a cheap contract if Snow feels that he can. Look for this as a definite possibility at least through training camp.

8. Radek Martinek - D - New York Islanders
Like Chris Botta said, don't close the door on Martinek. The Islanders haven't and shouldn't, because at the very least you know what you'll get out of Martinek on a 1-year deal. The only question is his health, however.

9. Steve Bernier - F - Florida Panthers
We'll call him the Matt Moulson special. Only 26 years old, but hasn't quite reached the level of play everyone thought he would. The Islanders have been the land of opportunity, which may be exactly what a player like Bernier needs. His potential is obvious, but if he can't put it together soon it may never happen.

10. Sami Lepisto - D - Columbus Blue Jackets
Like Bernier, Lepisto is only 26 but hasn't totally put it all together yet. After a decent season last year, the Islanders may bring him in, but is he that much of an upgrade over Mike Mottau?

11. Scott Hannan - D - Washington Capitals
The only other player aside from Tomas Kaberle who still could fill a top-4 role for the Islanders. A shutdown D-man through and through, Hannan fills an immediate need for the Islanders. However, the fact that he is still available may raise a few eyebrows. At this point, no way the Capitals bring him back. Definitely someone the Isles should be looking at.

12. Shane O'Brien - D- Nashville Predators
A shutdown guy just trying to find his way at age 27. The Isles may take a chance on his upside and hope that he can bring it over an 82-game season. But more than anything else, they need a proven guy like Hannan back there over an O'Brien.

CH: Do I expect the Islanders to sign any of these guys? Maybe one of the forwards, but I do think they'll head for a trade for a defenseman. As far as the forwards go, it's possible that Vinny Prospal makes the most sense on a 2 year contract. He can slot in anywhere, the Islanders have enough depth if he were to get hurt, and the upside for his production to return is pretty high. Plus, the fact that he just played for the Rangers will mean he won't have to go very far. In a way, it is a typical Islander signing, but at the same time, Prospal is a player that has the ability to be a very productive asset.

Other than that, maybe they take a shot at Antti Miettenen, who is a great defensive forward and PKer. He'd fit right into a third line role and still can provide 15-20 goals from there. His biggest issue was that he was miscast in Minnesota, but that would not be the case here. He'd be a solid signing and would allow the Isles some flexibility on forwards to trade for a top-4 defenseman, which we will look at tomorrow.

AT: Of the forwards, Prospal or Samsonov seem most likely. Prospal came back pretty strong from injury last year and we know Samsonov has the potential to be a 60+ point scorer. Garth knows that PA Parenteau on the first line is not going to cut it if we want to exceed to the next level. Prospal playing on the first line with Tavares and Moulson is very intriguing. He was very capably able to feed a 40 goal scorer in Marian Gaborik 2 years ago, you have to wonder what he would be able to do next to a 30 goal scorer and a budding superstar.

As for the defense, Scott Hannan is still someone who I would be perfectly okay with. Consistently healthy, Hannan is known for his ability to completely shut down a forward and throw big hits. Having a Streit-Hamonic and MacDonald-Hannan top 4 would be very, very good. We'll see. I do like Hannan, but if a better D-man is available through trade, you go for it and don't look back. Keith Yandle, please.

Speculation: Free Agent Preview - The Defenseman

So the Christian Ehrhoff risk didn't work out. It happens, but now it's time to move on. Continuing our free agency preview, here are 16 defenseman the Islanders may take a chance on come July 1.

Top 4 Offensive Defenseman

Christian Ehrhoff - 14 G 36 A 50 P +19 - Could (Still) Be A Target
What, you think I'd leave him out? In all seriousness, Garth has said the door is shut and I believe him. But if Ehrhoff comes crawling back asking for the Isles offer, you think they'd say no? I doubt it. Chances are at about 0%, and the Isles won't take initiative. But you never know what happens on July 1.

Tomas Kaberle - 4 G 43 A 47 P +4 - Could Be A Target
Kaberle is declining, and he wouldn't be my first choice. But he is a "name" and someone that can come in to help Travis Hamonic. However, he doesn't really fill a need so I think they go in another direction.

Roman Hamrlik - 5 G 29 A 34 P +6 - Isles Target
If the Isles want a short-term option, a reunion with Roman Hamrlik could be in the cards. Hammer liked playing here, and played with front office members Garth Snow and Eric Cairns. He's still physical and can play a top-4 role, but anything more than 2 years (and that's pushing it) is excessive.

Ian White - 4 G 22 A 26 P +3 - Isles Target
White is only 27 years old and coming off a very good year in San Jose. This is the guy the Isles should be going after on July 1. It's not really fair to call him "offensive" since he's more of a two-way guy. He's a good "new" NHL defenseman and will fit right in.

Top 4 Defensive Defensemen

Steve Montador - 5 G 21 A 26 P +16 - Isles Target
Had a great year with the Sabres last year. If he makes it to FA tomorrow, the Isles should be all over his cell phone. Could come in and fill exactly what the team is looking for.

Andy Greene - 4 G 19 A 23 P -23 - Isles Target
Greene had a terrible year with New Jersey last year, which will lower his stock. Could be a perfect candidate for the Isles to swoop in for on July 1. Their type of defenseman as well.

Jan Hejda - 5 G 15 A 20 P -6 - Isles Target
One of the most underrated in the game, and should be one of the Isles top choices come July 1. Plenty of teams will be calling this guy.

Ed Jovanovski - 5 G 9 A 14 P +4 - Isles Target
He's getting up there in age, but can still really help the team. My personal #1 choice for the Isles, but it will really come down to if he wants to play on the East Coast. At this stage in his career, he may not have a choice.

Scott Hannan - 1 G 10 A 11 P +4 - Isles Target
Hannan, still somewhat young at 32, could come in on a short 2-way deal to help out. Depends what he wants - still hasn't won a Cup, and still may have some looks from contenders.

Bottom Pairing Offensive Defensemen

Anton Babchuk - 11 G 24 A 35 P +14 - Could Be A Target
This is a guy the Isles could look at as someone with untapped potential. He won't work on anything more than a 1 year deal, and I'm not sure they want to have 4 potential D UFA next year, so they are better off going elsewhere.

Bryan McCabe - 7 G 21 A 28 P +2 - Isles Target (But Shouldn't Be)
McCabe wants to be here, so if the Isles want him back he will be. His only role will be the shooter on the PP to Mark Streit's QB. Really though, stay away. This would not be an improvement.

Bottom Pairing Defensive Defensemen

Jonathan Ericsson - 3 G 12 A 15 P +8 - Isles Target
Misplaced on a stacked Detroit defense, Ericsson hasn't really had the chance to show what he can do. In a Mark Streit type fashion, the Isles may give him that chance.

Jim Vandermeer - 2 G 12 A 14 P -15 - Could Be A Target
In the "if the market runs dry" category of the day, Vandermeer would come in as a stopgap, but really wouldn't be much better than the Isles already have.

Jeff Woywitka - 2 G 9 A 11 P +5 - Could Be A Target
Like Vandermeer (and some guys under him), Woywitka is a Plan B if the Isles can't improve on the top four. All these guys would be fine on a one-year deal, but anything more is pushing it.

Kent Huskins - 2 G 8 A 10 P +8 - Could Be A Target
You can pretty much exactly copy what is written for Woywitka and place it here.

Shane O'Brien - 2 G 7 A 9 P +1 - Isles Target
O'Brien is very interesting. Still young, he has time to further improve his game. A mean, tough, physical defenseman, he may be a guy the Isles turn to if the market is not going their way.

AT: My top 3 choices for D-men would be Scott Hannan, Roman Hamrlik and Jan Hejda. All are getting up there in age, but the Islanders only need a 2-3 year stopgap until some of our prospects such as Mayfield, Donovan and Pedan can make it up the ranks. Hannan fills a role as a Brendan Witt type player who can throw big hits, put up a lot of ice time and be the defensive D-man the Isles so desperately need for the top 4 right now. Hamrlik, while 37, is a former Islander who I'm sure would be willing to come back to a team he has ties with for 2-3 years to finish up his career. He still contributes offensively, has a monster shot and plays a very efficient D game. Jan Hejda, as Carey said, is very underrated and could be the big winner for the Isles. Playing on Columbus will do that to you. Either one of these three would be a perfect fit for the top 4. I can only hope and pray the Isles do not go for Bryan McCabe. He is exactly what the Islanders DON'T need defensively and his skills have been on the decline. Same with Kaberle. We have Streit returning and a continuously improving Andrew MacDonald. They are not necessary as stopgaps. 

Speculation: Free Agent Preview - The Forwards

With the start of free agency Friday (we are planning a live blog from 12-7 for the July 1 festivities, more on that later), we figured we'd do a little free agency preview. Below are 22 free agent forwards the Islanders might look into. We've separated them into different categories, their stats, their 2010/11 team, and how likely the Islanders will target them. Just a fun little exercise to get us ready for a crazy July 4 weekend.

Top 6 Centers

Brad Richards - 31 - 28 G 49 A 77 P - Minimal Chance, At Best
Obviously the best free agent on the market, the Isles have the cap space if they really want to overpay. Chances are Richards will go for the money, but that will most likely be NYR or TOR. Wouldn't completely count the Isles out, but as close as you can get to that.

Tim Connolly - 30 - 13 G 29 A 42 P - Could Be A Target
Connolly is a wiz when he is healthy, but he's never healthy. If the Isles think he could give them a productive couple of years, he may be an option while Ryan Strome develops in juniors. But I wouldn't count on it, the Isles may go with Bailey - cheaper and still developing.

Top 6 Wings

Ville Leino - 27 - 19 G 34 A 53 P - Isles Target
Leino has had a few good years with the Flyers, especially in the 2010 playoffs. He's looking for a big raise over his last contract, and the Isles may be a team that's willing to give him one.

Erik Cole - 32 - 26 G 26 A 52 P - Isles Target
Cole has an Islander connection in Doug Weight, who could be very influential in getting Cole to come play on John Tavares' wing if the price is right. Could and should be the Isles #1 target for a top-6 player.

Jussi Jokinen - 28 - 19 G 33 A 52 P - Isles Target
Jokinen is another Hurricane that fits in very nicely on Tavares' wing. Another guy the Isles should be calling early Friday to try and get a jump start on. Plus, he's a shootout wiz.

Radim Vrbata - 30 - 19 G 29 A 48 P - Isles Target
Vrbata doesn't fit as nicely on the first line, but is still an improvement in the top-6, and could really help Josh Bailey bring his game up a notch. 

Michael Ryder - 31 - 18 G 23 A 41 P - Isles Target
By no means should he be a top option, he needs to be in a perfect situation to be productive. I don't think this is it. That said, he's a veteran presence and if the Isles feel he can help in the top 6, they'll go after him.

Sergei Samsonov - 32 - 13 G 27 A 40 P - Could Be A Target
Not sure if the Isles want to go in this direction, but he could be a target for the Islanders as he does complement John Tavares' skillset well. Very fast, could be a target, but I think the Isles look elsewhere first.

Simon Gagne - 31 - 17 G 23 A 40 P - Isles Target
Gagne will no doubt be towards the top of the Isles list on Friday. He's had concussion problems but he is a perfect fit on this team, especially when he is healthy. If he signs, expect more years than any other team as the Isles could offer him security and give him his last big payday. 

Tomas Fleischmann - 27 - 12 G 19 A 31 P - Isles Target
If he can prove that he is healthy after his blood clot scare last year, he could be a major addition to the Isles lineup. His injury history will scare other teams away, so the Isles could have an advantage if they want to sign him. Risky, but the reward is phenomenal.

Steve Sullivan - 36 - 10 G 12 A 22 P - Could Be Target
Sullivan is getting up there in age, but his skills complement John Tavares very well. It's a matter of if the Islanders think he is done, but if not, he'll have a great chance to revive his career with a great young center.

Bottom 6 Centers

Eric Belanger - 33 - 13 G 27 A 40 P - Isles Target
Should be the Islanders #1 choice to play the 4th line center. There were rumors they were going after Belanger last season, but now it makes more sense. A 4th line of Martin-Belanger-Hunter is one of the better ones in the league and gives the Isles flexibility to pick and choose spots for Micheal Haley.

Marty Reasoner - 34 - 14 G 18 A 32 P - Isles Target
Like Belanger, Reasoner fits the mold of what the Isles could be looking for as an upgrade in their bottom-6. He won't break the bank and is an effective player in the correct role.

Jeff Halpern - 35 - 11 G 15 A 26 P - Isles Target
Short-term he's a potential answer for the 4th line, but you won't get more than 2 years out of him. Still, he's a viable option and a good veteran leader.

Marcel Goc - 27 - 9 G - 15 A - 24 P - Isles Target
A close friend of Christian Ehrhoff's, Goc would be a perfect transitional player for the 4th line. If not Belanger, Goc is the guy to bring in. Great on faceoffs as well.

Bottom 6 Wings

Scottie Upshall - 27 - 22 G 12 A 34 P - Could Be Target
Upshall has proved to be a pretty productive player, but really doesn't fit the mold of a top-6 forward, which is what the Isles should be looking for. He may be an option as a transitional player, but unless other avenues run dry, I don't see them making a big push.

Raffi Torres - 29 - 14 G 15 A 29 P - Could Be Target
I don't see where Torres fits per se, but if the Islanders want to bring their former draft pick home, they'll have a shot.

Joel Ward - 30 - 10 G 19 A 29 P - Isles Target
By now, everyone knows about Ward's Long Island ties. After his monster playoffs, he's going to get a contract he doesn't deserve. Great team guy, not sure the Isles should be overpaying him though. Still, I'd assume they'll make a decent push for him.

Sean Bergenheim - 27 - 14 G 15 A 29 P - Probably Not, But For Fun
Bergie isn't coming back, but he's the type of guy like Ward who is going to get way overpaid for his playoff run. Looking forward to seeing how he does in the UFA market.

Chris Higgins - 28 - 13 G 15 A 28 P - Isles Target
The native Long Islander has the ability, but hasn't put it together in a few years. He'll get an opportunity to do that in a pressure-less situation with his hometown team. Would not be surprised at all to see him come home.

Cody McCormick - 28 - 8 G 12 A 20 P - Could Be Target
McCormick would be a great guy to have on the fourth line. If the Isles feel Trent Hunter is done, they may explore an option like this, but I wouldn't count on it.

Ben Eager - 27 - 7 G 10 A 17 P - Could Be Target
Eager made waves with his temper in the last game against the Canucks in the playoffs, but like McCormick, if Hunter is done the Isles may decide to bring in someone of his ilk in.

AT: My top targets remain Jussi Jokinen, Ville Leino or Simon Gagne. Either one would fit fantastically on JT's wing and would create an offensive explosion on the first line. There's always been missing pieces on the team - one of those being a solid RW for the first line to replace PAP, the other being a center. With Strome now in the mix and possibly playing in the NHL in a year, I doubt the Isles go for Richards. Jokinen, Leino and Gagne seem like the most likely options.

Speculation: Martinek Won't Be Back Next Season

New York Islanders

According to Chris Botta at Islanders Point Blank, the Islanders will most likely not bring defenseman Radek Martienk back to Long Island next season. Martinek has been an Islander his entire career, since 2001-02 and has played 453 games for the team. Botta implies that Snow may be looking for an upgrade on the defensive corps in free agency, which begins July 1.

CH: To me, this is the most prudent move by Snow and the Islanders. There is no question Martinek was a very good Islander - he played here for a long time at a high level. But he is getting up there in age, and he's always had questions about his durability. The Islanders already have 6 defensemen under contract for next season: Mark Streit, Mark Eaton, Milan Jurcina, Andrew MacDonald, Travis Hamonic, and Mike Mottau. They also have three restricted free agents in Ty Wishart (will be back), Jack Hillen (debatable), and Bruno Gervais (extremely unlikely), not to mention prospects such as Calvin de Haan and Matt Donovan, who are just a little Bridgeport seasoning away from potentially making an NHL impact.

The Islanders, without question, need to upgrade their defense. The team finished 27th in goals against last season, which is not good enough. With Martinek as a free agent, he is the easiest to let go, as he is a fringe top-4 guy, but more likely a 3rd pairing guy on good teams. So while guys like de Haan and Donovan develop, the team needs to bring in a top-4 guy like Eric Brewer (reportedly close to an extension with Tampa Bay), who will be here for the next few years as the team transitions from lottery team to playoff contender. Martinek does not fit that profile. That said, keeping the door open is also smart. If the Islanders happen to strike out in free agency on the back end, bringing in Martinek for one more year will make sense. Either way, the team cannot go into next season with the same D-corps as this season. Martinek will land on his feet either in the NHL or in Europe, and I wish him the absolute best.

AT: While Martinek was, quite amazingly, the most healthy D-man last year, it's time for the Isles to move on. He's a solid D-man but the Isles NEED to get better, and with the possibility of a top 4 d-man coming in and a bottom pairing of Eaton and Jurcina with Hillen and Mottau as the 7 and 8, there's just very little room for Martinek. I see Garth going hard for someone like Scott Hannan if he fails to draft Hamilton with the 5th pick. Martinek was a great guy and nothing but nice and I wish him the best, but it's time for the Isles to push this rebuild into 2nd gear.

Speculation: What Will The Islanders Do With Pick #5?

According to both Katie Strang and Chris Botta, the Islanders are considering moving the #5 pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, either for another draft slot in the first round (before or after #5) or for a legitimate high-end NHL player. 

The 2011 NHL Entry Draft is next Friday, June 24 at 8 PM and continues on Saturday, June 25 in St. Paul, Minnesota.

CH: Major props to Brian Compton, who has been saying the Islanders should consider this route for months on Islanders Interactive, his online show with Chris Botta. The Islanders have a few options here, as both Strang and Botta mention. First, let's look at moving the pick for a player. Botta goes into mentioning Jeff Carter in his piece. There's little question the Flyers have to move a piece if they want to sign Ilya Bryzgalov, but reports have come out that they won't move Carter. Carter, 26, is signed for 11 more years at a cap hit over $5 million. Aside from that, no names have spurred up yet which is unsurprising. Things happen at the draft ever year that no one sees coming. From Chris Pronger to Philadelphia to last year's trade between Vancouver/Florida, it's clear sometimes these things develop on the floor that night.

AT: I've seen reports of Carter to Columbus for their 1st round pick and Jakub Voracek. I've also seen reports saying Philly will not under any circumstances move Carter. If they want Ilya, they're going to have to move a player or two.

CH: I'm very cautious about moving a top 5 pick for a veteran, but it really depends on the deal itself. For me there's a few guidelines. First, the player must be signed for an additional 3-5 years - at least. We all know how hard it is to get people to sign on Long Island, for reasons will documented by both the team and its fans (not just the arena). It makes little sense to trade for a player like Alex Semin (who I don't want anyway), who is under contract for just one more season. He also needs to be a high character player - we don't need another Kirk Muller situation. Even if they aren't thrilled to come to a rebuilding team or even to Long Island, they need to be cheerful about it and they need to be ready to play. Just like Ryan Smyth was during his short Islander tenure. Finally, the trade needs to make sense. They don't need to make a splash to make a splash. For example, trading for Alex Semin won't help the team that much. Sure, his 40 goals are nice but he is not a three-zone player and I'm not so sure he is the type of player to propel this team to the playoffs.

AT: An extension past 1 year MUST come with this deal should it happen. Giving up the 5th spot that becomes a player that will be in the organization for many years should come with equal amount of years in the player that's being traded for. I don't want Semin for a year, I want a solid winger or D-man who will help this franchise for 3+ years.

CH: Secondly, regarding moving up and down in the draft. I'm not opposed to this, but quite frankly I think they are best suited to stay at 5. They are going to get a top prospect there as long as they pick one of the consensus top 8. They have two second round picks and two third round picks. The team picks 5 times in the first 65 and 6 times in the first 100. If they want to trade pick 50 or 63/65 to move back a few spots and get another pick in that range, that's okay, but they should stand pat at 5. Since there is not much of a tiered structure to this draft, I don't think it's necessary to get back in the first round UNLESS they can get back in the top 15. A trade like that may include a roster player. I definitely do not want to see this team move any 2012 picks. There's no guarantee they will make the playoffs, and there's no guarantee they won't be in the lottery. There is zero reason to take any chances just yet, and doing so would be irresponsible.

AT: IMO, the prime situation for the Isles is to trade up to get another 1st round pick in addition to the 5th spot, much like they did in 2009 to get Calvin De Haan (though I believe they already had a 1st round pick) at the 12th spot. Draft a forward like Huberdeau, Couturier, Zibanejad or Landeskog at the 5th spot and then a solid looking D-Man like Klefbom, Siemens or Beaulieu should they fall far enough.

Overall, the Islanders certainly have options, but unless some incredible deal comes along, they are best suited at picking at the number 5 slot next Friday.