News: Isles Name Four Alternate Captains

As reported by ESPN's Katie Strang earlier, the Islanders have named four alternate captains for the 2011-12 season: John Tavares, Kyle Okposo, Brian Rolston, and Steve Staios. The alternates will switch off between home and away games.

CH: Going with a mix of veterans and younger players, the Islanders made sound choices for the rest of the leadership team this season. With a total of two defensemen and three forwards, all position and age demographics are represented. This will mark the third season Kyle Okposo will wear the "A" for the Islanders, and that should continue for the foreseeable future. Okposo was originally thought to unquestionably be the next captain of the team. However, with other young guys taking leadership roles on the team, that may be a little less likely.

A perfect example of this is the role that John Tavares has taken with the team. There is no doubt that Tavares is the face of the franchise. He is the Islanders' best player. He also has an incredible work ethic and is mature beyond his years. The fact that he was named alternate captain this year should have been a no-brainer. Between Tavares and Okposo, the Islanders will have two prominent leaders on the team for a long time.

Of course, the leadership team could not be complete without veterans taking active roles as well. Even though he has only been here a few weeks, Steve Staios is a fantastic choice for a letter. He is a very respected veteran that has the on-ice fire to be a captain, which is a nice change of pace from the mostly laid back demeanor of Tavares and Okposo (though they have shown fire when it's been necessary). Combine them with Brian Rolston, and the team will have five players (including captain Mark Streit) who the league respects.

One final point that gets undermined is the respect of the officiating staff. Guys like Zenon Konopka were ignored by the referees because of their style of play. With Streit, Okposo, Tavares, Rolston, and Staios, the Islanders have respected players to talk to the referees when necessary. Include the influence they have in the locker room, and it shows why the team made good choices for the captains this season.

AT: Couldn't have asked for a better group of guys to wear the A's to join the best possible choice for the C in leading this Islander team. You have Tavares and Okposo, two young players who are major parts of this core representing the youth movement, and then you have Staios and Rolston, two grizzled veterans who know their way in and out of this league and have a lot of respect amongst referees and fellow players alike. Of all the things the Islanders have done this offseason, choosing their new captain and assistant captains has been one test they've passed with flying colors.

Over the long run, yes, either Tavares or Okposo will be the captain. For now, having them as A's to continue learning the process of being a leader in the NHL is the best way to go.

News: Steve Staios Signs With Islanders

Darren Dreger is reporting that Steve Staios, the 38 year old defenseman who was brought in on a try out contract, has signed a 1 year deal with the New York Islanders worth $800K with up to $1.6m in bonuses. 

AT: Solid signing and totally expected after his very solid training camp with the Isles. He was blocking shots, sound positionally and providing veteran leadership to a team that certainly could use it. It's a fair contract for someone who has had a great career, and if he stays healthy for 60+ games, was completely worth the money. Of course, it would've been nice if the Islanders had actually gone out and gotten a true top 4 defenseman, but I think that ship has sailed at this point.

CH: Staios has been outstanding during camp, outplaying many of his teammates for a spot in the Isles starting lineup. The contract value may be a little high, but since the team is dealing with the cap floor, this all but ensures them reaching it by October 8. But that's neither here nor there given the circumstances. The Isles needed help on the blueline and now they got it. The key is just for Staios to stay healthy, as Alex said. As we said when he came to camp, this was more about if Staios could A) stay healthy and B) play at an adequate level. His reputation speaks for itself, and it showed by them rewarding him with a contract..

Training Camp: Steve Staios Accepts Tryout Offer

Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Darren Dreger reports on Twitter than former Oilers and Flames defenseman Steve Staios has accepted a tryout offer to Islanders training camp. According to Arthur Staple, he is expected to report on Monday. 

Staios played 39 games in the 2011-12 season for the Calgary Flames, recording 3 goals and 7 assists with a +6 rating.

CH: Clearly, this is not an ideal situation. The Islanders have (so far) failed to acquire a top-4 defenseman, which was their most pressing need going into the off-season. On that front, Garth Snow has failed. But instead of looking back, our mantra all summer has been to look forward. So we'll do that.

Steve Staios can still play the game. Yes, he is getting up there in age. Yes, his body has started to break down a little at 38 years old. But he plays a rugged game - which is what the Isles need on the blueline. He's a smart defenseman that can chip in on both sides of the rink. He's known as a leader across the board and someone who can really help the young defensemen on the team - such as Travis Hamonic and Andrew MacDonald.

There's generally two types of training camp invites: the "are you good enough to make this team?" invite and the "we want to make sure you are healthy" invite. My hunch is that it's the latter. As long as Staios makes it through camp healthy, he will get a contract. And that would not be a bad thing. The Isles need someone to fill the void - guys like Ty Wishart need to earn their ice time.

What I do know is that Staios can still contribute. Will he make the impact the Isles have needed all along? It's unlikely, at best. But he can be a solid stopgap and leader for the season, and at this point, it is worth bringing him in and seeing what he has. Let's hope it's enough to put a solid season together.

AT: As long as he stays healthy, Staios is pretty much the best alternative to not bringing in a top 4 d-man. He's older, yes, but he still has a decent defensive game and can probably contribute 14-16 points offensively as well, so there's nothing wrong with it. Nobody wants Mike Mottau, as nice of a guy as he is, on the top 3 D pairings. He is fine as a 7th D but playing regular minutes would hurt the team. Now, it would be even better if this trade could still happen and Staios could be our 7th D, but we're dealing in terms of reality and not conjecture. Hoping for the best camp possible for the vet.

Training Camp: Staios, Mara Sought for Invites

Arthur Staple is reporting that former Rangers D Paul Mara and former Oilers and Flames D Steve Staios are being sought after to attend the Islanders training camp on a professional tryout basis. 

Steve Staios

AT: Although I do not feel that Paul Mara would be any help to the team at this point, I believe if Staios can stay healthy he would be the best alternative to the supposed top-4 defenseman trade that seems less and less likely of occurring. Although he only played 39 games last season, when healthy Staios is a great defenseman who can log a solid amount of minutes and can help mentor our young defensemen such as Travis Hamonic and Andrew MacDonald. He's older, yes, but he would be a great presence on the Isles blueline if he can stay healthy and would be a great stopgap for someone like Calvin De Haan. The wheels have fallen off Mara since he left the Rangers and at this point his skill level wouldn't even be that of a bottom pairing D-man. Staios (IMO) would be a far superior option to both McCabe and Mara, although I suppose we have to wait and see if he would even accept coming to camp on a tryout basis first.

CH: I think at this point, I would be open to bringing in McCabe (if he is interested - can't imagine he would not be without a contract), Mara, and Staios. Let them battle it out with Ty Wishart and Mike Mottau for the #6 spot. I would keep the top three for spots 6-8 on the depth cart. With the injury to Katic, the rotation has been shuffled a bit. The Isles have the ability to compensate for this with a mix of veterans and rookies.

Looking at the roster in the aggregate, Mark Eaton, Milan Jurcina, and the #6 defenseman are just potential stop gaps for guys like Calvin de Haan, and maybe even a Wishart or Matt Donovan. But a little competition is good, especially for the kids to see how veterans of stature handle it. No matter who comes to training camp tomorrow, the Isles will be heavily scouting their play on and off the ice to see how they fit into the locker room. If I had my preference, I would prefer Staios and over Mara. But if the latter plays better, then he deserves the spot. No matter what, it will certainly be interesting to see who comes for physicals in the morning.

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.