NY ISLANDERS – A General Team Assessment For 2010/2011 Season

Ahh, had a few weeks off for some rest, relaxation…ok, none of those really. Working for a new company and doing some real exciting stuff that you will see the results of later this Fall. It will eat into my blogging a tad. So be forewarned. However, our Tony Stabile is in the Isles Blog Box this season, and others will step up. Plus, I am sure to do my usual pieces. Just won’t be blogging about every fart and fizzle. We’ll let other sites continue to do that, even if some tend to overdo it a bit. It’s just not our gig to hype things up.  HI stands as an independent fixture who’s agenda is not to create drama, manufacture it, or let others do so without any flack.

We have partnered with blogosphere fixtures Lyle Richardson of SpectorsHockey.net and enjoy good relations many others, like the venerable Puck Daddy. We will continue to do so, while also exploring other options to push forward. Last year was a HUGE year for us. In just 6 months we blew up into a largely read blogosphere site. We want to continue that, and add new partners to do as best we can to achieve that.

Now, to the blog:

NY ISLANDERS – A General Team Assessment For 2010/2011Season

So here we are in year 3 of a 5 year plan. This, incidentally, is the last year of Scott Gordon’s contract. However to preempt some faux drama later this season, I really think if the Isles make a modest step forward, it will be extended.

We come into this season with quite a few question marks besides just Gordo’s future, but also an excitement as the defense has been refurbished beyond many expectations. As was said here earlier this summer: expect changes on defense not offense. This wasn’t just throwing darts at a wall so we could use one correct guess to show accuracy later. It was a no-brainer, as the defense was small, beaten physically, and just lacking skill level.

The Islanders brass are not blind. They saw what we saw. So this summer’s priority was defense, not a 3 day rumorfest on an offensive high priced free agent. What a waste of time that was.

In fact, thanks to Newsday’s Kate Strang reporting, we were able to see that the Isles were very active on the defense free agent market, missing out on Paul Martin and others. Might be for the best, due to the price paid. This activity, even if unfruitful, is a call to arms for agents as the Isles declared themselves players with a lot of cap room and a desire to spend on the right pieces in the right places. Despite not getting the so-called cream of the crop, the Isles got size and minute-eaters on defense. Too often the lack of skillset and size by the Isles defense caused goalies to have to be superhuman. Hopefully that has been rectified.

However, despite those intentions on defense, and despite some efforts by the blogosphere to create some rumors on forwards, the Isles were not so actively pushing on offense. This is due to what was also mentioned on this blog way back….

Isles want to see what they have on offense and run with kids this season. Comeau, Schremp, Paranteau….their lone free agent pickup on forward with a one way contract, and the rest will all get prime opportunity to show the Isles whether they belong on the top two lines.

The offense refurbishment is next year when they know what they have. Not enough options nor real deals this past summer for offense that didn’t cost and arm, leg and a CBA loophole.

One place that does the heart good to see an improvement is on the physical side. The Isles paid a tough price for lacking toughness last year. Clearly that was a mistake, and rectified with some signings this offseason.

In the farm, thanks to a great draft, there is a bevy of skill within the system not seen since Mad Mike went through it with a wrecking ball. As was made clear before this draft, the Isles did not look at defense, but at forward this 1st round (and even 2nd). They chose the dynamic forward over guesswork by the peanut gallery as defense (thinking positionally). You don’t pick spots, you pick best player overall. That made it far more about El Nino and his strong foundations in his game.

Meanwhile, at goalie, the Isles quietly move forward with Dwayne Roloson and the long-term question mark of Rick DiPietro.

Despite some pushed spin, there remains a lot of murky around their 15 year man. However, if the Isles stand pat at goalie, adding no number two, then it will reveal some truth. So will it if the Isles attempt to sign another goalie. Personally, I can’t see the Isles standing pat when some goalies might be signed at a very low cost in a flooded market. Maybe it’s because I believe that The Rick, if unwilling or unable to change his style, will just end up back injured. Don’t think his body can withstand his playing style. But would love to be shown wrong on this. DP might get slagged, but when healthy, is a bonafide #1 and was once an all star.

Simply, I view it as this….

No amount of spin will shuffle away the serious and career-threatening nature of someone who has only played a handful of games in the last two seasons. You can’t just hide that truth away. No, it will be the next few weeks before training camp that really indicate what reality is from the fictional bubble.

As with the last few seasons, camp will be with open invitations to many still unsigned. While the Isles are eager to see what they have with kids, they also want some good competition and would love some options. A playoff expectation might be a tough do unless some kids blow up into bonafide contenders or they have a few free agents make the team if that youth falters.

In other words, at face value, they simply do not have enough going for it to make the playoffs in my opinion. They need a lot of help there, from unexpected sources or the bloom of several kids onto all star level seasons. Feasible, but not a safe bet.

We will go more in depth in the coming weeks. Right now, there are rumors of Guerin returning. Not so fast. Might be more to push the market. But, Isles have shown some interest in retreads, resigning Sim, and  in bringing back Hilbert. So it’s not out of line for them to consider another leader and scorer, even at the twilight of his career. Guerin was a great lockerroom addition, and with him and Weight, it would be a one-two of leadership.

This all said, it might be at training camp and to who shows up and “shows up” during it that makes this team this season. El Nino has a shot, but expect the Isles to be safe with  thought of another year of development. Petrov, the Isles would LOVE to make the team, but the KHL situation is a real one, and might be a longshot in reality. Isles were very high on Petrov earlier this summer.

More indepth analysis coming up soon. Till then, stay tuned…..