Well here we are, on the cusp of another Isles season. It’s been a long haul for the Islanders faithful last few seasons, if not last 15 years. It has been very tolling on most hardcore fans over the Nassau Coliseum situation. As I warned back on August 1st and in subsequent blogs, no RFP went to Queens. So a lot will still cause us fans much anxious moments as the roller-coaster of Isles futures further capitulates us to and fro from our seats, our hands aching from gripping the bar. We will go deeper into that soon enough, but now its time for some checking of the magnifying glass to see what we have with these 2011-2012 NY Islanders.

Offense:

Line 1: The All Star, His Pal, and The Rookie

It has been heart warming to watch John Tavares be exactly as we all hoped, growing to the player that seems to be leading the team in scoring and being the first line center. Tavares is on the cusp of all star level. So when things changed this summer from Charles after the August 1st debacle, Garth moved fast to wrap up their biggest asset for the next 6 years.

Loyalty to the home team is something that the Islanders clearly look for with those psych testing and analysis when drafting players. By doing so, they assure a straight course for the rebuild, which finds players who will stick with it and with Long Island. This attribute, which many other teams do NOT do, is brilliant and the results have quieted the cacophony of lame guesswork and conjecture by many in media who thought Tavares would not want to be on LI, nor remain.

In your face, suckers!

Watch as the rest of the Isles core also will buy in for the long haul, naysayers. For the Islanders process might be on par with none other than the Oakland A’s on breaking the mold to the NHL’s old school team building.

With Moulson, Tavares’s buddy, you have a nice finesse and handler who also will ride the first line this season. He needs to grow a bit more to break past 60 points, which needs to happen if the Isles want to make the playoffs. First lines really need to find a 70-80 range, and though Tavares seems ready to break through, I am not that sure Moulson is there just yet or if his ceiling is quite at that level. This might be the the test of Moulson being a first liner past this season.

Nino, aka the rookie, evidently has shown enough in the preseason and camp already to displace Parenteau to line 3. This was a battle many thought, including myself, that would carry on over the course of the season. So kudos to El Nino to already being tried and poised to be there at the start of the season. By doing so, it puts him in the drivers seat for the Calder. How many rookies get placed on a first line? Moreover, when the team has some realistic hopes and mission to make the playoffs? It is a ballsy move by the coach and GM. The payoff MUST be over 50 points for Nino to belong there, and for these Isles to playoff bound… Even 10-20 points more is needed. Clearly there are big expectations for the rookie.

Line 2: Growing Up

Line two is the defensive wunderkind Frans Nielsen, who is in the final year of his own contract. His competition this season is with third line center, Josh Bailey. Whoever develops and clearly becomes Isles third line center of the future is between these two (Strome will be #2 center down line). After this season, there might be only one…so watch this one play out.

The second line is another line that must blow up, and it is Kyle Okposo who might hold the key for that to happen. Okposo has everything down playing-wise, except for the tally on the stat chart. He must find it this season to take the next step.

Michael Grabner, with the Isles unlicensed Warner Bros. Gremlins shirt being sold in their official store, has been a waiver wonder. 34 goals clearly shows that Florida gave up far too soon on their prospect, who instead got opportunity and reprieve on the Islanders. This year needs that and more from him.

The 2nd line must produce, and with Grabs, that will likely happen.

Line 3: The Expendables?

Line 3 for the isles will also be an offensive line, used much like line 1 and 2. Here might be some things that will be interesting to watch. Josh Bailey is very much in his make or break year, never mind that he got a two year contract. This is the year that he shows promise to what the Isles projected, or becomes a low cost piece to deal come deadline or next summer.

The same also can be said on the tradability of his line counterpart, Blake Comeau. The kid is capable of 20-25 goals. However, Blake pre-dates the Isles system, and he was someone whose rights were being shopped around not too long ago before coming to a contract agreement. That contract agreement, by the way, is very frugal and attractive for what might be his likely being shopped later on.

P.A. Parenteau shifts from line 1 to here, for now. Will his numbers be the same? Not likely.

BUT, if Josh Bailey and Blake Comeau come on strong in key years, PA’s will also follow. The Isles do need this line to be more than expendable to make a playoff run. So if this line falters or these key cogs fail to up the ante, then there will be some changes. This line is the most likely to see some changes if things don’t go well.

 Line 4: The Depth of Vets

If you have not noticed, it looks like Haley and Gillies are more set to revolve in as-needed. Gillies will remain with the big club. This leaves the vets to fill it out…

Brian Rolston, Jay Pandolfo/Matt Martin, Marty Reasoner – grinders and with some speed. Some scoring. Some of everything.

Above all, as injuries are bound to happen, these players have enough upside and ability to also play on other lines. This provides a depth that the Isles have not seen in a long, long time.

So, in conclusion, for the Isles to achieve the playoffs, a few things NEED to happen here on offense. Lots of question, luckily, this season is where we will have some answers. Even some answers to the long term rebuild.

We are in the dog days of summer. There is nothing worse for an Isles fan than an August where so much is left up in the air. Its been a long long month. The venue effort failed. Free agency was with minor solid piece on the bottom 6, which I warned long ago. The second move to bolster the bottom 6 came via trade.

So there you go. Weight retired and now works in-house. The Isles re-signed others, and basically most is all to be seen and assessed at training camp. So many questions remain in the air, it is almost thick and noxious.

For those still trying to play armchair GM, IF and when the Isles sign Bailey they will be at the cap floor with his contract plus players bonuses/incentives. Add in Nino likely making team and should eradicate cap floor wonder. So might want to retire the calculator and pen.

Samsonov rumors hit the feeder the other day, and it is likely a strong warning shot at Bailey and his agent who seems to be making a habit of contract standoffs. It is fair warning that time is running out and Bailey is in danger of missing the season due to Charles Wang’s directive of all being signed before training camp. Bailey might want to talk to Bergenheim to see how that went. After August 1st, Charles is even more set, so it’s not good scenario for Bailey, nor will help his development.

Isles want to roll three lines of scoring. Rolston or even Reasoner can sub, but Isles have a spot for either another kid or a vet to take if Bailey and his agent fail in this game of chicken. As a penciled 3rd line center, not much leverage for Bailey, though he’s still a part of the rebuild plan.

Speaking of Question Marks….

DP is still the starter till camp begins. Montoya, for all the lauds, there are just way too many fans thinking that Al is guaranteed to be the saving grace. Many a goalie have had hot hands, consistency is about doing it a full season or at least taking it into the new one. Too many are anointing him savior without a shred of indication that he is besides just hope. Let’s see how it continues, shall we?

In all honestly, even the Isles are unsure on how things will transpire. DPs knees and quality of play have caused more fan alarm than Hurricane Irene. Poulin, Koskinen, Nilsson all are in system. Nabokov is a wild card. An elder who has been a starter, who didn’t want to report, yet is here all the same. His future is in his hands… Whether it be for the Isles or dealt elsewhere later on.

Despite the Isles desire to upgrade the defense, something they attempted with the Ehrhoff attempt, and something they still desire. This all falls back to my statement back  in late April. The Isles wanted to place more than just bandaids on D like the year before. Sadly, it did not happen as they intended and things are still just not where they want it to be. But now that August 1st has passed, there has been a change in that rush to deal. Though the rebuild and vision for Garth remains, the ability to spend or try to has diminished.

There is no trade on the fire. No sudden next move everyone is waiting on with bated breath. All gone, kind of like Mangano’s venue referendum. The Isles no longer are in the mood to spend, and will measure what they have in-house unless something low cost falls into their lap.

What nobody is simply willing to say is that for the first time since Charles Wang took ownership of the team there is a change from ownership on spending. More indicators of this will peer out as the season begins, unless there is a change of mind from the top. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

They made minor yet solid improvements on the offense. But it is in so many places that improvements need to be made to reach the playoffs. It remains to be seen if someone can make a jump or growth to offset the deficiencies that remain on the Islanders. And if those things happen, can a Nabokov or Comeau be dealt to get what is needed down line? Who knows for sure anymore. Certainly not the Isles who will need camp to see what they are dealt, and then the season for development.

You can have all the experts in the world predict, but in the end, it’s hard to gauge how so many elements will come together. It will take continued hot play from Montoya, the development of Nino and the not mentioned de Haan who the Isles feel is a projected top two dman… To really make things solid. All this and the continued development of the kids, plus some steady leadership and some depth by those like Reasoner and Rolston will be key.

A lot has to happen and come together to make playoffs a reality, but Chef Garth has a lot of smart ingredients in this pot that can make it happen. Hope you brought your appetite. Might want to pack some TUMS just in case, as well.

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If Taffe replaces Reasoner on the roster the net cap saving would be $600,000.

Could the re-signing of Antti Niemi be coming soon?