New York Islanders 2008-09 Season Preview: Sixth In Eastern Conference

This is not the NHL of Gillies, Howatt any longer with bench clearing brawls, this group seems to take some hits but also seems able to dish them out. I see it as a wash over eighty two games and if anyone has watched Bergenheim, Sim and Comeau all three know when and how to initiate a hit and have a bit of a nasty edge. Hunter is never shy about finishing his checks but is not a big open ice hitter. Witt and Sutton at times pick their spots.

Goaltending:
Rick DiPietro has to stay healthy for this club to have a chance at a playoff spot. He begins the season with virtually no game play aside from one exhibition game where the rust showed on a goal or two and only now is seeing his first pucks since March. Last year he backstopped a club that scored two goals or less fourteen games in a row into sixth place last January and keyed a six game winning streak with his second half play after starting the All-Star game and like many players on this roster hung in with injuries as long as the could. At his best DiPietro almost adds a third defender who's stick-handling was improved last season but only got attention once again for his mistakes from the media that make his contract and personality an issue for their own reasons, not for how he performs as one of the best goaltenders in the league according to future Hall of Fame goaltender Martin Brodeur.

What's different this year is DiPietro will have far more second half breaks than he had after last year's huge break in October. Last year this team did not have one three day break after mid-December the rest of the season but now the club will also spending more time traveling so making a set schedule for the goaltenders play this far in advanced simply is not realistic despite the articles about it.

Joey MacDonald can both play at this level for a stretch of games and had limited stretches in the past with other organizations, when the chance comes he has to be ready and should be given the preseason. MacDonald
had a forty five shot 2-1 overtime loss against the Devils on 4/1 where he looked as sharp as Wade Dubielewicz in his final games but that was then, this is now.

Of course, unlike last season where he was a starter now he must adjust to being a backup and sitting for long stretches.

Bottom Line:
If last year's team was in sixth in January with so many flaws I do not see a reason (beyond injury) why they cannot be there again, only this time it should be a deeper group with better overall individual skills. Last year we saw a great first weekend followed by a team that was never any better. This year I expect the reverse with the club improving as the season progresses and being at it's best down the stretch.

All of what I wrote in this preview should lead to more goals in games, better survival skills to get games into overtime/shootouts and pile up the unbeaten in regulation streaks to keep the club in contention and push them over the top for a spot down the stretch.

I also believe we are going to see a much better reaction to adversity from the players along with management. I project as these young players improve and their confidence grows were going to discover this team is for real and built to last.

Depth is a funny thing, you go from not have it to having too much out of nowhere.

A lot of things are contagious on NHL teams from scoring, slumps, confidence, it goes both ways and turns quickly. The key for this group will be to prove they can get that first big stretch where they can score four goals in back to back games, all of a sudden you go from wondering if it can be done to knowing you can do it.

That's where this group will hit it's stride.

I suspect off the ice Garth Snow is going to stick to his plan and at best only if injuries happen to veterans will a similar player be brought in as a short-term fix.

On the bench Scott Gordon will have what seems an overdue trial by fire with the benefit of watching many of the clubs's AHL prospects for years as he learns the speed of this level combined with how to coach veterans. We will see how Gordon reacts to adversity he did not face in Providence if the club struggles which apparently Ted Nolan and Garth Snow did not react well to.

A good indicator if I'm correct will be how many games I write the Islanders played poorly but won because the opposition was even worse or how an ugly win still counts just the same as DiPietro carried the club. I have found myself writing that so many times the last six years despite the playoff spots it seemed a question of when, not if things would finally catch up with them whether they made the playoffs of not.

For myself, writing that early this season after games is not a big deal, however if I'm still writing it in late January every game win or lose, I suspect we'll have our answer as to what kind of team we have in 08-09.

If I thought the talent and ability was not there to finish sixth in 2008-09 it would not be my projection.

Mark it down, Sixth in the Eastern Conference if healthy.

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