Predicting the 2013-14 New York Islanders Final Roster

Heightened expectations and a plethora of near NHL-ready rookies will be cause to tune in to New York Islanders preseason games as the final roster shapes up.

After years of rebuilding and player development, this season could be pivotal in the Islanders' steps toward being a Cup contender in the near future.

Much of the roster should be figured out already, but there are a few spots up for grabs that hungry rookies may be able to grab before the season opens on Oct. 4 against the New Jersey Devils.

Forwards

The Islanders probably had mixed feelings about their group of forwards when the season ended in May. 

John Tavares enjoyed a breakout year, and perennial linemate Matt Moulson put together another great year as well, nearly matching Tavares' point total. 

Secondary scoring was somewhat of a concern, but Michael Grabner managed 16 goals in 45 games, Josh Bailey contributed 11 and Brad Boyes—who has since left via free agency—added another 10 to the mix. Kyle Okposo finished strong in the playoffs after a very mundane regular season, too. 

Role players like Casey Cizikas, Colin McDonald, Eric Boulton and free-agent acquisition Peter Regin will feel the pressure to perform in preseason with all of the near NHL-ready talent the Islanders boast at forward. Cal Clutterbuck and Matt Martin, while they likely won't be forced to prove their worth in the exhibition games, will have high expectations for bottom-six players. 

Ryan Strome and Brock Nelson will both lobby hard for a place in the lineup when the season begins, but with so many healthy veterans in front of them, the Islanders would be wise to start them off in the AHL—maybe even with Strome on Nelson's right wing.

The line of Bailey, Frans Nielsen and Okposo struggled at times last season, but as Arthur Staple of Newsday reports, the line has remained together in this year's training camp. Okposo has had a slow start two seasons running now, and he's doing what he can to avoid it again this year.

"I was working hard, but maybe I wasn't working as smart as I could have been," Okposo told Staple. "Our hunger as a team has been amplified this offseason and mine has, as well."

That line in particular could be shuffled quickly if things are slow out of the gate. Below is an educated guess on how things look to start the season for the Islanders.

Line 1: Matt Moulson - John Tavares - Pierre-Marc Bouchard

Line 2: Josh Bailey - Frans Nielsen - Kyle Okposo

Line 3: Matt Martin - Casey Cizikas - Michael Grabner

Line 4: Colin McDonald - Peter Regin - Cal Clutterbuck

Healthy Scratch: Eric Boulton

Defensemen

The Islanders defense should be settled already, but don't tell that to Matt Donovan.

The former fourth-round pick has performed exceptionally well in the AHL the last two seasons, scoring 45 points in 72 games in 2011-12 and 48 points in 75 games in 2012-13.

The Isles return Travis Hamonic, Brian Strait, Thomas Hickey, Andrew MacDonald, Joe Finley, Matt Carkner and Lubomir Visnovsky as players who appeared in at least 15 games last season. Thirty-seven-year-old Radek Martinek is in camp on a tryout basis, too.

He appeared in 13 regular-season games and scored three goals, and also played in two games against the Penguins in the playoffs.

With so many veterans in front of him and a crowded pool of prospects who are equally as hungry to make the team, Donovan's push to start the season with the Isles will not be easy. 

Donovan was slated to skate with MacDonald as a pairing in the Islanders first preseason game.

Head coach Jack Capuano told reporters Donovan has earned consideration this preseason.

"

Matt Donovan had a great summer, he worked extremely hard, he's going to get an opportunity. He's one of the guys who is going to get up in the play, who's going to add to the power play. He's one of those guys who has put up some good numbers in the AHL, so we're going to see what he can do in the preseason games.

"

He'll likely start the season with the big club until he gives them a reason to send him down to the AHL, especially with top prospect Griffin Reinhart ready to make the jump to Bridgeport.

Martinek will likely get a long, hard look if Donovan struggles. There's not a lot of reason to be confident in Finley or Carkner as defensemen you want appearing in 82 games, and if Donovan isn't ready, they may need to employ a sixth defenseman by committee.

Visnovsky and Hickey spent a lot of time together on the same pairing and should remain together despite both being left-handed shots.

Strait only appeared in 19 regular season games because of an ankle injury, but played all six games on the top pairing in the playoffs. It's time for someone with better size than MacDonald to be paired with Hamonic, and Strait has been paired with him all training camp.

Carkner and Finley should start the season in the press box, and one, if not both, are likely to see action whenever they play bigger, grittier opponents. Carkner has more experience than Finley, and he fits better with MacDonald, since he's a right-handed shot, so he'd likely be the first choice.

The Sound Tigers may end up with one of the best bluelines in the AHL thanks to all of the organizational depth. 

Aaron Ness, who appeared in nine regular-season games for the Isles, and Calvin de Haan, who missed most of last season with an injury, will join Reinhart to anchor the blue line across the Sound.

1st pair: Brian Strait, Travis Hamonic

2nd par: Lubomir Visnovsky, Thomas Hickey

3rd pair: Andrew MacDonald, Matt Donovan

Healthy scratches: Joe Finley, Matt Carkner

Goaltenders

Barring a trade, this should be the easiest position to predict. 

The real question headed into the season will be how the workload is split. There's no way that 38-year old Evgeni Nabokov can play more than 55 to 60 games and carry the Islanders to the playoffs. Kevin Poulin will need to step up and be able to shoulder 20 to 25 starts, and if he can't, Anders Nilsson will have to.

There are plenty of options rumored to be available on the market and the trade block. Ilya Bryzgalov, Jose Theodore and Mathieu Garon remain unsigned, while Ryan Miller, Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliott are likely to hear trade rumors swirl until either the trade deadline comes and passes or they're dealt.

The Isles may be paying attention to who loses out on the backup battle between Martin Biron and Johan Hedberg for the New York Rangers, too.

There are plenty of options, some much stronger upgrades than others.

They'll probably stand pat headed into the year. If the rest of the team plays to its potential and the goalies don't carry their weight, don't be shocked if general manager Garth Snow looks for outside help.

Starter: Evgeni Nabokov

Backup: Kevin Poulin

Be sure to share your roster predictions in the comments section below.

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