New York Islanders: 5 Things to Do This Offseason

Coming off another season where they missed the playoffs and saw their attendance wane yet again, the New York Islanders do see a light at the end of the tunnel. With rising stars such as John Tavares, Michael Grabner, Matt Moulson, Travis Hamonic and Andy MacDonald, the future looks bright for this once proud team and its fans.

But there is work to be done, both on and off the ice in order for the team to take the next step.

Let's take a look at five things General Manager Garth Snow needs to take care of.

Re-Sign Michael Grabner

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UNIONDALE, NY - MARCH 11: Tim Thomas #30 of the Boston Bruins stops Michael Grabner #40 of the New York Islanders during the second period at the Nassau Coliseum on March 11, 2011 in Uniondale, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Originally thought to be just another waiver wire pickup by the Islanders in their bargain bin shopping, Michael Grabner proved to be a gem.

Finally showing the talent that made him a first round pick by the Vancouver Canucks in 2006, Grabner finds himself among the finalists for the Calder Trophy, the award given to the NHL Rookie of the Year after putting up 34 goals and 52 points.

Arguably the purest goal scorer the team has seen since the days of Ziggy Palffy, Grabner will be looking for a raise from his $843,333 salary.

Without question re-signing Grabner to a three or four year contract should be first on Garth Snow's list of things to do.

Re-Sign Zenon Konopka

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UNIONDALE, NY - MARCH 24: Zenon Konopka #28 of the New York Islanders is restrained by linesman Brian Murphy #93 during a fight in an NHL hockey game against the Atlanta Thrashers at the Nassau Coliseum on March 24, 2011 in Uniondale, New York. (Photo b

While not as talented offensively as the other centers on the roster, Zenon Konopka is the heart and soul of the Islanders. Afraid of nobody, he was one of the players the Islanders could count on to stand up for his teammates and take on any and all comers.

Between his emotion, physicality and faceoff prowess (Konopka ranked fourth in the NHL winning almost 58 percent of them), he wants to remain on Long Island and is an important piece of the puzzle.

Make Peace with Chris Botta

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LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 25: Garth Snow of the New York Islanders works on the draft floor during the 2010 NHL Entry Draft at Staples Center on June 25, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

For those who don't know, Chris Botta worked for the Islanders for 15 years, most recently as their Vice President of Media Relations.

Botta was more then that, making sure that fans were "in the loop" as to what was going on with the club, and taking time to reach out to people like Miriam from Forest Hills, an avid Islanders fan who was a regular caller to New York sports talk radio station WFAN.

Rick Reilly, formerly of Sports Illustrated, details how Botta made her dream come true in a 2002 article

After leaving the club, he started a blog that was sponsored by the team for one season, with the understanding that Botta's stories would not be subject to editing by the Islanders. If he had an opinion on something, he was going to speak his mind, whether it be flattering or not to the club.

With a dwindling press following (only one New York paper had a beat writer assigned to the team on a regular basis), Botta's blog was a popular stop for fans looking to find out what was going on with the team.

Shortly after the Islanders fired Head Coach Scott Gordon, Botta received a call from the team, telling him that he would never be issued press credentials for practices or games again.

For what reason you ask?

Botta surely doesn't know, and neither GM Garth Snow, PR Director Kimber Auerbach or owner Charles Wang has addressed the issue.

As mentioned here, Botta's fellow hockey writers in New York have boycotted the NHL Awards and raised the issue with the Islanders and the NHL to no avail.

Garth Snow needs to man up, sit down with Chris Botta and hash out their differences. The Islanders need all the press they can get, and Botta was one of two writers who actually cared about the team. Much like the unceremonious dumping of former color commentator Billy Jaffe, this situation has only alienated and angered the team's loyal fan base.

Inform the Golden Child He Is a Backup

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UNIONDALE, NY - MARCH 31: Rick DiPietro #39 of the New York Islanders watches the game against the New York Rangers from the bench at the Nassau Coliseum on March 31, 2011 in Uniondale, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Rick DiPietro, the Golden Child, needs to get used to this picture.

He belongs on the bench, backing up Al Montoya.

DiPietro, once the first overall pick in the 2000 NHL Draft, has endured numerous injuries and multiple surgeries to his hips and knees.

A 29 year old goaltender with bad knees and bad hips? No thank you.

With an absurd contract (DiPietro will earn $4.5 million a year until the year 2021), he has become the albatross around the team's neck that used to be associated with former Captain Alexei Yashin.

He simply cannot be counted on to carry the load anymore, and needs to prepare himself to be a backup.

Trade the Fifth Pick in the 2011 NHL Draft

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UNIONDALE, NY - JUNE 25: Patrick of Bay Shore shows his support for the New York Islanders during the Draft Day Party on June 25, 2010 at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images for New York Islanders)

To prepare for the return of Lord Stanley, the Islanders must acknowledge that the rebuild is over. No longer do they need to stock their farm system with talent.

Having picked in the upper part of the draft for the better part of the past decade has left them with a plethora of talented young players on the rise, though most are at least another season or two away from joining the team.

Garth Snow needs to trade this pick for NHL ready talent. Another goal scorer or a mobile, physical defenseman should be the targets.

Islander fans have put up with quite a bit for a long time, and they deserve to begin to see the fruits of their labor this coming season, not be sold another bag of promises and nice thoughts about the future.

For the New York Islanders, the future is now.