New York Islanders: 5 Keys to a Successful Season

This may be the year that the Islanders show their full potential. Many young players like John Tavares, Blake Comeau, Josh Bailey and Kyle Okposo have played in the league for a few years now.

Players like Michael Grabner and Matt Moulson need to prove that they can continue their success for yet another season.

Those are only a couple things that need to go right for this team to be successful. The team has talent, but the time to show it is now.

Every year, teams need to have certain things to go right in order to play well. The Islanders definitely have a number of things.

So with that said, let's check out the five keys to success for the upcoming season.

1. Goaltending

The Islanders goaltending situation has been and will continue to be the biggest question mark for the team. Last season, the Isles used a total of six goalies, including four who weren't even on the opening night roster.

This is something that needs to change. It's very rare to see teams that have bad goaltending make the playoffs. The Isles tried to address the goaltending situation by acquiring Evgeni Nabakov, who has decided to report to training camp.

Along with Nabakov, there is also Al Montoya. Montoya played very well in 21 games last season, winning nine games and posting a .921 save percentage and a 2.39 goals against average. Another option is Kevin Poulin. Poulin also played well, winning four games in seven starts.

Then there's Rick DiPietro. The oft-injured goalie needs to prove that he is finally healthy. If he can do this, he should be the guy coming out of training camp (mostly due to his big contract).

If the Isles can get solid play from their goalies, that could be one of the main reasons why they are successful. Improving on anything is positive, and this may turn into a huge positive if it works. out.

2. Less Injuries

Injuries have plagued the Islanders for years. Every year they seem to have the most out of every team.

The season was quickly derailed after the loss of defenseman Mark Streit and forward Kyle Okposo early in the season. It really made an optimistic season go downhill. Then of course, DiPietro's ongoing problems didn't help matters.

If the team can stay relatively healthy for the year and have all their big players play, it shouldn't be a problem finishing in the top 10 of the Eastern Conference.

If they can avoid the injury bug this season, they could be a very good team, and may even be playoff-bound.

3. Defense

The Islanders defense includes a mix of young players and veterans. It's in a transition right now to get younger with guys like Andrew MacDonald, Travis Hamonic and, possibly, Calvin de Haan.

This is a defensive unit that needs to get more experience and will as the year goes on. Hamonic and MacDonald have played very well in their time on the Island, as both have been very impressive.

As for the others, Mark Streit needs to have a bounce-back season after suffering from a shoulder injury early last season. The veterans, who include Mark Eaton, Milan Jurcina and Mike Mottau, need to stay healthy and lead the defense. The pressure can't be put on MacDonald and Hamonic.

It should be very interesting to see how everything unfolds this season and see who gets the majority of playing time.

4. Coaching

After going on a horrible losing streak at the beginning of the season, the Islanders fired Scott Gordon and hired former Bridgeport Sound Tiger coach Jack Capuano. It was decided that he is the guy to lead this team for the upcoming season.

When Capuano took over, the Islanders looked like a different team. They were one of the best teams in the second half of the season, beating teams like the Detroit Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins and even the Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins. 

One player that appeared to play better is Michael Grabner (and we all know how his season turned out). It seems like the players love playing for this guy. They have trust in him and he trusts them enough to open up the game a bit for them.

In addition to Capuano, the Islanders added their former center, Doug Weight, who retired in the offseason. I think this was a great move for the team. Weight really seems to know how to talk to the players and help them out. Having played in the NHL for many years is a huge plus also.

I really am curious to see how the team plays coming out of the gate. Can they continue from where they left off in the second half? We'll see in a few weeks.

5. Young Players Stepping Up

This is the year that the young guys need to show their full potential. In addition to that, some players need to prove they weren't just one-hit wonders.

One guy I'll have my eye on all season is John Tavares. Can he finally get 30 goals? Maybe 40? He certainly has the potential to do so. I think he at least needs to reach the 30-goal mark. He is the future for the team and the player that they will build around. At the end of the day, it's his team.

Another player I expect big thing from is Kyle Okposo. After being injured last season, he will have a full summer to get back into hockey shape and be fully ready for the season. I expect Okposo to break out this season.

The one-hit wonder statement was directed at Michael Grabner and Matt Moulson. Moulson is coming off his second consecutive 30-goal season. Grabner is coming off a rookie season where he scored 34 goals and was nominated for the Calder Trophy.

This season, they will need to continue this type of play and prove they are really top NHL players.

I want to include a player that will most likley start the season with the Islanders. Nino Niederrieter is the Islanders' top prospect. He played in nine games last season and looked pretty good. I'm really excited to watch this kid play.

Niederrieter seems like a very talented player that is just waiting to burst into the NHL. I think he could get around 25 goals this season and be in the running for the Calder Trophy for Rookie of the Year.