Islanders prospects numb pain in New York
The phrase “kick ’em when they’re down” seems tame, sadly, when applied to the New York Islanders this season. Things just aren’t going so well in Long Island.
The new year, in particular, has gone poorly for the Isles, and that’s even considering that many thought they would stumble along all season and be a sure-bet for a high lottery pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.
To look at the team’s injury report for the 2010-11 season; you might think you were looking at the car crash version of the lyrics to “Dem Bones”. Almost two dozen different Islanders have missed games this season due to injuries ranging all the way from back spasms to broken faces. Rick DiPietro alone is making some doctor very, very rich.
As a result of DiPietro’s recent setback (fractured facial bones thanks to Penguins goalie Brent Johnson and his crushing left hook), Finnish goaltender Mikko Koskinen was called into action to make his NHL debut on the shortest of notices last Tuesday. As seemingly every Islanders goalie to ever strap on the pads is injured – or named Evgeni Nabokov – the club had no other choice.
After New York traded Dwayne Roloson in January, offended Nabokov with their interest three weeks later and then watched DiPietro begin his boxing career 0-1, they turned to 20-year-old rookie Kevin Poulin to mind net. That experiment ended quickly when Poulin fell victim to a bad patch of ice during practice, prompting the immediate promotion of Koskinen from theoretical fifth-string goalie to a franchise’s last hope.
In his debut, the Toronto Maple Leafs welcomed Koskinen to the NHL in less-than-honorable fashion. Just 1:29 into the game the Leafs had a 1-0 lead – on one shot. 5:02 later they scored again – on their second shot.
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Koskinen finished the game, but only because Islanders GM Garth Snow didn’t have enough time to negotiate a contract with himself before the final horn. It seems the team only has about $18 million in cap space, which is about half as much as it will take to convince anybody to don an Islanders jersey.
Over the course of the depressing season, the Islanders’ scoring leader has been John Tavares, who they selected first overall in 2009. He has 19 goals (29th in the league), 22 assists (81st) and 41 points (48th). Not bad, considering the friends he has around him, but his minus-22 has him 822nd in the league. Keep in mind that at any given time, there are only about 700 active players in the NHL.
Exactly three times this season the Islanders have put together winning streaks. All three were three-game affairs, but all three had at least one game that went into overtime. What about losing streaks, you ask? Well, they did manage only one win from Oct. 23 to Dec. 13, bookended by losing streaks of 14 and six.
Off the ice, things don’t look much better. In a players’ poll released by the CBC at the NHL All-Star Game, 27% of the over-300 players who responded said that the Islanders were the team they would least like to play for. Wouldn’t it be interesting to find out if some of those who selected the Isles currently wear the Long Island silhouette on their chest every day?
Likewise, the fans don’t seem to want to show their faces in the Nassau Coliseum to watch the tragedy on ice either. Maybe they’re accidentally losing their tickets ? Maybe not.
But a glimmer of hope may be just around the corner with players like Tavares, Josh Bailey, Kyle Okposo, Travis Hamonic, Nino Niederreiter and Anders Lee growing up in the system, possibly soon to be joined by another number Top 5 pick. After this summer the club will have yet another young stud to build around, likely one of Adam Larsson, Sean Couturier, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins or Gabriel Landeskog. Any of them are a good place to start re-rebuilding around.
The best part about their situation – if you’re optimistic enough – is that the Islanders don’t have to continue being like the New York Mets to the Rangers’ Yankees. In a few years, they may end up more like the Jets in comparison to the Giants. It’s not going to be easy to get there and it’s going to take a lot of patience from the players who are there now – a lot of patience – but New York residents have seen many of their overcrowded sports franchises resurge in the past. Look at the last five years for Donnie Walsh and the New York Knicks.
The Islanders have a rebuilding plan in motion, and while it may not include performances like that of Koskinen’s debut, those moments are to be expected from players in their mid-20s and below. Say what you want about Garth Snow or about the team’s general direction, but there’s no denying the fact that the kids who’ve found themselves thrown in the deep end with the Islanders this season will slowly start to figure things out eventually.
Unless of course Brent Johnson comes back for them too.
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