Advertising Opportunities

head coach: Mike Milbury

roster: C - Robert Reichel, Trevor Linden, Bryan Smolinski, Claude Lapointe, Sergei Nemchinov. LW - Dmitri Nabakov, Mike Hough, Ken Belanger, Tom Chorske, Gino Odjick. RW - Zigmund Palffy, Jason Dawe, Joe Sacco, Mariusz Czerkawski, Dan Plante, Steve Webb, Vladimir Orszagh. D - Scott Lachance, Bryan Berard, Richard Pilon, Kenny Jonsson, Zdeno Chara, Ray Schultz. G - Tommy Salo, Wade Flaherty.

transactions: Gonesville: J.J. Daigneault (Nashville), Dennis Vaske (Boston), Eric Fichaud (Edmonton). Charlie New Guys: Dmitri Nabakov.

1997-98 results:

Record...........30-41-11, 71 PTS, 11th Eastern Conference 
Goals Scored.....212
Goals Against....225
Power Play.......16.8% (10th)
Penalty Killing..85.9% (10th)

ISLANDERS COULD BE HOMELESS

The New York Islanders may not have a home game in 1998-99. Citing that the arena is unsafe, the club broke its lease agreement with Nassau County Coliseum and may be forced to play at a number of nearby cities, including Hartford, Philadelphia, and New Jersey. This would obviously create quite the problem for Islander season ticket holders. A judge has ruled that the Islanders may not play any games outside of Nassau Coliseum, but the team has appealed the decision, leaving the eventual outcome in doubt.

Aside from the prospect of having to play 82 road games, the Islanders still face the challenge of signing Zigmund Palffy and Trevor Linden. Palffy is seeking a three-year deal worth $6.8 million a season, while the club has offered $4.3 million a year. If the Isles don't sign Palffy, they're done.

As for Linden, the former Canuck captain is requesting between $3.5 and $4 million per year. This seems kind of high for someone coming off two disappointing, injury-plagued seasons. With negotiations stalled, rumors have surfaced that Linden might be on his way to Toronto in exchange for Felix Potvin.

Even with Palffy and Linden, the Islander offense is hardly overpowering. The only other scorer of note is Robert Reichel, and he's fresh off a 65-point effort that left many wondering if he's a legitimate number one center. The rest of the roster is filled out with stiffs like Bryan Smolinski, Jason Dawe, and Mariusz Czerkawski.

After 26 goals in 64 games during the 1996-97 season, Smolinski was expected to break out last year and responded with just 13 goals. Yeah, that's about right. Dawe and Czerkawski are two other guys with lots of talent that never seem to score as much as they should.

While the offense is somewhat anemic, New York does have two of the league's best young defensemen in Bryan Berard and Kenny Jonsson. Berard had a brutal second half last season, but still finished third on the team in scoring with 14 goals and 46 points. He has the potential to one day be a point-per-game defenseman, if such a thing could possibly still exist in today's NHL.

GEE, THAT'S SWELL

* Palffy is one of the best goal scorers in the league.

* The team has switched back to old school uniforms. A link to tradition has been restored.

* Berard and Jonsson are two great young defensemen.

* New nine-man coaching staff will dramatically increase attendance at home games.

GRIEF

* 82 road games would suck.

* Palffy and Linden remain unsigned.

* Not much quality depth on either offense or defense.

* Tommy Salo may not be a real number one goaltender.

1998-99 OUTLOOK: How long is this rebuilding process supposed to take, anyway? The Islanders haven't made the playoffs in four seasons, and this year looks to be no different. If Palffy doesn't get signed and the arena situation fails to get resolved, the Islanders will be destined to sink to the bottom of the Atlantic. Even if everything turns out peachy, the best the Isles could hope for is to finish ahead of the stumbling Penguins.

PREDICTION: Fourth in the Atlantic and out of the playoffs.

[ issues | web extra | stats | nhl archive | home | chat | mailing list | about us | search | comments ]

1998 © Copyright LCS Hockey All Rights Reserved