Well, the roster that Mr. Nolan goes to war with is out.   Pretty interesting that he is going with 8 D to start.  Let’s take a look at it…

GOALIES:

Writing in Ricky will be done for the next 15.  Let’s see that is about 5,475 days that he will be on the Islanders Roster.  The more interesting hitch was the backup.  Garth Snow as the GM, did a former roommate a favor, and gave him a tryout contract for the Isles.  Mike Dunham, not only got his tryout, but got a contract for this season, and subsequently, made the team.  Wade Dubielewicz, the top netminder at Bridgeport is once again sent down.  I really thought that “Doobie” should have the chance to be up with the big club.  He deserved it.  Oh well.  I have no problems with Dunham, he is a capable backup, but why did Dubie not even get a speckle of a chance?  Eh, Garth?

DEFENSE:

Teddy is carrying eight right now.  I know that Hill has a lacerated hand, and they are taking their time with it, making sure that it heals 100% before putting him back on the ice.  Not sure whether it is right to keep Bruno on the squad, if he is sitting on the bench.  At his situation, he should be playing 25-30 minutes a night.  He needs the ice time.  Unless someone else is not…???  I think this is the most improved part of this team right now.  Having Witt and healthy bodies in Hill and Zhitnik will make this group a stronger and more physical bunch.  Poti will be key to their success.  As much as Joe McDonald (my NYHR colleague) can not stand him, I think that he has a LOT to prove, and wants to do it in the backyard to Manhattan.  Hopefully, he will give Joe a real PoopBurger to eat when the season is completed.  Would like to see Martinek have a breakout, healthy season, and see Campoli improve this season as much as he did in his rookie campaign.

FORWARDS:

From the sounds of things right now - this seems to be the line pairings:

Kozlov/Sillinger/Yashin
Hunter/York/Satan
Tambellini/Bates/Blake
Simon/Park/Asham

I think Sillinger will be a good fit for Yash.  He is a good passer, and a good face off man.  This will allow 79 to focus more on the offensive side.  Being the center has more defensive responsilbilities.  Not that he cant hack it, but right now - we need a scorer.  He looked much better and happier than last season.  Let’s hope that he continues… Keeping York with Trent and Miro is a good deal.  Bates and Blake do well; it is just going to be the ‘who will hog the puck longer’ contest.  That will keep Keith real happy (or at least he will have many of the same chants to do…RRRRRRRRRRR.).  I like the Park acquisition.  Asham had a nice camp as well, and Simon, a fellow first nation man, as his coach, will go through fire and brimstone for his coach.  This lineup will really allow four ‘functioning’ lines to roll.    This will enable Nolan to keep bodies fresh in crunch time.

OVERALL ASPECT: 

Is it just me, or did the passion and energy of this team look better than it has in years?  The Nolan effect is already working its magic.  The media’s whipping boy team, may not be as bad as EVERYONE predicted.  Did this team have a ‘circus like’ atmosphere in the summertime?  Of course it did.  We Islander fans are used to it.  Just have it roll off the shoulders and move on.  As I have been saying for months, just win, and everything else is a memory.  They gave NO chance to the Canes.  I keep coming back to that, because it is a FACT. 

48 hours + till the start of 06-07 for the Blue and Orange.  I am excitied.  Many are.  Especially if we do better than the so called ‘experts’ predict.  I just love to push this back in their collective faces.

Game on!

Gary

Posted under Islanders 06-07