Islanders Alternate Jersey Confirmed?

Here is a picture from a NHL licensed sports merchandise catalogue in Canada.

Isles Say this confirms the Isles' alternate jersey for 2011-12!

Nielsen To Make Season Debut For Isles

Looks like Frans Nielsen will make his season debut tonight for the Islanders. According to the last few days of practice, Jeff Tambellini will also return to the Isles lineup and Schremp and Sim will sit out. Rechlicz, to this point, remains in Bridgeport. Okposo has been moved off the line with Tavares and Moulson and will play wing on the line centred by Nielsen. No word on the defense.

Moulson-Tavares-Weight
Bergenheim-Nielsen-Okposo
Tambellini-Bailey-Comeau
Thompson-Park-Jackman

Isles say Hillen stays in the lineup, maybe Meyer sits?

Building The Isles

This Islanders team does not have the talent to be good now. That said, the current approach, build from within through the draft, supplemented by free agents, as, and when appropriate, is the right approach to building a sustainable winning team (ex. Wings, Devils). Attempting to build your team via free agency has hardly ever worked (ex. Rags, Leafs, Flyers). In fact, has it ever?

This is a long process and the Isles started pretty empty. The team also needs a draft guru; Jersey, David Conte, and Detroit, Jim Nill and Ken Holland, have their guys; I'm not convinced the Isles currently have theirs. The Isles need to stick with this rebuild and in three to four years will be a good on-ice team ready to challenge for playoff success.

Isles say good to see Hillen in the lineup this weekend, he looked pretty good.

Hurting Hillen?

Currently, Islanders defenseman Jack Hillen is not playing. Does this go against Snow's philosophy of not having veterans take ice time from the younger guys? They are moving Weight to the wing, from his career centre position, to accommodate Tavares. Tambellini is also sitting, but he has been given a full shot, over several years, to show what he can do at the NHL level (and not impressed). Hillen is still a developing defenseman; why not sit Meyer and play Hillen? You will need defensive depth over the course of the year, but is Hillen's development best served as just a depth guy playing sporadically?

Isles say Hillen plays in one of the back-to-back games this weekend, but they need to get him more ice time.

Hat Day!

Isles say happy Hat Day!

Isles Go Down In OT, 4-3

In an up and down effort, the Islanders lost to Ottawa last night, in overtime, 4-3. Okposo had a beauty and Tavares got stoned on a cross-slot feed from Okposo. Biron was OK, but should have had the OT winner.

Isles say the powerplay is looking pretty good, but even-strength scoring is still not an Isles' strength.

Tavares Debuts In Canada

John Tavares makes his Canadian NHL debut tonight in Ottawa. Looks like Rob Schremp will be getting time on the second powerplay unit.

Isles say Biron gets the nod in net tonight.