Games:

10/27/08- Islanders 2, New York Rangers 4

10/30/08- Islanders 3, Philadelphia Flyers 4

11/01/08- Islanders 4, Montreal Canadiens 5

New and Notes:

- The Islanders suffered one of the worst meltdowns in franchise history against the Canadiens, allowing Montreal to score four goals in the third period in a comeback victory.

- Starting goalie Rick Dipietro underwent knee surgery to repair a meniscus tear and will be lost for an undetermined period of time.  In his stead, Joey MacDonald and Yann Danis will attempt to hold down the fort.

- C Frans Nielsen has shown signs of improvement as of late.  He has four points in ten games this season.

- D Mark Streit continue to be one of the few bright spots on the Island.  He has recorded points in each of the last five games.

- Hulking LW Mitch Fritz had an impressive scrap against one of the league’s most feared enforcers, Georges Laraque, Saturday night.  He may see more ice time as the Islanders attempt to infuse more toughness in their lineup. 

This Week’s Games:

11/3/08- vs. Columbus Blue Jackets

11/4/08- vs. New York Rangers

11/6/08- vs. Atlanta Thrashers

11/8/08 vs. Pittsburgh Penguins

Games:

10/23/08- Islanders 3, Dallas Stars 5

10/25/08- Islanders 3, Carolina Hurricanes 4

News and Notes:

- The Islanders set a club record for shots on goal in a game (60) against Carolina. 

- Starting goalie Rick Dipietro apparently injured himself again during the Carolina game.  His inability to stay healthy is proving a huge source of frustration to both him and fans of the team.  He’s scheduled to visit a doctor on Monday for his undisclosed injury and will miss the game against the rival New York Rangers at least.  Joey MacDonald, seeing more work than either he or anybody else ever thought he would, will get the start and be backed up by minor league goaltender Yann Danis.

- D Mark Streit has been red hot as of late.  He recorded four points in games this week.

- C Doug Weight has brought more than just scoring ability with him.  He absolutely crushed Carolina’s Brandon Sutter with a clean open ice check, knocking him out of the game on Saturday night.

- D Brendan Witt left the Dallas game with a leg injury.  His return date is uncertain and he leaves a gaping hole in the Islanders’ defensive corps.  The team hopes Andy Sutton will be able to return shortly from his preseason hand surgery to bolster the toughness factor on the blue line.

Next Week’s Games:

10/27/08- vs. New York Rangers

10/30/08- vs. Philadelphia Flyers

11/1/08- vs. Montreal Canadiens

Games:

10/10/08- Islanders, 1, New Jersey Devils 2

10/11/08- Islanders 5, St. Louis Blues 2

10/13/08- Islanders 1, Buffalo Sabres 7

10/16/08- Islanders 4, Tampa Bay Lightning 3

10/18/08- Islanders 0, Florida Panthers 2

New and Notes:

- The big story thus far has been the inactivity of franchise goalie Rick Dipietro. He finally received his first start of the year against Florida on Saturday night and let in a goal early on. However, he settled down afterwards and played reasonably well, keeping the Islanders in the game.

- G Joey MacDonald, the back up goaltender who was expected to play very little this season, has been holding down the fort for Dipietro. He was a surprising 2-2 over the four games he played and looked good in every contest except against Buffalo. Islander fans should breathe a little easier knowing that their second string netminder is not actually half bad.

- D Bruno Gervais leads all defensemen in scoring with three assists. He appears to be playing with more confidence, something New York desperately needs him to do.

- LW Trent Hunter has surprised many observers, notching four goals in the first five games. Hunter is expected to be an important part of the Islanders’ future and fans hope the fact that he seems to have rediscovered his scoring touch will continue.

- C Doug Weight has delivered upon the promise that he would improve the power play. He has three power play points already.

Next Week’s Games:

10/23/08- vs. Dallas Stars

10/25/08- vs. Carolina Hurricanes

Forwards:

Josh Bailey, Sean Bergenheim, Blake Comeau, Mike Comrie, Bill Guerin, Andy Hilbert, Trent Hunter, Frans Nielsen, Kyle Okposo, Richard Park, Jon Sim, Jeff Tambellini, Doug Weight

The New York Islanders open up the season with an intriguing blend of veteran players and youthful exuberance. How all these pieces blend together (and whether or not any one of them can achieve 25 goals) is anyone’s guess right now.

Doug Weight was brought in to take over the #1 center spot. It will be interesting to see how much gas he has left in the tank at this point in his career. His presence could provide captain Bill Guerin with one last burst of glory as the two are fast friends and have shown chemistry on the ice when they’ve played together in the past. Mike Comrie slides back into his natural second line center position and, by relieving the unreasonable expectations placed upon him last year, the Islanders hope he can become the scoring pivot they envisioned when they signed him in free agency. Jon Sim, Andy Hilbert, Trent Hunter and Richard Park round out the veteran contingent. They are all role players and are expected to chip in with a goal here and there.

The potential for success this year is going to rest solely on the young shoulders of the Islanders’ prospects. Their continued development is going to be the key, specifically RW Kyle Okposo. This budding first round pick has the potential to be a major goal scorer in this league someday, but, for now, New York fans would be satisfied seeing him play a full season with the big club and learning to use his immense gifts. Jeff Tambellini, a scoring demon in the AHL, must find a way to translate that success to the NHL or he will likely be gone next year. Frans Nielsen, Blake Comeau and Sean Bergenheim will attempt to build on their experiences from last season. Finally, it appears that Josh Bailey will see some time with the Islanders. Though it will serve him well to become familiar with the speed of the NHL game, his development will be much better served by returning to his junior club.

New coach Scott Gordon has been preaching utilizing his team’s speed in order to create turnovers in their opponent’s ends. If that plan is to be implemented, the younger legs will obviously be a huge part of it.

Defense:

Brendan Witt, Andy Sutton, Radek Martinek, Mark Streit, Chris Campoli, Bruno Gervais, Fred Meyer IV, Jack Hillen

Since the Islanders lack dynamic scoring from their forwards, their defense is going to have to play a huge role in determining the team’s success. While there are some up and coming players that may make a difference, this unit may have problems throughout the season.

First off, the injury bug has already hit them…hard. Both Andy Sutton and Chris Campoli will miss extended periods of time. This is especially distressing because Sutton is supposed to provide the physical presence behind the blue line and Campoli was expected to be a force in righting the power play.

Secondly, this defense is slow…not a good thing in today’s NHL. Brendan Witt is a hard-nosed banger who is often matched up with the opponent’s top line, but he’s getting on in years and will soon be on the downside of his career. Radek Martinek is another defensive specialist who draws that particular assignment, but his injury history portends that he won’t play the full year.

The one are that may have been improved upon is the offensive production from this unit. By acquiring Mark Streit in Free Agency, the Islanders gave themselves a legitimate power play quarterback who will play smarter than the man he succeeded, Marc-Andre Bergeron. The team is also looking for Bruno Gervais to finally take the next step in his career.

Fred Meyer IV and Jack Hillen are two players who probably won’t draw regular playing time but are good for the overall depth of the squad. Meyer IV, in particular, hits much larger than his size and could make an impact if pressed into duty.

While there are a few defensemen in the minor league system who could make brief appearances this year in relief duty, there’s no blue chip prospect for the future. This is an area you can expect the Islanders to address in next June’s draft (though they may make a minor move or two during the season as well.)

Goaltender:

Rick Dipietro, Joey MacDonald

It’s not hyperbole to state that, as Dipietro goes, so do the Islanders. Management believed in him enough to sign him to a lifetime contract.

When he’s playing well, there are few better goaltenders in the NHL. However, the problem with Dipietro is that he is such a competitor, he often tries to do too much in terms of clearing the zone by utilizing his magnificent puck handling skills. He leaves the net far too often and puts himself in a position where he’ll need to make some spectacular save when, had he just stayed put, such heroics may not have been needed.

As mentioned before, sometimes the Islanders look as though they may have a potential Hall of Famer in their nets. However, the fact that the 27 year old goalie has already undergone two hip surgeries is not an encouraging sign. It is rumored that his insistence upon playing even while injured was a major cause of the rift between the coach and GM and eventually cost Ted Nolan his job. New coach Scott Gordon must tame Dipietro’s wild ways and get him to concentrate on the basics. If he can do that, the Islanders should be competitive far more often than they have been.

Joey MacDonald inherited the backup job after Wade Dubielewicz decided his career would be better served playing in Russia. Islanders fans don’t have much confidence in MacDonald to play a healthy amount of games…and with good reason. He sported a losing record for the team’s minor league affiliate last season and hardly seems ready to take the next step in his development. Should Dipietro be lost for any significant period of time (for a third straight season), MacDonald is clearly not ready to assume the mantle.

Expect the team to search out a viable replacement via trade or waivers before January.

Overview:

The Islanders will open the season with a brand new coach (Scott Gordon, former star AHL coach) who will hopefully bring a brand new winning attitude with him as well.

The 2007-08 Islanders were not expected to make much noise. They suffered a large defection in free agency (Ryan Smyth, Jason Blake, Viktor Kozlov and Tom Poti all left the Island) and were counted out right from the start by the media. However, for much of the season, those same naysayers had to admit that the team had overachieved. Former coach Ted Nolan may not have had a lot of talent to work with, but he utilized what he was in the cupboard and kept the team competitive. However, a spate of injuries and a rift between Nolan and GM Garth Snow conspired This series of articles will preview the New York Islanders for the upcoming season. I’ll cover the general overview of the team, the goaltenders position, the defense and the forwards.to sink the team’s chances in the latter part of the year. Nolan parted ways with the team over the summer. The writing had been on the wall concerning the coach for quite some time: He was clearly uncomfortable with the direction the club was going in terms of a youth movement and his dissatisfaction was apparent in his post game interviews.

The roster has seen some turnover: Doug Weight will now center the top line and defenseman Mark Streit will attempt to revive the moribund power-play. RW Kyle Okposo should play with the big club this year and will be expected to take a big step in his growth process. Jeff Tambellini, the AHL scoring phenom, will be given his final opportunity to stick in the majors. Gone are enigmatic wingers Miroslav Satan and Ruslan Fedotenko, as well as popular backup netminder Wade Dubielewicz.

The key to this season is whether or not Scott Gordon will be able to aid the youngsters in the lineup (Okposo, Tambellini, Blake Comeau and Franz Nielsen, among others) in their evolution as NHL players. New York realizes that they are not going to be a desirable free agent destination, so the only way they will improve is through the draft and the development of young prospects.

Next: The Goaltender Position

Travis Hamonic-D-6′0, 192 lbs.-Shoots Right- 2nd round pick (53rd Overall)

Positives: Is a hardworking player with a strong competitive streak…plays a hard-nosed defensive style and will sacrifice his body to block shots…good skater who brings energy to the game.

Negatives: Doesn’t have much of an offensive upside…Needs to work on his playmaking skills…plays a style bigger than his body and could be injury prone at the pro level.

Analysis: This was a curious pick by Snow. Hamonic possesses some qualities of a shutdown defenseman (which the Islanders need, considering Brendan Witt is not getting any younger) but he seems to be one dimensional. He also probably could have been taken a round or two later.

My grade for the pick: C

GM Garth Snow conducted an extensive search for a head coach following Ted Nolan’s departure in July. He interviewed several former NHL coaches, some of whom have won Stanley cups (John Tortorella and Bob Hartley).

In the end, though, Snow decided that Gordon was the man to reverse the Isles’ fortunes. Gordon earned AHL Coach of the Year honors last season and compiled a 221-141-20-27 record with Providence.

I feel that Snow made the correct move. Gordon has extensive experience grooming young players, a facet that made him attractive as the Islanders roster will certainly feature plenty of inexperience in the next few years. He stresses a strong defensive and positional hockey philosophy which should keep the team involved in many close games. A key factor is that Gordon is a former goaltender and should be in a position to enhance All Star netminder Rick Dipietro’s strengths and work with him on his weaknesses.

I like the fact that the job was given to a man who will be motivated to prove he can coach at the NHL level. Gordon brings an energy to the position that should be infectious and my guess is that the Islanders will ice a hardworking team every night.

The noted philosopher Lao Tze once said “A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” The team has a long way to go before they will be considered to be serious contenders. However, with hiring of Gordon, they make have taken that all important first step.

Kirill Petrov-RW-6′3, 218 lbs.-Shoots Left- 3rd round pick (73rd Overall)

Positives: Power forward type who can dominate a game…powerful skater who is tough to knock off the puck…possesses a wealth of talent in the goal scoring and creativity departments

Negatives: His motivation level is suspect…doesn’t always utilize his talents to their greatest potential…may never see the NHL due to his Russian playing commitments

Analysis: Petrov was rated a top ten talent at one point, but fears about him staying permanently overseas scared off many potential suitors. If (admittedly, a huge if) the Islanders can woo him over to America when his contract expires in two years, he may be the steal of the draft. However, the Russian Hockey Federation will be much more vigilant about letting their brightest stars slip away in the future, so the odds of seeing him in an Islander uniform seem slim at this point.

My grade for this pick: B-

Aaron Ness-D-5′9, 157 lbs.-Shoots Left- 2nd round pick (40th Overall)

Positives: Is an extremely fast and agile skater…possesses great passing ability and can quarterback the power-play…has great hockey sense and vision and clogs up passing and shooting lanes instinctively

Negatives: Small stature will keep him from reaching his potential unless he grows significantly…he will also need to get much stronger physically to play defense in the NHL…needs to work on his defensive skills more as he is primarily an offensive weapon right now.

Analysis: The Islanders fell in love with Ness’ puck moving abilities and hope he will someday be a factor in overcoming their power-play woes. He’s still quite young and should fill out his frame a little bit more. However, he’ll have to work extremely hard to overcome his size issues and become New York’s answer to smaller, swifter players in the new NHL.

My Grade for this pick: B-

Frank Mazzola: You were drafted 8th overall in 1994. Obviously, being selected that high comes with high expectations. Did you feel any adverse pressure to perform because of this and, if so, how did the pressure affect your approach to the game?

Jason Wiemer: There was definitely pressure, but I think, being that young, I didn’t even realize the magnitude of it. Looking back now, the ignorance was probably a blessing.

(Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images)

Lubomir Visnovsky #17 of the Los Angeles Kings ties up Jason Wiemer #28 of the Minnesota Wild in front of the net in the first period during the NHL game on January 26, 2004 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.

FM: You’ve played with 6 different teams (Tampa Bay, Calgary, Florida, New York Islanders, Minnesota Wild, New Jersey) during your career. Where was your favorite place to play and why (location, fans, the area…etc.)?

JW: Of course, playing in Florida was nice. However, my favorite place was Minnesota. They have a great organization, some of the best coaches and fantastic fans.

FM: Tell us about the most memorable goal you scored in the NHL.

JW: It would have to be my first one. I would like to tell you it was end to end, top shelf, but I’d be lying. It was against Quebec and I think it went off my shin pad. But it was my first N.H.L goal and it was pretty exciting.

FM: Were there any particular players you dreaded suiting up against (due to their skill, fighting ability…etc)?

JW: I don’t know if I dreaded playing anyone, but there were a few I didn’t look forward to. Tony Twist was a guy that made you look over your shoulder. I was lucky enough to play against some of the game’s greats like Lemieux, Gretzky and Messier. Playing guys like that was always a thrill and something I’ll never forget

FM: Who was your least favorite goalie to face and why?

JW: I’d have to say Hasek. He was in his prime and was pretty much unbeatable. Not to mention, he would be out in the corner playing pucks or at the blue line, flopping around like a fish.

FM: Hockey players are notorious for having pre-game and season-long rituals. Can you share with us any particular superstitions or routines you might have employed during your career?

JW: Actually, I was one of the rare ones that tried not to get wrapped up in superstitions. Maybe that’s because I never got on a long enough hot streak to keep doing the same thing (laughs).

FM: How did the game change from the time you were drafted up until the end of your career? What sorts of adjustments did you have to make to adapt?

JW: The game has changed in many ways in the last fifteen years. I think the biggest difference has been the size of the players. When I was drafted, teams were all about big guys. Now, they are leaning towards the smaller, faster players. The most important thing for me was to get faster. I dropped six or seven pounds to try and accomplish that.

FM: Now that you are retired, do you have any plans to seek employment within the league (coaching, player agent, league official… etc.)?

JW: I don’t have any plans to get back involved with the NHL, but I am doing some coaching here in Calgary [ Note: Jason is instructing this summer at National Sports Development, a youth hockey camp.]. It’s been fun to stay involved in the game and pass on any knowledge I may have learned to young players.

FM: Has the labor dispute which caused the cancellation of the 2004-05 season affected the relationship between the owners and the players? How did you spend your time during the lockout?

JW: I don’t know if has affected the relationship that much. As you can see, the players are still making big salaries, some even bigger than before. So, I think the players are happy with the new CBA. As for the lockout, I spent most of the time doing things I wasn’t able to do when I was playing…. a lot of hunting, fishing, hiking and skiing. It’s a good thing I could play hockey because…well, I’m a really bad skier (laughs).

FM: In your opinion, can the salary cap continue to rise in the NHL despite falling revenue and flagging interest in the American market? Are the salaries that recent free agents have received out of line with the current economic state of the league?

JW: I don’t know if it can or not. Its funny, though: Before the lockout, all the owners were crying bankruptcy and now they’re paying out more than they were. The amount and length of some of the contracts is concerning, but wiser men than me are running these organizations. So, hopefully, the league will continue to thrive in Canadian markets and grow in some of the American ones

FM: Jason, thanks very much for your time. Good luck with the hockey camp and your other future endeavors.

JW: Thank you.

Ted Nolan and the New York Islanders officially parted company today in a move that has been brewing for months. GM Garth Snow announced that he will immediately begin searching for a replacement and has several candidates in mind.

I feel this was the right move for the organization to make. Clearly, the honeymoon was over and the Islanders weren’t lying when they stated the move was prompted by “philosophical differences”. Those differences couldn’t be more apparent: Nolan did not believe in the current youth movement and the Isles need a coach who will support one.

People can argue all day long about why quality free agents don’t come to Long Island. The fact is that they don’t and, for many valid reasons, I don’t see that changing anytime soon. New York also does not have the assets to improve itself through trades without sacrificing valuable draft picks. Therefore, the only way to right this ship is by drafting and developing quality prospects. There’s no doubt that there are going to be growing pains associated with this route. However, in the end, the organization will be better off.

Speculation is rampant over who might be hired as the next coach. There are several high profile contenders: John Tortarella, Paul Maurice, Bob Hartley and Dave Lewis are only some of the names being bandied about among fans. Rest assured, whoever takes the job must first and foremost be ready to develop young kids into NHL players and shouldn’t expect as much as a sniff of the Stanley Cup for quite a while.

Corey Trivino-C- 6′1, 170 lbs.- Shoots Left- 2nd Round Pick (36th Overall)

Positives- Is an excellent skater and is above average in the puckhandling department…is known for being a gifted playmaker…his passing skills rated high among scouts.

Negatives- Has a very slight build (though he is expected to fill out somewhat over the next couple of years)…shies away from contact…must learn how to scrap for the puck along the boards

Analysis:  No one doubts Trivino’s abilities, but it seems as though his effectiveness as an NHL prospect will depend on how quickly he can bulk up in order to withstand the rigors of the pro game.  He scored 7 points in the recent Under-18 Championships playing for Canada, a good sign that he can perform in the spotlight.  He will be allowed to develop at a reasonable pace playing at least 2-3 years for Boston University.  If he can become more physical while retaining his speed, the Islanders will have definitely gotten a bargain.

My Grade for this pick: B+ 

Josh Bailey-C- 6′1, 188lbs.- Shoots Left- 1st round pick (9th Overall)

Positives- A strong, two-way player…has excellent on-ice vision and is a gifted playmaker…is regarded as being a high character player

Negatives- Is believed to have a limited offensive upside for such a high pick…tends to pass instead of shoot when the opportunity presents itself…needs to add more physicality to his game

Analysis: If you believe Garth Snow, Bailey was the player the Islanders wanted all along. He is regarded as one of the safest picks to reach the NHL from this class. However, opinions differ greatly on how effective he’ll be once he gets there. In any case, he does address an organizational need (center) and should certainly find himself with an opportunity to play significant minutes for the Islanders in the future.

My Grade for this pick: B

Take the NHL Draft that was held last Friday in Ottawa. The Islanders held the 5th overall pick and let it be known around the NHL that they would be taking the best player available with it. This seemed like a fairly straightforward, logical approach. If you’ve kept up with this site, you know that I just finished a long series of articles that detailed the different players who might have been potentially available at the #5 spot and speculated about what the Islanders might be thinking in regards to choosing them.

On Draft Day, GM Garth Snow was quoted as saying he’d have to be “blown away” by a trade offer in order to relinquish his team’s pick. As the Draft progressed, it came to light that, even though the three highly touted defensemen (Drew Doughty, Zach Bogosian and Alex Pietrangelo) had already been selected as predicted, both the immensely talented Russian winger Nikita Filatov and hardnosed shutdown defenseman Luke Schenn were available to be picked by Snow. Supporters of the team who were attending a Draft Day party at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum exploded with joy. For months, Islander fans had debated the merits of both Filatov and Schenn on the the team’s message boards and, either way, a large contingent of the fanbase was going to be deliriously happy after their favorite had been chosen. Right?

Wrong. (Remember, this is the Islanders we’re talking about here.)

Snow decided that Toronto’s offer of the 7th pick, a second round pick and a 3rd round pick qualified as being “blown away” and Islander fans watched in horror as Schenn became a Maple Leaf with the #5 pick and Filatov was selected by Columbus at #6. Snow then proceeded to trade even further down to the 9th spot, passing over fall-back option Mikkel Boedker in the process (he was drafted at # 8 by Phoenix.) The Islander faithful marched out of the draft party in protest before it was announced that Josh Bailey was selected with the 9th pick.

Rarely simple. Never Easy.

However, once the Islander fans stepped back off the ledges upon which they were perched and took a look at the draft’s second day, many were pleasantly surprised at the outcome. Instead of netting one star player, the additional picks Snow dealt for resulted in a large haul of quality prospects. Will they be good enough to make the long-suffering masses forget that their favorite player was once within their desperate clutches? Only time will tell.

Beginning next week, I will cover the prospects the Islanders selected and will provide my own analysis about their respective NHL futures.

Kyle Beach – C – 6′3, 203 lbs – Shoots Right

Beach brings a wealth of talent to the table, along with many questions about his attitude. When he is on his game (and not hurting his team by taking undisciplined penalties), he is the best power forward available in this draft. He possesses an excellent shot and above average hands. Beach does play with great passion and is considered by many to be a “Team Leader” type of personality. In addition to potential behavioral problems, Beach has also already suffered concussions in his young career and this may scare off some teams.

How he’d help: Beach could be a player that the Islanders have their eyes on more closely than other prospects who are expected to go higher. If they do decide to trade down in the draft, he would be a leading candidate to be taken by them.

Tyler Myers – D – 6′7, 210 lbs – Shoots Right

Myers, the tallest player in the draft by far, is an intriguing prospect. He has moved up the draft board steadily since the season began and is now considered to be a strong possibility to be taken among the top ten picks. It goes without saying that his reach is incredible, making him a very effective poke checker. He has a decent shot, skates well and is capable of leading the rush from the defensive zone. On the negative side, there are concerns about how his rail-thin body will hold up to NHL pounding.

How he’d help: Myers has naturally drawn comparisons to Zdeno Chara because of his size and many Islander fans might be clamoring for him purely out of nostaglia. Since he projects as a “work in progress”, he is not likely to help New York anytime soon on their blue line and therefore, expect GM Garth Snow to draft someone else.

Cody Hodgson – C- 5′11, 182 lbs- Shoots Right

Cody Hodgson could be one of the most coveted centers in the draft this year. His 85 points this past season for Brampton proves that he has definite scoring ability. He is also regarded as being defensively responsible. He possesses soft passing hands and is an above average skater. While he is a well-rounded prospect, the only potential knock on him is that there is no facet of his game that stands out as exceptional.

How he’d help: As mentioned previously, the Islanders are clearly in need of depth at the center position. Hodgson projects as a very good third line player with the potential to be on the second line. The #5 pick is a little low to consider taking him, but he would be a prime target if New York decides to trade down in the first round in order to pick up an established player or more draft picks.

Colin Wilson – C-6′1, 215 lbs.-Shoots Left

There is much speculation about the future NHL career of Colin Wilson. Scouts seem to view him as either a solid, two-way forward with potential or a big time bust waiting to happen. There are certain aspects of Wilson that are indisputable, though: He does possess NHL-caliber size, is strong in protecting the puck and is reliable defensively. His scoring ability may be limited, but many draft observers like his power in driving to the net and the fact that eschews fancy moves in order to net the puck in an expedient fashion. However, concerns linger over whether he will ever be more than third line player for many teams.

How he’d help: The Islanders are one of the few NHL rosters that does not field a legitimate first line center. This dearth of talent makes almost any prospect who can play the position attractive. Nevertheless, Wilson’s upside seems too low to spend a top 5 pick for and New York will almost certainly look elsewhere to address it’s needs.