10:51 am: Anders Nilsson will get the call tonight and Kevin Czuczman gets to make his NHL debut! Welcome him warmly IslesNation.

7 am: I hope everyone enjoyed their St. Patrick’s Day and aren’t green this morning. I know the day after can be rough for some, but it’s Tuesday, it’s a work-day and Islanders Game Day! However, this one will be different.

The Minnesota Wild are poised to take a Wild Card spot in the playoffs while the Islanders are making golf course reservations for April. But the Wild are having their issues. Goalies Niklas Backstrom and Josh Harding are both on injured reserve and they have just dropped their last two to the Blue Jackets (2 - 1) and the Bruins (4 -1). The Wild need these points a boatload more than the Isles.

Zach Parise has 44 points this season, second on the team to Jason Pominville with 48. You would expect that. But would you expect Nino Niederreiter to have 32 points and be a +10? Maybe not.

As difficult as this will be for Matt Moulson to return to his old home and his closest friends, it will be equally as exhilarating for Niederreiter to return to flaunt his current success. I always liked Nino and felt he was going to be an asset, but his age and the AHL/NHL rules worked against him. Had he been able to be sent to Bridgeport his first year, perhaps things would have turned out differently between Nino and the Isles. Or… maybe not.

As for Moulson, well, it’s a stinging business situation where people’s lives, loyalties and emotions are involved. The Islanders locker room was always heralded as a tight knit ’family.’ On October 27th, they traded away John Boy and replaced him with someone who wore the same sweater, but didn’t have the same heart. Sure, he had quicker hands and was more serviceable, but there was just something missing and it all began to unravel.

Will there be a tribute to Matty Mouls tonight prior to the game? Maybe, maybe not. I’m hoping there isn’t.

Kyle Okposo, the godfather to one of Moulson’s offspring, was honored by the NHL with the second star of the week. Maturity has served Okposo well as he is now the player the Islanders always knew he would be.

Islanders beat the Wild on their home turf the last time they met. Personally, I think it will be time for payback on a few levels. But… we’ll see.

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