The Islanders came up with a winless weekend against the Capitals and Blue Jackets. On Saturday, despite blowing a two-goal lead, the team played hard and carried the play for most of the game but eventually fell to the Caps in a shootout loss. Last night it appeared as if the team never got off the plane in Columbus as they were outworked and outclassed by the Jackets in a dreadful 4-0 loss.
As we head into the final week of the season, there really isn’t much more to play for. The playoffs are not within reach and even the Isles draft position shouldn’t change much. It appears that they will be drafting somewhere between fourth and six. Honestly, this draft falls off a cliff after three. If I were Islander General Manager Garth Snow, I would consider moving the pick or simply letting Buffalo have this season’s first rounder and retool for next year. We will have plenty of time all off-season to dive deep into the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.
With the team playing out this final week, there is still no news on the injury to Calvin deHaan, but it has been reported that his season is over. Replacing deHaan last night was rookie call-up Scotty Mayfield. Mayfield has had a real impressive first season with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and he did not look out of place or overwhelmed last night in his NHL debut.
Andrey Pedan scored twice yesterday for the Sound Tigers. In only 25 AHL games this season, Pedan has an impressive 5 goals and 5 assists. Both Pedan and Mayfield have had real standout years in the AHL and I would not be shocked if one of them makes the Islanders roster out of camp next season. Of the two, Mayfield is much closer as Pedan lost most of the season to injury. However, if both of these kids can step up and develop into NHL defensemen, it would be a total win for the Islanders.
We will have all summer to project the roster for next year even further, but as for the here and now, the Islanders play their final home game of the season tomorrow night against the Ottawa Senators at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The Isles will then finish the season with a three game road trip.
This off-season will be one of the most important off-seasons that this organization has faced, and there are so many questions heading into it. One thing is for certain: with the Isles moving to Brooklyn in a year, this team must win this off-season and answer many of the questions surrounding it: Who will own the team in October? Will there be a change in the front office and behind the bench? Will the team be able to solve their goaltending and defensive issues? These are all questions that have to be answered over the next couple of months.
This simply cannot be an off-season of clipping coupons and management sitting on their hands. Changes have to be made and questions must be answered if this team has any chance of sniffing the playoffs next season. As always for more on all things hockey please follow me on Twitter at @DanDanNoodles78.