The Islanders have played zero preseason games to date, but have already lost their best defenseman for about the next sixth months. Mark Streit tore his rotator cuff, and his labrum in a scrimmage this past Saturday morning on a hit from Matt Moulson that coach Scott Gordon is calling a "freak accident."
Obviously this is terrible news for the Islanders, but maybe something positive can come out of all of this. Maybe, this is the break that Calvin de Haan needed to finally get to the NHL. This is almost the same situation that new-Islander defenseman James Wisniewski found himself in with the Blackhawks a few years ago. The Wis caught his big break when former Islander Adrian Aucoin went down with a serious groin injury. Wisniewski showed off his skills and has been in the NHL ever since. Could this be the situation that catapults Calvin de Haan into the NHL?
Another problem the Islanders face is the status of Kyle Okposo. Okposo didn't play in Saturday's scrimmage due to a nagging shoulder injury. He was said to have been getting a second opinion today and to have some sort of timetable in place, but so far nothing has been said on KO's prognosis. However, when Chris Botta of Islanders Point Blank asked coach Scott Gordon which other injured Islander (Frans Nielsen, Doug Weight) would be closest to returning, Gordon said Weight could play in one of the team's two exhibition games against either the Flyers or the Flames.
Kiril Kabanov was the first cut by the Islanders when they returned him back to the Moncton Wildcats of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League today. Kabanov was cut today without having played in a single preseason game. Apparently they had enough of him showing up late to practice, as well as the fact that he still is nowhere near big enough to play in the NHL yet.
Sunday evening it was announced that the Islanders had invited Dean McAmmond, Manny Legace, Joel Martin, Anders Eriksson, and Krys Kolanos. The team also announced today that forward Jed Ortmeyer was also invited to camp as well.
One final note: the Islanders are still without a radio broadcasting partner, but the team maintains that they will have a contract in place by the season opener on Saturday, October, 9th against the Dallas Stars.
It's all about balance and luck!Scoring coming from more than one line is huge.Back in 1979 they were knocked off by the Rangers in the semi finals in six games.The Rangers attacked the Islanders #1 line and hit Denis Potvin every chance they could,and they got stoned by goalie on his back for most of the series.They were the best over all team for the regular season,but not the playoffs.The next year they added Butch Goring,and with that balance,they were good for a while.Done with Islanders 101.They have some nice young players,and it's time for them to grow up, and show us fans they're a playoff team.Garth Snow also needs to show he's a real GM, and pull the trigger on adding what ever the team needs to succeed. P S stop drafting goaltenders!
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