TheDriveForFive's blog
 This is starting to get tiring. Three games in a row this team has failed to generate consistent offense. Sure, they started out pretty strong, but after the botched offside call, they were done for. Even Tim Jackman’s fight at the end of the game was pretty pathetic. Is there another line on this team besides the one with Matt Moulson, John Tavares and Kyle Okposo that can get some shots on the net? Those guys are working their arses off and if they could get one more line with some chemistry, things might change a tad. Maybe they’ll score two goals a game. Josh Bailey has got to shoot more. Six shots on goal in six games is pathetic. Same thing goes for Sean Bergenheim, who has been a non-factor as well. I’d like to see Blake Comeau grow a pair too and start getting a little more aggressive in front of the net and shooting more.
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Before I get into this edition of the blog, let me just apologize for my lack of updates. Over the past week or so, I’ve gotten up to two dozen e-mails from angry fans to even my own father asking me to update this site. The reason why I haven’t, you ask? I’m swamped. A college professor, Sports Editor of a Local Newspaper and a graduate student, I barely have time to watch games on DVR these days. Yes, The Drive for Five is still one of my passions, but I need sleep my friends. However, I pinky promise to update this site twice a week during the season. Sorry for the delay. OK, here we go. These kids are a lot better than I thought that they would be and once guys like Doug Weight get back in the swing of things, Trent Hunter and Frans Nielsen come back healthy and the defense tightens up a bit more, this team is going to be a blast to watch.
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It feels good that this team, which was picked to come in last place this season by many media outlets, held the ice for 65 minutes with the reigning NHL champs. John Tavares looked solid enough as well, and even though it’s obvious he still has some work to do, there’s no reason why he can’t score 25-30 goals this season. All the haters out there will see during the season how sick this kid’s hands really are. Things will get tougher for him as the season wears on and his body gets used to the beating he’ll be taking, but I got a great feeling about this kid. The same thing goes for Sean Bergenheim and Kyle Okposo, who should be in the 25 goal area as well. For a team that didn’t have one 20-goal scorer last season, I expect to see at least three this season. Trent Hunter and Mark Streit looked great during the home opener as well and I expect those two to lead this team on the ice just as much as Doug Weight will when he gets into the lineup.
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I promise, my last video game review this season! http://reviewfix.com/2009/09/2ks-final-hockey-hurrah-on-the-ps2-misses-the-net/
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First thing first- Moulson: The kid looked good last night and has an impressive resume in the AHL. Could he make this team, or is he just a guy hanging around to add depth at Bridgeport? What do you guys think? Phaneuf’s hit on Kyle Okposo: Straight from the horse’s mouth: “I thought it was a clean hit,†Phaneuf told the AP. “I stepped up and used my shoulder. You don’t like to see guys get hurt, but that’s part of my job when the hits are there, to take them.†My Thoughts: Looks to me that Phaneuf left the air on that hit and if Okposo misses time with this concussion, Phaneuf should get suspended. KO called his pops afterward and told him he was OK; let’s just hope this doesn’t turn out to be something serious.
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Barring any free agent pick ups or surprising changes, this what I think the 2009-10 New York Islanders should look like. Forwards Defense Streit Gervais Goaltenders Biron Notes-
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Who’s left? Miro Satan? Phil Kessel? Mike Peca? Kyle Calder? Robert Lang? Viktor Kozlov? With the better players being picked up already, the Islanders don’t seem willing to take a chance on any of these players. Kessel would be a great addition, but he wants too much money and hasn’t proven himself in this league yet. If he had say, two 30-goal seasons under his belt, he’d be signed by a team right now. Kozlov would just be a hired gun, the same thing goes for Lang. Neither one would want to be part of a rebuilding plan. Satan and Peca are in the last legs of their careers and Calder has lost the potential he once had. Maybe the Isles are better with a straight rebuild. What do you guys think?
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We knew it was all coming when Sillinger played in only seven games last season. Nevertheless the guy was uber solid when with the team and set a great example. A former first round pick, ending your career with 240 goals is pretty damn solid if you ask me. A shame he didn’t really develop until his last few seasons in the league too. At one time, I wished the entire Islanders team could consist of clones of Silly, Richard Park and Jason Blake. A tad under-sized sure, but feisty nonetheless. Good luck in your future endeavors Silly. Aside from that, there hasn’t been much Isles news, so my video game exploits have continued.
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Check out my NHL 09 Review here:
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Newsday is currently reporting that former Islander Miroslav Satan is interested in coming back to the Island. Aside from a solid first season with the team, the last two years of his contract were a jumbled inconsistent mess, where he showed the energy of an overweight puppy. Sure, he’s an asset and can still score 15-20 goals and can perform in the shootout. But are the Islanders in a situation to take a chance on this guy? I say, if they really want to take a chance on someone, go with Mark Parrish; at least then the guy has more potential and can anchor a third line. He’s a bit more aggressive as well and has a soul. Plus, he’s only 31 and is in a desperate need of a change of scenery. Satan is like a Cylon and not the hot and sexy ones on the recently completed incarnation of Battlestar Galactica- I’m talking about the 1978 version here. He’s on the supreme downswing and there’s nothing anyone can do about it.
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Over the past 10 days, the New York Islanders have added depth to both their team and Bridgeport, signing Nate Thompson, Jack Hillen, Joel Rechlicz and Blake Comeau. I’ve already spoken at length about Thompson that I believe he’s better suited to play at Bridgeport and come up in case of emergency, but “The Wrecker†is a different story. If he can improve his skating ability even more, remember too, this was a dude who was in the ECHL for a spell last season, he’ll be a Steve Webb clone with better hands. If he can follow the puck, play tough in the corners and fight when he has to, the Isles will have a solid fourth line with him and Tim Jackman and whoever they decide to have center them.
It’s on my other site, here’s the link! http://reviewfix.com/2009/08/relive-the-isles-glory-days-in-standard-definition/
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Well, it appears Rick DiPietro isn’t going to be ready for the season after all. Regardless of what New York Islanders General Manager Garth Snow says, the signing of Marty Biron means two things: The Isles are going to try to win as many games as they can this season and you can expect another signing or two this summer. Sure, the team is rebuilding, but by having three starting goaltenders on their roster, the Islanders also keep their options open. If DP comes back and is able to play Biron becomes an excellent bargaining chip, which can be used for the 2010 draft. Say what you want about it, but I remember the Maple Leafs and several other teams over the past few years stockpiling capable goaltenders. Snow should be applauded for signing a netminder with Biron’s experience for virtually nothing.
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It boggles the mind why people would be upset that John Tavares signed an entry level contract. I mean, seriously guys, do you really want another Alexei Yashin or Rick DiPietro contract to stare at if the kid gets hurt or under-performs? This way, the kid knows he’s not untouchable and has to earn his keep. If you ask me, there’s nothing worse than a cocky teenager who hasn’t accomplished anything yet. That, now, obviously won’t happen here. It’s a situation where the Islanders have to protect themselves and signing a player, who hasn’t played a single pro game yet, to anything more than an entry level contract is ludicrous.
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Aside from Doug Weight, the Islanders don’t have any real playmakers and John Tavares needs someone to pass him the puck. This is where Alex Tanguay fits in. He’s in desperate need of a change of scenery and is coming off an injury-plagued season last year, where he still managed to score 41 points in 50 games. He also doesn’t need to shoot the puck much, probably about 110 shots will do the trick, and can still score 20 goals a year. He makes the most of his shots and is incredibly unselfish with the puck. Sure, he’s fragile and sometimes inconsistent, but I still think that if he plays with Tavares, it could be something special. The fact that the rest of league has passed up on him means the Islanders can get him cheaper than they could have done before. If they sign him to a two or three-year contract, they get him through his early 30s and if he doesn’t perform, they could always trade him to a contender for a draft pick.
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I’ve been saying for the past few weeks that the Isles needed to sign a more than competent veteran backup goaltender, one that can pick up the slack if Rick DiPietro is unable to play as much as he would like to this season. Dwayne Roloson can definitely be that guy. He’s got playoff experience and has proven he can be more than dependable, especially when on a team lacking offense. This plays a huge role when you consider the fact that even with John Tavares on board, the Islanders offense will be questionable and will be struggling to find its identity this season.
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Well, things are changing in Islander Country. Newsday’s Greg Logan thinks John Tavares can be the next Sydney Crosby, but you get the feeling he won’t be as dynamic. I am expecting him to be a force at times, but see him going through growing pains as well. He’s an offensive machine and doesn’t have a great defensive game and because of that, I see him getting a ton of time on the powerplay, but little with the puck in the defensive end. Because of this, it’ll take him a few years to become the type of player he truly can be. Even he doesn’t know what that player will turn out to be.
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In a few hours, the New York Islanders will be the proud employer of what they think is the best young hockey player in the world. Who will it be? I’ve maintained my stance for the past few months by saying that John Tavares may not end up the best player of this draft, but as of right now, he’s the right player for the Islanders. Predicted to be a 40-goal scorer, he’s exactly what the Islanders need. Last night, I was having a conversation with Islanders super fan Roger Farina and he believed that Tavares coming to Long Island will also fuel the Lighthouse Project. While I agree that Tavares will create the biggest initial buzz, which will help the project, I have a small difference of opinion. As long as whoever the Islanders draft performs well and looks like someone the team can build around, it will help fuel the Islanders plans for a new building. In the end, that buzz will last much longer than any name recognition Tavares has already.
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It feels like a year ago that the Islanders were awarded the first pick in this year’s entry draft. Or is it just me? Ah, the suspense. Who will the Islanders draft? John Tavares? Victor Hedman? Will they even use the pick? Guess we’re just going to have to wait and see. At any rate however, the Islanders still need to solve their goaltending issue and look for a few more players to challenge these youngsters for spots in camp. Nothing is worse than a complacent 20-year-old who knows he has a job. Because of that, the Isles have to look around for some veterans who can come in and try and earn a job. Who knows, they may end up with another Richard Park or someone like that who can truly help the youngsters and his career at the same time.
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Pretty interesting that John Tavares and Matt Duchene chose to stay the night over Garth Snow’s crib a few days ago; I don’t know how common a practice that is, but it at least means that if either of these two players get drafted by the Islanders, they’ll be somewhat happy campers. Things get even better though, especially in the case of Tavares. From Yahoo Sports:
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