Islander Fans Prepare For More Disappointment

[HelloHockeyFans]

A look back at a summer of change for the Islanders as Isles GM continues to make bad moves and poor decisions that will inevitably spark a downward spiral for the hockey club to even lower depths than before (who would've thought it'd be possible for the Isles to actually get worse?!):

2007-2008 Final Game Line Up:

Vermette - Demitra - Jagr
Cole - Draper - Eaves
Zigomanis - Linden - MacDonald
Rupp - Rucchin - Kopecky

Lidstrom - Phillips
Miller - Preissing
Hedican - Chelios

Ward
Hedberg

Out are: Vermette, Jagr, Draper, Linden, Rucchin (AHL), Phillips, Zigomanis (AHL), Preissing and Hedberg (AHL)

In are: Jamal Mayers, Travis Moen, Rostislav Olesz, Darcy Tucker, Adrian Aucoin, Daniel Girardi, Brian Rafalski, Marc Denis

Forecasted 2008-2009 Line Up:

Tucker - Demitra - Cole
Olesz - Mayers - Eaves
MacDonald - Moen - Kopecky
WE HAVE NO FOURTH LINE AND IN REALITY, NO 3RD LINE

Lidstrom - Rafalski
Girardi - Aucoin
Miller - Chelios

Ward
Denis

So basically, we had to do our best and try to improve our roster with less money to work with and the reality that one of our top two scorers would be leaving town.

Clearly, we failed at improving our roster and actually got worst! Yeah, our defense is better but we have no fourth line and basically, are without a 3rd line as well. Yay.

We're right up against the cap (it's a shocker we were even able to get under it), so there won't be many roster moves out of the Island.

Who knows, maybe the SIM will fall in love with the Isles and make Olesz or Mayers 40+ goal scorers! And maybe Lidstrom won't suck for us this year like he did last… should be a fun(ny) season for the Isles! Thank goodness we have the 1st overall pick for next year's draft though!

[Prototype]

I'm sure Islander fans appreciate your flair for the truth.

[JiriHrdina]

Lidstrom and Rafalski can perhaps take the team a long way, and it would seem on paper at least the East is weaker.

But probably the best strategy for you is to identify the best moment to trade your big 4 players for a bunch of younger assets. If you don't...next year could be even worse.

[KevanGuy]

Send him home noob...send him home.

[Young Guns]

Keep trading with the Wings wuss.

[Goffie]

I think that you have a solid foundation, but your lineup is just getting older and you don't have enough depth. I think you could probably make a nice run at the playoffs if you could pick up a cheap 3rd line and shift your current 3rd line to the 4th line. You also have some very attractive names that I think could bring in some solid youth if you wanted it.

[Sylvanfan]

I think you have to face facts and stock up on younger players. I'm not just talking young NHL players either. I don't think you've ever had any prospects or pipeline of young players, or any draft picks who you could just move into the lineup or trade off for veteran players in the offseason. Young NHL players are a the second most expensive asset to get via trade, so to keep trading for those tends to drain a team really fast if they don't have a prospect supply line to replenish the players coming in. I know these are theoretical type trade chips and the arguement can be made that right now players is what you want....but if you only have right now players eventually they either age out of a good rating...or age into becoming too expensive to keep them all, forcing you into deals where you're at a disadvantage.