The top sports story of 2014 in the New York metropolitan area was arguably the New York Rangers winning the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League for the first time since 1994. The New York Yankees and Mets both failed to qualify for the Major League Baseball Playoffs while the New York Giants and Jets will both be watching the National Football League Playoffs from home next month. The New York Knicks have one of the worst records in the National Basketball Association while the Brooklyn Nets also have a losing record. After a slow start to the National Hockey League season, the Rangers have improved in the past few weeks while across the Hudson River, the New Jersey Devils are having tough sledding. But in the shadows of New York City in Uniondale, New York, there is a team that has people talking.
The New York Islanders are in their 42nd year of existence and they have seen their fair share of ups and downs. From 1980-1983, the Islanders won four consecutive Stanley Cup Championships. But since 1995, the Isles have only made the postseason five times. The Islanders have become a forgotten team out in Nassau County as they’ve taken a backseat to the Rangers. And with Islanders owner Charles Wang set to sell the team as they are going to bid farewell to the Nassau Coliseum this spring in favor of the Barclays Center in Downtown Brooklyn, the Islanders are attempting to go out with a bang.
Jack Capuano
This season under the guidance of head coach Jack Capuano, the Islanders are in second place in the Metropolitan Division as they are only three points behind the high-powered Pittsburgh Penguins. The Isles also find themselves tied for the second best record in the Eastern Conference. Islanders general manager Garth Snow has avoided making the same mistake that has held this team back for nearly a quarter-century as he has hasn’t given up on the youngsters.
The Islanders have the 11th youngest team in the NHL this season as the majority of their core has been developed through their system. In 2009, the Islanders had the first overall pick of the National Hockey League Draft. The Islanders would draft a young 18-year old center from Canada by the name of John Tavares. Tavares immediately played for the Islanders and he has led the club in points in three of the last four seasons and he is also the current team captain. The Islanders have a pair of alternate captains in center Frans Nielsen and right winger Kyle Okposo. Okposo is currently leading the Islanders in points (29) and assists (21). Center Brock Nelson was the Islanders first round selection in 2010 and this season he is currently leading the team in goals with 14. Goalie Jaroslov Halak was acquired from the Washington Capitals last May and this season his 2.24 goals allowed average is ninth in the NHL. This month Halak has only allowed more than two goals in a game twice as the successful teams in the NHL have a dominant player between the pipes.
The Islanders commenced this season by winning their first four games including a 6-3 win over the rival Rangers at Madison Square Garden which allowed them to set the tone. After losing the first two games of a five-game, West Coast road trip that began in late October, the Isles won their last three of thee trip that included victories over the Anaheim Ducks and the defending Stanley Cup Champion Los Angeles Kings. For the month of November, the Islanders would only lose three games and over that stretch they were also able to record a pair of victory over the Penguins on consecutive nights. And after suffering a three-game losing streak earlier this month, the Islanders got right back on the saddle by winning their next four.
The Islanders have shown that they can hang with the best teams in the NHL and it is up to Snow and Capuano to not mess up the team’s chemistry. In year’s past the Islanders front office would make a roster move that would see the team malfunction. But this current Islanders team has tremendous cohesion and they are also receiving tremendous support from their fans in Nassau County. The Isles home attendance at the Nassau Coliseum is up from last season which is dually attributed to their improved play and a nostalgic fan base that is not ready to see them depart for Brooklyn. But when the Isles rose to prominence in the late 1970’s, it was mainly homegrown talent that featured players such as center Bryan Trottier and right winger Mike Bossy that would help to form a dynasty in Uniondale. Now the law firm of Taveres, Nielsen, Okposo, and Nelson have the people believing in the Islanders during their swan song on Long Island as those that are old enough to remember are reminiscing of the glory days at the Nassau Coliseum.
Source: Quanthockey.com, Hockeyattendance.com, Hockey-reference.com
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