May 11, 2013; Uniondale, NY, USA; New York Islanders goalie Evgeni Nabokov (20) leaves the ice following the overtime period of game six of the first round of the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The Penguins won the game 4-3 and won the series 4-2. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK, NY–Now that the Islanders’ season is over, couch GMs have returned to their computers to call for action and collectively speculate  upon the possibilities for the 2013-14 roster. The following is basically a summary of what I’ve read since the Islanders were eliminated just over one week ago:

• John Tavares needs a top-line winger, and it better be Bobby Ryan or Thomas Vanek
• The Isles are “in need of a top-pairing defenseman, and if it doesn’t happen, fire Snow”
• Goaltending a top priority because Evgeni Nabokov couldn’t handle the Pittsburgh Penguins

I’m not going to disagree: I think a top-line winger, a top-pairing defenseman, and goaltending are all needs the Islanders will have to address in the near future, but I don’t expect all of these to occur simultaneously, and within a given season.

THE BREAKDOWN

The Islanders need an established top-line winger to play alongside Tavares, something the team hasn’t had since Tavares was drafted in 2009. Brad Boyes will be replaced if he is commanding anything near what PA Parenteau commanded in 2012, and even if he returns, Boyes is an answer, but not the answer.

The team also needs a top-pairing defenseman, something for which the Isles have searched since the start of their rebuild. Travis Hamonic and Andrew MacDonald play top minutes, but it wasn’t the best-case scenario regardless of how well they played down the stretch. And with Mark Streit most likely headed off the Island, the team will have to scramble to replace their most productive defenseman, who averaged the second highest ice time during the 2013 regular season.

But that which is truly needed here is goaltending; and to make matters even more intriguing Evgeni Nabokov wants to stay on Long Island [irony meet Evgeni; Evgeni, irony]. Some of Nabby’s critics pawn him off as nothing short of a short-term solution to a pressing issue–a flimsy band-aid for an otherwise nasty gash.

But let’s take a step back shall we? If for but one moment:

As the Islanders starter for the past season and a half, Nabokov has played an integral part in helping his team turn the corner. Nabby’s record as a member of the Islanders is 42-29-15. During both of his seasons with New York, Nabokov has posted records over NHL-.500, which is the first time an Islanders’ goalie has done that since Rick DiPietro did so back-to-back-to-back seasons from 2003-04 to 2006-07. That’s quite impressive, considering Nabokov took over a club that finished as a lottery team in 2012.

And for everybody ready to dismiss Nabby as an NHL starter, I say it’s difficult to ignore his resume. Nabby has accumulated 335 wins over his 12-year career, and has posted a record of 335-207-29(ties)-61 over 646 career games. Should the Islanders really risk losing, arguably, their most accomplished player on the roster?

Yes, I get it. We all want Jonathan Bernier. Just because the Isles can trade Kevin Poulin, Brad Boyes, and a 2^nd-round pick in NHL 13 for Bernier (yes, it happened) doesn’t mean GM Dean Lombardi is going to say “THAT’S A GREAT DEAL” if Garth Snow comes a-calling. What happens if that deal cannot get done, because there’s a very good chance that it will not? Have you seen what else is out there?

• Niklas Backstrom may be available, but he’s currently 35 years of age
• Nikolai Khabibulin isn’t the same goalie from ten years ago
• Mike Smith is no guarantee
• Ray Emery played well, but is it a product of the Chicago Blackhawks system?
• Anton Khudobin is a project
• Dan Ellis has problems (#DanEllisProblems).

The Islanders’ AHL goalies aren’t quite ripe yet, either. Sure, if Kevin Poulin or Anders Nilsson are given the back-up job, I think they should play 25 to 30 games this season. They still aren’t ready to be handed the starting job. I say, make them earn it.

Look:  Evgeni Nabokov wasn’t spectacular if you look at the 2013 season as a whole, but he was so down the stretch. Without his stellar play in March and April, the Isles were not talking hockey in May; rather, they would be talking draft party. Nabokov is a proven NHL starting goalie. Those don’t grow on trees, and it’s not necessarily something you just want to throw away.

I say bring Nabby back on a one-year deal, unless Garth can make that one deal?

But what do you think, Isles fans? Is goaltending THE top priority this summer?

-CT

A picture of what the new Nassau Coliseum would look like if Bruce Ratner’s proposal is accepted. Photo Credit to SHoP Architects

Uniondale, N.Y.-Stop me if you have heard his one before.  The New York Islanders are doing something that is unprecedented in the NHL. No no, they are not moving their TV broadcasts to a public access channel, and they did not sign Evgeni Nabokov to a 15 year extension. No, this one is actually a lot more interesting.

By now, most people have heard of the different proposals that have been laid out to replace the aging, yet graceful gray lady known as the Nassau Coliseum.  Of the 4 proposals that were presented to Nassau County May 2nd, two stand out above the rest.  Yes there were 4 proposals, but let’s face it, the 2 proposals, from MSG and from Bruce Ratner, are the only ones that really matter.

The first proposal is from our friends at Madison Square Garden. The company that treats the Islanders like the sibling they never wanted proposed that the arena be cut to 14,500 seats. The good news? Sports would still be played in the downsized arena! The bad news? It would be The New York Liberty, The New York Knicks D-League team and a New York Rangers AHL team. Ah yes, that’s JUST what Long Island was waiting for! Refurbish the New York Islanders home for 42 years with an AHL team of their fiercest rival. Makes sense to me.

The proposal is not all bad. They do offer to create something called “Long Island Live”, which would be 150,000 square feet of high end retail and restaurants with famous chefs. A real feature point for Long Island.  Sounds familiar right? Where have I heard that before? OH I remember now! THE LIGHTHOUSE PROJECT!

Then, we have what is perhaps the most interesting of all. This is the proposal from Bruce Ratner and the Barclays team. Their “dream team” includes Jay-Z,  Nets Owner Mikhail Prokhorov, and a company called Legend, which is  an entertainment and concession company owned by the Yankees and Dallas Cowboys and fronted by former MSG President Dave Checketts.

Their proposal would be to turn the aging Coliseum into a 13,000 seat arena.  There would  be 1 pre-season Nets game, 38 minor-league hockey games, and 50 concerts. The proposal also includes a large movie theater, an outdoor amphitheater and 50,000 sq feet of retail space. Again, nothing new. We have heard this all before.

Here comes the “unprecedented” part of the proposal. In addition to the aforementioned events, the Islanders would still play 4 regular season games at the “NEW” Nassau Coliseum.  They would play 6 games a year there in total. This has never been done before and according to an NHL official is “unprecedented”. No NHL team has ever played home games in 2 different markets. Slam dunk right? Great idea! Not so fast. This would not just be something the Isles could just say they want and then make it happen. Like Long Island, the NHL has a series of hoops you must jump through before something like this could happen.

First step would be to get it approved by the league. I am guessing this is going to be tough. The league isn’t going to be thrilled with something unorthodox. But, if they can explain to the league how important it would be for the team to hang on to its Long Island fan base, and how it would probably improve ticket sales, it would definitely help their case.  It’s not like it’s that far from Brooklyn and would cause any undo headaches for visiting teams. The Marriott next door to the Coliseum is still standing, and still will be standing in 2015. Oh yeah, it’s also owned by a man you may have heard of, a Mr. Charles Wang.

Here’s where it gets tricky. There’s a team who plays a few miles to the west named the New York Rangers, although we have all had a few other choice names for them over the years, they are still officially known as the Rangers. When the Islanders were awarded a franchise on Dec 31, 1971, they had to pay the Rangers a $4 million fee for impinging on their territorial rights. You see, when the Isles came along the Rangers were told that they own the territory for 50 miles around their home in midtown Manhattan. Because of that agreement, and the fact that it was never amended to include the Isles or Devils existence, we have a teensy problem with playing games in a 2nd arena. Technically, the Rangers had to approve the Isles move to Brooklyn, and predictably they didn’t put up a fight. But you combine what would be a  losing bid for the site with more press for your rivals and the Rangers may not be so keen on letting the Islanders come back home. According to NHL rules, not only can the Rangers object, but any other team who believes that its unfair, has every right to block the Isles from playing roughly 10% of their home schedule back on the Isle.

Some people have complained about the spaceship/futuristic look of the arena in the Ratner proposal. Guess what? Who cares?! Would they still play games here if they chose this proposal? Yes? Fine.  I am less concerned about the retail space, the movie theaters and all the other extraneous things, and more interested in the 6 games back on Long Island.

The most concerning thing to me would be the seating. With only about 15,000 seats in Brooklyn and just 13,000 at the New Coliseum, even with 41 sell outs, the Isles would likely have the lowest attendance in the league. This is something that may be concerning to the NHL. We still have a ways to go with these proposals, and anything can change.

Even the Queen Bee herself, Hempstead Town Supervisor, and public enemy #1 to Islanders fans, Kate Murray, said there were no “obvious red flags” in any of the plans. If you recall, Charles Wang was never able to get support from the Hempstead Town Board for his plan. If the “Big Boss Lady” is ok with these plans, it could go a long way towards something new at the Coliseum site.

I happen to think that the whole thing reeks of impropriety. I am not exactly Mr.  Conspiracy Theory, but it’s not breaking news to say that Wang and Murray were at loggerheads over this whole proposal.  They clearly didn’t like each other. Both of the parties wanted to have their cake and eat it too. Wang took his toys and went to Brooklyn, and now Murray wants to show him that she doesn’t need him to have something great on the site.

Seemingly, no matter what proposal is chosen by the powers that be of Nassau County, something interesting will be happening in Uniondale; even after the Isles flee for greener, or more concrete, pastures.

-EB