So the Islanders first choice for a forward to start off the 2012 free agency was Brad Boyes. Brad Boyes? Really?! Why not just resign P.A Parenteau? Why Boyes when Alexander Semin was still available?!! I’ll give you four reasons: One, the ongoing reality is that the Islanders are still developing the franchise and don’t want another four to five year, big money free agent contract at that right wing position when Brad Boyes can put up decent numbers at a fraction of the cost. Second, he’s a short term fix.  You’re looking at a player who is only under contract for a year. If Boyes gets put on that first line with Tavares and Moulson, I think Islanders fans are going to witness something special.

Third, Boyes isn’t really replacing Parenteau’s numbers. That’s why the Isles traded for Lubomir Visnovsky. Take a look at Visnovsky and his numbers here. He’s a powerplay guy, and can produce similar numbers to Parenteau. But the Islanders now have two scoring defensemen in Mark Streit and Visnovsky which will improve the powerplay. Look for both to improve on their own numbers from last year which should take care of Parenteau’s scoring past. If that doesn’t, Boyes can also score on the power play. Thirty percent of his goals have been from the PP.

But here’s the fourth and most important point. It will essentially keep Nino Niederreiter in the minors, at least the beginning of the season, where he belongs. For now I would say at least the first ten games. Fans don’t get me wrong; I think El Nino will be an Islander full time, just doesn’t have to be now. The Islanders are close to rebuilt in terms of prospects, but unless you’re going to think like “Mad Mike Milbury” and trade them away before they are developed, I’d rather take my chances and see what this team has first then lose in the first round of the playoffs and think “What if?” Yes, the Isles have talent, but it’s unproven. Let them earn there way to the big club first and show what they are capable of  before they either play for the Islanders or get traded.

Brad Boyes will be a positive stop-gap until Niederreiter is ready for an NHL spot. That’s all he is fans. I’ll go on record now and say if Boyes scores 10-15 goals before Christmas, don’t be surprised if he’s resigned for one more year by the Islanders, just like Parenteau did two years ago. He could be that good on the ice as well as a positive in the dressing room. He’s a low risk high reward just like Moulson and Grabner were so give him a shot.  But If Nino is ready for the NHL after this season, then the Isles will have another core player that this team is still trying to build.

I preface the following post with a full confession.  I was not a humongous fan of P.A. Parenteau at the beginning of the ’11-’12 campaign.    In fact, I was one of his biggest detractors for reasons pretty similar to, the now extremely rare, non-P.A. supporter->  Costly turnovers in the neutral zone and the maddening poorly timed, possibly momentum killing, penalty that he is apt to take from time to time.  Was it me, or did he seem lackadaisical at times in ’10-’11?  From my amateur vantage point, it appeared P.A. lacked . . . shall I say . . . fundamentals.

Feb. 24, 2012; Uniondale, NY, USA; New York Islanders right wing P.A. Parenteau (15) celebrates after his goal against the New York Rangers during the game at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

But then came ’11-’12 and I got to know P.A.   I came to understand P.A.  I grew to respect and even like P.A.  No, we don’t hang out.  Never met him in fact, but he sure as hell seems like a nice enough guy (and that’s part of why I’m a fan of P.A’s now), and I also happen to have a lot of feelings . . . like the misunderstood loner girl in Mean Girls.  So random.

Parenteau, with much of his ice-time spent with Tavares and Moulson on the first line, posted some impressive numbers in the ’11-’12 campaign.  80 games played with 18 goals and 49 assists for a career best 67 points.  Go P.A. go P.A. go.   One drawback to P.A.’s stats was the -8 that he posted for the season; a career worst.  Given the Isles defense (and I use the term defense loosely) this past season, he gets a pass on the -8.  Sure, there were some bad nights when you could argue he cost the team.  1/23/12 infuriating play with a -3  in a loss to TOR and the 3/10/12 boarding penalty in a 2-1 loss to NJD.  But there were so many good nights . . . .

. . . . Nights when he was just so damn good and, not only complementary to JT and MM, but a standout player.  The 2/24/12 game against the Rangers comes to mind when he had two goals (In the face! IN THE FACE!) to lead the Isles to a 4-3 SO win.  By the way, he is a beast against his former team, yea?   7G / 9A career vs. NYR.  Yea.

So you say, “well, I could play on Tavares line and pot 20 goals”.  Well, la de freakin’ da.  How about the 11/5/11 win over the Caps when he was lined up with the Great Dane and Brian Rolston?  Let’s look at that little ditty.  Well, that line owned the joint that night with 7 points combined.  Shoot, Rolston even scored a goal.  You know the Isles came from behind that night . . . down 2-0?  Guess who had the game winner?  Yup.  P. to the frickin’ A.  Dare we say P.A. is clutch?

So, I think I not only made my argument for P.A. Parenteau earning an A- for the ’11-’12 Eyes on Isles player review, but I may have bumped up P.A’s next contract by a mil per season.  Which leads us right into . . .

P.A. rhymes with UFA, which unfortunately for Islanders fans, he is.  And although he stated he wants to remain an Islander, he could see some wacko and silly money being thrown his way beginning July 1.  I originally thought that $4 million at 4 years would keep P.A. here, but now I’m a little worried.   David Jones (who?) recently re-upped with the Avs for $4 million over 4.   His numbers last year?  20 G, 17 A, 37 P, -8.  Alrighty then, so what it’s going to come down to is whether or not Charles Wang is going to want to pony up and pay Parenteau somewhere around $4.5 million per season for 3-4 years.  C’mon Charles, do the right thing.