Grading the Islanders: Tim Jackman

Just as an FYI, we're going through these Islanders report cards in alphabetical order, but we're only doing guys who were regulars on the 2008-09 squad. Next up, then, is Tim Jackman. The purpose is absolutely to get your impressions and opinions on a given player, but each of these posts will have my run-down just to get you jogging your memory.

If you're on the front page of the site, the poll (your numeric report card) shows up before the rest of the post. Click "continue reading this story" (after the poll) for the Jackman stats and verbal run-down...

Tim Jackman

#28 / Right Wing / New York Islanders

Height: 6-4

Weight: 210

Born: Nov 14, 1981

NHL Seasons: 4(ish)

Contract: 1 year at $550k, then a UFA

Preseason View: Another year riding the Bridgport shuttle, or...?

Random Fact: It's easily forgotten, but this is actually Jackman's fourth NHL team. He played a total of 32 NHL games with Columbus, Phoenix and Los Angeles between 2003 and 2007.

"This is our concern, Dude" Fact: If you're into advanced stats: Despite his defensive role, at even strength Jackman had the second-lowest performance rating (-.82) among regular Islanders forwards (only Jeff Tambellini was lower at -1.07), despite playing against the weakest quality of competition outside of Dean McAmmond and Jon Sim. (Note: Generally, these ratings are based on tabulating how many 5-on-5 goals per 60 minutes are scored for and against your team while you are on and off the ice, which -- unlike +/- -- helps control for variations in ice time, the quality of your linemates and the quality of the opponents you skate against.)

The Story: Normally I try not to load these evaluative posts with my own bias, but in this case I'll tip my hand (more obviously than usual): I didn't expect much at all from Tim Jackman last season, but in the end I was immensely impressed by him combining a competent fourth-line role and team-high 151 hits with the courage to be the team's de facto enforcer. I actually observed this before I heard Billy Jaffe say it, but Jaffe's late-season remark went something like this: "Does anyone do more with fewer minutes on this team than Tim Jackman?" I'm not sure. Among Islanders forwards not named Mitch or Joel, he by far got the lowest ice time from Scott Gordon.

The Good: Depending on your expectations, 12 points and a slight display of hands in limited opportunity may have been a bonus. For me, it was his willingness to drop the gloves with anyone, at any time, despite not coming into this league as a billed enforcer. There is an element of "anything to keep my job" in this; there is also an element of bad-ass courage and the respect of teammates, given the Islanders lack of a full-time fighter.

The Bad: Absent the valued willingness to step up and defend his teammates, isn't he just a replaceable part? By the same rating system at Behind the Net, his 4-on-5 (penalty kill) performance was far from best among regular Islanders forwards. Frans Nielsen, Kyle Okposo, and even Blake Comeau (among others) rated higher -- though they are undoubtedly better hockey players, so that's no surprise and perhaps unfair.

The Poem:

He wolfs down aggressors like Pac-Man
The fourth-line forward, Tim Jackman
A pinch of PK and such
His ice time ain't much
But teammates are thrilled he's got their back, man.

The Grade: Per usual, this is for you to vote your "grade" (and comment) on how you think Tim Jackman did in 2008-09, relative to your preseason expectations. As mentioned, I sort of tipped my hand because I expected nothing from him. But even if you're in that boat, you may not value what he did as anything but average (or below or above). A 3 is as you expected; you know the rest.