At the suggestion of JP (and I think Webby too), we're going to steal Pension Plan Puppets' idea -- which knowing them they stole from somewhere else -- of converting that "fan confidence poll" on the left margin of the homepage into a weekly thing. (I personally hate weekly polls, hate college polls, and think all polls should be single-event mockeries of Internet democracy. So you know I really love you by agreeing to do this.)

So here's how we're doing it: Vote in that confidence poll according to the following question: How do you like the Islanders' chances of making the playoffs? We'll track the results during the year and ascribe shifts in opinion to events of our choosing, with lots of analytical conjecture sentences that begin like, "This shift in fan confidence comes at a time when Trent Hunter trimmed his beard..."

If you've already voted this week, I apologize -- I didn't know for sure if the poll would re-open today when I changed the settings last night. And if you prefer to vote the old way -- "I like what I watch and I watch what I like and that's Isles fan faith 100%" -- I'm not gonna stop you. This is Internet democracy. Consider each of these posts as fodder to discuss the state of the team, too.

Meanwhile, in case you missed them this week:

• The Nino Decision: garik16 has a great FanPost about how Nino Niederreiter has done so far from the advanced stat point of view. Go hash it out there as we'll know one way or another by the end of this week (barring Bailey '08-esque injury).
• Prospects: In WebBard's prospect roundup, Kaonashi did us all a solid by translating that French David Toews interview in comments. Check out part 1 here, and scroll down further on that post for Parts II and III.
• GameCenter Live: If you read David Hanssen's review of the product, you know why he deserves a referral fee.
  
• Real Standings: In which mikb tallies, and we all discuss, an alternate reality where each NHL game is worth the same.
• Lighthouse Hockey Birthday: We turned two last week, and the guys (minions, staff, underlings, cabin boys) and I thank you all for the cool comments. Party on.