Thanks Hradek. I guess. I prefer the team gets little respect from the pr*j*c*t*rs because the surprise is so much sweeter when these people look foolish.

EJ has it right. They are still extremely young and will compete, but they have way too many questions to say they will definitely make the playoffs.
I don’t like the idea of them being one of the ten teams that will definitely be shut out, because that way of thinking by the hockey media is just lazy. This team pr*j*cts to a 7-10th place finish in the conference. Their high end is probably depends more on the quality of play of their division foes than it does their own.
Questions:
1. (I will lump these together) Health of returning defensemen. Streit, MacDonald, Eaton (and even Mottau) should play a role if this is going to be a playoff team. Streit, MacDonald and Eaton will have to play big minutes for them to see the 7th spot… or they will need premature contributions from deHaan or Donovan.
2. Is Kyle Okposo ready to step up to the next level. The 7th pick of the 2006 draft is now 13th among those draftees in scoring. He is 14th in goals. Those are respectable numbers amongst his peers, but he needs to be a bigger factor on the team. I expect that he may find a more defensive role this year, going back to being one of hte main PKers, and maybe even dropping off the PP until he can show more NET PRESENSE. He is also coming off an injury shortened season. If Kyle has a breakout season with his new linemates he could add to a very strong lineup.
3. Matt Moulson. Will his magic mirror finally break? Some of us said this last year, and he came through like a champ. But if you don’t improve your competition will surpass you. Tavares has some upside, but if Parentau remains on the RW on the first line they will be shut down more often. This is not a knock on Matty, but teams are going to start beating up on that line again unless there is somebody on the ice to protect them. That somebody needs to be a redefined KO (our new Tonelli?), Matt Martin(not sure he’s ready for that job FT, but definitely PT), or eventually Nino(and that’s why the “not yet” is there).
4. Maybe the biggest question…. GOALTENDING. This community has talked about it since 2008. They need a #1 goaltender. They’ll have 3 candidates in camp, and maybe one or two more as the season progresses… but any team that is looking to their number 5 before the season starts as a potential #1 has HUGE question marks in the crease.
5. Coaching staff. I’m a big fan of THE CAP, but he has yet to run the gauntlet. I think he will do just fine. He did take a team in dire need of a change and turn them around last year. But now he’ll need to keep that team focused and motivated without such drastic change being available. He’ll have a few tools that his predecessors haven’t had in a decade. Those include DEPTH, YOUTH, and a team that has already shown they will stand up for each other.
Whether they make the playoffs or not this should be a great year to be an Islander fan! I’m looking forward to some very entertaining hockey.

He’s really out there on this one. Tavares, Okposo and Grabner “not ready” to “step up for a playoff run”? Huh? These guys have already shown what they can do.

If the Islanders don’t make the playoffs it’ll be because their defense and goaltending don’t improve. It won’t be because JT, Okposo and Grabner are “not ready.”