Moments like these may be few and far between for John Tavares and this year's Islanders.
The Islanders will miss Konopka's presence in the lineup and in the faceoff circle.
Matt Moulson, LW: Plays a lot with Tavares, and will form a number one line with him and P.A. Parenteau. If Tavares takes the next step, expect him to carry both of these players, but the stealthy Moulson might hit 40 goals after two straight 30 goal seasons. Might be around late.
P.A. Parenteau, C/RW: Another Islander who might have a bit of a breakout season in the 60 point range if all goes well. Like Moulson, don't waste a high pick on Parenteau as he might even be available as a free agent after the draft. If the line starts hot, pick him up.
The heads up play of Dane, Frans Nielsen, will make him a coach's favourite for a long time.
Frans Nielsen, C: Have a look at Frans Nielsen in deeper pools. This guy gives you plenty of short handed goals (7 last year) and plays a + game on the defensive end. If he played a full season last year he might have cracked 50. That's not bad at all for a depth centre who is still finding his game.
Evgeni Nabokov, G: The Rick DiPietro experiment might be drawing to a close. The veteran goalie, formerly of the Sharks will receive a long look at the number one spot, and might just be a difference maker on Long Island, if all goes well. Reports indicate he's showing up for training camp after spending a season in Russia. This guy has done nothing but win at the NHL level. Take a flyer on him in the later rounds. He could have a Roloson type season where he gets a lot of work early on and looks good enough for a better team to trade for him. If you already have two starters and nothing looks good while Nabby is available, take him for insurance.
Rick Dipietro found all manners of methods to injure himself last season.
Rick DiPietro, G: He is done. Don't even consider him even if he plays out of his skull for 20 consecutive games. He just can't stay healthy and needs to prove he can handle the rigours of a full season. I don't understand why this guy was signed for such a stupid contract. Avoid at all costs.
Michael Grabner, RW: Be very careful about taking this player too high in your draft. He is capable of scoring, but he is just as likely to fall into the coach's doghouse for a lack of defensive effort now on a team with veterans like Rolston, Nabokov and Marty Reasoner. If you get him 7th round or beyond, then that's not a bad place.
Ryan Strome, C: I generally advise against picking rookies unless their name is Stamkos, Crosby, Malkin or Ovechkin and in this case it's no different. NHL rookies, even with solid minutes, have tended to be a bit disappointing, so let Strome develop on someone else's roster. They should have taken Couturier at the #4 spot anyway.
HP says: It looks as though the Islanders are content to go with another season with AHL defenders on the back end and big expectations for their front two lines. Now that they lost their only capable defender in Radek Martinek, and their only true faceoff winner in goon/faceoff man Zenon Konopka, things are going to get difficult for the goaltenders and back end on Long Island. The team will be plagued with bad giveaways and talk of the team moving all season long, which will either galvanize the team or cause them no end of grief.
Nabokov will slowly but surely steal the job away from DiPietro, be traded to Detroit, after which the Islanders will suffer with DiPietro again.
My thoughts here are that New York will likely have some nice offensive players this season, and some veterans up front will help out with the checking, but there will be too many good teams rolling over the Islanders all season for them to compete for a playoff spot. Another lottery season, and potential to be the worst team in the league, despite some good early season play from Nabokov. Perhaps a stacked 2012 draft offers some hope for the Isles, but this season I'm afraid is a write-off. Dead last in the Eastern conference for the Isles barring a miracle.
EH says: What?!? Nabokov is with the Islanders? Son of a…there goes my prediction for Florida Panthers. Sorry Panthers, with Islanders beating you to the punch, you will no longer make it to the post season. Might as well play for the lottery, I hear through the grapevine that the 2012 draft will have a strong crop of players.
Mark Twain says: Climate is what we expect, weather is what we get.