Where were these efforts hiding in late January through early March when the Isles were busy falling out of the playoff hunt during a 3-12-1 stretch? That’s the question Islander fans are left to ponder as this recent 7-3-2 streak has the team playing the best hockey they’ve played all year. Unfortunately, it’s just a bit too little, too late.
Perhaps no one in the organization deserves more credit for the recent surge than assistant coach Dean Chynoweth, responsible for the defense, who has deftly handled what could have been a disaster on the Isles’ blue line. With veteran Brendan Witt being sent down to the Bridgeport, Andy Sutton traded, and regulars Jack Hillen, Andy MacDonald and Bruno Gervais all missing time with injuries recently, a recipe for disaster was surely brewing.
However, under Chynoweth’s tutelage, the team has not only held together defensively—they have flourished. Dustin Kohn filled in admirably before he too went down to an injury and recent call-ups Dylan Reese and Mark Flood have acquitted themselves well, though Flood has had the tougher time of the two. Reese is a surprising +6 and is averaging 14:38 of ice time in his 15 games this season and looks significantly more comfortable with each passing shift. The 25-year-old was a seventh-round pick of the Rangers back in 2007.
Add to this the fact Freddy Myer is enjoying a renaissance and has added an entirely new dimension to his game. Always a solid puck mover, the veteran has become a much needed physical force and credits Chynoweth with helping him transform his game. At 5-feet-10-inches and 195 lbs., what Meyer lacks in size he is more than making up for in smarts and grit. The additional ice time has also lifted his confidence to new levels as well.
You have to figure that Myer is officially on the team’s radar for next season.
And speaking of efforts that have been in hiding…if the Isles can ever get any kind of consistency out of both Frans Nielsen and Sean Bergenheim it would be a huge boost to the entire line-up up front. The pair have been flying of late and are leaving most fans wondering where they’ve been all season. That’s particularly true with Nielsen, who has nights where he dazzles—but far too many where you wonder if he’s even dressed.
The other forward that has to have the organization drooling of late is Blake Comeau, who simply looks like a completely different player from the one that opened the season. His puck smarts and willingness to throw his body around have been on display for weeks now and the slick little chemistry he’s developing with the rejuvenated John Tavares is exciting fodder for next season.
As for Tavares, this late season resurgence surely has GM Garth Snow breathing a sigh of relief as the 19-year-old rookie has emerged from his mid-season lethargy and is finishing his rookie season strong.
“I’m playing with a lot more confidence lately,” the first overall pick explained after Saturday’s win against Ottawa in which he had a goal and an assist, bringing his season totals to a team-leading 22-27-49. “I love playing with Blake. We’re both playing with that confidence right now. As a team we feel like we can beat any team we play right now.”
The Isles are hoping to bottle that thought and uncork it again later this fall.
Though still not the most physical bunch in the NHL, this Islanders team is at its best when it is physical by committee. When every forward spends time banging bodies in the offensive zone in Gordon’s “overspeed” system, it has compensated for their overall lack of size. On the nights they get away from this, they are often overmatched and struggle offensively. However, adding some size up front will be a major priority this summer.