Islanders Half-Year Review

Right Wing: Richard Park, Age: 33
Another player who’s work ethic every night is a marvel, Park is the perfect role player. Terrific penalty killer, solid defensively and can chip in with the occasional goal. That the 33-year-old is -19 has had us scratching our heads for weeks—he contributes every night.
Grade: B

Defenseman: Bruno Gervais, Age: 25
While there’s nothing glaringly bad about Gervais’ game, it hasn’t exactly progressed much the last few seasons either. Seems to get beat wide quite often and doesn’t play with much snarl.
Grade: C

Defenseman: Jack Hillen, Age: 23
The 23-year-old has developed into a solid puck carrier and his +6 rating leads the team’s defense. Again, at 5-foot-11-inches and 200 lbs., he doesn’t have the size the club is looking for on the blue line, but has been sound in his own end and the offensive skills he shows every night have been impressive.
Grade: B

Defenseman: Andrew MacDonald, Age: 23
Has filled in admirably since his call-up from Bridgeport back in November. Has shown he can handle the puck well and hasn’t embarrassed himself defensively (+5). His 18 games played don’t present a large body of work but certainly enough to warrant a passing grade.
Grade: B

Defenseman: Radek Martinek, Age: 33
What a shame that all this guy seems to do every season is get hurt, because when he’s in the line-up the Isles are a better team.
Grade: Incomplete

Defenseman: Freddy Meyer, Age: 28
Size has always worked against the 5-foot-10-inch, 190 lb. Meyer and on this club it’s working against him once again. A healthy scratch of late, the veteran is now relegated to life as an insurance policy in the event of an injury to another defenseman.
Grade: C

Defenseman: Mark Streit, Age: 32
Perhaps Garth Snow’s shining moment as a GM was signing the free agent Streit prior to last season. As steady as they come, the 31-year-old veteran is smooth as silk with the puck and just as smart without it. Has had few rough nights of late but is still the team’s pillar on the blue line. Needs to step it up a notch in the second half.
Grade: B+

Defenseman: Andy Sutton, Age: 34
Kind of a make or break season for the 34-year-old Sutton after it appeared injuries had derailed his career the last few seasons. Well, you can place this season under the “make” column as Sutton has been a tower of strength and represents the team’s only true physical threat on D every game. A true “crease-clearer” and those open ice hits have been game changers on some nights
Grade: A

Montreal Canadiens' Andrei Markov (79) of Russia, shoots the puck behind New York Islanders' goalie Martin Biron (43) for a first period goal as Canadiens' Mike Cammalleri (13) and Islanders Brendan Witt fall into the net during an NHL hockey game Saturday, Dec. 19, 2009, in Uniondale, N.Y. (AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek)

Defenseman: Brendan Witt, Age: 34
Has struggled under coach Scott Gordon’s system and his team worst -20 is certainly evidence of that. However, for club that lacks serious chops on defense, Witt’s nightly nastiness remains an important part of the team’s make-up. “The Warrior” has certainly lost a step and has had a few woeful nights but his presence in the line-up remains a valuable commodity.
Grade: B-

Goalie: Martin Biron — Age: 32
Okay—at 2-11-2, hard to glow too much about Biron’s play but the 32-year-old netminder has actually played OK. Problem is, the team in front of him simply doesn’t score much on the nights he’s in net (OK, they don’t score much on any night). However, Biron has had a few clunkers and hasn’t exactly been up to stealing any points either.
Grade: C

Goalie: Dwayne Roloson, Age: 40
Couldn’t ask for much more than the 40-year-old has provided. At 15-7-6 with a 2.79 GA, Roloson has clearly emerged as the Isles’ No. 1 goaltender. The former Oiler has stolen at least eight points this year with his acrobatics and the 58-save performance in Toronto was one for the ages.
Grade: A

Goalie: Rick DiPietro, Age: 28
The Sultan of Surgery appears to finally be on the mend though the jury remains out on whether or not we’ll ever see the goalie this guy could have been.
Grade: Incomplete

Coach: Scott Gordon
Has really flown under the New York sports radar since taking over—and that’s about right as he essentially inherited a mess. Low-key approach has worked with one of the youngest teams in the NHL. His “overspeed” system still seems to have more bad nights than good but the lack of any veteran presence up front has to have made the transition a tough one. The true test for Gordon will come next year when expectations will be considerably higher than they have been to date.
Grade: B

General Manager: Garth Snow
Okay, this guy may have landed the job in an unusual manner a few years ago but perhaps promoting your old back-up goalie to the GM position can actually work out. Scored big with the free agent signing of Mark Streit and the organization has smartly stockpiled draft picks the last couple of seasons on Snow’s watch so there is finally a decent young talent pool to dip into. For the first time in a long time they are actually building something with a future on Long Island….even if it doesn’t have the word “Lighthouse” in front of it.
Grade: B