Islanders Youth Making a Point

In a season riddled with injury and disappointment the Islanders organization has had to look to the team's minor-league affiliate - the Bridgeport Sound Tigers for players to fill vacant roster spots previously occupied by proven NHL players.

Mike Halmo, Anders Lee, Brock Nelson, Ryan Strome, Johan Sundstrom, Calvin De Haan, Matt Donovan, and Anders Nilsson have all seen time in the AHL this season; with some having more extensive stints than others. Then there's Kevin Czuczman, who the Islanders signed this past week, after he completed his junior year at Lake Superior State. The 23 year old made his NHL debut Tuesday against Minnesota.

But, many of the youth have made a case to remain with the big club permanently, for next season. Since being called up on February 24th, Anders Lee has six goals in ten games played, he also has four assists, which lift his points total to an even ten. In the absence of John Tavares, Lee has seen extensive time on the team's top line, a spot which the Edina, Minnesota native has earned, from his on ice efforts.

Ryan Strome is on his second NHL tour of the season. Before being sent to Bridgeport for the Olympic break, the former number five overall draft pick had one goal and three assists, in a 15 game stint with the Islanders. Since being recalled in late February, Strome has tallied three goals and three assists, while playing consistently on the Islanders third line. But, stats aren't everything. The 20 year old from Mississauga, Ontario has shown that has the hockey IQ to succeed at a high level in the NHL.

Although a laundry list of Islanders forwards have seen their share of injury, the Islanders blue line has had players shuffled in and out all season long, due to injury and performance. One player who was called up and never looked back is Calvin De Haan. Since taking Matt Donovan's roster spot on November 28th, De Haan has impressed many, enough to appear in in fourty-four games this season.

It was unclear as to how long De Haan would last at the NHL level, due to concern about shoulder injuries, which the 6'1" d-man has seen twice, which both required major surgery. Staying healthy has made the 2009 12th overall pick one of the more reliable men on the Islanders point, which has been decimated this season.

All of the Islanders youth look to continue to prove that they belong in the NHL. With 12 games to play in the season, some of the players have something to play for.

Moulson Impresses In Return to Long Island

Entering Tuesday night's match against the Minnesota Wild, many fans were wondering whether the Islanders organization would have a video tribute dedicated to Matt Moulson-who was playing in his first game at Nassau Coliseum, since being traded on October 27th.

Moulson would receive a shout-out on the public address system and a picture collage on the video board.

Fans stood and cheered for Moulson, many of them sporting their #26 Islanders jerseys.

But Moulson would have his own "welcome home" bash.

At 12:23 of the first period he put home his 19th goal of the season. He would even score his second of the game and 20th of the season with 3:20 to play in the third period, to cap off a 6-0 Wild victory.

The few remaining fans in the building began periodically chanting "We want Moulson," as the final minutes ticked off the clock in the third period.

Nino Niederreiter, who was acquired from the Islanders on draft day, also made his return to Nassau last night. Many fans booed him, numerous times, as he touched the puck.

Nino picked up an assist and almost had a goal of his own, when he picked up a loose puck in the neutral zone, and powered ahead on a breakaway. In what was still a reachable deficit, Anders Nilsson stood tall to stone the 21 year old Swiss forward.

On the other hand, the Islanders put pressure on Wild goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov, but to not luck. The 6'3" netminder made an impressive 36 saves to preserve a 6-0 shutout.

The Islanders will look to have a bounce back performance when they host the Blue Jackets in a matinee affair on Sunday. Colombus had defeated the Islanders in both meetings this season- once in a shutout and once in regulation.

Jack Capuano has not yet indicated who his starter in goal will be.

The Minnesota Wild will prance on into the Nassau Coliseum on Tuesday night for a tilt with the struggling Islanders. 

For most Islanders fans, the real focus of the night will be on Matt Moulson. The 30 year old forward spent four full seasons on Long Island before being dealt to Buffalo on October 27. In an era of Islanders history that didn't see too much of an upside, Moulson provided the fans with something to believe in. 

With his stint starting in 2009, Moulson put together three consecutive thirty plus goal seasons while scoring a career high thirty-six in 2011-2012. Fans took enjoyment seeing Matt Moulson make sensational plays with close friend and line mate John Tavares. 

While Moulson may have burst onto the scene with the Islanders, he is a product of the Los Angeles Kings, who he scored six goals for over the course of twenty-nine games from 2007-2009. But prior to the 2009 season, Islanders General Manager Garth Snow signed the Cornell graduate to a one year deal. After proving he could play at the NHL level and produce, Moulson eventually inked a three-year contract extesion in January of 2011, which would keep him with the Islanders through the conclusion of the 2013-2014 season. 

Entering the final year of his deal, it was unclear whether the Islanders were looking to lock up Moulson for the long run after not having negotiated a contract after the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

"I think me and my wife, we always knew it was a possibility, but I think I believed in my heart that things would work out," Moulson admitted to the NY Daily News.

Of  course he was speaking about the trade that sent him to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for former fifth overall pick Thomas Vanek. 

Moulson played forty-four games for Buffalo but has since moved on, after being the centerpiece of a trade that would land him in Minnesota, in the heat of a playoff race. 

In grand total, the North York, Ontario native has played in sixty games this season for three different clubs, tallying eighteen goals, and currently sits in fourth place of the Western Conference. His former (and more familiar team) the New York Islanders stand in the basement of the Eastern Conference. 

As of right now, it looks like Matt Moulson will go to July 1st for free agency. It isn't clear as to where he'll sign in the summer or if he'll earn top dollar for the numbers he's produced.

But, currently, Matt Moulson will skate on Coliseum ice on Wednesday night, for the first time since being shipped off the island that he came to call his home.