New York Islanders

Mending a dressing room torn by discord is imperative for a team that has playoff talent

By Michael Farber

Islanders Team Page | Predicted Finish: 18

Alexei Yashin Ed Betz/AP SI RANKING (1 best - 30 worst) OFFENSE 16 DEFENSE 8 GOALTENDING 23 POWER PLAY 20 PENALTY KILLING 14 G.M. AND COACH 29

After a season that degenerated into a miasma of backbiting, finger-pointing and dressing-room lawyering, the Islanders -- the NHL version of Murmurer's Row -- hope the team that flayed together can play together. In end-of-season self-evaluations, players agreed that their on-ice discipline, conditioning and motivation were average or below last season. In addition, so many of them sandbagged coach Peter Laviolette in exit interviews with G.M. Mike Milbury that Laviolette was fired. The impetuous Milbury then hired Steve Stirling, a 53-year-old longtime college coach with no NHL experience who has a lighter touch than Laviolette. A coaching change, however, will hardly matter unless the Islanders, who were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, adjust their attitudes -- notably toward star center Alexei Yashin.

A 10-year veteran who earns nearly $9 million per season, Yashin often has been an island unto himself. Last season his teammates marooned him. He had but 26 goals and 65 points, career lows for a season in which he played at least 48 games. "Yash was a guy who took a lot of criticism publicly and privately," says captain Michael Peca, who was hampered by a torn knee ligament and did not score a goal in the final 20 regular-season and five playoff games. "We were all guilty of worrying too much about Alex's game and not trying to find ways to help him. Rather than being like talk-show critics and making the situation worse, we should have been better teammates."

New York needs an inspired Yashin and a healthy Peca to go further in the playoffs. A mobile, deep group of defensemen, featuring Roman Hamrlik and Janne Niinimaa, should take some pressure off the odd-couple goalies, the wry Garth Snow and the ebullient Rick DiPietro. The 22-year-old DiPietro is a star-in-waiting, but he must relax and improve technically before he supplants the usually dependable 34-year-old Snow.

So, Islanders, who do you like, DiPietro or Snow? Discuss it among yourselves. Nicely.

Insider

Despite his low profile, rookie coach Steve Stirling, 53, is not a neophyte -- he's been behind a bench for more than 20 years. But he'll have to crack the whip on this bunch, and that's not his strong suit.... G Rick DiPietro will get the first shot at winning the No. 1 job. He's a gambler who can be a special player.... The Islanders are stacked on D, but they'll miss departed assistant Jacques Laperriere. He did an excellent job helping Adrian Aucoin and Roman Hamrlik become more consistent.

Issue date: October 13, 2003