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So when the heated Eastern Conference playoff chase hit the four-day lull known as NHL All-Star Break, I figured now was the perfect opportunity to wade through the ol' Center Isle mailbag and serve up some responses. So, here goes -- a little Islanders Q&A:

1. Hey, Dan. Great job on the blog. My question: Do you think the Islanders will be buyers or sellers at the [Feb. 26] trade deadline? --Joe W., Medford, N.Y.

Thanks, Joe... so kind of you to say. This will definitely be the million-dollar question facing the Isles in the next few weeks. Unless the team goes on a serious losing streak, I can't imagine they'll be sellers. On the flip side, with so many teams in the hunt, it could be tough to land an impact player -- especially if the Isles decide not to ship a first-round pick for a second straight year.

The obvious need is goal scoring, but I'm not sure there will a low-cost option out there who would improve the team enough to make a deal. The playoff races are pretty tight, and it's likely to be a seller's market. Add the fact that last year's Ryan Smyth deal did not prove very fruitful, and I don't think GM Garth Snow will be overly aggressive come late February. (I mean, would a second-tier guy like the Kings' Ladislav Nagy be worth the cost?)

On the off-chance the Isles do hit the skids, they will have some movable commodities. I think center Mike Comrie would be the most likely to be shipped. He leads the team in points and only carries a one-year contract. Ruslan Fedotenko could also prove valuable to other teams. He's got Stanley Cup experience and also has a one-year deal.

I don't think Snow would hesitate to move the up-and-down Josef Vasicek and his one-year contract, but I can't imagine there'd be much interest. Bill Guerin might invoke some offers, but his deal is for two years and that could really send a bad signal to the rest of the players if the captain is dealt.

2. Did Rick DiPietro really deserve his All-Star selection? He's been a bit up and down, and I really don't think this has been a career season for him. --Jimmy H., Malvern, N.Y.

I tend to agree with you. His numbers (.911 save percentage; 2.57 GAA) don't exactly jump off the page. He has been brilliant at times, but not altogether consistent. But in terms of value to his team, is there a more important player in the NHL?

Honestly, I'm not sure there's an obvious choice that would've been better than Ricky. Of the Eastern Conference goalies with a better save percentage, Montreal's Cristobal Huet, Philly's Martin Biron and Ottawa's Martin Gerber all have substantially fewer starts than DiPietro's 44. Henrik Lunqvist and Ryan Miller have comparable stats, but neither really has a legitimate leg up to make a serious case.

3. I'm a big Chris Campoli fan. How much does his [season-ending] injury hurt the team? --Mike M., Guilford, CT

I don't think it will hold the Islanders back from making a playoff push, but it does put a lot of pressure on the other top defensemen to play extra minutes and stay healthy. I mean, another injury to the fragile Radek Martinek or the fearless Brendan Witt could spell doom.

I also think the already-struggling power play will take a hit. Besides being toward the top in plus-minus, Campoli was second on the team in power-play assists.

4. Let's go Rangers!!!!! --Vito F., Staten Island

OK, now how did that get in there....

5. I know Ricky is our best and most valuable player. But I'd like to see Wade Dubielewicz get more starts. What do you think? --Chris M., Hauppauge, N.Y.

Actually, I couldn't agree more. Besides the fact that Wade has put up decent numbers, starting him at least once every couple weeks would help keep DiPietro fresh down the stretch and reduce the chance of another late-season injury.

Of course, the team will only go as far as DiPietro takes them, but he's been banged up and sitting him occasionally could help keep him sharp.

6. Where would the Islanders be without Richard Park this year? --Rich P., Massapequa, N.Y.

Another good question. For starters, they definitely wouldn't have the sixth best penalty kill in the league. That aside, he's also been the team's most consistent performer and sets a good example for the rest of the team. I think being able to reward an effort player like Park with a promotion to the top line and significant power-play minutes sends the right message to the rest of the team.

You'd have a difficult time finding any NHLer who plays harder than Park. Kudos to ownership for the signing this team guy to an extension back in October.

7. What's the deal with Trent Hunter? I mean, seven goals over 50 games. What happened to this guy? --Scott W., Lynbrook, N.Y.

He has been disappointing, but I hesitate to get too down on him. He's second in the NHL in hits, crashes the net well and does have some skill. I think we probably have to lower our expectations a bit and view this guy as more of a steady third-line player, not a future star.

8. There's been so much hype around Kyle Okposo. Any chance he'll live up to expectations? --Bill M., Hicksville, N.Y.

I watched a bit of the IIHF Under-20 tournament and it was hard not to feel optimistic. My initial impression was of a big kid who thinks pass first.

And this impression seems to be playing out at Bridgeport, where Okposo has two goals and seven assists in nine games. He averaged about a point per game in the tournament, and he's doing the same in his brief time at the AHL level. Now, whether he sees the NHL this season is a different story.

Thanks everyone for the questions, and don't forget to visit the Center Isle message board.