The Islanders are just 10 days away from Opening Night, and the roster is beginning to take shape. What will the 23-man squad look like? SNY's Brian Erni and Andy Graziano discuss...

Andy Graziano, SNY.TV Twitter

Welcome back to another season of Shooting from Point Blank Range, my man. We had lots of fun with this last year, so let's kick this season off by taking a look at the 'almost' final 23-man roster, which needs to be finalized by 5:00 p.m. on October 3. With some cuts already made, and Bridgeport camp underway, you can make some strong assertions of who will make the team and who won't. Any thoughts on how it's shaping up?

Andy Graziano: SNY.TV: 

The New York Islanders missed the Stanley Cup playoffs last season by one point, in large part due to starting the season 6-10-4. The points that teams bank earlier in the season come home to roost when the hockey season hits games Nos. 50, 60, 70 and beyond.

Although the Islanders recorded 58 points over their final 45 games last year, their slow start cost them. Whether the fault belongs to the players, former head coach Jack Capuano, the special teams or another factor, the result -- a spring and summer spent watching other teams battle for perhaps the most prestigious trophy in sports -- is done.

Andy Graziano, SNY.TV Twitter

The summer is over. Fall has arrived and with it, the return of the NHL. Training camps around the league will all be open for business soon, with the first on-ice sessions slated to begin Friday morning.

For the Islanders, it seems every year lately has been 'make or break,' for a variety of reasons. This year, however, the term might never be more accurate as the team looks to re-sign their franchise captain, finally bring some closure to a long, drawn out arena drama and return to the playoffs. The results of those three factors, each under their own cloud of uncertainty, could also decide the future fate of long-tenured general manager Garth Snow, who seems to be running out of time to turn this team into a true contender.

Andy Graziano, SNY.TV Twitter

Brian Erni and I have begun our annual season review, taking a look back at the 2016-17 Islanders and analyzing each player's performance in a down season that saw the team miss the playoffs by one point. 

We will be offering two reviews per week that will take us right through to the beginning of training camp in September. Of course, there are a couple of things to sort out prior, such as free agency and potential trades that could alter the look of this franchise going forward.

The Islanders and Avalanche have not been close to a deal for C Matt Duchene, according to Newsday's Arthur Staple. 

Staple believes that the deal would have been completed if the offer had been closer. Islanders GM Garth Snow had an offer with D Travis Hamonic, the team's 2018 first-round pick, and a prospect on the table. However, Snow would not include 20-year-old center Mathew Barzal in the deal. 

At the June 23 NHL Draft, Avalanche GM Joe Sakic said he didn't like any of the deals offered for Duchene.

Andy Graziano, SNY.TV Twitter

One of the most fluid and insanely unpredictable weeks in recent NHL memory is now over with the conclusion of the 2017 NHL entry draft. Prior to that, we had the Vegas Golden Knights expansion draft, awkwardly held in the middle of an awards gala, and some good old fashioned wheeling-and-dealing.

General managers have now returned home to celebrate their victories, or size up their losses, with five days before unrestricted free agency, which begins this Saturday, July 1.

The Islanders have traded Travis Hamonic to Calgary for multiple draft picks.

The Islanders receive:

• 2018 First Round Pick
• 2018 Second Round Pick
• 2nd Round Pick in 2019 or 2020

The Flames receive:

• Hamonic
• 4th round pick in 2019 or 2020

On the conditions of some of the picks, Bob McKenzie tweets, "If CGY sends NYI a 2nd in 2019, the 4th the Flames get back is also in 2019. If CGY sends 2nd in 2020, the 4th rder they get back is 2020."

Islanders defenseman Travis Hamonic is the 2017 recipient of the NHL's Foundation Player Award, which is presented to a player "who applies the core values of (ice) hockey-commitment, perseverance and teamwork-to enrich the lives of people in his community"

The Islanders are near the top of the list of teams interested in trading for Edmonton's RW Jordan Eberle, according to a report from NHL insider Darren Dreger. 

There are six or seven teams that have interest in acquiring Eberle, according to Dreger, with the Islanders and the Avalanche seeming to be the frontrunners.

"What's the return? Does Edmonton get a winger back, like a third line player and a smaller deal so they can absorb the cap relief in moving Eberle's contract out?" asked Dreger on TSN1260. "Or can they be patient and finally (Islanders GM) Garth Snow goes, 'OK, I need that player just to keep John Tavares happy and keep him in the mix here long-term, so I'm willing to give up on Travis Hamonic.' I think there's a bit of gamesmanship that is happening in this process."

With the Stanley Cup Final in the rear view mirror, all of the soon-to-be 31 NHL teams are prepping for an Expansion and Entry Draft frenzy, and Darren Dreger thinks the Islanders are a team to watch.

Dreger said on Tuesday on Montreal's TSN 690 that the Islanders are one of the most intriguing clubs leading up to the two drafts, and GM Garth Snow does have a preference on what defense man he'd like to hold onto. 

Brian Erni, SNY.TV Twitter | Archive Posts

This probably doesn't come as much of a surprise. De Haan had a splendid year last year, and Hamonic had a down one, so it's better to sell high on Calvin than low on Travis. Plus, Hamonic is an alternate captain and one of the most vocal leaders in the dressing room. I'm sure the Isles would love to hang onto both if they could. I just don't see how they will...

Reports have indicated that the Islanders are in the market for a top-six forward, and blue line mainstay Travis Hamonic could be a player New York deals to make it happen. Will the Isles trade a core piece away to improve up front? SNY's Brian Erni and Andy Graziano discuss...

Brian Erni, SNY.TV Twitter | Archive Posts

There have been some murmurs that the Islanders are getting ready to deal a defensemen to procure a top-six forward, and one name that has popped up is Travis Hamonic. Should the Isles trade Hamonic, under team control for another three seasons, to make that forward upgrade?

John Tavares is now more willing to wait on an extension with the Islanders, according to Darren Dreger of TSN.

Tavares and his agent, Pat Brisson, feel more comfortable with the general direction of the Islanders, from their new home to what their plans are to build the team into a contender.

Dreger went on to add that a large factor on Tavares' future with the Islanders depends on what pieces GM Garth Snow is able to add in the near future. With New York unable to protect all four of their young defenders from the expansion draft, Dreger believes either Calvin de Haan or Travis Hamonic will be traded. If the Islanders can acquire a top-six forward for one of those players, that could go a long way in helping convince Tavares to sign a long-term extension.

The Islanders could trade Travis Hamonic in exchange for Jordan Eberle of the Edmonton Oilers or Matt Duchene of the Colorado Avalanche, according to Bob McKenzie and Darren Dreger of TSN.

The Islanders cleaned out their lockers and had their exit interviews on Monday.

Eliminated from playoff contention Saturday, the Isles wrapped up the 2016-17 campaign with a 4-2 win over the Senators on Sunday.

They finished 41-29-12 (94 points), one point behind the Maple Leafs, who snagged the second and final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. 

Islanders defenseman Travis Hamonic did not return to the game against the Flyers after suffering an upper-body injury in the first period. The 26-year-old dropped the gloves and fought Philadelphia's Dale Weise in the opening period.

Hamonic was seen following the Islanders' loss with a cast on his left hand.

The 26-year-old has tallied three goals and 11 assists in 48 games this season.

Since making his Islanders debut in 2010-11, Travis Hamonic's career has been marked by injuries and subpar defensive play, culminating with the 2016-17 season, which has quickly spiraled into one that Hamonic would like to forget. 

With 13 points, Hamonic has the lowest point total of his career, not including the 48-game lockout shortened season of 2012-13. He has failed to play a full season since that year, only appearing in 81 percent of all scheduled contests.

He has also been very inconsistent in his own end. Hamonic was a -8 in that lockout year and -5 last year, going +27 over the other four years of his career.

The Islanders, home in Brooklyn for the first time in three weeks and off the heels of a franchise record nine-game road trip where they went 5-3-1, struggled mightily Monday night in an 8-4 blowout loss to the Hurricanes in what could have been considered a must-win game.

With a record of 3-4-1 over their last eight games, having allowed 25 goals in those losses, it's obviously not the optimum time to go into a slump, clinging to the playoff race by a thread -- one point behind the Maple Leafs, but having played one more game. 

"We have to play a lot harder than we did tonight. Execute at a much higher level. Disappointing at this point in the season," captain John Tavares said in the locker room after the game as the team hustled to beat the impending Nor'Easter and catch a flight to Carolina for the rematch Tuesday night.

Artemi Panarin sent the game to overtime with a late goal in regulation, then connected in the shootout to give the Blackhawks a 2-1 win over the Islanders Friday night in Chicago.

Andy Graziano, SNY.TV Twitter

The Islanders board a flight to Dallas on Tuesday, a day earlier than they would have left under normal circumstances, to continue their nine-game road trip.

What's not normal about a Tuesday in February? In case you have been living under a rock, Wednesday at 3 p.m. ET is the NHL trade deadline. And with the Islanders engaged in a back-room brawl for the final Eastern Conference wild card spot, it's their last opportunity to search for help outside the organization -- help that could get them over the hump and into the playoffs. And that's where every team, thanks to parity that now rules the day, has a chance at the big prize.

Third place in the Metropolitan division is a pipe dream at this point, with New York trailing Columbus by 15 points with 21 games to play. With the best division in hockey getting better after Washington acquired Kevin Shattenkirk Monday night, they trail the rival New York Rangers by 14 points, making the first wild card spot and a trip into the Atlantic division bracket also an extremely long shot...

Andy Graziano, SNY.tv

The roadie from hell has officially begun. Nine straight games away from Brooklyn for the New York Islanders, who entered play last night tied for fewest road wins in the entire National Hockey League at seven.

After a first period that saw them take the lead on a beauty from Josh Bailey, still their most consistent offensive player all season, they fell asleep at the wheel with the clock running down and surrendered an awful goal to Henrik Zetterberg with 0.1 seconds remaining to tie the game.

Instead of getting down, they picked themselves up, went out and executed simplicity on the road, exactly what is needed to pick up two crucial points at this juncture of the regular season, when the grind of an 82-game schedule really starts to wear down the body, no matter how conditioned or prepared you think you might be.

The trade market has become incredibly expensive as the deadline looms at 3 p.m. ET on March 1, reports Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun.

Avalanche GM Joe Sakic, who has two of the most coveted forwards on the market in Gabriel Landeskog and Matt Duchene, is looking to make a killing on either one, says Garrioch.

Garrioch noted that when Senators GM Pierre Dorion spoke to Sakic, the cost for either player was 23-year-old defenseman Codi Ceci, a 2017 first-round draft pick, one of two blue chip prospects in defenseman Thomas Chabot -- star of the just completed world junior championship -- or center Colin White, plus perhaps a couple of other parts.

Nick Leddy has looked like a completely different player since the calendar turned to 2017, and it's paying dividends for the Islanders.

Leddy opened the scoring for the Isles in the first period on Sunday evening, then chipped in two assists, ultimately surpassing the 200 point mark for his career.

In addition, Leddy and his pairing mate Johnny Boychuck played to a +3 rating for the evening, and were on the ice for all five Islanders goals. According to Islanders statistician Eric Hornick, Leddy is averaged just shy of a point per game (4-11-15) in the last 16 games, and has a +9 rating over that span.

Andy Graziano, SNY.tv

The New York Islanders are now three games into the head coaching career of interim bench boss Doug Weight, who took over for the terminated Jack Capuano last week. 

Some of the changes we have seen have trended positive for New York, others neutral and some have slipped. The 'newness' of a coaching change has now worn off, and three games remain on a six-game home-stand that will either position the team better for a late playoff run or potentially knock them further behind.

Interim head coach Doug Weight, John Tavares, and Travis Hamonic react to the firing of head coach Jack Capuano...

Andrew Ladd (upper) and Cal Clutterbuck (lower) are both day-to-day, while Travis Hamonic (knee) is week-to-week, Interim Head Coach Doug Weight told reporters on Wednesday.

Ladd missed Monday's game against the Bruins, but could be available for tomorrow's game against the Stars. Clutterbuck also missed Monday's game with what is being described as a minor injury.

Hamonic injured his knee on Jan. 7 against the Coyotes in a knee-on-knee collision, and was placed on IR last Thursday.

Andy Graziano, SNY.TV

Snap your fingers…go ahead, just do it.

Just like that, the Islanders went from a team that won four of five and looked to be righting their wobbly, patchwork ship to set sail toward at least getting back in the playoff conversation, to a team that has now lost four of their last five, including back-to-back loser point 'efforts' in Colorado and Arizona -- the two easiest buildings of 2016-17 to win in.

The Islanders have placed D Travis Hamonic on IR (retroactive to Jan. 7) due to a lower-body injury.

Scott Mayfield has been recalled from Bridgeport of the AHL to take Hamonic's place on the roster.

Islanders head coach Jack Capuano said Wednesday that Hamonic was expected to miss "a couple of games."

The Colorado Avalanche are shopping their top offensive stars, but they have a steep asking price. Should the Islanders engage? SNY's Brian Erni and Andy Graziano discuss… 

Brian Erni, SNY.TV:

The Avalanche are seeking a "top-level" defenseman, a first round pick, and more in a deal for Gabriel Landeskog, according to TSN's Darren Dreger. Andy, have you heard if the Isles have had any talks with Avalanche GM Joe Sakic on Landsekog?

Travis Hamonic will miss "a couple of games" due to his lower-body injury, Islanders head coach Jack Capuano said Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Thomas Greiss will be in net when the Isles face the Panthers.

Hamonic played in the Islanders' 2-1 loss to the Arizona Coyotes on Saturday, but he missed Monday's practice with a

Travis Hamonic is day-to-day due to a lower-body injury and will likely not play Wednesday night, Islanders head coach Jack Capuano said Tuesday.

Adam Pelech, who was recalled from Bridgeport of the AHL on Jan. 5, "is going to get a chance," according to Capuano.

Pelech had been activated off injured reserve and loaned to Bridgeport late last month.

Brian Erni, SNY.tv

There's a crunch coming to the Islanders defensemen. That's because the upcoming NHL expansion draft, set to take place this June, is undoubtedly going to mix some things up on New York's blue line, and it should create some urgency for Garth Snow in the next few months.

The rules of the draft allow teams to protect either seven forwards and three defensemen, or eight skaters overall. Players with no-move clauses must be protected, so Johnny Boychuk isn't going anywhere. The Isles will also undoubtedly protect Nick Leddy and Travis Hamonic. And if they choose to protect Ryan Pulock, which they will have to do based on his eligibility if they don't want him exposed, that will leave them room for four more skaters (three once you factor in John Tavares).

It all adds up to the reality that Calvin de Haan and Thomas Hickey will both be left unprotected, which forces Garth Snow to make a decision. Either trade one (or both) before this year's trade deadline and not risk losing one of them for nothing, or roll the dice and watch his old assistant snatch one up for the Knights' inaugural roster.

The Avalanche are open to trading C Matt Duchene, with Colorado perhaps seeking a young defenseman or defensive prospects in return, reports Elliotte Friedman of TSN.

Duchene, 25, has 13 goals and 11 assists in 33 games this season.

He has 169 goals and 232 assists in 528 games spanning eight seasons in the NHL -- all with Colorado.

The New York Islanders gave up four unanswered goals and lost to the Ottawa Senators, 6-2, Sunday at Barclays Center. >> Read more

First period:

• 10:30 OTT Bobby Ryan; Assists: Kyle Turris, Ryan Dzingel
• 17:20 OTT Zack Smith; Assists: Mark Stone, Erik Karlsson

Second period:

• 0:27 NYI Anders Lee; Assist: Josh Bailey
• 14:07 NYI Anthony Beauvillier; Assist: Travis Hamonic
• 15:03 OTT Mark Stone (power play); Assists: Karlsson, Dion Phaneuf

Third period:

• 5:45 OTT Derick Brassard; Assists: Stone, Zack Smith
• 16:33 OTT Smith (ENG)
• 19:34 OTT Tom Pyatt (ENG); Assist: Chris Kelly

Andy Graziano, SNY.tv

Even with a sloppy, 6-2 loss in Columbus on Saturday evening, the New York Islanders have still made quite a recovery from the first two months of the 2016-17 season. Heading into the end of November with a record of 6-10-4, the team recovered and has since won five of seven, picking up points in six of those games to climb back to a reasonable mark of 11-11-5 as we near the middle of December.

It might be not enough, however, to lift them back into the playoffs for the third time in four years, when all is said and done.

Andy Graziano, SNY.TV:

This summer, Islanders GM Garth Snow signed Andrew Ladd to a big-money deal and signed Jason Chimera to replace the departed Matt Martin, hoping to add some additional veteran leadership to a team coming off its first playoff round victory in over 20 years.

Even though the offensive numbers have been slow to arrive (Chimera with 4-5-9 in 25 games, but three goals the past five games and Ladd 3-3-6 in 25 games, but 1-2-3 in his last five games), they have combined with existing veterans to help the Islanders out of the type of malaise that struck the team during October (4-5-0) and November (4-5-4).

Remember, remember the month of November. Although that line is modified from the movie 'V for Vendetta', it very much applies to the New York Islanders, who are all too happy to move past their month of horrors and see the calendar flip to December 1.

Going back to the 2011-12 season, the 11th month of the year was not too kind to head coach Jack Capuano and his squad. New York went 4-7-2 and 4-10-1 in back to back full seasons, putting them firmly behind the proverbial eight ball as the season ticked past the thin red line that separates the playoffs from an early golf outing. Things seemed to improve in 2014-15 with a monster 11-3-0 month before the team tailed off yet again the following season with a mark of 7-6-1.

If you're counting at home, that's 26-26-4 over the past four full seasons heading into 2016-17. With New York just completing their November last night at home against the Pittsburgh Penguins, a game they would will themselves to win 5-3 after surrendering a 3-0 third-period lead, it gave the Islanders a 4-5-4 mark this time around, just 46% of all possible points and only 2 regulation wins in 13 tries.

The Islanders have expressed interest in trading for Sabres LW Evander Kane, though nothing seems imminent. 

"The New York Islanders came in and starting kicking tires on Evander Kane, but nothing came of that," Bob McKenzie of TSN reported. "Nothing is imminent at this moment, but the Buffalo Sabres will consider it for the right defenseman."

Kane, 25, has zero goals and two assists in eight games this season.

Brian Erni, SNY.TV Twitter | Archive Posts

Chants of "Fire Cappy" have been raining down from the rafters at Barclays Center this year, but one writer thinks that gives Garth Snow a free pass.

The New York Daily News' Peter Botte says the Islanders general manager is complicit in this failure as well, as to place the blame solely on Jack Capuano is to overlook where the Isles' rebuild has truly stalled out.

Andy Graziano, SNY.TV Twitter

The Tampa Bay Lightning left Brooklyn last night and boarded a plane for Detroit, the next stop on their five-game road trip. They will take the ice tonight with a 9-6-1 record in the 2016-17 season. Three of those wins, by a combined score of 14-2, have come against the New York Islanders, who seem to have zero answers the past two weeks to the malaise that has taken over this team.

Head coach Jack Capuano has juggled lines. He's called out his players to the media. He's, not 'stick to the face' directly, but more like 'hook around the hands' directly, called out his general manager. He has shown some slight snark at reporters, then answered the same question the following week with calmness and resignation. In his seventh year as bench boss, it seems the expiration date, for which I believe all coaches have, has come. But will general manager Garth Snow act on it?

Islanders defenseman Travis Hamonic will return on Monday night against the Lightning, head coach Jack Capuano said.

Hamonic, who participated in the morning skate, had been placed on IR on Nov. 7 (retroactive to Nov. 5) due to an upper-body injury sustained when blocking a shot.

The Islanders initially said he would be out four-to-six weeks.

Adam Pelech got thrown right into the fire on Monday night, and the results were impressive.

Pelech, who took Travis Hamonic's spot on the top pairing with Nick Leddy, played 17:08 against the Canucks and registered an assist on Andrew Ladd's first goal of the season. He played to a 57.1 Corsi For Percentage and a 58.8 Fenwick For Percentage on the night.

"I thought he did a great job for us," Jack Capuano said of Pelech's performance. "The first couple shifts are always tough, especially as a defenseman. They've got guys coming with speed, a desperate team, like us."

Pelech, 22, now has 10 games of NHL experience.

Jaroslav Halak will be in net for the Islanders on Monday night against the Canucks at Barclays Center, head coach Jack Capuano said.

Adam Pelech, who was called up from Bridgeport to replace the injured Travis Hamonic, will be paired with Nick Leddy.

Meanwhile, Alan Quine will be in for Anthony Beauvillier. 

The Islanders have placed Travis Hamonic on IR (retroactive to Nov. 5) and recalled Adam Pelech from Bridgeport, the team announced.

Hamonic is out four-to-six weeks due to an upper-body injury sustained in Saturday's overtime loss to the Oilers, according to Newsday's Arthur Stape.

He left Saturday's game against the Oilers after blocking a shot with his arm in the first period and did not return. 

Islanders defenseman Travis Hamonic left Saturday's game against the Oilers after blocking a shot with his arm in the first period and did not return. 

After blocking a shot from Oilers forward Patrick Maroon at 12:13 of the first period, Hamonic grabbed his arm and skated off the ice, missing the rest of the game. 

It took eight games, but it seems the Islanders' forwards are ready to start carrying their weight.Secondary scoring has been a problem for the Isles for the entirety of the John Tavares era, this year included. The Isles have gotten plenty of goal production from their defensemen in the season's early going, and fans never have to worry about the team's top line -- whoever that may be alongside JT. But practically all their forwards have been marred in a scoring drought to open the 2016-17 campaign.Finally on Sunday, it appeared the damn began to break.

Thomas Greiss recorded 33 saves and five players scored as the New York Islanders beat the Toronto Maple Leafs, 5-1, Sunday at Barclays Center.

Sidney Crosby broke a tie with 2:25 remaining and Phil Kesel added a power-play goal 32 seconds later as the Penguins rallied to beat the Islanders 4-2 Thursday in Pittsburgh.

The New York Islanders are only seven games into the 2016-17 season. But it has been an eight-game stretch that has seen them capture only 42.8 percent of possible points, as their 3-4-0 start has them trailing their pace of 64.2 percent last season and 71.4 percent in 2014-15.Trying to figure out the reason for the regression could be an exercise in futility at this early juncture, as there are still 75 games left on the docket and 150 points to be won or lost before the dust settles and playoff dreams are realized or crushed. But since when has that stopped anyone before? Fans are antsy and unsettled even though four of the team's last five games have ended in 3-2 final scores with the 3-2-0 record not as bad as it might seem on the surface. Not to mention the losses were to the San Jose Sharks and Montreal Canadiens -- two pretty darn good hockey teams.

The Islanders lost to the Canadiens, 3-2, on Wednesday night.