The Kid Is The Key

New York, NY (WFAN)  -- Sometimes, I really hate this time of year. There are few things more depressing than increasingly cold weather, dying trees, and the ever present knowledge that before you know it you will be shoveling snow. However, just as my depression becomes unbearable I remember one thing that makes it all seem a heck of a lot better. Hockey is back. Yes, like a good friend that picks you up from your girlfriend’s apartment when she throws you out, hockey brings joy to your life when everything else seems to be falling apart. And more importantly for you folks, it’s not just hockey that is back, but Islanders hockey.

The season starts Saturday as the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins come to the Island. I’ll preview that matchup and the season itself a little later in the week, but for now let’s take a look at some of the biggest storylines heading into this season.

1) John Tavares: This is unquestionably the number 1 story line going into the season. Not only was Tavares the Islanders number 1 pick, but he has been one of the most highly anticipated prospects for awhile. Add to this that the Islanders couldn’t score a goal to save their lives last year, and Tavares is in the unusual position of being able to make a huge impact as a rookie. So will Tavares be as good as advertised? Well on the bright side you’re talking about a guy with tremendously talented hands, a guy who has a natural ability to score, and a guy that has dominated at every level he has advanced to. That being said, if there is one critique scouts point to in the boy wonder's armor it’s that he may be a bit slow. In the long term this will likely not cause him any problems because he is so talented in other areas, but the NHL style of play is significantly faster than anything he’s experienced before so adjustment may be difficult. Bottom line: Tavares will contribute to the team’s offense in a big way, they were so bad last year there’s no way he doesn’t improve it. Just expect a few growing pains people. I know you want him to be your savior, but even John Tavares can’t turn water into wine quite yet.

2) Goalies: The Islanders made some great moves to acquire goaltending depth in the offseason by signing Dwayne Roloson and Marty Biron. However, the question looms large. What the heck is going on with Rick DiPietro? All we really know is that he is rehabbing and taking it slow to avoid getting hurt again. Which is all fine and good, but at some point you have to wonder if he’s ever going to be able to hit the ice again and be a true impact player for this team. Regardless, it’s going to be an interesting year as we wait to see which one of these guys ultimately emerges as the Islanders number 1 goaltender. Assuming DiPietro’s return is awhile away, my money is on Biron. The guy is incredibly talented despite the fact that he always seems to get overlooked by his teams.

3) Coaching: Scott Gordon enters his second year as head coach of the Isles. No one would suggest he’s in any sort of hot seat, but make no mistake folks, this is definitely a big season where Gordon can shine. Anytime you have a team with so many young players this really amps up the importance of good coaching. Add into this that one of those young players is a number 1 pick that is supposed to become your scoring machine, and that you have questions about who will get the most time in goal, and suddenly head coaching decisions become very important. What Gordon has here is an incredible opportunity to show what he can do, and take this team to a new level.

Those are the big three storylines in my opinion, but two other important ones to keep track of as we get into the season:

1) Injuries: Injuries were a huge part of this team’s struggles last year. There is little you can really do to prevent them, but whether or not the players are able to stay on the ice this year will obviously impact the season. 2) The Lighthouse Issue: It’s as simple as this. No Lighthouse, no New York Islanders. We’ll get into this more as the season progresses. But everyday it seems more and more likely that local dimwits and political hacks are going to force your Islanders off the Island.

Check back later in the week as I give you my predictions for the season, and a preview of the season/home opener against the Penguins. Right here on WFAN.com.