Mark Streit

As most hockey fans already know, Chris Pronger will not be playing for the remainder of the season, and will most likely miss the playoffs as well. Even if Pronger can somehow get healthy before the playoffs, it's safe to say that the Flyers aren't going to sit around and wait. They need to make a move, and they know it.

Following the 2000-01 season, the New York Islanders were desperately looking for a new way to draw fans to the dilapidated Nassau Coliseum to watch a hockey team that was in rebuilding mode. 

The organization came up with the simple concept of ice girls, who were "cheerleaders on skates" that would clean around the net during timeouts and commercial breaks.

The idea quickly caught on around the league.  Currently, there are 17 teams in the NHL that incorporates some form of a cheerleading squad or ice dance crew.

The New York Islanders are in a state of turmoil right now as a franchise. The team is doing awful, the arena is falling apart, and no one is going to the games. With these ten "gifts" things could turn around for the Islanders in just a few years and the team could go from the laughing-stock of the NHL to a contender.

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Rick DiPietro's swollen knee and Dwayne Roloson's lackluster play of late gave the New York Islanders no choice but to call up Nathan Lawson from Bridgeport to start Saturday night's game against the Phoenix Coyotes. 

Mark Streit can't be replaced without some miracle trade, but we all know that the Islanders aren't the big-name trade type team. With the injury to Streit crushing the team's hopes of making the playoffs this season, an opportunity has risen for veterans brought in through free agency, and the younger Islanders.

The Islanders seem to have the worst luck of any NHL franchise.

Toronto Maple Leaf fans in the audience are struggling to stifle screams and the Phoenix Coyotes never seem to be able to dodge extinction worries, but it's true.

Key injuries, missed opportunities, weird/bad decisions, and performances leaving a lot to be desired have dogged this franchise.

Of course, everyone first points to Rick DiPietro: Great goalie, dumb contract and not healthy (fingers crossed for this year).

As part of a continuing series, writer Benjamin Benya will be previewing all 30 NHL teams over the next two weeks in preparation for the 2010-2011 regular season.

Day 5: New York Islanders

2010 Record: 34-37-11 (79 Points), 13^th in the Eastern Conference

Roster Changes

2010-2011 Notable Arrivals: D James Wisniewski (ANH), D Milan Jurcina (WAS), C Zenon Kenopka (TB),  D Mark Eaton (PIT),  RW P.A. Parenteau (NYR)

Ilya Kovalchuk is a rare talent. There have been only a handful of players in the history of the NHL who could be counted on to score 40 or more goals every season. He is one of those few.

But I do NOT want him on my team.

My team is the New York Islanders. As you should know by now, if you have not been stranded on Gilligan's Island, the Islanders were confirmed as one of three teams aggressively pursuing Kovy. And you should also know that the Islanders have ended that pursuit.

While the rest of the free world stands vigil awaiting the decision made by LeBron James as to where to next collect his basketball millions, NHL fans themselves are geared up for the silly season.

The free agency period began July 1, and there was a landslide of activity .

But not on Long Island.