Potential Isles' Draft Choices: Zachary Fucale

Zachary Fucale could be a New York Islander.

Alright, Isles fans. Islanders Op-Timism is ready to start looking towards the off-season. I have said all there is to say regarding the exciting 2013 season. It's time to move forward.

The off-season is upon us, but the real fun begins at the end of June. On June 30th, the NHL Entry Draft will be a full-day event. All picks will be made that day.

Our New York Islanders will be picking 15th in the NHL Entry Draft, ending a record of five-straight lottery picks that spanned from 2008 to 2012. Coincidently, the Isles picked a great year to finish better than a lottery team. The 2013 NHL Entry Draft is a very deep one, and at pick #15, the Islanders will still have plenty of top-talent to choose from.

I'm excited. The Islanders will be adding another building block to a rich pipeline of prospects. The only question is who, which is why I'm bringing back my "Potential Isles' Draft Choices" column, where we take a deeper look at some of the prospects that may fall to the New York Islanders.

Last season, the Islanders needed defense. Griffin Reinhart was the first player I covered in this column, and he happened to be the guy the Isles selected with the 4th-overall draft pick.

This year, a lot of us are concerned with goaltending. Evgeni Nabokov is aging. Kevin Poulin and Anders Nilsson still have a lot of growing to do, and if they don't pan out, the Isles may not have a further plan from within. Well, there's a possibility that may be solved at the Prudential Center at the end of June. Today, Islanders Op-Timism is going to delve into Zachary Fucale - starting goaltender for the Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL.

Chris Bruton Joins The Islanders On One-Year Deal

Former captain, former Memorial Cup Champion.

It's always quiet during playoff time when your team is out of the running. There are few transactions. There isn't usually much to talk about besides speculation. I mean, yeah, there is playoff hockey, but I'm not here to talk about other teams.

Well, Isles fans - good news! The New York Islanders made a small transaction today. It may be another name that you never heard of, but Chris Bruton, a forward, signed with the Isles on a one-year, two-way contract.

It's not a move that's going to change the organization. Chris Bruton is more of a fighter than a scorer. At 26-years-old Bruton is still looking for his first shot at the NHL. Stranger things have happened on the Island, though, and Bruton's player fits the Islanders' recent structure under Garth Snow.

Promote One, Demote One, Trade One: Ryan Strome, Nino Niederreiter, Brock Nelson

Just pretend Kabanov is Nelson...

The off-season continues. Although I am enjoying the playoffs, I am anxiously waiting for the end of the postseason because I'm ready for more Islanders, and less everything else.. The draft looms. Free agency follows. The Islanders will have a chance to improve on their playoff team's roster, and for the first time in a long time, the Isles have the respect that might attract some players that would have never thought of coming to the Island in the past.

Expect there to be plenty of competition in training camp over the summer, and you can bet on that. With the current roster that took this team to the postseason, the possible off-season additions, and the Islanders' deep prospect pool, players will finally be fighting to keep their jobs, while others battle to take them.

Of course, the competition for roster spots also means the inevitable: someone is not going to make the roster on opening day. Think about it. Most of the players on this past season's roster will be returning, and many of those who aren't locked up (Hamonic, Bailey, etc.) are expected to be. The roster is already full, despite Ryan Strome, Nino Niederreiter and Brock Nelson, among other prospects, that are waiting in the wings.

It's a funny thing about those three prospects, though. We lose patience when they're up with the big club(see Nino in 2012), and we lose patience while they're not up with the big club (see Strome, Nelson and Nino in 2013). The upcoming 2013-14 season, though, is when we are supposed to expect all three of them to be NHL ready. Of course, and as I mentioned, there may not be enough room. Our future "phenoms" are going to have to earn it.

Today, Isles fans, we are going to play a little game. With little space available on the roster, the desire for a trade (whether it be Vanek, Bernier, Ryan, etc.), and Nelson, Niederreiter, and Strome waiting for their chance to play for the Islanders, who would you say makes the cut, who gets another year in the minors, and who gets sent away in a package for a top name player. Try to resist the urge to say all of them!

If you could only pick one...demote one, promote one, trade one - GO!

Saturday Afternoon Discussion: What Is The Islanders Biggest Need Heading Into The Off-Season?

Is this the Islanders biggest need in July?

OK, Isles fans. It's time to close the door on the 2013 season. It has been one week since the Islanders met elimination at the Coliseum, and it's time to move forward. There's no doubt that the Islanders had a very exciting push this season, and there's no doubt that the Islanders are on the right track to bigger and better things. Now, though, it is time to focus on making the New York Islanders Hockey Club better.

The Islanders have plenty that worked last season. For next season, plenty of the things that worked will be coming back. The Islanders have a very good fourth-line. They know what they already have in John Tavares and Matt Moulson. Returning forwards Kyle Okposo, Frans Nielsen and Michael Grabner combined for 74 points. Travis Hamonic, Andrew MacDonald, and Lubomir Visnovsky leaves the Islanders with a solid defensive foundation. But alas, the playoffs spotlighted some possible needs for the New York Islanders.

Goaltending during the postseason was awful. Evgeni Nabokov was not himself. The defense played well, but a couple of mistakes killed them and they constantly gave the Penguins the blue-line. The forwards were shut out in two games, and after Game One, the lines were shuffled.

With that being said, what are the Islanders to do in order to improve this hockey team? Plenty of what Garth Snow has put together on the Island has worked, but there are still several areas the Islanders need to improve on. Isles fans: for this weekend's discussion, let's figure out what the Isles most need to address heading into the off-season.

Top Ten Moments Of The Islanders 2013 Season

What was your favorite moment of 2013?

We still have a little bit more reminiscing to do over here at Islanders Op-Timism. Yeah, yeah, I know. Some of you are ready to move on. We want to talk about the draft. We want to talk about free agency, and any other possible ways the team can get better in the off-season. No worries, Isles fans. That will come in due time. Like I said, I still have a little bit of looking back to do before we move forward.

Today, I want to discuss the 2013 Islanders one last time. After today, we look ahead. No more looking back, unless, of course, we are looking for comparisons. In today's piece, still less than one week since the Islanders were eliminated by the Pittsburgh Penguins, I want to go over my top ten moments of this Islanders' season.

What made it special? How did the Islanders get to where they are, and what moments stick out as the cause for the Islanders' turn around? After the jump, you will read Islanders Op-Timism's Top-10 Moments of the Islanders 2013 Lockout-Shortened NHL Season. I urge you to leave you top moments in the comments section.