Give the Man a Cookie — Give Him All the Cookies (Mathieu Earned Every One)

Bo Horvat is arguably the most valuable player on the Islanders. He is playing so well right now that there is talk that Team Canada might be calling. I could rattle off all the stats in this blog. I could tell you that he is used in all situations of the game. He is almost as good defensively as he is offensively.

Bo leads by example. He steps up every time he is asked. If he messes up, he is the first to admit it. He pays the piper willingly; he is a player of integrity. Yes, the biggest evidence is how much the Isles' offence has suffered with his loss. His 19 goals cannot be overlooked, that's for sure. Fortunately, he will be back soon. What makes Horvat so valuable is that he is the closest to being a complete player.

Islanders buyers at the deadline?

This brings the lack of depth in scoring to my attention. If the Isles want to remain successful, they will need to address this. I could easily see the Isles in the thick of it until the deadline.

Will the Islanders be buyers at the deadline? The easy answer is yes, but I have never been known for taking the easy way out. If the Isles are close at the deadline, they will try to add a top-six winger. He could be a third liner who could be moved up if injuries occur. Unfortunately, with parity in the NHL, many teams will be trying to address this same issue.

Mathieu freaking Darche

Mathieu deserves a full plate of cookies. What looked like this small signing might be the biggest steal of the season. I am referring, of course, to the signing of David Rittich (Big Save Dave). Especially now, with Ilya Sorokin's health issues. If Big Save Dave continues to deliver, they might not have to rush Sorokin. Ladies and Gents, this shows you how a clutch GM comes through and finds a solution to a dire need.

Final word

The longer the Isles can stay in the race, the longer the Isles can stay relevant. Let's be real, the owners need to be a playoff team to make a profit. The real reason the Isles will not rebuild is for the bottom line. I talked about this on the Flames blog below; the same applies to the Isles as well.

Flames Scratch Pad: Why Owners Choose Retools Over Rebuilds (And What It Means for the Flames)