Your NYI Olympians & Matt Moulson

With the Winter Olympics coming up in 2014, the NHL will break from their regular season from February 9th through the 25th, for qualifying countries in an international hockey tournament at the city of Sochi in Russia. Teams throughout the NHL will allow their top athletes to play for their homeland and compete for a chance to go for the gold medal in the tournament.

Your New York Islanders are no different.

For Team USA, Kyle Okposo will try and make the American squad. 

For Team Canada, John Tavares and Travis Hamonic  will compete for roster spots. (Tony Stabile points out Hamonic is the youngest D on roster.)

For Team Russia, Islander's goaltender, Evgeni Nabokov with battle 4 other goaltenders (Barulin, Bobrovsky, Varlamov, Koshechkin) for a spot on the Russian team. 

As a fan, do you even want Nabokov playing in the Olympics?  Sure, it would be a great way to stay sharp, but what about the additional chances for injury at age 38?

For Team Slovakia, Lubomir Visnovsky.

For Team Austria, Michael Grabner.

For Team Finland, (Former Isles invited include, Joensuu and Bergenheim) 

For Team Sweden, Their are no Islanders competing.

Unfortunately, Team Denmark was knocked out of eligibility with a loss to Slovania in an IIHF competition this August.  That means Frans Nielsen and new Islander, Peter Regin will not enter Olympic competition.

A familiar Islanders player who won't be invited to an Olympic Camp to compete for a roster spot is Matt Moulson.

Matt Moulson was a 3rd or 4th line possibility for the Manchester Monarchs/LA Kings when Garth Snow signed him as a free agent for the 2009 season.  He is not that kind of player anymore.  The fact is that even though Moulson has been a 30 goal scorer and a major part of the New York Islanders success over the last few seasons, it isn't enough for a Team Canada invite.  Now this doesn't mean that an injury to one of Canada's star players wouldn't make Moulson a top choice for an alternate, but is that enough?

With the Isles, Moulson has broken the 30 goal mark three times prior to this shortened season with NY. Even after the lock out, he still scored 15 goals in 47gp which was well on the way for another 30 goal season.  Actually, forward from his initial 2009 season with the Isles, Moulson's scoring touch has gone up each year, until the lockout shortened campaign (44 pts) last season with totals of 48, 53 and 69pts.  The guy is a good offensive talent and has a nose for the net and great hockey sense.

These numbers are impressive, and yes, I know anyone could score more points on a line with John Tavares, but Moulson has scored with different line mates through last few seasons as well.  Matt Moulson hasn't been able to bring home a Lady Byng Trophy and he has been once again left off a deep and talented roster for Team Canada.  Looking at the "All-Star Team" that Canada is shaping up to be in Sochi, it would have a tough fight for a talented Moulson to win an available roster spot.  Its just that after another productive season, Matt Moulson wont even get a chance to try.

With skilled players, their is always a luxury of depth.  Depth creates competition and competition gives you the best chance to win.  Matt Moulson will need to improve even more with the Isles this season to be noticed for International competition.  Moulson is a UFA in 2014, so he will have the chance and all the reasons to do so while he tries to win a contract extension with the Islanders beyond this season.

Much like Team Canada, the Isles want to be the best they can be.  When success is won by a team, they must push even harder to reach the next level and never stop tooling and reworking things to stay fresh and concise in their endeavors.  It is then even harder to make the cut and win a spot of that team.

Remember, second place goes to the loser of the battle for 1st.

Notes:

Christopher Triantafilis of Isles Optimism did such a great job on his article here, I had to rework my article written last night because they were so similar.  I was only able to rework so much.  Great minds ....