How many of us thought the 2010-2011 Winter of Grabner would be the springboard for a rebuilt Islander team with the FnGO line as a cornerstone? How many of us expected that strong series against Pittsburgh in 2013 to lead to a playoff berth - and more - in 2013-14? Yet despite these setbacks, as well as some questionable draft picks and trades, the Islanders, under Garth Snow's management, has become one of the better teams in the league. As the Islanders' own rebuild has shown us, rebuilds don't progress linearly but often encounter setbacks and delays. What's especially satisfying about the current state of the Islanders is that this result was by no means inevitable. Gone are the days of following juniors and Bridgeport as closely as the NHL team, of focusing on draft rankings in January, of feeling conflicted about cheering an exciting win in March because we knew that the real impact would be a less valuable pick in June.

The holiday season is a good time as any to remove our focus from the game-to-game ebb and flow of the Islanders' season thus far and focus instead on an important fundamental reality: after many, many years, the Islanders are a contender in the NHL and, while there are some significant concerns looming on the horizon ( outlined here), should continue to be contender for the next several years.

Nhl rebuilt