New York Islanders Tickets

The Atlantic division is always one of the most competitive in hockey, and this year is no different.

In fact, of the five teams in the division, four of them are above .500. The New York Islanders, meanwhile, are not.

The Islanders are nowhere near the .500 mark, sitting at 16-32-2 on the season for one of the worst records in the Eastern Conference. I'm pretty sure they don't hand out awards for that achievement.

It's time for New York to begin thinking about the future as they look for ways to become relevant once again in the hockey world. It's been a long time since that has been the case.

When it comes to offense, New York doesn't really have one. It's so bad that their leading points man is a defenseman. You won't see that too often.

The team does have some solid veterans in Doug Weight and Bill Guerin, who happen to be second and third on the team in points, respectively.

Outside of those two guys, the team is really made up of a bunch of no-names looking to become somebody.

Kyle Okposo, the 7th overall pick in the 2006 draft, is one of those players looking to become a household name. The team is hopeful that he can become a franchise player that they can build around.

With the playoffs way just a far-fetched dream at this point, the rest of the season is all about the continued development of the young prospects in the hope that they eventually form the backbone of a contending team.

Things are going to be rough for the Islanders for some time to come, as this team looks nowhere close to even competing for a playoff berth, let alone a Stanley Cup. Fans aren't used to success of late, which will help soften the blow of the rebuilding period.