New York Islanders: What Could Have Been?

These days, it seems that to be great, you have to be awful first. If you look at some of the NHL's best young rising teams, those same teams might have been the worst in the league not too long ago. The Pittsburgh Penguins come to mind, as do the Chicago Blackhawks; and don't forget the Washington Capitals. These teams feature the likes of some of the game's best young players, namely: Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Alexander Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Jonathan Toews, etc. The list goes on and on. In a not-so-distant past, however, the best players on these teams were: an aging Mario Lemieux, a grumpy and unmotivated Jaromir Jagr, and Tuomo Ruutu? That's right. Your suddenly second-favorite NHL team was once the laughingstock of the NHL in every facet possible. Shoddy attendance? Check. Uninterested fan base? You bet. Sounds a bit like the New York Islanders current situation doesn't it? You could also throw in a wacky owner who obviously has no clue how to run...