Contract extensions for Dubie & Bergenheim?

New York Islander Fan Central | 3/25/2008 02:11:00 PM | | |
I know Sean Bergenheim is restricted and if necessary one side or the other can go to arbitration but after a year holdout and how hard he has worked why not avoid another problem and lock him up for three years unless Gandler is still his agent and being impossible?

It's clear he can play at this level and the sad reality is for much of his season he has been the most visible forward on the lines he has played on. The scoring instincts and skill are only getting better and the players around him have held him back. He does need to stop going to the stick and taking penalities but as Ted Nolan said many of the penalties come from the hustle and hard work. I think it took him a little time after a year out of the league to get back into it but there has never been any doubt for me that this kid can contribute as a top nine forward in this league.

Wade Dubielewicz in unrestricted and as much as he says he does not want to go elsewhere and prove himself again, to me has proven he can come off the bench after sitting for long periods and play well and is someone the Islanders should look to do something with as soon as possible. To me Dubie could be a number one goaltender on a lot of clubs in this league, including this one if DiPietro cannot play.

He got a bad wrap early this season created by the media after the Isles played five games in seven games the first week and hung him out to try against Toronto because the team was exhausted from such a ridiclous schedule.

He did not have a good first period against Atlanta in another game but only one goal was his fault and the way he played after the first period he kept the game from being seven or eight nothing with the chances against him where he allowed nothing.

He came in on Al Arbour night and was outstanding in relief, he had that great game in Carolina he made about forty plus saves, and he did a solid job when DiPietro left the team. We all know what he did last year.

I'm not sure what management is waiting for here unless Garth Snow is busy scouting playoffs and has other prospect to sign by June 1st? Dubie hass proven he can do the job full time, in relief and he's always been the kind of goalie who gives the team a chance to win combined with thriving on shots and work as we have seen here and in Bridgeport.

We have seen Richard Park and Radek Martinek signed to extensions during the year, down the stretch these would absolutely be two moves that would help the club moving forward.