DETROIT – Islander coach Steve Stirling is between a hard place and some young players on his roster that have proven to be the only sort of positive news of the last two weeks.
Although they’d won just two of their last eight games going into last night’s match against the Red Wings, the Isles have seen progress in the five rookies in the lineup.
While the veterans on Stirling’s team have been shuffled this week in the lineup as the coach tries to find some potent combinations, the Baby Brigade has been producing. The kids seem to be the only ones worth watching as the Isles turn the quarter-pole of the season this weekend.
“The young kids are doing fine,” Stirling said. “But you’re not going to win with young kids.
“The young kids are making progress,” he added, “and they’re really doing real well for us, which is great. They’re getting more experience night in and night out, and that’s good to see. It’s not too surprising because I know them pretty well. They just needed a chance.”
Perhaps that has something to to with Trent Hunter, Justin Mapletoft, Justin Papineau and Eric Godard coming up through the Isles’ farm system together. Perhaps it has something to do with Rick DiPietro, Hunter and Mapletoft going to the Calder Cup finals two years ago under Stirling, learning what it takes to be a winner. Or maybe it has to do with Sean Bergenheim learning from the veterans on the Jokerit team he played on in Finland last year.
However, Bergenheim’s ice time has dwindled to the point that the team is considering sending him back there for the rest of this season to aid his development. He’s only 19 and may also compete at the World Junior Championships next month.
For several reasons, the Kids’ Club in the Isles’ room is tight, focused and just happy to be here. However, they cannot be expected to carry the team through the winter months, and Stirling realizes that unless the vets start percolating and their power play starts scoring, it could be a very long season.
“Little stuff like that would really help us,” Stirling said.