The New York Islanders are scheduled to pick No. 2 in Saturday's entry draft, immediately after the Atlanta Thrashers. Because of the depth of this year's draft, both teams are examining how to best utilize their first-round pick.
But that's where the similarities end.
|  | | Rick DiPietro and the rest of the Islanders didn't stand much of a chance against some of the competition in 2000-01. |
Expansion teams need time to develop talent and build a consistent winner. Atlanta Thrashers general manager Don Waddell knows that and isn't rushing his fledgling organization, which is heading into its third season.
The Islanders, however, are headed into their 30th season and don't have the luxury of patience to rebuild the once-proud organization, which won four consecutive Stanley Cups in the early 1980s.
"We need to find a way, if it makes sense, to bring a jump both to our on-ice product and excitement for our fans," Isles GM Mike Milbury said. "And that usually comes with a name."
Milbury may dip into the rich free-agent pool this summer to bring "a jump" to a team that hasn't qualified for the postseason since being swept in the first round of 1994 by the rival Rangers, who went on to win the Stanley Cup.
Or Milbury might be the life of the party on draft day, once again.
Last June, Milbury took a gamble with the No. 1 pick and chose goalie Rick DiPietro, the first netminder selected first overall since the current draft format was adopted in 1969. Milbury also made three trades that day, one of which sent heralded goaltending prospect Roberto Luongo to Florida and brought forwards Oleg Kvasha and Mark Parrish to Long Island.
"There won't be any tougher than that one," Milbury said.
Will he be as busy this time around?
"We know the draft pick is going to be a good one and I know this guy (No. 2 pick) is going to play, but I also know he's not going to be an impact player for, who knows, four years or five years," said Milbury. "If somebody comes along and wants to take a look at that pick as part of a trade, we have to look at it. ... Right now, all I've had is a couple of guys saying, 'Would you trade your pick?' Yeah, I would, but give me an idea of what you're willing to part with.
"So far, no one has come in and said, 'Hey, if you give me the second pick, I'll give you X player.' It just hasn't happened that way. Usually, it heats up right around now up until Saturday."
According to Milbury, only DiPietro, forward Brad Isbister and defenseman Roman Hamrlik are off limits.
Of the teams that have made preliminary inquiries about the No. 2 pick, Milbury estimates only a few teams would consider trading an established player for a young talent with an unknown future.
"Why would anyone give up a front-line player who is presently mature for a pick in the draft? The answer is one (thing): money," Milbury said. "Unfortunately for the league, there are a number of teams in that position."
That's why names like Alexei Yashin and Jaromir Jagr have come up so frequently. The Islanders have young and cheap talent, and the Senators and Penguins are two teams seeking to trim their payroll.
Maximizing the impact of the No. 2 pick -- either by using it or trading it -- is paramount because Milbury's job hangs in the balance. If the Islanders fail to show marked improvement next season, Milbury may be fired as general manager, a position he's held since 1995. The pressure no longer affects Milbury.
"I'm long since past being scared or feeling pressure," he said. "It can't get any worse. And that's a good thing.
"Kiss me goodbye tomorrow, and it's not going to kill me one way or another. We've worked hard, and what I'd like to do is get it right and be here when it turns -- when there's a playoff game to be played."
Hosting a playoff game in 2002 might be a stretch, but an improvement over a 21-win season is a must. Like Atlanta, the Islanders' young talent is impressive -- Tim Connolly, Taylor Pyatt, Kvasha, Isbister, Parrish and Zdeno Chara to name a few -- yet the roster hasn't come close to forming a cohesive and competitive team. One reason is injuries -- the Islanders ranked fourth in the league in most man-games lost with 362. Isbister, the team's second-leading scorer in 1999-2000, played just 51 games.
On top of that, Milbury's placed a lot of pressure on DiPietro, who is a sure bet to begin the season in the NHL after winning just three games in 19 starts at the end of last season.
"What's troubling me is we had such a difficult time evaluating last season," Milbury said. "It was a terrible year. (But) we get to start fresh."
Milbury's fresh start begins Saturday, well before his Islanders show up for training camp in September.
Brian A. Shactman covers the NHL for ESPN.com.
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