How different are things on Long Island?

Well, no one is chirping about winning a Stanley Cup right now, but things are decidedly different with the New York Islanders. And the clearest manifestation of that? Attitude. From the players to the front office, dare it be said that the Islanders are happy this training camp. Complacent? No, but with all the changes over the last sixth months or so, some of the grime of being pathetic has been rubbed off to show a new shade of Islander blue.

	Claude LaPointe is a veteran who stayed through the worst of times.

New ownership, players and some wild publicity surrounding the No. 1 pick of goalie Rick DiPietro -- it's all been discussed. But nothing matters until it translates to the ice and in the stands ... and it has.

The Isles will be decidedly more competitive this season, and they are expecting to increase attendance by around 40 percent.

"I think the attitude has changed a lot since the first day of training camp," said Claude Lapointe. "We know the ownership has changed. They've brought older guys in for leadership and experience. Added Garry Galley. Everybody sees the light at the end of the tunnel."

Lapointe should know. Here's a guy who's been stranded on the Island of Futility for four years and could have departed via free agency but decided to stay.

"It was not easy (working through the bad times). No doubt it was not easy. I went through the same secenario in Quebec (with the Nordiques)," Lapointe said. "I was a rookie then, so I know how some of the young guys felt.

"It's hard to describe how I feel because I've been in this situation before. I know how to handle it. You just keep working and eventually, you get rewarded. Like this year, we're sort of being rewarded. I'm happy with how things are progressing."

What is there to be happy about?

Respecting Milbury

Isles GM Mike Milbury is a fiery leader, who has been criticized for a lot of moves he's made with the Islanders. But behind the scenes, Milbury has the respect he needs -- from his coach and players. "Mike kept me very much informed. No decision was made overnight," said Goring about the level of communication he's had with Milbury since becoming the team's coach last year. "Mike's philosophy was, 'How can we get better?' Any time you make deals, you stick your neck out. I give Mike credit for that. We may not see results in a day, but I was very comfortable with what he was doing." Claude Lapointe decided to remain with the Islanders, and one of the major reasons was his loyalty to Milbury. "In the past, Mike Milbury gave me a second chance," Lapointe said. "I had nowhere to go four years ago. I had a hip injury in Calgary and missed like 40 games (in 1995-96). I signed with the Islanders sometime late in August. "He (Milbury) gave me a second chance, and I took advantage of it. I respected that, so when he asked me to stay, I thought, 'He gave me a chance, so why can't I.'" -- Brian A. Shactman

Besides new owners willing to spend money, there is a coach in Butch Goring, who focuses on competing and improving. There's a general manager in Mike Milbury, who's acting less like a guy trying to get fired and more like a manager trying to build a winner -- and willing to take risks along the way. And finally, there's more talent.

John Vanbiesbrouck, Mark Parrish, Oleg Kvasha, Roman Hamrlik, Kevin Haller, Mike Stapleton, Bill Muckalt and Robert Petrovicky weren't on the roster a year ago. And that's not including promising youngsters Tim Connolly, Taylor Pyatt and DiPietro.

"We're not quite ready to win the Cup in the near future, but we made some strong moves," Goring said recently.

One of those "strong moves" was keeping Lapointe, a leader and good locker-room guy who is a skilled penalty killer and solid NHL player. The veteran center could have tested free agency -- and had been rumored to be on the trading block much of last season -- but decided to stay and signed a three-year extension last March.

"With the team, the guys look up to me on and off the ice," Lapointe said. "I think I made the right decision, and I think we're going forward as a team."

Despite possessing the reigning Stanley Cup champs, the Eastern Conference remains wide open, with only three or four bona fide playoff teams. The Islanders play in the Atlantic Division, and with Jaromir Jagr in Pittsburgh and the upgrades in Manhattan -- along with the always formidable Flyers and Devils -- life won't be easy for the Isles. But it will be better.

"Our goal this year ... we'd like to think we could make the playoffs," Goring said. "It would be a big step, but it's a realistic goal we have. That's what we tell the players: We want to go to the dance. Once you get there, you never know what can happen."

That statement is no longer laughable. Sounds downright practical and pragmatic.

Brian A. Shactman is the NHL Editor for ESPN.com.