Islanders at a glance
	Camp schedule: Sept. 12-19: Olympic Arena (Lake Placid, N.Y.) Sept. 20: Nassau Coliseum Coach: Peter Laviolette (1st season) General manager: Mike Milbury (7th season)

Maybe the Flyers and all their money was cashed in as the most successful summer for any of the Eastern Conference's contenders, but the NHL team that had the most successful drafting day in June was none other than Mike Milbury and the Islanders.

No more rim shots, please.

Seven straight years of basement-level hockey and front office chaos can all be swept away now, because Milbury's acquisitions of Alexei Yashin and Mike Peca not only gives his team personality, but a solid chance to make the playoffs.

New kids in town: Yashin and Peca must return to the All-Star forms they flashed for so many years in Ottawa and Buffalo, respectively. Not only that, but they must gel together as leaders for a young team still seeking direction. Don't expect many votes for Yashin as captainly material from the people who know him. But he was a quiet and steady force for the Sens last year, and now that he's happy to be elsewhere maybe Alexei's charm can sprout anew.

On the defense: Rick DiPietro is one of the most exciting young goalies in hockey, but for that to matter, the Islanders' defense -- the strength of this team -- has to avoid the injuries that befell it a year ago. Both Kevin Haller and Kenny Jonsson missed huge chunks of last season, but both are back at full strength.

New man in town: Another year, another coach. Perhaps it's the Milbury management way. So this year, we have Peter Laviolette, who has never overseen an NHL bench. He has drawn rave reviews from Islander advisors, but he better be a fast study to draw fond attention from the fans. One popular move Laviolette has already made was hiring goaltending coach and Islanders legend Billy Smith away from Florida. Now DiPietro will really learn how to use his stick.

Islanders 2001-02 preseason schedule
Date	Opponent	Time
Thu., Sept. 20	at New Jersey	7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 21	vs. Philadelphia at Sovereign Bank Arena, Trenton, N.J.	7 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 22	N.Y. Rangers	7:30 p.m.
Mon., Sept. 24	New Jersey	7 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 28	at Philadelphia	7 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 29	at Atlanta	7 p.m.