UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP) -When the New York Islanders trudged off the ice following their NHL-worst 47th regulation defeat, they tried to move forward as quickly as possible.
That applied to everyone, from the fresh-faced rookies at the core of the youth movement to the grizzled veterans who hope to be a part of something good before their careers are over.
"What's gained was experience," said 20-year-old forward Kyle Okposo at the end of his first full NHL season. "We went through quite a bit of down the first half of the year, especially. That is something that I never want to experience again. That is going to help all of us who played on this team for next year because we're not going to want to do that again.
"We don't want to go through slides like that and know that the playoffs are a distant hope at Christmas."
There was little fun to be had around Long Island as the hometown team skidded to a mark of 26-47-9 - the worst record in the 30-team NHL.
Injuries, such as the knee ailment that sidelined franchise goalie Rick DiPietro for all but five games, besieged the team that already was coming off a non-playoff season, and cost the Islanders about 600 man-games.
Second-leading scorer Doug Weight, along with Trent Hunter, Okposo, fellow rookie Josh Bailey, and others all missed chunks of the season that really never got started under first-year coach Scott Gordon. He was also finding his way after moving up from the AHL.
"They made the second half fly by," Gordon said of his young team, "because of their attitude, their commitment to practice, their work. We try to get better every day."
That process will continue Tuesday, the second day of the long offseason, when the NHL holds the draft lottery. One thing the worst record afforded the Islanders was the best chance to get the first pick in a draft that features two stud players at the top.
Forward John Tavares could be the top prize to the team that wins the lottery, or the choice could be big Swedish defenseman Victor Hedman. New York has about a 48 percent chance to end up with the top pick, but is assured of dropping no lower than No. 2.
The teams with the five worst records are the only clubs with a chance to pick No. 1. All 14 non-playoff teams go into the hopper, but the winning team can move up only four places.
The Tampa Bay Lightning, who won the right to pick Steven Stamkos No. 1 last year, have the second-best chance to pick first again. They are followed by the Colorado Avalanche, who had the worst record in the Western Conference, Atlanta Thrashers and Los Angeles Kings as the only teams that can move up to No. 1.
Unlike last year, when Islanders general manager Garth Snow traded down twice from the No. 5 pick to nab Bailey at No. 9, New York will most assuredly grab Tavares or Hedman.
Southerncusefan 
