Maybe with new ownership, things have finally changed on Long Island. There's only one way to prove it, though: Go out and win a few games and make the playoffs.

What has to happen

Mariusz Czerkawski needs another monster season. He led the team with 35 goals and 70 points last season and became an All-Star for the first time. This team is in need of a poster boy, someone who teams around the league can associate with the Islanders. He has shown he has the ability to be a sniper, scoring a bucket full of goals for a bad team. Now that the Isles are improved, 40 goals isn't out of the question. In fact, it's expected.

Brad Isbister, who almost wasn't on the team because of a contract dispute, also needs to improve on a solid 22-goal season. He's a gritty power forward who plays a rough game up front. He needs to stay healthy, though. Isbister missed almost 20 games last year. He has the ability to break out this season and score 30-35 goals. If the Isles are going to make a run at the playoffs, second-tier forwards like Isbister must contribute more.

The penalty killing must continue to improve. The Isles had a pretty good penalty-killing unit last season, despite the fact that it was inconsistent.

Claude Lapointe proved to be one of the league's best penalty killers and leads an aggressive style touted by coach Butch Goring. With an aging John Vanbiesbrouck in goal and the possibility of No.1 pick Rick DiPietro or Wade Flaherty backstopping this team, any contribution the penalty killers can make will be welcome.

What can't happen

The Isles can't have the No. 23 power play in the league again this season. New York was anemic with the man-advantage last season, but that should change this year with the addition of Roman Hamrlik at the point. So far during the pre-season, the Isles have been dreadful with a man advantage. That has to be different in the regular season or this team will continue to flounder.

The new faces can't flop. D Roman Hamrlik, forwards Oleg Kvasha and Mark Parrish and G John Vanbiesbrouck all joined the team. GM Mike Milbury made some flashy draft-day trades, which, on paper, seem to make the Isles a better team. But if Kvasha, whom Milbury coveted for most of last year, and Hamrlik fail to provide the offense the team needs it could be a long season.

Goalie Rick DiPietro can't be thrown to the wolves. Milbury made history when he chose DiPietro with the top pick in the draft. But he must groom this kid slowly otherwise he'll be one of the biggest busts in draft history. With Vanbiesbrouck around, there's no need to rush DiPietro. Give him some time in the minors, even let him sit on the bench for a few games with the parent club. But keep him out of any significant action until he's truly ready.

The mental approach

Forget the past. Forget the fact that over the last five seasons, the Isles are 100 games under .500 and have the 25th-best record in the NHL. There is new ownership on Long Island and reason to be optimistic for the first time in years. If the players approach the season with the attitude that this is a new beginning, then the Isles will reach the postseason for the first time in six years.

There is a great deal of bright young talent on this team. If the Isles play to the potential they display on paper, they'll make some noise in the Eastern Conference.

Yes, there will be pressure on the club. Milbury is on the hot seat, especially after dealing away popular and promising goalies Kevin Weekes and Roberto Luongo. He will either be a mastermind or finished as an NHL exec. He needs this team to play with a sense of controlled desperation right from the outset.

If the Isles get off to a bad start and slip off the radar screen by the New Year as they did a season ago, the second half of the season could be lost on Long Island. Keep positive early and try to pick up a few quick wins. The team should ride the wave of excitement created by the new ownership and use it to its advantage.

Noteworthy

Newly-acquired Oleg Kvasha was slapped with a three-game suspension for elbowing Philly's Daymond Langkow and drawing a match penalty. ... New owners Charles Wang and Sanjay Kumar are living up to their promise and pouring some money into the facilities at the Nassau Coliseum. The weight room and the trainer's room have been expanded and the dressing room has been remodeled. The leaky Coliseum roof is also undergoing repairs. ... The Isles began the pre-season at 0-3-1, managing only five goals in those four games. ... Former top pick Tyler Pyatt is having a strong camp and seems closer to earning a spot on the team than this summer's first-rounder Raffy Toreros. ... D Kenny Jonsson, hampered by a groin injury, finally has made his pre-season debut. ... D Gary Galley is in the lineup and has been paired mostly with Eric Cairns.