Jeff Tambellini's hockey career was hanging by a thread.
Tambellini learned the harsh reality of life as a pro after Islanders coach Scott Gordon forced the 25-year-old forward to the press box for five games following a lackluster performance in the season opener against Pittsburgh.
Apparently, Tambellini got the message loud and clear.
The Calgary native has dressed for each of the Islanders last eight games and rewarded the front office's patience with his first career hat trick on Saturday against Buffalo.
"It's a pretty special night for me," Tambellini told NHL.com. "It's one more thing that I always wanted to accomplish. I look forward to the next one."
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Jeff Tambellini is owned in only 15 percent of leagues on CBSSports.com.
(US Presswire)
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The night had to be rewarding for Tambellini since his father, Oilers general manager and former Islanders first-round pick Steve Tambellini, was in attendance. But it was also a confidence booster for a kid who was playing himself out of the NHL.
Tambellini shot up the prospect rankings after developing into a scoring whiz in the American Hockey League -- 194 points in 169 games -- but apparently hype can only take you so far. Tambellini had numerous call-ups since his debut in 2005-06 with the Kings, who drafted him 27th overall in the 2003 draft, but he never could translate his AHL success onto the NHL scene.
In his first 144 games, Tambellini produced just 11 goals and 32 points. You could feel the Islanders' frustrations mounting. Gordon played him in all different scenarios and moved him around in 2008-09 trying to light a fire under the former Michigan Wolverine. Alas, the results were minimal.
When the Islanders claimed Rob Schremp off waivers from Edmonton, Gordon finally made the tough decision to make Tambellini a healthy scratch. It just seemed like the last move before even further drastic action was needed. It seems as though seeing his hockey future flash before his eyes was enough to set off a chain reaction for Tambellini. In his last eight games, he has six goals and eight points. He is also converting goals at 27.2 percent.
"This is the way I usually play," Tambellini said. "Last year was my first full year in the NHL. Before that, I just played in the American League and this was kind of the way it went. I just feel like I'm back doing my thing again."
It has really helped that Tambellini understands his shot can't carry him in the NHL. He is willing to battle for the loose pucks, crash the net and do what it takes to get the garbage goals, similar to how Tomas Holmstrom of the Red Wings has made a living in the NHL.
"It's obviously exciting for Jeff to be able to get the hat trick," Gordon said. "The biggest thing is he's getting his shot off. He's getting the puck in good situations and he's also going to the front of the net. It's a hard thing when you've had success in the past to know that you can get by on your shot alone if you get to the right places. I think he understands that now. He's making himself more of a complete player, and that's all you can ask."
Add 'Em
Bryan Little, C, Atlanta
Owned: 54 percent of leagues
Analysis: Here is one of those buy low candidates since everyone seems to be jumping off the Bryan Little bandwagon, forgetting he posted 31 goals in 2008-09. It took Little 11 games to finally score his first goal on Tuesday against Montreal, but if you look at his numbers, they are still pretty good considering he's in a scoring slump. Little has seven points and a plus-4 rating. Atlanta is putting a lot of pressure on Little to help pick up the scoring slack while Ilya Kovalchuk is recovering from a broken foot. We love the fact Little is averaging more than four power-play minutes per game and knows Atlanta's system very well after cutting his teeth under coach John Anderson in the minors.
Jonathan Ericsson, D, Detroit
Owned: 40 percent of leagues
Analysis: We admit we were a little anxious to see Ericsson on the ice in 2009-10 after he had a good playoff run in 2008-09, and Detroit head coach Mike Babcock couldn't stop raving about the 6-4, 206-pound blueliner. However, we also had some hesitation since Detroit already had Nicklas Lidstrom, Brian Rafalski and Niklas Kronwall. We wondered where Ericsson would be able to get the points. Apparently, it is a non-issue. The Swede has three goals and eight points in 11 games. Ericsson has a heavy shot that even suits him well despite the fact he doesn't get any power-play time. That coupled with the fact that Ericsson usually takes just one shot a game doesn't bode well for Fantasy, but this kid has made a seamless transition to the NHL and we feel he has a bright future ahead.
Drop 'Em
Rod Brind'Amour, C, Carolina
Owned: 19 percent of leagues
Analysis: Brind'Amour was another prime candidate for our Faceoffs this week about veterans on the decline, but he had slowed down last season as he struggled to come back from a torn ACL. Brind'Amour was his usual self by season's end and that's why he was still a viable target on Draft Day 2009. But he just isn't a point-per-game threat anymore. Add to the fact that when everyone is healthy, he is usually a third-line center and his defense has been atrocious. Since last season, he is at minus-34. Those negative points are dangerous territory in Fantasy. You are better off with a younger skater with upside.
Andrei Kostitsyn, LW, Montreal
Owned: 32 percent of leagues
Analysis: Trying to figure out where Kostitsyn's head is at is a mystery. Since he showed so much promise in his first full season in the NHL in 2007-08, it has been all downhill for the Belarusian. He definitely frustrates the Canadiens and Fantasy owners with his inconsistency. He is having trouble putting points on the board despite the fact he is primarily playing alongside Mike Cammalleri and Tomas Plekanec, who are both doing well this year. It probably isn't helping Kostitsyn that younger brother Sergei is having a feud with the Canadiens' front office. It is another distraction Andrei doesn't need.
Avoid 'Em
Steve Reinprecht, C, Florida
Owned: 39 percent of leagues
Analysis: Reinprecht has been one of the most added players in Fantasy since his hat-trick performance on Oct. 30 against Dallas. He has been one of the Panthers' best offensive players this season, overshadowing the likes of Nathan Horton, Stephen Weiss and Michael Frolik. Florida was overly excited after they traded for Reinprecht in the offseason, but they really wanted him for his veteran presence and faceoff skills. This offensive outburst has definitely been an added bonus. Unfortunately, we just can't really stand behind a player that has managed more than 20 goals just once in his first eight full seasons in the NHL. Reinprecht definitely has the makeup of a player whose production will level out.
Jarret Stoll, C, Los Angeles
Owned: 33 percent of leagues
Analysis: Stoll apparently isn't distracted by the fact he called off a summer wedding with Rachel Hunter. Stoll has three goals and 11 points in his first 15 games and has been able to cash in on the Kings' hot start. Unfortunately, we don't have a lot of faith in Stoll keeping up this kind of offensive production since he has been a streaky player in his career. We thought he had a breakthrough moment in 2008-09 when he was on a line with Kyle Calder and Dustin Brown. But his production eventually fizzled out. Stoll is a nice low-end Fantasy option to start during his hot streaks. However, we just aren't sure he is back to being a 60-point player.
Watch 'Em
Roman Hamrlik, D, Montreal
Owned: 49 percent of leagues
Analysis: The Czech blueliner has four goals in his first 14 games and hasn't shown this much of a scoring prowess since back in the early 2000s when he played with the Islanders. Hamrlik has always been a better passer than scorer, but he has really stepped up his game since Andrei Markov went down early in the season. Hamrlik is not a bad add in larger Fantasy formats since he is usually good for 20 assists, 30 points and a respectable plus-minus. But we just aren't ready to tell all Fantasy owners to buy the 35-year-old veteran since he isn't at a must-start level. Hamrlik is more of a player to start in favorable matchups until his offensive production comes on a more frequent basis.
Mike Fisher, C, Ottawa
Owned: 57 percent of leagues
Analysis: We are waiting to make a final verdict on Fisher to see what unfurls with Jason Spezza. Fisher has really benefited from Spezza being slowed by an upper-body injury. Fisher is tied for second on the team with five goals and is second with 11 points in 12 games. He is scoring at a 15.2 percent clip. Not bad for a guy that has a career average of 10.9 percent. While Fisher had a down season in 2008-09, like most Senators, he is usually a 20-20 producer. That's not bad for a low-end Fantasy option to start with favorable matchups, like Hamrlik. That's why we will await Spezza's status before moving Fisher up the Fantasy rankings. If Spezza gets back to 100 percent that means less scoring chances for Fisher, who would also lose his spot on the top line.
Sami Lepisto, D, Phoenix
Owned: 4 percent of leagues
Analysis: The more Phoenix coach Dave Tippett gets to know Lepisto, the better it will be for Fantasy owners. Tippett admitted when he showed up in Phoenix he didn't know a lot about the 2004 third-round pick, but now that he is watching him progress in practice, Tippett is starting to trust the Finnish blueliner. Lepisto has no goals and three assists in 14 games this season and that largely has to do with the fact he is focusing on shoring up his defense. However, the former Capitals' farmhand was a solid puck distributor for Hershey (AHL) the last two seasons, racking up 79 assists in 125 games. Lepisto could be a dangerous Fantasy option, if he ever puts it all together.
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